Philips Avent
Ultra Air Soother
7.2/10 overall£8.00 (2 pack)
Philips Avent's most ventilated dummy, with a perforated shield designed to keep more air moving against the skin.
The verdict
Philips Avent's most ventilated dummy, with a perforated shield stated to have 80% less skin contact than a standard shield — the one to try first if a baby gets red rings or rashes from a solid-shield dummy. It costs more than MAM's Original, has no glow-in-the-dark feature, and the shield feels slightly less rigid in the hand.
The Ultra Air is Philips Avent's update to the older Soothie shape, built around a shield with far more surface-area ventilation than most competitors — Philips states it has 80% less contact area with the skin than a standard shield, which in practice means noticeably less redness and sweat marks around the mouth, especially in warmer weather or on babies prone to skin sensitivity. The silicone teat itself is symmetrical and lightweight, in the same broad family as the Tommee Tippee and MAM designs.
Where it stands apart from MAM and Tommee Tippee is that ventilated shield: if your baby gets a red ring or rash around the mouth from a solid-shield dummy, this is the one worth trying first. It's priced roughly on par with the Tommee Tippee Night Time pack but doesn't include a glow-in-the-dark feature, so the extra pounds over MAM Original go entirely into the ventilation design rather than any night-time extra.
The travel case included doubles as a steriliser, similar to MAM's, so day-to-day handling is comparable. The limitation worth knowing about: the more open, perforated shield is slightly less rigid than a solid one, so it can flex and feel a little less substantial in the hand than MAM or BIBS, though this hasn't been reported as a functional issue in normal use.
Is the Ultra Air Soother worth it?
- Ventilated shield noticeably reduces redness and sweat around the mouth
- Lightweight symmetrical teat, easy for babies to reposition themselves
- Travel case doubles as a steriliser like MAM's
What are the downsides of the Ultra Air Soother?
- More expensive than MAM Original for a broadly similar silicone teat
- No glow-in-the-dark option for night use
- Perforated shield feels less rigid in the hand than a solid design
Specs
- material
- Silicone
- pack_size
- 2
- sterilisable
- Yes — travel case doubles as a steriliser
- sizes_available
- 0-6m, 6-18m, 18m+
- orthodontic_shape
- true
How we scored it
Baby Acceptance
How readily babies typically take to the teat shape and stay settled with it in, based on shape, weight and how it sits against the face.
Durability
How well the dummy holds up to repeated sterilising, biting and daily wear over the months a baby uses one size.
Similar silicone lifespan to other brands; perforated shield flexes more than solid designs.
Value for Money
Cost per dummy set against pack size, features (case, glow-in-the-dark, ventilation) and how often families end up replacing them.
Worth the premium over MAM specifically for babies prone to skin irritation around the mouth.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £8.00 (2 pack) | £9.50 for 2 | £9.95 (2 pack) | £5.99 (2 pack) |
| Overall score | 7.2/10 | 5.8/10 | 6.6/10 | 8.3/10 |
| material | Silicone | — | Natural rubber latex | Silicone (MAM SkinSoft) |
| pack_size | 2 | — | 2 | 2 |
| sterilisable | Yes — travel case doubles as a steriliser | — | Yes — cold water or steam sterilising only, avoid boiling | Yes — case doubles as a microwave/steam steriliser |
Frequently asked questions
What makes the Ultra Air different from other dummies?+
Its shield has far more surface-area ventilation than most competitors — Philips states 80% less contact area with the skin than a standard shield — which in practice means noticeably less redness and sweat marks around the mouth.
Is it good for babies with sensitive skin?+
Yes — if your baby gets a red ring or rash around the mouth from a solid-shield dummy, this is the one worth trying first, thanks to its ventilated design.
Does it come with a steriliser?+
Yes — the included travel case doubles as a steriliser, similar to MAM's.
Are there any downsides?+
It costs more than the MAM Original for a broadly similar silicone teat, has no glow-in-the-dark option, and the perforated shield feels slightly less rigid in the hand than a solid design like MAM or BIBS, though this hasn't been reported as a functional problem.