Best Incontinence Underwear and Adult Diapers

There are two main types of adult diapers. Pull-ons, also known as incontinence underwear, resemble standard underpants, with elastic around the waist and leg openings. This type is geared toward people experiencing occasional light incontinence and who need discreet protection beyond what incontinence pads (basically, thin maxi pads that adhere to regular underwear) can provide.

CR’s team of engineers and lab techs tested 19 different diapers for absorption capabilities and effectiveness in keeping moisture away from the skin (see “How We Test” for details). These findings eliminated all but seven of the 19 diapers.

For deeper assessments of the seven diapers that passed our absorbency and dryness tests, we tapped another group of experts—the disabled community. We asked two families to try the seven products that passed our lab tests to find out how these adult diapers perform with real-world use. And we asked a group of adult diaper users to share their specific concerns. 

Will people hear the diaper rustling under my clothes?
Will it stick out above the waistband of my pants?
Is the fit adjustable to accommodate different body types and disabilities?
Is the diaper’s design easy for caregivers to use?
Will these diapers fit my budget?

Below, we answer these important questions and more.

Here’s more detail on the main criteria we used in the lab:

Absorption speed: We doused each diaper with a saline solution. For the pull-up diapers, we did this once. For the tab-style briefs, we doused them three times (because these diapers are expected to handle more fluid). On each dousing, we timed how long it took the diaper to fully absorb the saline solution.

Dryness: Five minutes after each dousing, we placed a paper towel on top of the diaper (which was laid open and skin-side up), and we put a weight on top of that. After 30 seconds, we removed the paper towel and weighed it to see how much moisture it absorbed. The lower the weight, the better.

This test examines whether the diaper is capable of retaining liquid after absorbing it and keeping the moisture away from the wearer’s skin.

Real-world use: We purchased more of the seven diapers that passed our lab tests and asked two caregivers who buy adult diapers for a loved one to try these at home. They gave us their feedback on whether they experienced leaks, any sound the diaper made when being worn, the wearer’s apparent comfort, odor control, ease of use, and overall fit.

No. Unfortunately, Medicare does not cover incontinence supplies. Some Medicaid programs will cover these supplies if deemed medically necessary, but that coverage varies by state, so check with your state’s Medicaid agency to find out if you’re covered. If you have a health savings account (HSA) or flexible spending account (FSA), you can use those funds for incontinence care, no matter where you reside within the U.S.

The other adult diapers that were tested in our labs include: Abena Pants Pull Up Underwear Level 3S, Amazon Basics Incontinence Underwear for Men, Up&Up (Target) Incontinence Underwear for Men, Amazon Basics Incontinence Underwear for Women, Depend Fresh Protection Adult Incontinence Underwear for Men, Assurance Women’s Incontinence Underwear, Prevail Unisex Daily Underwear, Walgreens Certainty Unisex Incontinence Briefs, Tranquility SmartCore Adult Disposable Briefs, Cardinal Health Wings Quilted Plus Unisex Adult Diapers, FitRight OptIFit Adult Unisex Incontinence Briefs, and Sunkiss Trust Plus Unisex Adult Diapers.

Because these diapers didn’t perform as well in our lab tests, they did not move to our next round of evaluation with real-world users.