Best Diapers 2023

Oct 17, 2023

I recently spent many long hours researching the best diapers, understanding diapering science and materials and testing a dozen brands, including new subscription-based options, with my 9-month-old daughter for fit and leak protection. Three other moms helped me test diapers with four other children of varying genders, weights and ages, from 4 months to 4 years old. In the end, we found that the Huggies Little Snugglers and Huggies Little Movers were the best diapers overall as they consistently proved the most reliable and versatile. The Kirkland Signature Diapers also kept kids dry, fit well and can be purchased at a significantly reduced price at Costco, making these the best value diaper.

The best diapers offers a secure, comfortable fit and top-notch absorption to prevent accidents.

Of course, we all dream about the days when our children will finally be out of diapers. There's the constant faint smell of pee, the blowouts, the leaks, the diaper pails full of dirty diapers and the sheer cost of buying all the diapers your child will need for their first few years of life. In short, parents spend a lot of time, money and energy on diapering. So I wanted to dig into finding the best diapers to lessen that load for parents.

The following is a list of all the winners from the testing process:

After reading this article, you may want to consider stocking up on the best diaper pails tested to contain the stench, the best diaper bags to haul all your gear and a few tubs of the best diaper creams, too. If you’re still stocking the nursery for a new baby, check out Forbes Vetted's favorite changing tables and changing pads as well.

Amazon

Average price: $0.34 per diaper (varies by size, type, retailer) | Materials: Wood cellulose fiber (pulp), sodium polyacrylate (SAP), polypropylene, polyethylene* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: High

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Huggies Little Snugglers (for younger babies) and Huggies Little Movers (for older babies and toddlers) are popular diapers, and for good reason. I found them to be consistently good for all the kids in the testing lineup, ranging from newborns to preschoolers. They contained poop blowouts with almost 100% consistency (just one snuck into the mix), didn't leak, lasted well overnight on both babies and more active toddlers, had a flexible waistband that allowed for a snug fit and met expectations in terms of cost.

During my at-home absorbency test, the Huggies diapers came in second (Bambo Nature claimed the first spot). I was able to put 2 cups of water into the Huggies diapers before they started to leak. They also tended to soak up liquid slowly, which indicated they hold up longer before leaking. (Some diapers were immediately satiated during absorbency tests, and those diapers leaked earlier on in the process.) Huggies relies on fairly standard diapering materials—namely, wood pulp and plastics, hence the solid absorbency—but the brand says the diapers are hypoallergenic (meaning they are fragrance-free, paraben-free, lotion-free and have no elemental chlorine bleach).

You may notice that Huggies diapers feel damp, basically saturated with liquid, before they start to actively leak. This is a good sign for fit (no leaks means no gaps), but a few parents noticed that their kids were a bit moist overnight. Forbes Vetted is planning to test overnight diapers separately, but it's worth trying Huggies Overnites if your kid soaks through the originals. Our baby and kids editor has sworn by the Huggies Overnites through three children, too.

In terms of fit, the Huggies were remarkably consistent for kids with different body shapes and sizes. This is likely because the straps around the waist are thinner but more flexible than those of the other diapers we tested (this is called "tensile strength"), so you can cinch the diaper tightly around your child's waist. One mom noted that this diaper was one of the few that fit her daughter, who's in the 90th percentile for height and weight, and another mom called it "perfectly snug." Huggies seem to fit true to size.

There were really no downsides to the Huggies diapers, except that they’re disposable and thus not great for the environment. But this is also true for most of the other diapers we tested. When it comes to a flexible, versatile, leak-free experience, Huggies diapers can't be beat.

Costco Wholesale

Average price: $0.20 per diaper | Materials: Wood cellulose fiber (pulp), sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene* | Fit: True to size | Absorbency: Medium

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I’ve been using Kirkland Signature Diapers for years, and this round of testing reaffirmed what I already knew: They’re neither the best nor the worst option out there. But for the price, they do a solid job of keeping your child dry.

All of our parent testers ranked the Kirkland diapers either first, second or third on their list of best diapers, noting that the kids didn't experience leaks, although a few of them (including one of the older toddlers) were soggy after a night of sleep. Several moms praised the stretchy waistband, which has more give than the Huggies and allows for a secure fit.

Kirkland diapers fit on par with Huggies diapers, true to size without much sag. If you think these two diapers seem similar, you’re not wrong: Both are made by Kimberly-Clark, which also makes Kleenex, among other products. Each diaper has moderately wide tabs plus a wetness indicator, which can sometimes be faulty. This didn't bother us, though, because as most parents know, you can usually tell, or smell, when they need a change.

Costco's diapers are fragrance free, which is a bonus and produced without elemental chlorine. The rest is fairly standard fare, including wood pulp, superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and also some dyes to print colors and designs on the diapers.

In the absorbency test, the Kirkland diapers were solidly middle-of-the-road. They absorbed liquid for about 5 minutes and then just stopped, seeming to have reached max capacity. This tells us that these diapers will need to be changed more often than some of the others, which is expected given the budget price. Speaking of which: Kirkland diapers are quite reasonable, at about $0.20 each, although you’ll need to be a Costco member to take advantage of the extra low price. Amazon sells the same diapers for a slightly higher cost. As your kid gets bigger, the price of the diapers gets incrementally higher.

My toddler son has sensitive skin, and he always gets diaper rashes when we switch him to a non-Kirkland brand of pull-ups. I’d attribute this to the fact that Kirkland diapers are hypoallergenic and lotion and fragrance free. Other moms noticed the same: no diaper rashes to be found when testing. That said, a few online reviewers mentioned rashes.

This diaper tester summed up the Kirkland diapers best: "They’re completely serviceable; nothing special but also nothing bad about them as far as our experience goes.

Amazon

Average price: $0.46 per diaper | Materials: Polypropylene, polyethylene, TCF (natural) pulp, absorbent polyacrylate (SAP), synthetic rubber* | Fit: Small | Absorbency: High

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Our testers were entirely split on the effectiveness of Bambo Nature Dream Diapers. Several (notably, those with girls) loved the Bambo for its absorbency, light and thin structure and all-night dryness. But the others hated the Bambo diapers (notably, all the parents of boys), finding them to be leaky and too narrow.

What it comes down to is fit: This diaper is narrower than the others; if your child doesn't have the right fit, poop and pee will seep out the sides. This is (obviously) terribly annoying, and not worth the price of admission, especially because these are one of the more expensive diapers we tried, at $0.46 a pop. But if you like Bambo Nature's mission, it may be worth trying its diapers. When in doubt, size up.

Bambo's diapers were the best performers in our absorbency tests, which was slightly shocking given that some testers reported leaks. But this just speaks to needing to find the right fit for your baby. These diapers held more than 2 cups of water without leaking, but I did observe that the fill was a bit unbalanced; they seemed to absorb more in the front portion, which could lead to leaking for some.

The Bambo Nature Dream Diapers performed better than any of the other more eco-minded diapers.

Speaking of mission, disposable diapers are controversial; they fill our landfills and do not break down quickly. A number of brands are trying to fix this. Bambo Nature relies on a sustainable supplier for the materials used in its diapers including a wood pulp gathered from sustainable forestry methods where additional trees are planted to replace those harvested. The supplier also relies on wind power and more energy-efficient machinery. No chlorine, fragrances, dyes phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde or other concerning chemicals are added to its diapers, making them gentle on sensitive skin. And its supplier claims to recycle 95% of its production waste.

They’re produced in Denmark, and the company is transparent about the manufacturing processes, too. Bambo Nature diapers do still contain SAP and some plastics, which form the basics of any disposable diaper, but they’re made without all those additional non-desirables and with a more environmentally friendly mindset. This has earned them the seal of approval from several allergy focused organizations, including the The Asthma & Allergy Nordic label. If you prioritize sustainable purchasing—and can afford the steeper price tag—the Bambo Nature Dream Diapers tested better (for most of us) than other diapers marketed as more natural picks.

Amazon

Average price: $0.42 per diaper | Materials: Wood cellulose fiber (pulp), sodium polyacrylate, polyethylene, polypropylene* | Fit: Small | Absorbency: Medium

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The Honest Company Clean Conscious Diapers clearly ran small, but they’re the cutest diapers I tried, with fun, adorable prints. The 4-year-old tester adored the prints as much as her mom, especially the banana ones. And the designs are certainly stylish without relying on character licensing like Mickey Mouse or the latest superhero.

If you have the right size, you’ll find these to be great diapers—if expensive, at $0.42 cents each—that rarely leak. They performed well during overnights and did well in the absorbency test, able to take in a little less than 2 cups of water. The Honest Company diapers have wider, flatter absorbency panels than some of the other diapers tested, which is great for kids with wider body types. If you don't have the right fit, you’ll experience blowouts and pee leaks galore. And that's the biggest drawback of these diapers: the sizing. I loved these for my daughter for the first few weeks; then, she quickly grew out of them. The 10-month-old boy in the group experienced the same thing, and quickly needed a size 4 instead of a size 3 diaper.

The Honest Co. diaper prints are hard to beat.

The Honest Company diapers are fragrance-free and don't have chlorine, which I appreciate. The brand's wipes are plant-based, but the diapers are made with standard wood pulp and plastic ingredients. They do use plant-based materials on the back sheets of their diapers, which is a helpful addition.

Overall, I think these are a fun option for gifting at a baby shower. And they’re worth a shot for your baby—if you have the right size diaper, of course.

I tested eight additional diapers and researched another half a dozen brands. The diapers below didn't pass my tests, but feel free to take a look in case there's something here that appeals to your family.

Pampers Swaddlers and Pampers Cruisers : The Pampers diapers weren't great, but they weren't terrible. They made it to the very end of the absorbency tests, beat out only by Bambo and Huggies diapers, and they absorbed a decent amount of liquid despite having only a single, wide-panel construction. That said, most Pampers diapers are scented, and the moms on our panel all complained of leaks, especially overnight. Pampers fit true to size for most of our testers’ kids, and they have wide, stretchy panels that allow for a secure fit. That said, the toddler in our lineup moved so much that the Pampers diaper completely fell off in the night! I take this to mean that Pampers’ waist panels aren't quite secure enough for wiggly older children. They may work better for younger, less mobile babies.

Parent's Choice Dry & Gentle Diapers : These Walmart brand diapers failed the absorbency tests early on, and the crotch panel was too narrow for my daughter; she experienced near-constant leaking even during a short nap. They may be budget-priced (just $0.18 per diaper), but they fit small and are hard to secure tightly, plus my daughter had red marks around her hips and legs after wearing this one because the diaper was not well padded. My daughter also had a massive blowout in this diaper, and the mess was worse than what we had in any other diaper we tested. No, thank you!

Seventh Generation Baby Diapers : Seventh Generation's materials are biodegradable, and the diapers rely on FSC-certified wood pulp in its absorbent fluff, and the diapers are free of chlorine and fragrances. This is great—but I found them so leaky that they were barely usable.

It's not a good look when a diaper fails first during absorbency tests, but these Seventh Generation diapers were a definitive loser in that race. These were our least favorite diapers of all, hard stop. During a nap, my daughter's shirt and pants were damp after less than an hour, and these diapers leaked constantly during the day. I was scared to use them overnight considering they couldn't even handle a nap. This is likely because the Seventh Generation diapers have only one absorbent compartment (many others have three), and it fills up immediately. It started to fray quickly during the immersion tests.

Eco By Naty Eco Diapers : At around $0.56 per diaper, these were among the most expensive diapers we tested. I wish I could tell you that the price was worth it, but the Bambo Nature diapers were a comparatively better option for most of the kids in our lineup; they leaked less and offered more flexibility.

The Eco by Naty diapers performed just fine during our absorbency tests, soaking up a substantial amount of liquid in their three panels. They could hold at least 1.5 cups of liquid. The three-paneled setup means that these diapers are wider in the crotch, though; they’re harder to put on a wiggling baby than most of the other diapers I tried, and they run a bit small. And while most of us didn't experience copious leaks, all of our children were soggy. This means the fit is fine, but the absorbency of the materials leaves something to be desired. These diapers are made with wood pulp, SAP and various "plant-based" materials, which is a bit vague. They aren't 100% biodegradable, but the brand has made efforts to replace the diaper's plastic outer sheet with a plant-based one. They don't have a wetness indicator, but they are free of fragrance, perfume, chlorine, bleaching and lotions and are certified by Oeko-Tex Standard 100.

Rascal + Friends Premium Diapers : Advertised as a direct competitor to Coterie, but far cheaper (at an average of $0.17 per diaper), I was curious about how these diapers would perform. Unfortunately, my assessment wasn't great. These failed early in our absorbency tests, taking in just a cup of liquid before leaking. They also appeared to repel water when I soaked them; I take this to mean that pee might run off the fabric versus soaking in, which would explain the copious leaks my daughter experienced while wearing them. Oddly, Rascal + Friends diapers worked well for a few nights—my daughter was totally dry—but they were miserable on other nights. The fit is tough; they’re wide and have the biggest tabs of any diaper I tested. So if you don't get the exact right fit, you’re in for a load of laundry.

Dyper Simply Kind Diapers : Another pricey option (clocking in at around $0.45 per diaper for monthly subscription boxes), I was super curious to see how these compostable diapers performed. Yes, you read that right: compostable! This could solve our sustainability problems, I thought. It's a great idea; Dyper replaces typical diaper ingredients like polyurethane with plant-derived alternatives, like bamboo. Unfortunately, the performance was terrible. This was the second diaper to fail with less than a cup of liquid in it. If a baby sits on their Dyper (which is inevitable) after a big pee, they’ll be damp. These diapers fit true to size, and they don't tend to leak because of this good fit. But given the materials, your child will experience that "squish" sensation; after every nap and overnight, my daughter was vaguely damp. She was also more prone to diaper rash in these diapers, which makes sense if the child is sitting in wet stool or pee.

Coterie The Diaper : This pricey luxury diaper subscription (which costs about $0.53 per diaper, depending on your subscription) was outperformed by many diapers half the cost. My daughter leaked in these overnight—and even during short naps. They performed just OK in the absorbency tests; nothing problematic but also nothing special. Coterie diapers fit large, so your child might find them comfortable if you can get the right fit; but if the fit is wrong, you’ll be doing laundry for days. The material is perhaps slightly softer than that of other diapers, but incrementally so. They make their diapers with SAP and wood pulp, but they’re chlorine-free and the pulp comes from sustainably managed forests like Bambo Nature diapers. They’re also free of all the extra junk, including fragrance, lotion, dyes, parabens, phthalates, pesticides, VOCs and optical brighteners.

Up & Up Diapers : These Target brand diapers were the cheapest I tried, at $0.14 each. However, they just weren't sturdy enough to be worth the discount. In absorbency tests, the Up & Up diaper was the third to fail, but unlike the other diapers in the lineup, which started to leak when they hit peak capacity, the Up & Up diaper actively fell apart, with the absorbent lining emerging from the diaper itself. It flaked all over the table, and eventually I had to throw it away. (If you’ve ever accidentally put a diaper through the washing machine, you know the fresh hell that occurs when the absorbent material pills into tiny balls.)

Up & Up's diapers run large, and they have one of the wider waistband configurations, with huge tabs you can use to secure the diaper around your baby's hips. While my daughter didn't experience any leaks, and the diaper was just fine overnight, she worked her way out of them (the tabs aren't very sticky and feel flimsy). And I was genuinely concerned by how quickly these diapers fell apart.

I tested how well the diapers performed in absorption tests but also in real life by having several ... [+] babies and tots wear them.

For this guide, I did some at-home "lab" testing with 12 different diapers. First, I tried immersion testing. I took each diaper and completely immersed it in water for 10 minutes, weighing it before and after dunking to see how much water was absorbed during that time. I also looked for material breakdown. Then I laid out a fresh set of diapers and filled them with 2 tablespoons of water at a time, round robin style. Each diaper gave up the ghost eventually by leaking, but some were clear winners by holding out longer.

My 9-month-old daughter served as the primary tester for this guide. She wears a size 3 diaper, and I unboxed each—with copious note taking about fastener strength, fabric and fit—before putting them on her. She wore each for a full day of diaper changes and a full night. I noticed which diapers were more prone to leaking, fraying or otherwise falling apart. Some diapers also struggled to contain poop. We did a lot of laundry.

Finally, a panel of moms enacted the same wearability tests with their own children. The top six diapers were tested by a 10-month-old boy, 4-year-old girl, 22-month-old boy and 4-month-old boy. We tried size 2, 3, 4 and 6 diapers. These moms filled out a survey after trying each diaper for a day and night with their kids. Any winners were kept in the usual diaper rotation for long-term testing.

The best diaper for a newborn to a toddler offers the following traits:

Absorbent: Point blank, parents need diapers that don't leak. After testing many diapers, I can say that this criteria is harder to meet than I expected. But ideally a diaper should have three absorbent panels along the crotch that slowly soak up liquid. The diaper should be able to hold at least 1 cup of liquid, ideally more like 2 cups, without making your child soggy. (Sogginess can cause diaper rash, so it's important to avoid it from a health perspective.)

Secure Fit: Leaks also depend on fit. If a diaper doesn't fit well, the gaps between your child's legs and the diaper, or around their waist, will cause pee to run out and wet their clothes. To get a good fit, you need well-constructed tabs that secure around the child's waist and stay closed. (There's nothing worse than coming in to find a naked baby in a crib, covered in pee or poo). I found that the more flexible the diaper's materials were, the better the fit because you could stretch the diaper as needed.

(By the way, if you love a diaper brand but it starts to leak, this is a sign to go up one more size. Anecdotally, many parents have told us over the years that they size their kids up for overnight diapers in order to better contain nighttime accidents.)

Comfortable: A good diaper should be comfortable and feel soft along your child's thighs and waist, and not apt to cause rashes. Some of the cheaper diapers I tried were not soft, and thus caused red marks along my daughter's legs; this is a no-go. Diapers should also keep your baby's skin dry to avoid diaper rash.

Secure: Few things are worse than finding your baby naked, a diaper hanging off their leg, after a nap. (Cue a resounding parent groan.) The best way to keep a diaper secure is to pick one with sticky, durable tabs that wrap around your baby's waist. The cheaper diapers I tried had a tendency to come unfurled; the best stuck through long naps and outdoor adventures. Most of the best tabs are made with Velcro.

Easy To Find: There are a lot of product shortages right now, and diapers are no exception. A few of the diapers I researched ahead of putting together the testing panel were out of stock or not easy to buy online. Ideally, a good diaper should be one that you can find (or that arrives at your door via a subscription or delivery service) without significant effort. We prioritized this in our decision-making process.

I’m a freelance journalist who's been writing product reviews and gear guides for more than a decade. I typically cover parenting, outdoor gear and travel products, although I’ve also dabbled in reviewing health and apparel. You can find my bylines in Wirecutter, REI, Slate, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere.

I’m also a mom to two young kids: a 3-year-old and a 9-month-old. I’ve spent the past 3.5 years dealing with diapers and have many, many thoughts about the best and worst. My editor of this piece and one of the panelists, Rose Gordon Sala, has spent a decade diapering her kids.

For this guide, I also spoke with a few experts: Sydney Swanson, a healthy-living-science analyst at the Environmental Working Group; Dr. Carolyn Birbiglia, a pediatrician at Summit Health; and Shanna Jonathan, the executive director of Primrose School of Roswell East at Nesbit Ferry, an early childhood education center for kids ages 6 weeks to 5 years, who has seen and changed a lot of diapers of all types over the years.