The report card
- Safe prep (70C)35% of score7.6
Tommee Tippee says the hot shot is always at least 70C and tests every machine in the factory, but home research raised doubts and the shot is small. Check yours with a thermometer.
- Speed & ease at 3am20% of score9.0
One dial and one button, with a 5oz bottle in about 90 seconds. Quiet dispensing and soft lights for night feeds.
- Feed accuracy15% of score7.8
The machine measures the water from 4 to 11oz, but you still scoop the powder by hand.
- Cleaning & upkeep15% of score6.8
A new filter every three months or so, regular cleaning cycles and descaling when prompted. Not hard, but not optional.
- Value & running costs15% of score7.6
Around £110 is fair for the convenience, plus roughly £55 to £60 a year in filters.
The full review
The PerfectPrep is Tommee Tippee's 2026 redesign of the machine that made formula prep machines mainstream in the UK. The routine is unchanged: scoop powder into a sterilised bottle, pick the feed size on the dial, press for the hot shot, swirl, then press again for cool filtered water. Tommee Tippee quotes about 90 seconds for a 5oz feed.
What's new is mostly design. The digital display of the older Day & Night has gone, replaced by a single button and a one-touch dial with eight feed sizes, and a removable water jug makes filling easier. Mother&Baby's reviewer found the routine quickly becomes muscle memory and liked how quiet it is at night, though she missed the old screen at first.
Safety is where you need to be clear-eyed. Tommee Tippee says the hot shot is always at least 70C, that every machine is tested during manufacture and that independent lab tests back this up. A 2023 Swansea University study, in which parents measured machine hot shots at home, found most fell short, although the researchers used basic thermometers and didn't test for bacteria. My take: it's a sound design, but check your own machine with a food thermometer rather than taking anyone's word for it.
Running costs are the other catch. The antibacterial filter lasts up to three months (based on six 9oz bottles a day) and costs £14.99, and the machine tells you when it's due. It also won't dispense if the water in its tank is above 25C, so a hot kitchen in summer can hold you up.
Pros and cons
What I like
- Hot shot designed to reach at least 70C, in line with the principle of NHS guidance
- About 90 seconds from button press to drinkable 5oz bottle
- Simple one-dial controls, quiet dispensing and soft night lights
- Removable jug is easier to fill and doubles as a filtered water jug
What I don't
- Hot shot temperature is hard to verify at home and was questioned by independent research
- Filters every three months or so add an ongoing cost
- Can't make feeds smaller than 4oz
- Won't dispense if the tank water rises above 25C
Key specs
- Feed sizes
- 4 to 11oz, one-touch dial
- Prep time
- About 90 seconds for a 5oz feed (manufacturer figure)
- Hot shot
- At least 70C (manufacturer claim)
- Filter
- Antibacterial filter, up to 3 months
- Filter cost
- £14.99 each, or £26.99 for two
- In the box
- Machine, filter, 150ml Natural Start bottle, milk storage lid
- Colours
- Chalk, Slate
- App
- Tommee Tippee app for set-up guides and filter reordering
Head-to-heads
What I read
This is a research-led review. These are the main sources behind the scores, alongside patterns in verified owner reviews. How I review.