Risk of suffocationPacifier-slap! Stiftung Warentest advises against these two models

Pacifiers from Nuk to Shein

Pacifiers are constant companions in baby's everyday life. Since they are constantly in contact with the mucous membranes, they must be absolutely safe. In October 2025, Czech consumer advocates found bisphenol A – a chemical that is considered to have a hormonal effect – in four pacifiers.

Stiftung Warentest took this as an opportunity to To take a closer look at 13 silicone pacifiers available in Germany. Included: well-known brands such as Nuk, Philips Avent and Chicco, but also drugstore own brands from dm and Rossmann. Even a cheap model from the online marketplace Shein ended up in the lab.

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What makes a safe pacifier?

The requirements for pacifiers are strict – and that's a good thing. Because in the worst case scenario, they can become a real danger. These points are particularly important:

• The suction part must not go too deep into the throat.

• Babies should not be able to swallow the pacifier.

• The breathing holes must be large enough so that the baby can continue breathing if the Schuller ends up completely in the mouth.

In the laboratory, the test candidates were measured using a template and examined for pollutants. During the stress test, they were also pulled properly, compressed with teething bars, and a steel weight was dropped on the pacifiers five times. The result here was consistently positive: all models are robust enough, and none of them had individual parts that broke off that the baby could swallow.

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Warning: This pacifier is not safe

Ten pacifiers in the test are “good” or “very good”. The Nuby Flex pacifier However, it fails with “poor”. Because the breathing openings in the plastic shield are too small. They actually serve to ensure that the baby can continue breathing in an emergency if the teat disappears completely in the mouth and gets stuck in the throat. The Nuby pacifier does not meet the existing standard requirements.

Also that one Chicco Physio Forma Soft is noticeable negatively: Nitrosamines were found in the suction part – substances that are suspected of causing cancer. They could be released through saliva and enter the baby's body. Although the values ​​are still just below the limit values, the test team “still recommends that you stop using the pacifier.” The overall verdict: “sufficient”.

Conclusion: A good pacifier is safe – but not forever. Parents should check the teats regularly. Small cracks, holes or clear bite marks? Then you immediately say: get rid of it!

Sources used: Stiftung Warentest