thread: Suction bowls for kids - do they actually work?

  1. #1
    2013 BellyBelly RAK Recipient.

    May 2007
    Brisbane
    5,310

    Question Suction bowls for kids - do they actually work?

    I'm pretty sure EVERYONE has looked at these bowls and wondered... are they worth the money? Do they actually WORK?

    So... have you used them? Do they work? Does food fly anyway? Should we just buy normal bowls for half the price?

  2. #2
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM

    Feb 2007
    Melbourne
    5,462

    I don't use them at all because I don't dare leave a bowl in front of DS2! Yes they may stay in place, but it won't keep his hands out of it, flicking food everywhere and making a huge mess. For finger food that he is allowed to play with I just put it directly on his highchair tray (clean of course ) and he can make as much mess as he likes.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Feb 2007
    In the jungle.
    4,809

    DD is more likely to leave a regular bowl alone. If it is stuck down all she wants to do is pull it off. So IMO mine was a waste of money, i use it without the suction now. But i guess it would depend on the child.

    ETA- DD insists on feeding herself weetbix in the morning. I tried a suction bowl but she just wanted to pull it up, a find plastic bowls are too light and she can't get any on the spoon as the bowl runs around the high chair. So i use a ramekin or a her heavy ceramic bunnykins bowl. Less than ideal, but she is pretty good at saying when she's finished, and i take it away. Touch wood, nothing broken yet!
    Last edited by Junglemum; January 13th, 2009 at 07:40 AM.

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Oct 2007
    Brissy
    2,208

    In my experience... no
    I would go a regular bowl!

  5. #5
    Registered User
    Add krysalyss on Facebook

    Feb 2007
    on the move.....
    2,745

    We were given a couple but they never suctioned enough to stay on. We just used a normal bowl and had no problems.

  6. #6

    Apr 2007
    the Sauna
    1,995

    they are crap , do not waste your money .. spen it on cloths to wipe up the mess ....
    just put a big mess mat under the chair/table for feeding times ..

    i found the baby einestin bowls with the rubber ring on the bottom stayed better than suction ones ..

    and really while you are feeding them mush they dont really need a bowl .. its when they start to eat themselves that you need that sorta thing ..

    after wasting my $$ on baby crap . i went and got all plastic bowls and plates for DS from the $2 shop.. easy cheap and bright coulors ..

  7. #7

    I agree with the girls. A waste of time and money.

  8. #8
    Registered User

    Nov 2005
    by the lake .....
    1,047

    yep ditto. DS just pulled them off anyway - was challenge and a game.

  9. #9
    Life Subscriber

    Jul 2006
    Brisbane
    6,683

    We were given one as a baby gift. Both boys were able to pull it off the first time we used it LOL!

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    Brisbane
    3,205

    We use one EVERY night. I find that Oskar only pulls at it when he's had enough food. It makes it easier for him to be able to use his spoon or fork as he's not yet understanding about the whole concept of holding the bowl to keep it still whilst trying to get say mashed potato scooped up and the bowl sliding across the high chair tray. I just got one from Big W which came with a spoon and fork.... bowl is blue, suction part yellow and the spoon and fork are blue I think?? Change colour if food too hot... actually now I can't remember if I bought them seperate... anyway, short answer to your question, yes I find it good as opposed to everyone else so far...lol.

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    by the beach,NSW
    1,767

    Nope, no good. DD pulled it off straight away. DH on the other hand couldn't get it off at all and I had to give him a lesson!!

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Apr 2008
    The Purple House, Sydney
    1,811

    I love the suction bowl Leasha. Ds stopped taking food off a spoon not long ago, ans his diet is pretty limited. But i found with the suction bowl, where he can see the food and feed himself with one spoon while I shovel it in with the other, he is much happier and actually eats.

    If he gets really determined, he *can* get the bowl off, so I have to keep an eye on it... but the actual suction piece stays stuck, it's just the bowl that comes off

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Add aussienic on Facebook

    Feb 2005
    Boyne Island
    6,327

    I have bought 2.. one for my first and one for my 3rd.. neither worked.. The bowls themselves are worth the money because of the size.. For me they are just perfect..

    but the suction part never worked for me..

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Nov 2005
    by the lake .....
    1,047

    we actually have 2 ikea suction bowls only bcos of the size and the straight sides make it easier for DS to eat his cereal. The suction bits don't work but the bowl and food catching bib it came with are great (and cheap)!

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Feb 2004
    Melbourne
    11,171

    Zander either pulled the food out & dropped it on the floor or yanked at the bowl so hard that not only did it unstick from the high chair table, but it went flying because of the force he needed to get it off. With a normal bowl he could dump it on the floor, but it never went flying 2m behind his head like the suction ones!