Home & Garden Home The 8 Best Menstrual Cups of 2023 An economical and environmentally friendly alternative for people with periods. By Starre Vartan Starre Vartan Writer Columbia University Syracuse University Starre Vartan is an environmental and science journalist. She holds an MFA degree from Columbia University and Geology and English degrees from Syracuse University. Learn about our editorial process Updated December 8, 2022 Share Twitter Pinterest Email Home Green Living Pest Control Natural Cleaning DIY Family Thrift & Minimalism Sustainable Eating We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Getty Once you try a menstrual cup, it's hard to go back. Usually made of silicone, the simple devices catch period blood and fluid inside the body and can be worn for up to 12 hours. Though invented in 1867, they've become a popular and widely available option for people with periods in the last decade. There are so many reasons to love menstrual cups: Not only are they far cheaper than shelling out regularly for pads or tampons (a one-time cost gets you a cup that will last a decade or more), but they are also a no-waste option, eliminating the need for tampons and their applicators or plastic pads and their wrappers. Menstrual cups are also perfectly safe. Many users say they have less cramping and shorter, lighter periods, and there is no odor when using a cup since blood isn’t exposed to the air. Ahead are our top choices for the best menstrual cups. The Rundown Best Overall: Flex Cup at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Beginners and Teens: Saalt Teen Menstrual Cup at Amazon Jump to Review Best for a Heavy Flow: Lena Menstrual Cup at Amazon Jump to Review Best Stem-Free Cup: Nixit Menstrual Cup at Letsnixit.com Jump to Review Best for a High Cervix: DivaCup Menstrual Cup at Walmart Jump to Review Best for a Low Cervix: MeLuna Low Cervix Menstrual Cup at Amazon Jump to Review Best for a Tilted Cervix: Pixie Cup Menstrual Cup at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Swimming: Mooncup Menstrual Cup at Keeper.com Jump to Review Best Overall Flex Cup 5 Flex View On Amazon View On Flexfits.com With fit being the number one potential issue for menstrual cups, Flex’s offer to swap your cup out for another size means it’s a less-risky purchase and makes it our top all-around choice. It also has a special pull tab at the bottom of the cup, which allows for easier cup removal, since the tab opens the seal on the cervix. Made in the United States from black, medical-grade silicone, you won’t be able to see any discoloration on this cup, and the silicone is extra-soft to the touch. Price at time of publish: $40 Best for Beginners and Teens Saalt Teen Menstrual Cup Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon View On Saalt.com This Saalt Cup is made especially for teens—it’s smaller and comes in two bright colors. Its shape was designed so that it can form a good seal, which should mean fewer leaks, even during active pursuits. We also like Saalt's standard menstrual cup. Saalt’s menstrual cups have been stress-tested by a third party, and can last at least 10 years (and likely much longer), which is estimated to be the equivalent of 3000 tampons. Made in the United States from medical-grade silicone, Saalt is a certified B-corporation that gives 2% of profits back to “fund initiatives in menstrual health, education, and sustainability” in places that need it most. Price at time of publish: $29 Best for a Heavy Flow Lena Menstrual Cup 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Grove.co View On Lenacup.com The large Lena is designed to hold plenty of menstrual blood for those with a heavy flow. It’s made in the U.S. from medical-grade silicone and is designed for experienced menstrual-cup users. Beginners and those with regular-flow periods have the option of the smaller size Lena. Price at time of publish: $44 The Best Organic Underwear of 2023 Best Stem-Free Cup Nixit Menstrual Cup 4.2 Courtesy of Nixit View On Letsnixit.com View On Nordstrom View On Ohne.com The Nixit menstrual cup (or disc) is a different design than the others on this list; it more closely resembles a diaphragm, so it doesn’t suction onto your cervix and hang down within the vaginal canal. Instead, the medical-grade silicone cup sits against the cervix, tucked behind the pubic bone. The size and shape of the Nixit means it can hold a larger volume of menstrual blood. “Insertion is tricky, harder than a DivaCup. However, when done properly, it’s more comfortable. I think that not everyone is comfortable playing around with it as much as is needed sometimes.” ~ Katherine Martinko, Treehugger Senior Editor Price at time of publish: $42 Best for a High Cervix DivaCup Menstrual Cup Walmart View On Walmart View On Amazon View On Bed Bath & Beyond DivaCups are long enough to fit those with a high cervix comfortably. Also made from medical-grade silicone, they come in three sizes, Small, Medium, and Large. Diva Cares is the company’s philanthropic arm, and it funds women’s organizations, does period advocacy through legislation, and even helped fund a documentary about periods. "It does its job well—no leakage, no discomfort, nothing to worry about for 12 whole hours, which is really incredible. There are no emergency changes. Even removal is simple, without any kind of mess if you follow the instructions." ~ Katherine Martinko, Treehugger Senior Editor Price at time of publish: $33 The Best Period Underwear of 2023, According to Our Tests Best for a Low Cervix MeLuna Low Cervix Menstrual Cup Courtesy of MeLuna View On Amazon View On Meluna-usa.com The only non-silicone option on this list, MeLuna makes a wide variety of medical-grade thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) menstrual cups in various lengths, widths, and firmness. You can also choose the handle style, either a small ball (the most comfortable for many); an easy-to-grasp ring, for anyone who might not be able to reach the handle as easily; or a stem, which is best for beginners. The Shorty is designed especially for a short cervix, so it has a shorter overall length, but you can buy a small, medium, or large cup size (it grows in volume horizontally instead of vertically to hold more fluid). Price at time of publish: $30 Best for a Tilted Cervix Pixie Cup Menstrual Cup Courtesy of Amazon View On Amazon Designed and made in the United States from medical-grade silicone, the Luxe version of the Pixie Cup is intended for tilted cervixes and low cervixes. It has a shorter stem and is made from a softer material, which may make it more comfortable. Pixie Cups come in size small or large, and you can buy them individually or as a combo pack so that you can find the size that’s most comfortable for you. For every Pixie Cup sold, one is donated to a woman in need. Price at time of publish: $28 Best for Swimming Mooncup Menstrual Cup Courtesy of Amazon View On Keeper.com Mooncups have a strong seal on the cervix, making them ideal for activities like swimming since they’re a little less likely to get dislodged by movement. Made in the UK from medical-grade silicone, they come in several sizes and are one of the original menstrual cup brands. Price at time of publish: $35 Final Verdict Treehugger’s top recommendation for a menstrual cup is the Flex, because the company will swap the size if you get one that doesn’t fit. If you know you want something that runs a bit smaller, consider the Saalt Teen Menstrual cup. What to Consider When Buying a Menstrual Cup Fit One of the main reasons some people don’t like using menstrual cups is that sometimes, fit can be tricky, and they might have tried one that wasn’t a good fit. Vagina sizes vary based on genes, age, or if you’ve had a baby pass through it. Luckily, different brands come in different sizes (and shapes), and some brands have more than one size available, with guidelines on their sites. In terms of sizing, smaller-sized cups are for teenagers and those who haven’t had a vaginal delivery. “Some vaginas are shorter than others depending on where the cervix is. If you can touch your cervix with your index finger, you need a shorter stem,” says Dr. Kim Langdon, an Ohio-based OB/GYN. Larger-sized cups are for those with a heavier flow or those who have delivered a baby via the vagina. Or, you could need a larger or smaller cup simply because that’s the way your body is built (genes)—and no, it doesn’t have much to do with your exterior body type. Some petite individuals have larger vaginas and vice versa. When first trying a menstrual cup, be patient. “Use plenty of lubrication and clean your hands and trim your nails,” Dr. Langdon says. You will likely feel the cup in some positions, but menstrual cups should definitely be painless and when properly situated, actually comfortable. Cleaning Another chief concern about menstrual cups is keeping them clean. Because it’s fine to let them stay in for 12 hours, you’re not changing them as frequently as a pad or tampon, so many people just do the twice-a-day change at home. If you do need to empty it in public, some women’s health professionals say it’s OK to simply reuse it, while others recommend cleaning it off. “I would take personal wipes to clean it off in the stall. You could take a little spray bottle of water to spritz it clean," Dr. Langdon says. "Dry with toilet paper if nothing else, and don’t drop it!” Frequently Asked Questions How often should you replace a menstrual cup? Most manufacturers recommend replacing menstrual cups every 12 months, depending on usage. Do menstrual cups leak? A 2019 meta-analysis published in The Lancet looked at 43 studies of menstrual cup “use, leakage, acceptability, safety, and availability” from countries around the world. Epidemiologist Anna Maria van Eijk, PhD and her co-authors found that cups don’t leak more than pads or tampons, they don’t hurt the vaginal microbiome (in fact, some of the studies showed fewer vaginal health issues in cup-users), and they generate 95% to 99% less plastic waste. Why Trust Treehugger? Over the past decade, the Treehugger team has team has tried dozens of low-waste period options, to help our readers find the best products. Author Starre Vartan has been covering sustainable consumer products for 15 years, 10 of those with Treehugger (under the MNN brand). She’s also a science writer who has covered biotech, astrobiology, animals, women’s health, and space for a variety of publications including Scientific American and National Geographic. She interviewed an OB/GYN for this piece. The 8 Best Reusable Menstrual Pads of 2023 View Article Sources Van Eijk, Anna Maria, et al. "Menstrual Cup Use, Leakage, Acceptability, Safety, and Availability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." The Lancet: Public Health, vol. 4, no. 8, 2019, pp. E376-E393., doi:10.1016/S2468-2667(19)30111-2