Teething starts around four to seven months and goes on, tooth by tooth, until about age three, so teethers are one of the most-bought baby items on Amazon. The top-selling teether alone has more than 111,000 ratings. The four below come straight from Amazon's best seller list for teething and cover the main types: chilled, textured, wearable, and toy-style. Here are the best baby teethers of 2026.
Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys
The Nuby Ice Gel Teether Keys is the best-selling teether on Amazon by a wide margin, with more than 111,000 ratings, and it has been a baby shower staple for years. Three key-shaped teethers on a ring are filled with a non-toxic gel that holds the cold after a spell in the refrigerator, and each key has a different texture to massage sore gums.
Cold is the single most effective thing for teething pain, and the gel stays cool longer than a solid silicone teether. The keys are sized for small hands, the ring is easy to grip, and the whole thing wipes clean. Nuby recommends it from 3 months.
The keys should be refrigerated, not frozen, since frozen teethers are too hard on gums. Gel-filled teethers also cannot be boiled or put in the dishwasher, so they need a hand wash. At under $5, most families own more than one.
Best for: Cooling relief at the lowest price. The classic first teether.
Age: 3 months and up
Material: Gel-filled plastic, multiple textures
Price: About $5
Nuby NanaNubs Gum Massager
The Nuby NanaNubs is a banana-shaped silicone teether with soft bristles on the end, and it does two jobs: it massages gums and introduces a baby to the feel of a toothbrush months before any teeth arrive. It is the second most popular teether on the list, with more than 18,000 ratings and a 4.8-star average.
The body is 100 percent silicone, and the banana peel shape gives a baby handles to hold while the bristles reach the back gums. It can be chilled, boiled, or run through the dishwasher, which gel teethers cannot. Nuby recommends it from 3 months.
The bristles are soft and wear down with heavy chewing, so the NanaNubs is a few-months product rather than a long-term one. As an early oral care habit builder, pediatric dentists like it for exactly the reason babies do.
Best for: Massaging back gums and getting a baby used to a toothbrush.
Age: 3 months and up
Material: 100% silicone with soft bristles
Price: About $6
ChooKaChoo Silicone Teething Mitten
Young babies want to chew but cannot yet hold a teether, which is why the teething mitten is a best seller. The ChooKaChoo mitten straps onto a baby's hand with an adjustable closure, so the textured silicone surface is always within reach and never dropped on the floor.
The silicone has raised bumps and ridges that soothe gums, and the fabric mitten absorbs drool that would otherwise soak a sleeve. The pack includes two mittens, so one can be in the wash. It is designed for babies over 3 months and is rated 4.8 stars by more than 7,000 parents.
Mittens are mostly useful between about 3 and 7 months. Once a baby can reliably grab and hold a teether, they tend to pull the mitten off. The silicone wipes clean; the fabric should be washed regularly since it stays damp.
Best for: Babies 3 to 7 months who chew their fists and drop everything else.
Age: 3 months and up
Material: Food-grade silicone and fabric, 2-pack
Price: About $9 for 2
Chuya Remote Control Teether
Every parent knows babies want the TV remote more than any toy. The Chuya remote teether gives them one they are allowed to chew. It is a soft, food-grade silicone remote with raised buttons in bright colors, each a different texture for sore gums.
It is rated 4.6 stars by more than 10,000 buyers and is designed for babies 3 to 24 months, longer than most teethers, because it stays interesting as a toy once teething pain fades. The silicone tolerates boiling, steam sterilizing, the dishwasher, and the refrigerator, so it is easy to keep clean.
It is a single piece with no gel, so it does not hold cold as long as the Nuby keys. The raised buttons are the main attraction and the most chewed, so check them periodically for wear.
Best for: A teether that doubles as a toy for older babies and toddlers.
Age: 3 to 24 months
Material: Food-grade silicone
Price: About $7
How to Choose a Baby Teether
Chill, do not freeze
A refrigerated teether numbs gums and is safe. A frozen one is hard enough to bruise gums and can damage emerging teeth. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the refrigerator over the freezer.
Match the teether to the stage
Front teeth come first, around 6 months, and small teethers work well. Molars arrive from about 12 months and need something that reaches the back of the mouth, such as a longer silicone teether or massager.
Skip amber necklaces and numbing gels
Teething necklaces are a strangulation and choking hazard, and the FDA warns against benzocaine gels and homeopathic teething tablets for babies. A cold teether, a clean finger, and a chilled washcloth are the safe options.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do babies start teething?
Most babies get their first tooth between 4 and 7 months, though some start earlier or as late as 12 months. Drooling and chewing often begin a month or two before a tooth appears.
How should teethers be cleaned?
Solid silicone teethers can be boiled or run through the dishwasher. Gel-filled teethers should be washed by hand in warm soapy water. Clean a teether after it has been on the floor and at least daily during heavy use.
Is a fever a sign of teething?
Teething can cause a slightly raised temperature, but it does not cause a true fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. A fever, diarrhea, or a rash should be treated as illness, not teething, and checked by a pediatrician.
