Diapers Reviews

Our All Reviews chart ranks reviews for credibility in testing the best diapers. Consumer Reports earns our highest reviewer rating, with the most credible disposable-diaper testing. After a ten-day research test in which 14 families tested seven disposable diaper brands, editors reached some surprising conclusions. Although disposable diapers have improved across the board, there is now less of a performance gap between name-brand and store-brand diapers. The book Baby Bargains, an excellent guide to baby gear by Denise and Alan Fields, is next in line on our Reviews chart, with information on brand-name diapers and several store brands. It also has a nice section for those considering cloth diapers.

Other sources include parent and caregiver comments from Amazon.com, Diapers.com, Drugstore.com and the Babies ‘R’ Us website. Since every parent is a diaper expert, comments from satisfied (or frustrated) parents have significant value. It also provides evidence that some of the most important testing must be done by parents, since different babies and caregivers have different experiences and preferences. In fact, different ages and body shapes of babies can result in some parents loving one diaper while others experience lots of leaking. We also found an interesting article on Wired News, "The Poop on Eco-Friendly Diapers" by Elisa Batista, which analyzes data about eco-friendly diapers and cloth diapers.

When identifying the best disposable diapers, many factors come into play: absorbency, fastener quality, fit, affordability and most importantly, resistance to leaks. Experts say disposables have come a long way from Procter and Gamble's introductory diaper, Pampers, in 1961. Experts have also dispelled the rumor that specific brands are suitable for boys or girls, saying there is little difference. Of the many disposable diapers on the market today, the best overall scores from expert reviews go to Pampers Custom Fit Cruisers (*est. $.31 per diaper), Pampers Baby Dry (*est. $.23 per diaper) and Huggies Supreme (*est. $.27 per diaper), the most expensive of the name-brand diapers on the market.

Meanwhile, several less expensive diapers perform comparably in testing, including some store-brand diapers. Wal-Mart's White Cloud brand (*est. $.13 per diaper) does a decent job with leak control, and they cost less than half the price of competing Pamper Cruisers, saving you up to $325 per year.  ... Continued

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Reviews choose popular name-brand diapers most often in reviews, although they are more expensive than store brands. However, experts still say that store brands are not necessarily inferior, and have improved in recent years. They are definitely worth a try, since they are significantly less expensive than Pampers or Huggies.