Features
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Temperature control. The ability to accurately set the heating temperature at your discretion (in heaters and heater-sterilizers, see "Type"). This function allows you to optimally adjust the device to a particular situation — for example, for a child of different ages, the recommended food temperature will also be different.
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Maintenance of temperature. Warmers with this function are able not only to heat cold baby food to the desired temperature, but also to maintain this temperature. Thus, the parent does not have to feed the child immediately after the end of the heating, fearing that otherwise the food will cool down — you can remove the bottle later, at the most convenient moment.
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Auto power off. Automatic shutdown of the device — usually at the end of the work programme. The meaning and features of this function may be different. So, in the simplest heaters, auto-off allows you to avoid overheating — when the desired temperature is reached, the temperature sensor is triggered. In sterilizers, this feature provides energy savings — the procedure lasts exactly as long as it takes for effective sterilization, and less. In addition, auto-off can be triggered when there is not enough water in the steam sterilizer tank — this prevents overheating and damage to the device itself. Anyway, this feature provides additional convenience, and sometimes
...security when using the device.
— Display. The presence in the device of its own display. Usually, this is the simplest black and white LCD screen. However, such a screen can display a wide variety of information: temperature (actual and/or planned), selected programme, operating time (set or remaining), timer settings, water level, antibacterial agent remaining (in chemical sterilizers), battery charge and much more. Specific features depend on the model of the device, however, the display anyway makes the operation more convenient and informative.
— Timer. Most often, this refers to the delay start timer used in appliances with a heater function (see "Type"). This function allows you to "charge" the device in advance and set the start time so that the heating ends at the right time — for example, so that a bottle of warm milk is already waiting for you when you return from a walk at home.
— Ready indicator. An indicator signaling the achievement of the desired temperature or the end of the sterilization programme. Usually uses a light signal — for example, the light is on during heating and goes out when it ends.Modes
— Heating (liquid nutrition). Low-temperature mode for heating milk or liquid food in warm water with a temperature of up to 50 °C. With this type of heating, the containers do not overheat — they can be immediately picked up. However, the heating process also takes longer.
— Heating (dense food). Mode for heating cereals and thick mixtures with hot water (70 – 80 °C and more). When taking a container heated in this mode out of the apparatus, precautions must be taken, since it can burn your hands.
— Fast heating. It is used for accelerated heating of baby food, usually with a small amount of steam. Bottles heated in fast mode must be removed from the appliance with extreme care to avoid the risk of burns.
— Defrosting. The mode provides gentle defrosting of milk or food in a bottle to a liquid state without heating.
— Optional. There may be functions that are not indicated above.
Capacity
The maximum number of items that fit in the device at a time.
Almost all heaters (see "Type") are made "single-charged" — in fact, it is rarely necessary to heat several bottles of milk at once. But sterilizers are often designed for several items at once — this saves time on processing. At the same time, a more capacious appliance, on the one hand, is more convenient with an abundance of dishes, on the other hand, it is heavier, bulkier and more expensive. So when choosing, it is worth considering what is more important — compactness or the ability to work with numerous objects.
Note that in models for bottles and jars (see "Intended use"), capacity is usually indicated for containers with a narrow neck; wide dishes in such a device will fit less. And for universal devices designed for both bottles / jars and nipples / pacifiers, capacity is usually given only for bottles; the number of places for nipples and pacifiers may be less, this should be clarified before buying.
