Best Baby Nasal Aspirators UK 2025 | Mumsnet (2025)

Soothing a baby or toddler with a cold or a stuffy nose is one of the more testing and frustrating parenting challenges.

Your child’s nasal passages are at their narrowest when they’re a baby, but they’re too little to understand nose-blowing, and their age means they’re always coming into contact with new viruses and allergens, especially if they go to nursery, making them more susceptible to nasal congestion.

After you've taken precautions and checked their temperature is at a safe level with your baby thermometer to ensure they're not running a fever, you'll want to find an effective way to ease their discomfort.

Older babies learn to breathe through their mouths when their nose is blocked, but for a baby younger than three months this is a tricky thing to master, particularly when they’re feeding so regularly.

When tricks of the trade such as saline drops, a warm bath with a fun bath toy or a humidifier aren't helping to unblock that tiny, snotty nose, fear not - there are handy tools out there to help do just that.

The best nasal aspirator - a baby essential for many parents - will help you clear your little one’s nasal passages from mucus, and relieve nasal congestion so that they can breathe, eat and sleep more easily.

Best baby nasal aspirators at a glance

• Best overall baby nasal aspirator: Nosefrida the Snotsucker and Filters |£8

• Best budget baby nasal aspirator: Boots Baby Nasal Decongester | £4

• Best electric baby nasal aspirator: Braun Healthcare Electrical Nasal Aspirator |£26

• Best nasal aspirator for newborns: Snufflebabe Nasal Aspirator |£9

• Best nasal aspirator for toddlers: NUK Nasal Decongester | £8

How we chose the best baby nasal aspirators

Mumsnet is the largest network of parents in the UK. We have been helping parents make their lives easier since 2000 and, in those years, we’ve tested and reviewed thousands of baby products. Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations.

• Recommendations from real parents: Before we recommend new products, we always see what brands our trusted Mumsnet users rate and which products they have tried and tested themselves. We scoured the Mumsnet forums for honest, unbiased and up-to-date nasal aspirator reviews from thousands of parents.

• Expert guidance: To ensure each nasal aspirator we recommend has been approved by medical experts, we consulted the latest lab test results from reputable sources such as consumer watchdog Which?. All the baby nasal aspirators on our list are made from medical-grade, non-toxic materials.

• Consumer feedback: To round out our in-depth research process, we then looked at wider consumer sentiment on retailer websites and beyond.

• Celebrated best products: Finally, we cross-referenced all of the above to create a longlist of the best baby nasal aspirators currently on the market. We then narrowed this list down to bring you our shortlist of the safest and most high-performing nasal aspirators, as recommended and rated by real parents and experts. As well as safety, we also considered design, functionality and price point to ensure there was something for every family in our round-up.

While using one of these nasal aspirators won't make your baby's cold go away any faster, it will help to relieve their symptoms so they'll be back to exploring or toddlingin no time.

Here are the best baby nasal aspirators to buy in 2025.

1

Best overall baby nasal aspirator

1

What Mumsnet users say

2

Best budget baby nasal aspirator

2

3

Best electric baby nasal aspirator

3

4

Best nasal aspirator for newborns

4

What Mumsnet users say

5

Best nasal aspirator for toddlers

5

More of the best baby nasal aspirators

Read next: The best play mats and activity gyms

How do baby nasal aspirators work?

Most nasal aspirators work by using suction to remove mucus from your child’s nasal passages. They are particularly useful when your child is still too young to blow their nose, which is a skill they usually acquire at around three or four years old.

There are several different types of aspirator on the market. Each requires a tip to be placed in or around the entrance to your child’s nostril. The suction then draws the mucus out.

Some nasal aspirators use the suction from your own mouth, some use a hand pump, some are electric and some attach to your vacuum cleaner. There are merits and disadvantages to each type of nasal aspirator. For hygiene purposes, they usually come with removable parts or filters so that you can dispose of any mucus after use.

Read next: The best baby toys for your baby's first year

Are nasal aspirators good for babies?

Nasal aspirators are good for babies, as long as you follow the manufacturer’s directions and don’t overuse them. Nasal aspirators help to clear the airways and nasal passages, allowing stuffy babies to sleep and feed more comfortably.

Are nasal aspirators safe for babies?

Nasal aspirators are considered a safe and effective method of easing congestion in a baby’s nose, when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. Most manufacturers recommend that their nasal aspirators should only be used up to three times a day, as excessive use may lead to further nasal irritation.

A nasal aspirator should be cleaned after each use to prevent a build-up of bacteria which could lead to infection.

Read next: The best baby toys for 9-month-olds

What age can you use a nasa aspirator on a baby?

You can usually use a paediatrician-recommended baby nasal aspirator on your baby from birth, however some are more comfortable for newborns than others. Always check the manufacturer's instructions for age and safety guidance.

Can a nasal aspirator hurt my baby?

When used correctly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, a nasal aspirator should not be able to hurt a baby. Certain types of nasal aspirator, such as a bulb suction device, have been known to harm baby’s nostrils when not used carefully.

How often should you suction a baby’s nose?

Most manufacturers recommend that their nasal aspirators should only be used up to three times a day, as excessive use could lead to further nasal irritation and even nose bleeds.

How can I unblock my baby's nose naturally?

If you are unsure about using a nasal aspirator, then you could always try saline solution to thin out the mucus and wipe it away. Some parents find that particularly stubborn snot can be shifted by using saline solution and a nasal aspirator together.

What should I look for when buying a baby nasal aspirator?

• Manual vs electric: There are two types of baby nasal aspirator you can use. Electric baby nasal aspirators can be quicker and more effective, and usually come with multiple tip sizes. Some even feature lights and music. Manual baby nasal aspirators are cheaper to buy and most are a bulb style, however you'll also find snot suckers with a tube which enable you to, quite literally, suck the snot out of your baby's nose.

• Baby's age: Most baby nasal aspirators are suitable from birth as you're most likely to use one in the first six months, but always check the manufacturer's age guidance before you buy.

• Ease of cleaning: You'll need to clean and dry your baby nasal aspirator properly after each use. Look for models with removable parts and as few parts as possible to minimise the risk of bacteria building up. Some baby nasal aspirators are handwash-only while others can be put in the dishwasher or even a baby bottle steriliser for cleaning.

• Portability: Most nasal aspirators are small in size, but consider whether your chosen device will fit easily into your changing bag for use on the go.

How to clean your baby’s noise with a baby nasal aspirator: step-by-step guide

• Start by cuddling your baby to make sure they feel relaxed and settled

• Use a saline solution or saline drops if required to help thin out and loosen hard dried snot

• Choose a manual, bulb or battery-operated nasal aspirator and hold it by the affected nostril

• Suck out the snot

• Repeat the process on the other nostril

As you can see from our list, all nasal aspirators are slightly different. Always read and follow the manufacturer’s directions carefully.

What is the best baby nasal aspirator?

We recommend the Nosefrida Baby Nasal Aspirator as the best nasal aspirator on the market right now. It comes recommended by thousands of parents who rate it as the most effective nasal aspirator for both babies and toddlers.

About the author

Laura Westerman is an editor, writer and Deputy Head of Editorial Content at Mumsnet. With over seven years' experience as a full-time editor, five of which have been spent writing, commissioning and editing product reviews and round-ups, Laura has a keen eye for what parents love and likes nothing more than putting together honest reviews to make parents' lives that little bit easier.

In addition to her work as a writer and editor, she has also appeared in a number of baby product review videos for Mumsnet's YouTube channel. She is mum to a one-year-old.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide unbiased, independent advice you can trust. We do sometimes earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links in our articles. This helps us fund more helpful articles like this one.