For a long time, Avery was using the same Sharebear Sippy Cups since she transitioned from the bottle over a year ago. They worked well for anything from water to smoothies and hardly any issue with leaking. That is, until she chewed the nipples to where the rubber wore off and it was just a gaping hole she was drinking from.

We introduced Re-Play Spill Proof Sippy Cups several months ago and they work great too, but only for water, smoothies are too thick. Finally, we were ready to introduce the wonder of the straw and try the nuSpin Kids Zoomi Straw Sippy Cup.

I know many kids start using straws when only a few months old, but we just never tried much until getting these cups. I chose this cup because I was drawn by the simplicity of the parts (easy to clean), being bpa, phthalate, pvc, nitrosamines, and lead free, and good Amazon reviews.

A big concern we had was leaking since Avery was so accustomed to tilting her cups up to drink, but this cup claimed to have a patent pending silicone straw design that minimized spills. It even works when tilted! At first, Avery just gave her new sippy cup the staredown.

She finally picked it up, but she was still unsure of this contraption with butterflies (you can get Monster Trucks too) a tiny spout.

After a little demo from her parents along with trial and error, and she quickly picked up on the straw.

Now, this “butterfly cup” is her favorite cup, and just as claimed, when she tilts it up, the leaking is minimal. There are no crazy parts or extra layers that make it hard to clean by hand, but it’s dishwasher safe if you want to go that route.

The valve-free straw has a knob that prevents little hands from pulling it right out and throwing it on the floor; a very necessary feature! But, we do have a problem with her pushing the straw in. Just a little push like this…

….will result in this…

Boo.

Not a big deal though, just a little wiggle or quick unscrew of the lid to put the straw back and you’re good to go. Until it gets pushed in again, and it will get pushed in again! See update below on how to fix this issue.

We’ve been using this cup as her water and smoothie cup and Avery has no problem with either liquid. At 7oz it holds enough liquid to not be too heavy and is small enough for her little hands to easily pick up.

For smoothies, I’d suggest using both hands since they are more dense. She doesn’t always do this, but is getting better.

The nuSpin Zoomi Straw Sippy Cup is a great choice for little ones starting at 6 months and is made to last a while. I’m not a fan of having to clean the same cup every day, so I just ordered the Monster Truck cup to keep a nice gender neutral cup collection. Plus, monster trucks are just cool!

Pros:

• BPA Free, Phthalate Free, Latex Free, Lead Free
• Silicone straw not easily damaged from chewing
• Minimal leaking
• Easy to clean
• Perfect for almost any type of liquid. Really thick smoothies or lots of sediment may pose an issue.
• Good size for little hands and fits in cup holders
• Graphics have a coating that will not peel off
• Dishwasher safe
• Durable from crazy toddler abuse

Cons:

• Still leaks a little when tilted too much
• Straw can easily be pushed inside (See update below)
• Wish there was a lid/cover for travel
• Made in China

Update: A nuSpin associate kindly left a comment below and gave me a useful tip to solve the straw issue. Just gently pull up on the straw through the hole until the little knob snaps in place. This keeps little fingers from easily pushing it down and prevents leaking even better!

Hope this review helps you with your decision for a good cup for your little ones. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions for other cups in the comments below.