April 2007
Diaper pails
Changing diapers, of course, is the least glamorous aspect of taking care of a baby. But it must be done many times a day,
and the right diaper pail can make the job easier. That's especially true if you have more than one baby at a time in diapers--twins
or triplets or children close in age.
The type of pail you'll want depends on whether you're using cloth diapers or disposables. Cloth-diaper users now favor a "dry" pail, a plastic-lined pail you put rinsed diapers in until wash time. "Wet" pails--a plastic pail for soaking diapers before laundering--were once the standard, but are not used as much anymore. The typical disposable-diaper pail is also plastic, and it may be rigged with special liners that lock in diaper odors at the twist or flip of a handle, or with regular garbage bags.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Cloth. Wet pails for cloth diapers are strong enough to hold a considerable amount of water but easy to carry, have a comfortable handle and a spout for pouring out soaking solution. A dry pail can be any sturdy plastic model with a liner, such as the Safety 1st Easy Saver (www.safety1st.com), which can also be used for disposables.
Disposables. For disposable diapers, the major models of pails are, in alphabetical order, Baby Trend Diaper Champ (www.babytrend.com), Diaper Dékor (www.regallager.com), Diaper Genie and Diaper Genie II (www.playtexbaby.com or www.diapergenie.com), and Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com). Prices range from $9.99 to $40.
The Diaper Genie (approximately $19.99), the veteran of the bunch, twists each diaper in an individual pouch, which forms an odor-blocking seal. To operate it, you press the safety latch and open the lid; insert a rolled diaper between the securing clips; close the lid, making sure the safety latch snaps shut; turn the twist cap two times to seal the diaper in place. To empty the pail, close the lid and safety latch; turn the twist cap two times; then, while pressing the cutter button on the lid, turn the twist cap one half-turn counterclockwise. Hold the pail over a garbage can and push a button to open the bottom. You don't have to touch the liner; the diapers come out automatically.
Parents have complained that the Diaper Genie can be complicated to use. For easier diaper disposal, try the Diaper Genie II Advanced Disposal System (approximately $30). It's easier to operate because you skip the diaper-twisting step. Just lift the lid, insert a tightly rolled diaper through the clamp opening, close the lid and you're done. Installing a refill cartridge, which contains the plastic that forms the bags, is simpler, as well. Another plus: You can open and close the disposer one-handed, which helps when you're holding a baby in the other.
Strong competitors to the Diaper Genie and Diaper Genie II are the Diaper Champ and the Diaper Dékor. They're simple models that require no twists or turns. Like the Diaper Genie II, the Diaper Champ can be opened and closed with one hand. The Champ has a handle that flips back and forth. The Diaper Dékor has a hands-free design. You step on a pedal to open the lid, and then throw a diaper through flapper doors. It's available in a plus-size model, the Diaper Dékor Plus, which claims to hold up to 46 diapers instead of the usual 25 to 30, but 25 is more realistic for the Diaper Dékor Plus and 19 for the Diaper Genie, according to our tests.
Unlike either the Diaper Genie or the Diaper Dékor, the Diaper Champ can be used with any type of bag, including regular trash bags or plastic grocery bags. The others require specially made tubular bags specific to each that you have to purchase. Refills range from $5.99 (for a single pack for the the Diaper Genie) to $21.99 for a Diaper Dékor Plus Liner Refill Value Pack (three full-size refills). The Diaper Genie can be used with two types of bags: stage one for infants and stage two for toddlers. The Dékor and Dékor Plus and the Diaper Genies have built-in cutters to cut the tubular bag when it's filled. You then knot the filled bag and throw it away. Knot the end of the plastic film to create a new bag and start over.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Of the three diaper pails we tested--the Diaper Dékor Plus, the Diaper Genie, and the Baby Trend Diaper Champ--the Diaper Champ, which uses any type of plastic bag for diaper disposal, contained odor well, but slightly less so than the diaper pails that require their own bags. But if a little odor doesn't bother you and you're looking to cut costs, consider the Diaper Champ. The Diaper Dékor Plus contains odors well and is easy to use. The Diaper Genie we tested contained odors well, but was more difficult to use. Each diaper pail, however, had its pros and cons, which we list, in the Ratings
The type of pail you'll want depends on whether you're using cloth diapers or disposables. Cloth-diaper users now favor a "dry" pail, a plastic-lined pail you put rinsed diapers in until wash time. "Wet" pails--a plastic pail for soaking diapers before laundering--were once the standard, but are not used as much anymore. The typical disposable-diaper pail is also plastic, and it may be rigged with special liners that lock in diaper odors at the twist or flip of a handle, or with regular garbage bags.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Cloth. Wet pails for cloth diapers are strong enough to hold a considerable amount of water but easy to carry, have a comfortable handle and a spout for pouring out soaking solution. A dry pail can be any sturdy plastic model with a liner, such as the Safety 1st Easy Saver (www.safety1st.com), which can also be used for disposables.
Disposables. For disposable diapers, the major models of pails are, in alphabetical order, Baby Trend Diaper Champ (www.babytrend.com), Diaper Dékor (www.regallager.com), Diaper Genie and Diaper Genie II (www.playtexbaby.com or www.diapergenie.com), and Safety 1st (www.safety1st.com). Prices range from $9.99 to $40.
The Diaper Genie (approximately $19.99), the veteran of the bunch, twists each diaper in an individual pouch, which forms an odor-blocking seal. To operate it, you press the safety latch and open the lid; insert a rolled diaper between the securing clips; close the lid, making sure the safety latch snaps shut; turn the twist cap two times to seal the diaper in place. To empty the pail, close the lid and safety latch; turn the twist cap two times; then, while pressing the cutter button on the lid, turn the twist cap one half-turn counterclockwise. Hold the pail over a garbage can and push a button to open the bottom. You don't have to touch the liner; the diapers come out automatically.
Parents have complained that the Diaper Genie can be complicated to use. For easier diaper disposal, try the Diaper Genie II Advanced Disposal System (approximately $30). It's easier to operate because you skip the diaper-twisting step. Just lift the lid, insert a tightly rolled diaper through the clamp opening, close the lid and you're done. Installing a refill cartridge, which contains the plastic that forms the bags, is simpler, as well. Another plus: You can open and close the disposer one-handed, which helps when you're holding a baby in the other.
Strong competitors to the Diaper Genie and Diaper Genie II are the Diaper Champ and the Diaper Dékor. They're simple models that require no twists or turns. Like the Diaper Genie II, the Diaper Champ can be opened and closed with one hand. The Champ has a handle that flips back and forth. The Diaper Dékor has a hands-free design. You step on a pedal to open the lid, and then throw a diaper through flapper doors. It's available in a plus-size model, the Diaper Dékor Plus, which claims to hold up to 46 diapers instead of the usual 25 to 30, but 25 is more realistic for the Diaper Dékor Plus and 19 for the Diaper Genie, according to our tests.
Unlike either the Diaper Genie or the Diaper Dékor, the Diaper Champ can be used with any type of bag, including regular trash bags or plastic grocery bags. The others require specially made tubular bags specific to each that you have to purchase. Refills range from $5.99 (for a single pack for the the Diaper Genie) to $21.99 for a Diaper Dékor Plus Liner Refill Value Pack (three full-size refills). The Diaper Genie can be used with two types of bags: stage one for infants and stage two for toddlers. The Dékor and Dékor Plus and the Diaper Genies have built-in cutters to cut the tubular bag when it's filled. You then knot the filled bag and throw it away. Knot the end of the plastic film to create a new bag and start over.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Of the three diaper pails we tested--the Diaper Dékor Plus, the Diaper Genie, and the Baby Trend Diaper Champ--the Diaper Champ, which uses any type of plastic bag for diaper disposal, contained odor well, but slightly less so than the diaper pails that require their own bags. But if a little odor doesn't bother you and you're looking to cut costs, consider the Diaper Champ. The Diaper Dékor Plus contains odors well and is easy to use. The Diaper Genie we tested contained odors well, but was more difficult to use. Each diaper pail, however, had its pros and cons, which we list, in the Ratings
(available to subscribers)
. Take those into consideration when making your buying decision.
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