Nuby Nananubs Banana vs. Chuya Baby Teether Toy

The Nuby Nananubs Banana and the Chuya Baby Teether Toy are both popular teethers on Amazon and in parenting circles, but they tackle teething from completely different angles.

The Nuby Nananubs Banana is a bright yellow, banana-shaped teether made from soft silicone with nubby bristles at the tip. The "peels" fold back to form handles that also work as a gag guard, preventing the teether from going too far into baby's mouth. It has been around for years and shows up on nearly every "best teethers" list. Its standout feature: the bristles introduce babies to the feeling of tooth-brushing early on, making the transition to a real toothbrush less of a battle later.

The Chuya Baby Teether Toy is shaped like a TV remote control — the one object every baby in the house desperately wants. Made from food-grade silicone with raised, chewable buttons and varied textures, it gives babies something safe to gnaw on that looks like the forbidden gadget they already covet. It is part teether, part sensory toy, and part decoy for the real remote.

Both teethers are BPA-free, affordable, and well-reviewed. The question is which shape and function suit your baby's current teething stage and temperament.

This is the most obvious difference, and it affects how each teether works in practice.

The Nananubs is stick-shaped. Babies hold it like a banana (fitting, given the design) and bring the nubby end to whichever part of the mouth needs relief. The elongated shape makes it easy for babies to reach their back gums and incoming molars — something many flat teethers struggle with. The peeled-back banana skin forms two handles on either side, which gives baby a natural grip point and prevents the teether from being pushed too deep.

The Chuya remote is flat and rectangular. It is about 5 to 6 inches long and covered with raised buttons of different shapes and sizes. Babies hold it the way you hold a remote — flat in the palm, chewing on whichever edge or button surface they prefer at the moment. The flat shape gives multiple chewing angles but is best suited for front gums and mid-mouth teething. It does not reach the back molars the way the Nananubs does.

For parents who worry about how far baby can push a teether into their mouth, the Nananubs has a built-in advantage: the peel handles act as a physical shield. The Chuya remote's flat design naturally limits how deep it goes, but it does not have a dedicated gag guard.

What a teether feels like on sore gums matters as much as what it looks like in the package.

The Nuby Nananubs has soft, flexible bristles at the tip of the banana — small nubs that massage the gums and get between emerging teeth. The texture is concentrated at the chewing end, which means every bite lands on a soothing surface. The bristles are gentle enough for new gums but effective enough that babies keep coming back to them. Parents often describe the chewing action as similar to brushing, which is exactly what Nuby intended. Getting your baby comfortable with that sensation early is one less thing to fight about at 18 months.

The Chuya teether spreads its textures across the entire surface. Different buttons have different heights, shapes, and ridges. The top edge has raised bumps for front-tooth chewing. The sides have smooth curves for gripping. The variety means baby can explore different textures by simply rotating the teether, which adds a sensory play element that the Nananubs does not prioritize.

If your baby needs focused relief on a specific gum area, the Nananubs delivers it more precisely. If your baby wants to explore and needs multiple textures to stay interested, the Chuya remote offers more variety.

One thing the Nuby Nananubs offers that the Chuya remote does not is a bridge to oral hygiene.

The soft bristles at the tip of the banana are not just for teething relief — they also introduce your baby to the sensation of something moving across their gums in a brushing motion. This matters more than you might think. A lot of toddlers resist toothbrushing because the feeling is unfamiliar and uncomfortable. If your baby has been happily gnawing on bristle-like nubs for months, the jump to a real infant toothbrush feels less foreign.

The Nananubs is not a replacement for an actual toothbrush. Once teeth are in, you need a proper infant toothbrush with a tiny smear of fluoride toothpaste. But as a stepping stone — a way to normalize the brushing sensation while also providing teething relief — the Nananubs is doing useful work that a remote-shaped teether simply does not.

If early oral hygiene habits are a priority for you, this is a meaningful advantage for the Nananubs. If your baby already tolerates a toothbrush fine and you just need teething relief and entertainment, this feature will not sway your decision.

Here is a truth that every parent learns quickly: the teether your baby will actually use is the one that holds their attention. A teether that gets tossed off the high chair after ten seconds is not helping anyone.

This is where the Chuya remote earns its reputation. Babies are obsessed with TV remotes. They watch you hold it, point it at the TV, press the buttons — and they want it. Badly. Handing them a safe, chewable version of the thing they already covet is genuinely smart product design.

Parents consistently report that babies who ignore other teethers will happily gnaw on the Chuya remote for extended stretches. The buttons give their fingers something to press and explore, adding a fidget-toy element on top of the teething relief. For long car rides, restaurant waits, or that desperate half hour before dinner is ready, a teether that doubles as a toy is worth its weight in gold.

The Nananubs has its own appeal — babies enjoy the banana shape, and the bristles feel satisfying on sore gums — but it is a focused teething tool, not a play object. For sheer "my baby actually holds onto this" staying power, the remote shape has an edge with many babies.

Neither of these teethers will put a dent in your baby gear spending. The Nuby Nananubs Banana runs about $5 to $7 — one of the cheapest well-reviewed teethers you can buy. The Chuya remote teether is a bit more at $8 to $14, which is still reasonable for a teether that also works as a sensory toy.

The Nananubs is the cheaper option, and you could easily buy two — one for home and one for the diaper bag — for less than the cost of a single Chuya remote. If you are watching every dollar (and most new parents are), the Nananubs delivers solid teething relief at a price point that is hard to argue with.

The Chuya remote costs a few dollars more but adds entertainment value that the Nananubs does not match. For some families, that extra engagement is worth the small premium. For others, the Nananubs does everything they need at a lower price.

The good news: buying both costs somewhere between $13 and $21. That is less than a single premium teether from some boutique brands, and it gives you two teethers that serve genuinely different purposes.

For a teether that pulls double duty as a brushing introduction, the Nuby Nananubs Banana Teether (~$6) is a parent favorite for good reason. Soft nubby bristles, a built-in gag guard, and a price tag that makes it an impulse buy. Grab two so you always have a backup ready.

For a teether that keeps your baby occupied and away from the real remote, the Chuya Baby Teether Toy (~$10) is a smart pick. Multiple textures, bright colors, and the one shape babies already want to hold. It works as a teether and a sensory toy in one.

Our honest take: most families benefit from having both. The Nananubs for focused gum relief and early brushing habits; the Chuya remote for distraction and sensory play. Together they cost around $16 and cover a lot of teething ground.

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The Nuby Nananubs Banana and the Chuya Baby Teether Toy are both solid teethers that take different approaches to the same problem — sore gums and a fussy baby who needs relief.

The Nuby Nananubs Banana wins on gum reach, the toothbrush-introduction factor, built-in gag guard, and price. Its elongated shape with nubby bristles reaches the back molars better than most flat teethers, and it normalizes the brushing sensation months before you introduce a real toothbrush. At around $6, it is one of the best values in the teether category.

The Chuya Baby Teether Toy wins on sensory variety, distraction power, and engagement. The remote shape taps into every baby's fascination with the objects adults use, and the varied button textures give gums and fingers plenty to explore. It keeps babies interested longer than most single-purpose teethers, which means more chewing and less fussing.

For many families, the most practical answer is both. The Nananubs handles the serious teething work — especially when back gums are swollen and uncomfortable. The Chuya remote handles the moments when you need baby entertained and soothed at the same time. Together they cost less than a coffee shop order for two, and they cover different stages and moods beautifully.

If you are logging your baby's feedings and noticing changes during teething — appetite dips, extra fussiness, disrupted sleep — tinylog makes it simple to track everything and spot trends over time.

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• Teething vs. Sick — How to tell the difference
• Baby's First Dentist Visit — When to go and what to expect

• Nuby. "Nananubs Banana Massaging Toothbrush — Product Information." nuby.com. 2026.
• Chuya. "Baby Teether Toy TV Remote — Product Information." Amazon.com. 2026.
• American Academy of Pediatrics. "Teething: 4 to 7 Months." healthychildren.org. 2025.
• American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. "Teething Information for Parents." aapd.org. 2025.
• FDA. "Safely Soothing Teething Pain and Sensory Needs in Babies and Older Children." fda.gov. 2024.
• Consumer Product Safety Commission. "CPSC Safety Standards for Infant Teethers." cpsc.gov. 2025.
• Good Housekeeping. "Best Teething Toys for Babies, According to Experts." goodhousekeeping.com. 2025.

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Every baby's teething experience is different. If your baby has persistent pain, fever, or symptoms that concern you, consult your pediatrician or pediatric dentist.