Introduction

Comparing reviews of diaper pails

Reviews and parenting experts agree that a diaper pail is an essential nursery item, whether you are using cloth or disposable diapers. However, as we discovered, it is difficult -- if not impossible -- to say with certainty that one diaper pail is clearly the best. One model may be better at controlling odors, yet require special (and costly) trash bags; a competing diaper pail may not need special bags, yet do less well at odor control; and a third might feature hands-free design that makes it easier to use or have a higher capacity. Moreover, factors like odor and ease of use are highly subjective. What one person may find downright malodorous might seem inoffensive to another, and what may seem complicated to one user may be a cinch for someone else. In addition to odor control and functionality, child-resistant lids and overall cost of use are things to consider.

Most reviews we found cover diaper pails intended for disposable diapers, although we did find some useful articles discussing pails for cloth diapers. We found several excellent reviews conducted by leading experts, including ConsumerReports.org, the book "Baby Bargains," a review on Tibesti.com conducted by parenting consultants and an informative video review on DadLabs.com.

ConsumerReports.org doesn't rate and rank diaper pails, but it does have an online buyer's guide that discusses the pros and cons of various models, including odor control and ease of use. An accompanying article notes that although diaper pail capacity can be a selling point, it is often exaggerated by manufacturers. In addition, a diaper pail will hold fewer diapers as your baby grows into larger sizes, so it will be necessary to change the bag more frequently.

The book "Baby Bargains," by Denise and Alan Fields, is also ranked highly among our reviews for its detailed analysis of six different diaper pail models. The authors note that parents will change an estimated 2,300 diapers in baby's first year alone, and having an adequate disposal system in place can make managing those thousands of diapers a little less intimidating.

Melissa Gould and Ellie Miller, who run the consulting service The Baby Planners, post a review of several brands of diaper pails on Tibesti.com. DadLabs.com, a website dedicated to empowering fathers, conducts an entertaining -- if subjective -- diaper pail sniff test.

We found other useful information on consumer-review sites, including Amazon.com and Epinions.com. Parent reviews provide the best insight into the durability of a diaper pail, noting for instance whether parts break after several months of use, which is the case with a few of the models reviewed. A section dedicated to diaper pails on Mamapedia.com offers dozens of pages of questions and answers by parents recommending diaper-disposal systems. Several parenting blogs also offer informative reviews that discuss diaper pails.

The Clean Air Diaper Disposal System by The First Years (*Est. $50) has what appears to be a promising design, yet reviews indicate otherwise. The manufacturer claims the Clean Air Diaper Disposal System will reduce money spent on costly refills, yet it requires four D batteries for operation. The batteries operate a fan, which combined with a special carbon filter (*Est. $15 for two), are designed to eliminate odors. However, parents posting reviews on Amazon.com say that is not the case, giving it just 2.5 stars out of five on average in more than 40 reviews, and many complain that smell escapes from this diaper pail. Some parents also note that the Clean Air Disposal System makes a loud noise when the lid is closed, which disturbs some babies, particularly at night. According to "Baby Bargains," parents report replacing the batteries every week, an expense that could arguably be far greater than purchasing refill bags.

We found far better reviews for the three leading diaper pails: The Baby Trend Diaper Champ, the Diaper Genie II and the Diaper Dekor -- all of which have specific advantages and drawbacks.