When it comes to the little ones, most of us tend to be a bit overprotective. But, in our defense, they deserve the very best — so today, we’re on the lookout for the best baby diapers.
After all, the wrong diaper might leak or even cause a diaper rash to appear on your baby’s behind. So if you want to protect yourself and your child from that kind of discomfort, we’d be happy to help you locate the best diaper brand on the market.
Our Contenders for the Best Baby Diapers
Looking for the best baby diapers on the market is no easy feat. However, we believe that we’ve managed to narrow the list down to five excellent contenders.
We’ll start with the obvious one. Pampers has been a reliable diaper brand for many years now, so we’re glad that they didn’t disappoint.
However, we couldn’t just mention Pampers without throwing in some mainstream competition. So we included both Huggies and Luvs for good measure.
Between those three, you’ll be able to find your standard high-absorbency diapers in all sizes and even colors.
The last two options we went with are the more eco-friendly diaper brands. Both Honest and Seventh Generation diapers deserved their spot in our review of the best baby diapers.
These brands are clearly committed to easing the strain on our planet. What’s more, they’re all dedicated to making it as easy as possible for us to keep our kids rash-free. So without further ado, let’s see how they compare.
Reviews of the Best Disposable Baby Diapers
The five diaper brands we’ve selected are all equally as good in different ways. So since we couldn’t reach a consensus according to our preferences, we’ve decided to list them by grouping the more mainstream choices first, then considering the eco-friendly options.
1. Pampers Swaddlers Diapers (Editor’s Choice)
It goes without saying that Pampers is one of the most famous baby product brands on the market, so it’s no wonder one of their products made it onto our list of the best baby diapers. That fact actually made it difficult to choose the best Pampers line of diapers!
However, after a bit of digging, we’ve concluded that Swaddlers diapers are some of the best ones in the Pampers lineup. They have everything you could want: a wetness indicator that changes color when the diaper is wet and an incredibly absorbent liner that could last for up to 12 hours.
Although the Swaddlers diapers come in many sizes, they’re especially convenient for newborns. There’s a notch in the middle of the front side that’s just perfect for protecting the exposed umbilical cord.
Still, we have to hand it to some of the other Pampers lines as well. We were particularly impressed with the Pure line because those diapers haven’t been bleached and they don’t contain any fragrances or parabens.
Things We Liked:
- Soft, fit well
- Umbilical cord notch for newborns
- Wetness indicator
Things We Didn’t Like:
- Not very eco-friendly
- The Swaddlers line does use chemicals and fragrances
2. Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers (Most Trusted)
The Huggies brand is also one of the most reliable ones on the market. In our opinion, their Snug & Dry line is a cross between the two Pampers lines we’ve previously mentioned.
These diapers should be absorbent for up to 12 hours as well. Additionally, this line doesn’t use chemicals such as chlorine, fragrances, parabens, or latex.
That’s certainly more than what can be said about some other diapers. However, you should know that Huggies diapers often have a bit of extra space, so you may need to size down when shopping.
Things We Liked:
- The elastic in the back prevents leaks
- Wetness indicator
- No harmful chemicals
Things We Didn’t Like
- Slightly loose fit
3. Luvs Ultra Leakguards (Best on a Budget)
Even though Pampers and Huggies diapers are wildly popular, Luvs makes excellent diapers for those who are looking for a slightly more affordable alternative. Of course, we’d never recommend picking cheap diapers just for the sake of it: Luvs just so happens to perform well.
These diapers are not only very soft and have a great fit, but they’re also incredibly absorbent and leak-free. Sometimes, even big brands fail at that.
However, even though Luvs disposable diapers are very easy to handle, you should know that there are no wetness indicators here. And, sadly, you won’t be able to find unscented Luvs.
Things We Liked:
- Elastic for a good fit
- Very absorbent
- Affordable
Things We Didn’t Like:
- No wetness indicator
- No fragrance-free options
4. Honest Diapers (Best Print Designs)
Now, let’s discuss some more natural options. If you don’t want synthetic and over-processed materials coming into contact with your baby’s skin — we completely understand.
Fortunately, the Honest Co. seems to have all of our backs. Their diapers are sustainably made of plant materials and fluff pulp without any chemical additives or fragrances.
We also love the many designs these diapers come in — some are gender-specific, but most are just plain cute. However, you won’t be able to find this brand as easily as some of the others.
Fortunately, they are on Amazon, though you should be prepared to shell out some extra cash. Natural diapers are usually more expensive than regular ones, but it may be worth it to know that your baby could be safe from chemically induced rashes.
Things We Liked:
- All-natural, no chemicals or fragrances
- Cute designs
Things We Didn’t Like:
- Pricier than regular diapers
5. Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers for Sensitive Skin (Eco-Friendly)
If you’re interested in eco-friendly diapers, but not quite ready to commit, that’s understandable too. You can try these diapers to see if going natural is something that would agree with your baby.
In fact, the Seventh Generation Free & Clear line of diapers was designed specifically for babies who are prone to rashes. So these diapers should help the rash pass on its own, particularly if it was caused by dyes, fragrances, or other chemicals.
Unlike the previous brand, you should be able to find these pretty much anywhere. But, a word to the wise, the adhesive tabs have been known to pop open.
Things We Liked:
- All-natural brand
- Affordable for an eco-friendly choice
- Soft and absorbent, but no wetness indicator
Things We Didn’t Like:
- May come undone due to weak adhesive
How to Choose the Best Baby Diapers
There are several types of diapers on the market. However, the real war is the one between people who use disposable ones vs. those who use cloth diapers.
The benefits of both are fairly clear. Still, for those who aren’t in the know, we’re going to take a look at the pros and cons of disposable diapers.
Are Disposable Diapers Really Worth it?
Cloth diapers are better for the environment than disposable ones — that’s a given. After all, they’re reusable and washable, so if you care about protecting the planet and your wallet, they may be the right ones for you.
They’re also made of recyclable fabric, rather than the synthetic materials most disposable diapers are made of. On the other hand, not all synthetic materials are bad.
Although, if you care about the environment, these two actually end up evening out as far as environmental impact goes. After all, it takes water and energy to repeatedly wash your cloth diapers, and it takes a similar amount of resources to recycle or destroy disposable diapers.
And then again, some disposable diapers are also biodegradable. In fact, there are plenty of other benefits to using them.
Benefits of Using Disposable Diapers
Well, first and foremost, most of us have used disposable diapers without incident for years. You may not be able to reuse them, but there’s no question about their effectiveness. In fact, they’re:
- Essentially leak-proof
- Easy to put on and take off
- Able to hold large amounts of liquid
- Convenient, precisely because you don’t need to wash them
Still, we understand why someone would want to choose cloth diapers instead. However, as you’ve seen from our list of the best baby diapers on the market, many disposable diapers are environmentally friendly as well.
Things to Look for When Shopping for Disposable Diapers
Ultimately, the only thing that will affect your diaper choice is your own preference. But you should also be aware of some other factors, namely:
- Your baby’s needs. If your child is frequently getting rashes, you might want to try another brand or at least go for the Sensitive line of diapers.
- The cost of the diapers. If you’re not sure whether a certain brand is worth the extra cash, you can calculate the amount of money you’re spending on diapers per day.
- If the diapers are environmentally friendly. Many people consider cloth diapers to be the solution to the planet’s problems, but that’s not necessarily the case. In any case, you could always use biodegradable disposable diapers.
And, although your opinion matters most, you should also consider the feelings of your child’s other caretakers. Some daycares ask parents to pack disposable diapers only.
How to Properly Handle a Disposable Diaper
Another benefit of disposable diapers is the fact that they’re so easy to change. The adhesive strips on the sides make all the difference, trust us.
You’ll likely be able to tell when your child needs a new diaper. It may hang low between their legs or be warm to the touch — or, let’s face it, you might sniff it out.
Babies might need to be changed as many as 10 times a day. On the other hand, toddlers require only 3 or 4 diapers per day.
Once their diaper is full, you can position your child onto a changing mat. If the baby is particularly lively, they may even actively work against you.
But don’t worry — disposable diapers make it exceedingly easy to handle this kind of problem. To begin changing your little one, you can take off the adhesive strips at the front of the diaper.
Slide the diaper out from under the child and fold the front toward the back part, using the tapes to secure the bundle. Then clean up the baby’s bottom with baby wipes or wash the baby if you need to.
You can then unfold the new diaper and slide it under your child, flipping the front cover, and closing the side tapes over as well. Lastly, check to make sure that the sides of the diaper are secure around the baby’s legs.
With enough experience, you’ll be able to change your child’s diaper while they’re running away from you. Take it from people who know.
Conclusion
All of the products we’ve mentioned in our list of the best baby diapers are great choices for any child. However, as said, the final choice will be up to you.
If you like to stick with the classics, you can go for Pampers or Huggies (or Luvs for a more budget-friendly option). Nevertheless, if you’re more of a tree-hugger, we recommend Seventh Generation or Honest Diapers.
Whichever brand you end up choosing, you should always keep in mind the things we’ve discussed today. Hopefully, our list of the best baby diapers will get you to think in the right direction.
