This Baby Brezza Formula-Making Machine Changed My Life as a First-Time Mom - CNET

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Add this must-have item to your baby shower registry.

My son is about to turn 1 year old. And in this past year, my husband and I have learned a lot about what it takes to care for a baby. That includes feeding them, which can be trickier that you'd imagined at times. I struggled with nursing and turned to formula, which was the best decision for our family. However, this brought its own challenges, including my son suffering from severe gas and colic, which was later attributed to him being lactose intolerant.

Eventually, after a couple of formula brand swaps, we found our groove. If you've ever made a bottle of formula, you know that the minute it takes to prepare -- measuring the right water-to-powder ratio, mixing and warming -- can feel like an eternity when there's a hungry, screaming baby in the other room.

Since my son struggled with gas, I also had to make sure there weren’t too many bubbles in the milk. This was tricky because shaking the bottle to mix it naturally creates bubbles, adding another layer of challenge to feeding time. I even tried the “swirling” trick, which is supposed to reduce bubbles, but it didn't work for me.

This all changed when Baby Brezza sent me a product sample of the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced Baby Formula Dispenser, priced at $230.

The Formula Pro works much like a Keurig -- simply press a button, and out comes a ready-made beverage. In this case, it’s a bottle filled with warm formula, already mixed and measured out for your baby.

Instead of a K-Cup, you fill the clear, plastic dispenser with formula powder, and the water tank with filtered water. The machine lets you choose between 2 and 10 ounces of formula, and the adjustable tray easily fits both tall and short baby bottles. You can also choose between three warming settings: room temperature, body temperature and warmer than body temperature.

The Formula Pro is so foolproof that you can easily make a bottle with just one hand. I’ve done it while holding my son in one arm and preparing the bottle with the other. Even middle-of-the-night feedings are easy to handle, no matter how groggy you feel.

The funnel on the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced needs to be hand-washed every so often.

Every few bottles you make, you get an alert that tells you the funnel, a plastic piece that clicks into the front of the dispenser, needs to be cleaned. Having extra funnels is handy so you don't have to wait for the washed one to dry.

The downside to this machine is that you have to stay on top of refilling the powder and water tank. There have been times when I went to make a bottle and the machine was low on water, and it takes a few minutes for it to warm up after refilling it. This isn’t ideal when your child is crying from hunger and refuses to take cold milk. So, I’ve learned from my mistakes.

The water tank of the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced is on the back of the machine.

You do have to wipe down the machine regularly to avoid bacterial growth, but it isn’t time-consuming compared to the recommended monthly descaling. That more thorough cleaning is meant to remove minerals from the Baby Brezza Formula Pro and extend its life.

To descale, add distilled white vinegar or the descaler liquid to the water tank and run a 10-ounce cycle twice. The machine will need to be left unplugged for several hours, and another cycle with regular water must be run to make sure no residue gets left behind. (Check out this video for more details on properly descaling it.) All other removable pieces can be hand-washed with warm water and soap.

Clicking through the different ounce options the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced offers.

One aspect people, including myself, initially question is how accurate the Formula Pro's measurements are compared to when you make a bottle by hand. I’ve noticed it's off by about a half-ounce or so when it makes a bottle compared to when I make one.

But it turns out that Baby Brezza has specific settings for different formula labels, and focuses on measuring based on weight, not volume. That means its measurements are based on the weight listed for each specific formula brand, giving you the most precise bottle every time.

A bottle freshly made by the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced machine.

Considering purchasing the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced? It’s helpful to know if it’s worth the investment. The machine itself costs $230 with free shipping, comes with a free 18-month warranty and you have up to 45 days to return it if you are dissatisfied. You can also purchase extra protection from Extend for one year ($24), two years ($42) or three years ($60). This extra coverage is supposed to provide failure protection, as well as allow free replacements if your machine breaks or gets ruined by power surges or electrical issues. That extra protection is certainly something to consider if you plan on reusing the Formula Pro with another baby in the future.

A bottle being made by the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced.

If you ever have any questions about your purchase, Baby Brezza has customer service support through its website or via its customer service number, seven days a week. Since I haven't had to use the service line, I can't attest to how reliable it is. However, according to Baby Brezza's website, the company has the line double-staffed to minimize wait times for connecting with a support specialist.

Another helpful piece of information to keep in mind is that you can purchase any replacements or spare parts for the Baby Brezza Formula Pro or other Baby Brezza products on the website. The website also connects its products to its Amazon storefront, so you can receive your product even faster if you have an Amazon Prime account. While the brand did send me the Formula Pro for free, after testing it for almost 10 months, I think it's worth the price.

If you’re expecting and aren’t certain if you’ll be nursing, or know that at one point you’ll be turning to formula, the Baby Brezza Formula Pro Advanced is a must-have baby shower registry item. It is time-saving, anyone can use it and it's guaranteed to give your baby a well-measured and warm bottle of milk, every time.