NUK Perfect Match Air Soother

The NUK Perfect Match Air Soother is a silicone dummy made for babies from 6 to 18 months, offering non-nutritive sucking — comfort sucking rather than feeding — for those moments when your little one just needs settling. Part of NUK's Perfect Match range, this soother (also called a pacifier or dummy) pairs an ultra-soft silicone teat with an ultra-lightweight body and an air-hole mouth shield, so it sits gently in the mouth while letting the skin around it breathe.

Perfect Match is NUK's newer system, built around a soft, flexible, thin silicone teat that adapts in the mouth. The Air format in this range focuses on the shield: it uses generous ventilation holes and a minimal-contact shape to keep more air moving against your baby's skin. That makes it worth a look if you're moving on from a newborn dummy and want a lighter option for an older baby who's on the go, drooling more, and pressing a dummy against the same patch of skin for longer stretches.

A teat designed to move with your baby

The teat is shaped to feel unobtrusive in an older baby's mouth, and the design draws on a few deliberate features.

• Ultra-soft silicone teat: Adapts smoothly against the palate, which is intended to keep the soother comfortable during longer sucking sessions.
• Space for the tongue: The teat leaves room for the tongue, so your baby can keep to their natural sucking movements.
• Extra-thin teat neck: Lets the lips close more naturally around the soother for a more natural sucking feel.
• Orthodontic shape: NUK curves the teat to sit against the palate. "Orthodontic" describes this design intention — it isn't a guarantee of how any individual baby's teeth or jaw will develop.

A shield that lets skin breathe

Because older babies drool more and often keep a dummy in for longer, the shield is shaped to reduce how much sits flat against the face.

• Minimal skin-contact shape: The contoured shield touches less of the skin around the mouth.
• Extra-large air holes: Generous ventilation openings let air circulate against the skin, which the design aims to help reduce the trapped moisture that can lead to drool rash and irritation.
• Ultra-lightweight body: Keeps the overall weight low so there's gentle, easy contact rather than pressure on the mouth.

How to use and care for it

Before the first use, boil the soother for approximately 5 minutes. Clean it with a mild washing-up liquid before each use and disinfect it regularly. After cooling, squeeze out any trapped water and let it dry fully.

To sterilise in the microwave using the included box: fill the box with water up to the marking, insert the soother, and place the closed box off-centre in the microwave. Heat only for the time and power stated on the box, then leave the microwave closed for 5 minutes afterwards. Pour away the remaining water carefully — it will be hot. Store the soother in a dry, hygienic place, away from direct light.

Best For

The NUK Perfect Match Air Soother is a great option for parents who:

• Have a baby in the 6–18 month stage and want a soother sized for older babies
• Are looking for a lightweight silicone dummy with a soft, thin teat
• Want a shield with extra ventilation to keep more air against drool-prone skin
• Like that it comes with a sterilising and transport box for cleaning and carrying

It may not be the best fit if you:

• Need a soother for a newborn or younger baby (this one starts at 6 months)
• Prefer a natural-rubber latex teat rather than silicone

A few things to keep in mind

A dummy is for comfort sucking, not feeding — always check for hunger cues such as rooting or hand-to-mouth movements first, and never force a soother, sweeten it, or use it to give medicine. For safe sleep, don't attach clips, cords or toys to the soother, and follow safe-sleep guidance for your baby's sleep space. Replace the soother every 1–2 months for safety and hygiene, even if there's no visible damage, and check regularly for cracks, tears, stickiness or discoloration.

Pandylane Pro Tip: The soother comes with its own sterilising transport box, so the same case you use to microwave-sterilise at home keeps it clean in the nappy bag when you're out and about.