The 5 best baby bibs in 2021

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Collection of baby bibs

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  • Baby bibs often aren't given much thought, but a quality one will make feeding your baby easier.
  • We surveyed parents and spoke to a pediatrician and a feeding expert to narrow down baby bibs to test.
  • These are the best baby bibs we tried with a 1-year-old, including silicone, cotton, and bandana bibs.

Let's state the obvious — feeding babies can get real messy. If ensuring they eat a well-balanced meal isn't enough, you also have to make sure fruit and yogurt don't spill all over your kitchen floor. Luckily, a quality baby bib will make life much easier.

For this guide, I put 11 baby bibs to the test with my 1-year-old niece, Julianna Grace. Between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I tried a variety of bib styles with her, from bandana and cotton designs to silicone and apron-style bibs.

I also surveyed 20 parents and caregivers, all of whom said they look for a bib that's easy to clean. More than 40% said the biggest issues they run into are bibs not staying in place, irritating the baby's neck, and not catching foods and liquids well. I kept this in mind while testing and choosing the top picks for this guide.

While testing, I took notes on how comfortable each bib was, how effective the design was at picking up food, and how it held up in the wash. You'd be surprised at how many bibs didn't make the cut — and how impressive the top five were during feeding time in the high chair.

I also also spoke with Judy Delaware — an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and certified lactation counselor — for more information on bibs and best feeding practices. Dr. Sarah Fleet, attending physician at Boston's Children's Hospital and instructor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, also provided her expertise in our FAQs section.

Here are the best baby bibs in 2021

  • Best baby bib overall: Babybjorn Baby Bib
  • Best cotton bib: Nuby Reversible 100% Natural Cotton Teething Bib
  • Best bandana bib:  Copper Pearl Baby Bandana Bib
  • Best apron-style bib: Panda Ear Short Sleeve Bib
  • Best value bib: Green Sprouts Stay-Dry Infant Bibs

The best baby bib overall

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The Babybjorn Baby Bib has a convenient bottom pouch to catch food and spills and only requires a wipe to clean.

Pros: Keeps food from falling to the floor, adjustable neckband, easy to clean, BPA-free, made of food-safe plastic, quick to dry

Cons: Hand-wash only

Before I tested these bibs on my niece, my sister mentioned she swears by bibs with a catch pocket at the bottom to prevent messes. Though convenient, I didn't think it was a necessity — until I tried out the Babybjorn Baby Bib.

It really does catch everything and also makes it easy to assess how much the baby is eating per meal. It was also one of the most comfortable bibs, thanks to the lightweight, thin beaded neckline that's adjustable and prevents irritation to the baby's neck.

The Babybjorn bib is made of durable, nonflexible silicone that doesn't stick to the baby's clothes like less-structured bibs. Julianna ate a chicken meatball, grilled zucchini, and roasted sweet potatoes for dinner while wearing the Babybjorn, and after removing some leftover food in the pouch, all it took was a wipe to clean.

The best cotton bib

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The Nuby Reversible 100% Natural Cotton Teething Bib is perfect for all stages, particularly for its comfort, ease of cleaning, and unique teething tip for the baby to chew on before or after feeding.

Pros: Textured tip is great for teething, super soft, BPA-free, reversible, made of natural fibers

Cons: Doesn't capture all food and spills

Julianna is in the notoriously brutal teething stage, which means she chews on just about anything to soothe her gums as baby teeth are erupting. When I discovered that Nuby makes a teething bib, I was intrigued.

The textured tip at the bib's end is what sets it apart from other bibs, but it's not the only feature that makes Nuby a standout. The material is extremely comfortable and the bib is the ideal size for feeding time. The reversible designs are also a nice touch.

Julianna ate her favorite chicken meatball again, with sauteed mushrooms, and though the bib didn't catch every bit of leftover food, there wasn't an unbearable mess. The best part: After feeding, I could toss it in the washing machine and dryer for a quick tumble.

The best bandana bib

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The Copper Pearl Baby Bandana Bib is the most effective bandana style we tested, thanks to its wide, catch-all design.

Pros: Didn't bunch up around the neck, comes in many unique patterns, wide design protects from spills, soft and comfortable, adjustable snaps at the neckline, easy to clean

Cons: None

After testing a few bandana bibs, the Copper Pearl Baby Bandana Bib proved the most practical because it laid flat on the baby to prevent spills, instead of bunching up around the neckline.

The designs are beyond cute (and though style is subjective, there's a pattern for every taste). Copper Pearl is made of 100% absorbent cotton on the front and 100% polyester fleece on the back, so it's plush and comfortable to wear.

Julianna ate French toast, bananas, and strawberries for breakfast, and the bib was impressive at absorbing drool and preventing spills. After feeding, a quick tumble in the washing machine and dryer made it ready for the baby's next meal.

The best apron-style bib

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The Panda Ear Short Sleeve Bib has an adjustable tie back, covers the baby's shoulders to prevent spills, and the repel-tex material absorbs any small residue.

Pros: Short-sleeve design provides more coverage, great at absorbing drool, BPA-free, easy to clean, comfortable

Cons: May be too large for babies younger than 12 months, though the tie-back is adjustable; didn't capture all food and spills

Apron-style bibs are great because they're more like a smock rather than a chest covering. The Panda Ear Bib made the cut because of its short-sleeve design, which effectively covered the baby's shoulders during mealtime.

Though the repel-tex material is super absorbent and easy to clean in the washing machine after meals, some of Julianna's peanut butter and jelly sandwich slid off into the high chair seat. This wasn't a dealbreaker, however, given the bib provides more coverage than others we tested.

Panda Ear makes fun patterns, too, and the tie-back feature was comfortable, caused no irritation, and enabled Julianna to enjoy her meal with a more precise fit. The bib runs a bit large, so I wouldn't recommend ordering if your baby is less than 12 months old.

The best value bib

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For less than $20, you can purchase 10 comfy Green Sprouts Stay-Dry Infant Bibs with an oval design, perfect for preventing food from sliding off.

Pros: Food and spills remained on the bib, oval design covers some of the baby's shoulders, easy to clean, 10-pack is great for multiple uses per day

Cons: Material isn't as soft as others, but is still effective for feeding

The Green Sprouts Stay-Dry Infant Bibs are smaller than most, but have a unique oval design that acts as a shield on the baby's shoulders to prevent spills. After Julianna ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, strawberries, and formula, most of the food bits remained on the bib's surface, so the post-feeding cleanup was a breeze.

In our survey of parents and caregivers, nearly 40% of respondents said they use three bibs per day, with just over 10% using double that amount. That said, this 10-pack of quality bibs is an excellent value for those who just want something that will easily slip on.

Though I found the material not as soft as others, the bibs got the feeding job done without irritating my niece's neck. When finished, the Green Sprouts bibs can be tossed in the washing machine and dryer.

Our methodology

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In order to narrow down what types of bibs to test for this guide, we surveyed 20 parents and caregivers to better understand their baby bib preferences. Here's an overview of the results:

  • 85% of respondents care for babies between 4 and 11 months of age.
  • 100% of respondents look for a baby bib that's easy to clean, with durability being a close second.
  • Most parents and caregivers use three baby bibs per day and wash them daily.

What's more, silicone baby bibs are the most popular type. Multipacks were overwhelmingly preferred, with 90% of respondents purchasing baby bibs in a two-pack or more, rather than a single bib.

When asked what issues parents and caregivers run into with baby bibs, the three most common problems include the bib not staying in place, irritation to the baby's neck, and the bib not catching foods and liquids well.

With our survey results in mind, we tested each bib according to the following criteria:

  • How it held up while feeding: This includes how much of a mess was left over after feeding, how effective the bib was at absorbing drool and catching food, and the overall design of the bib.
  • How comfortable it was: This includes if the bib caused any irritation and the softness and durability of the material.
  • How simple it was to clean: While most bibs were washing-machine safe, we paid special attention to those that weren't and how simple they were to clean when using a different method.

What else we considered

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Below are the bibs we tested that didn't quite make the cut:

  • Aden + Anais Dusty Bandana Bibs (2-pack): Though the bib was easy to put on for feeding, it didn't catch any food because it bunched up around the neck.
  • Ava + Oliver Silicone Bib Set (2-pack): This was the most irritating bib for the baby to wear because the adjustable silicone snaps were difficult to put in place and led to much squirming.
  • Burt's Bees Organic Lap Shoulder Bib (4-pack): This was the only bib we didn't test because the bibs run very small. There's also no adjustment around the neck, and it wouldn't fit over my 12-month-old niece's head.
  • Clean Cub Long Sleeve Apron Bib With Suction Cups: Though I appreciate this bib's full-body design and suction cup that attaches to the high chair, it's not practical. Most food slipped onto the floor during feeding, too.
  • Green Sprouts Organic Cotton Muslin Bibs (5-pack): The brand's Stay-Dry Bibs made our top five, but this style didn't absorb spills and pick up food well.
  • Loulou Lollipop Muslin Bandana Bib Set (2-pack): Almost comparable to our top bandana pick, Copper Pearl, this bib didn't cover as much. However, it was great at absorbing drool.
  • Tiny Twinkle Mess-Proof Apron Bib (2-pack): This bib didn't catch most food and, because of its tank-top style, it didn't cover as much as our top apron-style pick, Panda Ear, which covered the shoulders.

FAQs about baby bibs and best feeding practices

We spoke to Feeding Littles cofounder Judy Delaware, OTR/L, CLC — an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and certified lactation counselor — and Dr. Sarah Fleet, attending physician at Boston's Children's Hospital and instructor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Both provided their expertise to answer commonly asked questions about what to look for in a baby bib and what to know while feeding.

What should a caregiver look for in a baby bib?

"I would recommend something easy to clean, comfortable to wear, and long enough to protect the clothes underneath," said Fleet."Being dishwasher or machine washable would also be useful."

It's great for a baby bib to tie around the baby's body and not the neck for both safety and comfort, added Delaware. She also appreciates quick-dry fabrics and waterproof designs. Keep in mind that choosing a baby bib remains entirely up to preference, however.

What should I know about cotton and bandana bibs?

"The bandana-style bib is typically made from cotton and, in my experience, these bibs are used for both feeding and drooling but don't hold up to the wetness that can occur during these activities," Delaware said. "This bib can feel soft to the touch, but many caregivers quickly find the bib and clothing may have to be changed."

What should I know about silicone bibs?

"The silicone bib is a caregiver favorite, but the front pocket may act as a place to pour or store things," said Delaware. "The adjustable snaps may be irritating to tiny necks and many kids find silicone irritating to their skin."

What should I know about repel-tex bibs?

"Repeltex is water-repellent and prevents the baby's skin from feeling clammy or irritated," said Delaware. "Look for a bib that secures around the body and not the neck."

How often should I wash a baby bib?

Delaware recommends rinsing a bib after each use and running it through the washing machine one to three times a week. Fleet agrees, adding that food and saliva can become embedded on the bib's surface and attract bacteria and pests.

What are safe feeding practices for babies?

"Each baby is unique in their skill development, and needs to be introduced to foods when they are developmentally ready," said Fleet. "Solid foods should be introduced to an infant when they can sit unsupported in a high chair, with good head control, and are showing interest in solid foods."

How can I encourage mealtime if a baby is fussy?

"Mealtime should ideally be free of distraction or screens and children should sit in a high chair or at the table," said Fleet. "They should be allowed to feed themselves, and should not be fed against their will, as babies and toddlers generally eat when they are hungry and stop when they're full." Force-feeding may make them resistant to eat in the future, she added.

Fleet also recommends adding spices and flavors to infant and toddler foods. Toward the end of infancy, they may start refusing bland purees and prefer blended family meals, as they are more flavorful.

What should a baby's diet contain for each life stage?

Below, Fleet provided a sample diet, unique to each month grouping. Be sure to speak to your pediatrician about any specific concerns.

  • 0 to 4 months: Only breastmilk or formula should be given.
  • 4 to 6 months: Single food purees can be given once daily along with breastmilk or formula.
  • 9 to 12 months: Beyond 6 months of age, breastmilk and formula don't contain enough iron, so solid foods are recommended more than once daily. The baby can try dissolvable solids, like puffs and veggie straws.
  • 12 months and up: Three meals of solid foods and two snacks are encouraged, including puree, soft foods, or dissolvable solids. Bottles can be offered as snacks between meals.

Victoria Giardina

Buying Guides Fellow, Insider Reviews

Victoria is the Buying Guides Fellow working across all verticals on the Insider Reviews team. With a strong interest specifically in beauty, health, and lifestyle-related content, she is passionate about service journalism — a sector encouraging her to be both strategic and creative in the editorial industry. Finding the best of the best products to share with consumers — from drugstore eyeliners to podcasting microphones — is what brings her joy. Before joining Business Insider, Victoria held editorial internships at "The Dr. Oz Show," WebMD/Medscape, and CNN. She is currently a senior at The College of New Jersey majoring in journalism and professional writing. For all of her reporting pieces, visit her digital portfolio. Connect with Victoria on Instagram and Twitter. To say hello or send a media inquiry, contact vgiardina@businessinsider.com. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here.

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