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Contents
- Best Diaper Pails of 2019
- Top 10 Best Diaper Pails of 2020
- #1 Ubbi Steel Odor-Locking Pail
- #2 Dekor Plus Hands-Free Diaper Pail
- #3 Playtex Diaper Genie Complete Diaper Pail
- #4 Munchkin Step Diaper Pail
- #5 Bubula Steel Diaper Pail
- #6 Tommee Tippee Simplee Diaper Pail Starter Set
- #7 Baby Trend Diaper Champ Deluxe
- #8 Dekor Classic Hands-free Diaper Pail
- #9 Dekor Cloth Diaper Liner
- #10 Safety 1st Easy Saver Diaper Pail
- Our Top Pick
Best Diaper Pails of 2019
For new parents, bringing home a newborn baby comes with a host of new triumphs and tribulations. In addition to navigating life as a new parent and taking care of your little bundle of joy, you’ll be faced with new tasks that are less than ideal. One of these tasks is changing diapers. And, since your little love won’t be potty-trained for the foreseeable future, it’s important that you take the proper steps now to prepare for the never-ending diapering needs your baby will need for the first years of his or her life.
One of these needs is purchasing a diapering pail. You may not realize it now, but your baby will go through many diapers in a day. According to the Mayo Clinic, a well-recognized hospital in the United States, a newborn baby will go through at least 10 diapers a day, with at least three of these being “dirty” diapers, if you catch the drift. By the time your baby is about a month old, this number will decrease slightly. Nevertheless, you’ll have to dispose of these stinky diapers, as they’ll quickly pile up and overtake your home if you’re not properly prepared.
The sheer number of used disposable diapers that you’ll be going through warrants an investment into a diaper-only disposal bin. The baby industry has a name for these—diaper pails. These pails have been engineered to store and minimize the odor of these soiled diapers. As you can imagine, there’s a wide variety of different products available on the market for new parents. This can easily become overwhelming and stressful.
Lucky for you, we’ve created a comprehensive guide that will help you determine the different types of diaper pails available, how they work and the best ones that are available on the market. For more information, read on.
Getting Started – Diaper Pail Material 101
The first step in getting started on your path to finding the right diaper pail for you and your family is to consider the different types of diaper pail materials available on the market. Here are the most common ones:
Plastic diaper pails
The vast majority of the diaper pails available are going to be made out of plastic. The good news is that these models are often less expensive than other models, as plastic is a much cheaper material than stainless steel or metal. You can purchase plastic pails anywhere, including online. These pails will have the most variety in shape and size, and they often come with many different features. Unfortunately, as with other plastic goods, plastic diaper pails can break over time. This is particularly true when you consider the moveable pieces that may snap off or break. Moreover, plastic isn’t impermeable, so over time, the stinky diaper smell may permeate the plastic material. When this happens, you’ll likely need to invest in getting a new diaper pail.
Metal diaper pails
These metal options are among the sturdiest and most odor-resistant when it comes to diaper pail options. Because they’re reliable and aren’t prone to breakage and odor absorption like plastic models, it’s becoming easier and easier for parents to find these models online and in stores. With that being said, these pails tend to be more expensive than the plastic counterparts, but as the demand for these models increases, prices may drop. With fewer features like foot pedals, clamps or locks, there are fewer opportunities for this type of diaper pail to break or malfunction, potentially saving money in not needing a replacement down the road.
Choosing the Best Sized Diaper Pail
The size of the diaper pail you choose determines how many diapers you’ll be able to put in it before you have to empty it. A diaper pail could hold as few as 15 diapers or as many as 50. An average-sized diaper pail will hold 35-40 diapers and many baby wipes. Consider how many diapers your baby will go through. A smaller pail that only holds around 15 diapers will need to emptied daily.
If you live in a single-story home where emptying the bin isn’t a huge ordeal, you can probably get away with a smaller bin. If you live in a two-story home or an apartment where the garbage bin is considerably far away, it might not be feasible to empty the bin every single day. That’s where a larger pail would come in handy, as the larger size allows you to go longer without having to empty the bin. If you have multiple infants or have a large home, it might be worth it to purchase multiple diaper pails so there’s one close whenever you change your baby.
Pricing of Diaper Pails
There’s a wide range of pricing when it comes to diaper pails. You can expect to pay between $30-$100 for a decent diaper pail. This wide range can be attributed to many different sizes, features and materials available on the market. As previously mentioned, plastic diaper pails tend to be the cheapest option on the market. These pails will generally run you between $30-$60. If you choose a pail that’s larger or has additional features, you may pay a bit more than that estimated price. Metal or stainless-steel diaper pails will typically cost you at least $50. Again, depending on the diaper pail’s size or the functional design elements it features, including clamps, locks or foot pedals, the price may increase. Additionally, some diaper pails offer bundles for liners or inserts designed to specifically fit that diaper pail model. (Scroll down one section to read more about diaper pail liners).
Deciding if Your Need a Diaper Pail Liner
The vast majority of diaper pails require the use of a diaper pail liner. These liners are typically ring inserts that feed the diapers into the pail with a tube-shaped bag. These liners can easily be located and purchased online or at any store that sells baby products. The purpose of these liners is to bolster your pail’s odor- and leak-fighting capabilities. Some brand-name diaper pails require the use of their brand’s liners. However, many generic brands offer similar models and liners that come at a fraction of the cost, which is the perfect option for a family trying to save a few bucks where they can.
Unfortunately, unless you splurge for stainless steel or metal diaper pails, you’ll most likely need to spend recurring funds on liners. If you’re budgeting, try to purchase a pail that is rated “BYOB”. These models are developed to be used in conjunction with any bag, including the kitchen garbage bags you already purchase.
Important Features to Consider
Most diaper pails come with certain features or functions that are designed to enhance the diapering experience. In many cases, these features will aid with the pail’s overall function, sanitation and safety. Here are just a few to consider:
Diaper pail clamps
Essential for a secure hold and odor control, diaper pails often come with internal clamp systems. These systems work by pinching down on the liner’s insert when the lid is closed. When a diaper is added to the bin, the clamps release to absorb the force of the diaper falling into the bin. After, the clamps tighten again to lock the odor into the pail. While these clamps are certainly helpful, they’re often the first feature on a diaper pail to break and cause parents to purchase a new pail.
Foot pedals
To help parents improve sanitation and ease of use with diaper pails, many of these pails offer a foot pedal. This pedal makes it possible for parents to dispose of the diaper without having to touch the pail. Like the clamps, foot pedals are prone to breaking, resulting in parents having to purchase a new pail.
Odor filters
Let’s face it—diapers don’t ever smell good! Protect your home from stinky diaper odors by purchasing a diaper pail that has a diaper pail odor filter. In addition to helping block odors, these filters have built-in antimicrobials to prevent bacteria growth on pails. There are also odor filters that you can purchase and add on to your diaper pail if you end up going with one that doesn’t come with this feature.
Safety locks
There’s nothing worse than finding out your older child got into the diaper pail and got creative with what they found. Prevent this from happening by finding a diaper pail that comes with child-proof locks.
Summary
As an expecting parent, there are a million things you’re probably worried about, including the items you’ll need to have before your bundle of joy arrives. Finding the best diaper pail that will fit the needs of you and your family is essential. Choosing the right sized pail will allow you to enjoy the diapering process as much as possible. Moreover, making the right purchase will keep your house smelling fresh and clean, even if you haven’t gotten a chance to empty that bin of dirty diapers yet.
To help make it easier for you to find best diaper pails on the market, we’ve done some research and compiled a list of the top 10 pails for you. Each review is complete with pros and cons of each item. Better yet, you can buy these pails from the comfort of your home as they’re available on online retailer, Amazon. Happy shopping!
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Top 10 Best Diaper Pails of 2020
#1 Ubbi Steel Odor-Locking Pail
Made of powder-coated steel, the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail achieves maximum odor control thanks to its smart design. This diaper pail features rubber seals that are engineered to help lock in stinky odors. Moreover, the pail is designed with a sliding lid that can help minimize air disruption, further trapping the smelly odors within the pail. The award-winning pail offers a huge convenience to parents by purporting a “BYOB” design—meaning parents can use whatever plastic bag liner in the pail. With this pail, you won’t have to shell out extra money to find a specific liner that will fit the model, you can instead use even your kitchen garbage bags.
In addition to offering the BYOB feature, this pail features a child-proof lock and is available in many different colors that will match any nursery or home’s aesthetic. This pail brings high style with functional elements that many parents love. And, this pail can hold up to 20 toddler-sized pull up diapers and 55 newborn diapers. This means that you’ll be able to get at least two days’ use out of the pail before you need to empty the pail. Another beneficial aspect to this particular pail is that it can be used as a cloth diaper pail. The Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail is the perfect diaper pail for cloth diapers because it offers flexibility in liner and also blocks many odors.
Like other metal diaper pails, this diaper pail is more expensive than its plastic counterparts. However, it would make a great addition to your baby registry and it’s a gift that many loved ones would love to give you. Its construction can ensure that it will last a long time. This particular pail is popular with many parents across the globe.
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#2 Dekor Plus Hands-Free Diaper Pail
The Dekor Plus Hands-free Diaper Pail is designed to make diapering as easy as possible. This diaper pail is 100% hands-free, making diapering as sanitary and easy as possible. You can easily dispose of a dirty diaper without having to leave your baby on a changing table. This pail features a food pedal that makes it possible for it to be hands-free. All you need to do to use it is step on that pedal and drop the dirty diaper into the pail’s trap door. The pail also features a childproof lock to help keep your other children out of the dirty diapers.
The Dekor plus diaper pail uses its own continuous liners (you can purchase these on Amazon, too) which allow you to empty a particularly smelly diaper load without wasting a full bag. Simply cut the bag with the child-safe cutter inside the diaper Dekor’s access door and tie a new knot in the bag that remains. This makes having to purchase specific liners less painful, as it affords you the opportunity to only dispose of half a bag if you need to. This pail also features odor-blocking capabilities. With its spring-loaded trap door, the door will shut after the diaper passes through it, quickly blocking odors. There are also rubber gaskets affixed to the trap door, making a tight odor-proof seal inside the pail. The liners also feature a baby-powder scent that will help keep the bad odors at bay.
This pail is made out of closed-cell ABS plastic, giving you the affordability of a plastic pail and the odor-blocking capabilities of a more expensive metal pail. You can also use this pail as a cloth diaper pail. Instead of tossing out the bag when you tie it off, you can simply take the bag of soiled laundry to your washing machine and empty the dirty diapers into there. The diaper Dekor is a great diaper pail for cloth diapers and disposable diapers alike. The scratch-free and fade-resistant material will last for a long time and comes in many different colors.
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#3 Playtex Diaper Genie Complete Diaper Pail
The Playtex diaper pail is a favorite among parents for a reason. This all-in-one model provides the style and function new parents are looking for when it comes to diaper pails. Diaper Genie’s ultimate diaper disposal system controls odors and makes changing your baby’s dirty diapers a breeze. You don’t have to bend when using this product, as there’s a foot pedal that makes opening the pail easy and super hygienic. This particular diaper genie elite model comes with a built-in microbial feature, which helps prevent bacteria growth on the bin.
Unlike other pails without clamps, this pail employs double clamps. These clamps work in conjunction with the 7-layer diaper pail refill bags, and a special carbon filter, to provide a second-to-none odor protection system. Aside from this feature, perhaps the most impressive plus-side of this model is its diaper capacity. Per the brand’s description, the Playtex diaper genie refill bags hold up to 270 newborn diapers (that’s a lot of diapers!). Changing out these bags is simple and easy, as all you need to do it use the front-tilt bin and bin cutter. This pail requires the use of specific refill bags, but these diaper pail refill bags can be purchased online for a modest amount of money.
With its long list of added features and hands-free perks, it’s easy to see why this model is so popular among parents. However, because it is made out of plastic and offers many different features, it could potentially be prone to breaking depending on how roughly you use it. For its price and storage capacity though, it’s a great pick for any household (especially one with multiple children).
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#4 Munchkin Step Diaper Pail
Arm and Hammer is a household name for many different areas of home goods. One thing that they’re particularly known for is baking soda—which an odor-eliminator. The brand brings its household trust in blocking and eliminating odors to the baby industry. The Munchkin Step Diaper Pail is the brand’s new gold standard when it comes to diaper pails. It features a sleek and aesthetically modern design that combines with fully functional odor-blocking capabilities. The brand also offers an environmentally friendly aspect—for every diaper pail that’s sold, they plan a tree. This Arm and Hammer diaper pail works with many different refill bags, including refill rings, snap, seal and toss refill bags, and seal and toss refill bags, giving you a choice of what type of bag you prefer to use. You can find the Munchkin diaper pail refills can be purchased online or in stores.
The Munchkin diaper pail features a foot pedal that makes touching a dirty pail a thing of the past. Another fun feature that this pail offers is its odor-busting combination of calming lavender-scented Arm and Hammer baking soda and a patented self-sealing design. The combination of these two elements results in an air-tight seal, keeping the air outside of the pail fresh. Each diaper pail comes with a lavender-scented puck that will help refresh the air and keep your home’s air smelling fresh. This plastic pail is on the pricier edge of diaper pail models, but its reviews on Amazon speak for itself.
Our Rating: 9.5/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#5 Bubula Steel Diaper Pail
If you’re looking for an odor-proof steel and aluminum diaper pail, the Bubula Diaper Pail is exactly what you’ve been looking for. It features an air-tight lid that helps prevent odors, and with its metal construction, you don’t have to worry about odors absorbing into the pail.
With its flexible rubber seals, taller base and ergonomic design, this diaper pail is easy to use and reliable. This larger pail will also make things easier on parents who don’t want to continually empty the pail, as it holds 50% more diapers than other pails on the market. You can use your kitchen garbage bags with this pail, making it possible for you to save money by not having to purchase expensive proprietary bags. What’s more, you can transform this diaper pail to a trash can when your baby is no longer in diapers.
Some customers have reported that the lid breaks fairly easily, but if you’re looking for a decent product and can stomach potentially needing a replacement in the future this a great option for you. This is particularly true if you have multiple children, as the diaper bin makes it possible for you to dispose of many diapers before you need to empty the bin. Like other metal diaper bins, this diaper pail is on the higher end of the price range.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#6 Tommee Tippee Simplee Diaper Pail Starter Set
If you’re a parent who’s looking for a product that’s all-encompassing, this is the set for you. Perfect for small spaces or a crowded nursery, the Tommee Tippee Diaper Pail is a compact diaper pail. This small diaper pail does a nice job of containing odors and comes at a great price. The internal bag cutting blade does leave something to be desired, as it isn’t as easy to use as the competition. Also, while its compact nature is part of the appeal, it does mean more frequent emptying than the other pails we tested, but this could translate into less stink in the long run. Overall, we think that this is a great choice for families on a budget or those with limited space who don’t mind frequent diaper disposal.
The Simplee is a smaller sized diaper pail that is perfect for families who need a more compact solution for disposing of dirty diapers. The small design is perfect for those living in an apartment or tighter space, or for those that do not want a larger eyesore in the nursery. An added benefit of the small container is putrid smells will not have the chance to build up like those in a larger capacity can.
While there is much to like about the Simplee, there are some important things to note. We aren’t big fans of the blade to cut the bag, as it is a bit dull and hard to use. Changing the bag became a blend of cutting and tearing the bag to release it, which was frustrating. When changing out diaper pail bags, you want it to be an easy experience so you are not passing out from holding your breath. It might be worth it to keep a pair of scissors nearby to make the experience more manageable. Of course, then you need to keep the scissors out of the reach of curious toddlers.
The bottom line is the Simplee is a compact, inexpensive pail that does a decent job containing odor. It has a more modern look than some of the other designs and is sturdy. Yes, the blade and lid could use an upgrade, but we believe this is a great choice for those living in a tight space.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#7 Baby Trend Diaper Champ Deluxe
The Baby Trend Diaper Champ is very popular among parents in the industry. Even though it fails to meet our high standards for odor control, it isn’t terrible, and with frequent bag changes and realistic expectations, the odor control is reasonable and manageable. The big draw of this bay diaper trash can is the ability to use kitchen trash bags, and we like the convenience and savings the for the lifetime of the unit. This inexpensive product makes it possible for parents to use it with just one hand. It has a flip-top lid to help with bag removal, too.
The Diaper Champ Deluxe is one of the most budget-friendly options we reviewed. With the Diaper Champ Deluxe, you can BYOB, (bring your own bag), which is a money-saving tactic employed by this brand. With its cheaper price point, though, you’ll have to experience less odor protection than you would with other pails. This odor escape happens when you open the lid, so it’s something that’s unavoidable at times. diaper into the pail. As stated above, returning the cup to the open position every time you use it will reduce this problem so the cup won’t be pre-loaded with stink waiting for release.
It has average odor control, and you will need to change bags regularly but this habit can translate to a cleaner pail and fewer mishaps. With its lower lifetime cost and sturdy design, the Champ is one to consider if your budget is tight or you don’t want to search for special bags.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#8 Dekor Classic Hands-free Diaper Pail
The Diaper Dekor is an interesting plastic pail with a trap door, and a step to open design that should mean a hands-free diaper deposit with little escaping odor. Made out of ABS plastic, this pail is odor- and scratch-resistant. It also won’t yellow. However, despite its good looks and theoretical ease of use, the Dekor diaper pail failed to contain smells well, and the trap door didn’t always work, especially when the dirty diaper in question isn’t very heavy, or the pail is almost full.
If you change the bag frequently and clean the pail regularly, it can manage odors and retain its hands-free design.While some people are fans of the trap door system and the fun color options, we believe you can get a better quality system for a lower lifetime price. With issues like odors wafting from the trap door, its cumbersome design and the bag issues make this pail last on our list and one we don’t recommend.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#9 Dekor Cloth Diaper Liner
Just because you’re eco-friendly and have made the decision to cloth diaper, doesn’t mean you have to give up the convenience of a Hands-Free disposal system. After a diaper change, you are likely to have baby in one arm and the soiled diaper in the other hand. Let’s face it—parents don’t have three hands. As such, Dekor has designed a hands-free system. Dekor Cloth Diaper Liners are designed to use with either Dekor Plus or Dekor Classic Diaper Pails, so that parents who diaper with cloth can also enjoy the ease and convenience of Dekor’s Totally Hands-Free System.
This cloth liner can be used in place of the typical disposable refills, and it securely folds over the Dekor’s pail cartridge. A rubber gasket on the lid tightly seals odors inside the pail. This cloth liner also features a PVC-free coating that makes the liner waterproof. This feature will help prevent leaking and wicking. The new and improved drawstring closure is easier than ever to use and makes transporting your diapers to the laundry room a cinch. Just like your cloth diapers, Dekor Cloth Diaper Liners can be reused over and over again. Simply wash the liner with the diapers. Each box comes with 2 cloth liners, one for the pail while the other is in the wash. It’s quick and easy to switch to a new bag when the pail needs to be emptied.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
#10 Safety 1st Easy Saver Diaper Pail
This inexpensive pail won’t put much of a dent in your budget. And when it comes time to put liners in, you won’t feel like you’re lining it with dollar bills, since you can use regular garbage bags in it.
To help combat odors, this comes with a deodorizer disc. When that outlives its usefulness, you can start using baking soda to control the odor instead, which is also effective. If you’re rolling up your baby’s diapers tightly, this unit can fit up to 50 smaller diapers.
Our Rating: 9.0/10
Click Here to Read Consumer Reports on Amazon
2020 Best Selling Diaper Pails on Amazon
Our Top Pick
If you’re having trouble deciding which option to choose and want to go with a solid recommendation, we’ll give you ours. Our all-time top pick is the Arm and Hammer Munchkin Step Diaper Pail. Arm and Hammer is a household name for many different areas of home goods. One thing that they’re particularly known for is baking soda—which an odor-eliminator.
The brand brings its household trust in blocking and eliminating odors to the baby industry. The Munchkin Step Diaper Pail is the brand’s new gold standard when it comes to diaper pails. It features a sleek and aesthetically modern design that combines with fully functional odor-blocking capabilities. The brand also offers an environmentally friendly aspect—for every diaper pail that’s sold, they plan a tree. This Arm and Hammer diaper pail works with many different refill bags, including refill rings, snap, seal and toss refill bags, and seal and toss refill bags, giving you a choice of what type of bag you prefer to use. You can find the Munchkin diaper pail refills can be purchased online or in stores.
The Munchkin diaper pail features a foot pedal that makes touching a dirty pail a thing of the past. Another fun feature that this pail offers is its odor-busting combination of calming lavender-scented Arm and Hammer baking soda and a patented self-sealing design. The combination of these two elements results in an air-tight seal, keeping the air outside of the pail fresh. Each diaper pail comes with a lavender-scented puck that will help refresh the air and keep your home’s air smelling fresh. This plastic pail is on the pricier edge of diaper pail models, but its reviews on Amazon speak for itself.
MamaSweetie
Last updated : 02/2020
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