Pietro Catelli started the Chicco (kee-ko) company, which is now part of the larger Artsana Group that produces medical and baby supplies. Chicco is one of the most popular brand names in baby gear in the US and Europe, designing gear for newborns up to preschool-age children. Chicco makes a variety of gear types from warmers to strollers and lots of stuff in between. You can find Chicco in over 120 countries.
The Chicco NaturalFit has some features for health and safety, earning an above-average score for this metric.
This warmer uses water bath technology with temperature control instead of steam, which can potentially cause scalding injuries. In testing, milk temperatures did not exceed 112F even when the bottle was left in the warmer for up to 12 minutes. With only two settings, there is no “max-out,” and the unit shuts off automatically at 5:30 minutes with an audible beep and green light. However, if the bottle is left inside the warmer after the beep, it will stay warm (for up to an hour in our testing). However, use caution as bottle contents can reach temperatures in excess of 112F (in our tests), which is too warm for little ones and above 104F where breastmilk starts to lose nutrients.
The NaturalFit is one of the easiest options to use, earning a high-reaching score in our testing for ease of use. Setup is straightforward, and it comes with a simple manual.
The NaturalFit is a single reservoir unit that requires 1/2 cup water for each use with bottle contents over 6 ounces. It is easy to fill and somewhat forgiving if you are slightly off. The dial has two settings for bottles or food containers, and a red light indicates it is set and warming. When the cycle is over, it will beep, and the light will turn green. The warmer will stay on for up to an hour if you don't turn it off. This will keep the bottle warm if you get distracted, but you should always check the temperature of the bottle contents as it will increase as it sits in the bath.
The warming chamber is compatible with a variety of bottle shapes and materials, including popular options from our Best Baby Bottle Review and breastmilk storage bags.
The slower heating time of a water bath warmer limited the NaturalFit in this metric, earning it an above-average score. A similar rating as half of the competition.
In our testing, the timer shuts-off around 9:15 minutes with a content temperature of 97F. However, because the warmer stays “on” for up to an hour, the contents can reach temperatures in excess of 112F (in our tests, this took 12 minutes). The temperature when the timer went off is close to body temperature, which is ideal and below 104F when breastmilk begins to lose nutrients.
A potential negative is the waiting in between bottle warmings for this unit. Chicco advises that the unit should be cooled completely before warming a second bottle. This cooling can take up to 30 minutes, making it a poor choice if you have more than one baby or want to use it in a nursery setting.
The Chicco is easy to clean, but the overnight descaling process caused a nosedive in its score for cleaning with a medium-low rating for this metric. However, it was not the lowest in the competition.
