Don’t you just love the smell of a freshly pooped-on broccoli-colored diaper? Yeah, me neither. Unfortunately, though, such “pretty” sights and smells are the inevitable company of every parent on the planet during the first years of their not-yet-potty-trained child(ren).
Unless you take pleasure in going out in the middle of the night every time you change your baby to throw his dirty diaper in the trash can outside, you, my friend, need a diaper pail. If this is not enough for you, here are 4 more reasons you need one:
1. You like your house clean and smelling good – in fact, you can enjoy it this way only until your little one finds out how funny it is to throw pancakes and jelly on the floor or hide meatballs behind the furniture when you are not looking, but I digress.
2. You don’t want your bigger child (or your dog, for that matter) to accidentally find a used diaper you forgot to take off the floor and start playing with it, turning most of your walls to a not-so-pleasant shade of brown. Don’t ask me how I know.
3. You are sick of asking your husband to throw the garbage 20 times per day. He is not a big fan of doing it either.
4. You have twins or multiple kids in diapers and you want at least a part of your sanity back. Yeah, good luck with that.
Best Diaper Pails
Best-selling diaper pail – Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail is one of Amazon’s best-selling diaper pails for a reason. With thousands of customer reviews and an overall rate of 4 out of 5 stars, it deserves its place on the top of our best diaper pails 2019.
Pros:
- It comes in a variety of colors (17, to be exact) so there is absolutely no way you won’t find the best match for your home.
- It’s made of powder-coated steel which means that the nasty diaper smell has no chance of escaping its steel prison.
- You can use any (and I mean any) standard tall kitchen bag. And you know what that means – no expensive refills!
- It’s safe – with its child safety lock and a slow-close lid you can rest assured your kids cannot be injured in any way around it.
Cons:
- It has no foot pedal, which means you need at least one hand free to “deposit” the stinky diaper in.
- It’s in the higher price range.
Verdict
If you don’t have budget limits and want a diaper pail that has an elegant design, then Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail is for you. Bonus – it takes considerably less space than other diaper pails!
Best modern design – Munchkin Step Diaper Pail
Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer has such a sleek and modern design that you won’t believe it. With its clean shapes and an unostentatious color, it is the dream-come-true for parents who want to keep the modern look of their home even after their baby is born.
Pros:
- It features the queen of all diaper pails – the step pedal! It’s so easy to use it, especially with wiggly babies that need your constant attention at the changing table. Thanks to the step pedal power, you can use only one hand to throw the dirty diaper in the can while supporting your baby with your other hand.
- Its self-sealing system guarantees you odor-free air because every time you close the lid, Munchkin’s patented technology twists the refill tight, keeping all the stink inside.
- It offers additional odor protection thanks to the lavender-scented refills and the puck baking soda cartridge.
Cons:
- It’s made of plastic so it doesn’t look as fancy as a steel one.
- You have to shut the lid back to close it (it doesn’t automatically shut itself after you put the diaper in).
Verdict
If you are looking for a value-for-money diaper pail that also features a great modern design, Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer is your obvious choice. Besides this, for every diaper pail sold, Munchkin will plant a tree!
Best convertible diaper pail – Bubula JR Steel Diaper Pail
Offered in white and gray, Bubula JR Steel Diaper Pail is one of the greatest convertible diaper pails on the market.
Pros:
- Its construction is made of steel and aluminum, which makes it perfect for any room, even long after your child is potty trained!
- It uses standard size trash bags – no need to buy special refill bags.
- It’s super easy to operate – thanks to its advanced design, you can easily remove the old trash bag and adjust the refill one in place.
Cons:
- It doesn’t have a step pedal so you cannot open it with your foot.
- It’s relatively smaller in size compared to other diaper pails.
Verdict
If you need a convertible diaper pail that you can, later on, use as a standard trash can, you can’t go wrong with Bubula JR Steel Diaper Pail. Bonus – thanks to its compact size, it works wonders for small rooms as it saves tons of valuable space.
Best diaper pail for multiple children – Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail
If you have twins or more children in diapers, then an Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail of 14 gallons is what you need. It is made to last and has a huge capacity, so if you are mothering a large diaper-using family, go for this model and you won’t regret it.
Pros:
- It’s one of the largest diaper pails on the market (perfect for more kids in diapers).
- Its charcoal filter keeps the stink away while letting the (odorless) moisture out.
- It is used in nurseries, day cares, and maternity wards, so it must work for you as well!
Cons:
- It’s made of plastic material so it looks cheaper compared to steel ones.
- It does take up more space than most of the order diaper pails on the market.
Verdict
If you are changing more diapers per day than you want to admit, you need a diaper pail that can keep up with your diaper-filling family members. Odorless Cloth Diaper Pail will have your back regardless of the number of buts you wipe on a daily basis!
Best value for money – Baby Trend Diaper Champ Deluxe
Baby Trend Diaper Champ Deluxe holds up to 30 diapers and is in the middle price range so it’s our best value for a money diaper pail.
Pros:
- It comes in the blue and pink lining so you can choose the best option based on the gender of your baby.
- It’s easy to operate it using only one hand.
- It uses regular kitchen trash bags.
Cons:
- The disposal can be tricky if the bag is too full or if a diaper gets jammed in the rotation process.
Verdict
Baby Trend Diaper Champ Deluxe is one of the least expensive diaper pails that work with regular kitchen trash bags. We highly recommend it to parents on a tight budget that need a long-lasting and durable diaper pail.
Here are 7 tips you can use to keep your house as odor-free as possible, regardless of the diaper pail you are using:
1. Wrap each dirty diaper as tight as possible after changing it – no matter what stink-absorbing system your diaper pail features, it’s best if you help it by tightly wrapping each used diaper so the smell is locked in there right from the start.
2. Do change the refill bag when the occasion calls for it. You know what I am talking about. A massive poop explosion calls for an immediate bag change. The sooner you do it, the better for everyone (including you).
3. Use baking soda. No, I am not suggesting baking a cake to distract people from the smell coming from your diaper bin. A tablespoon of baking soda sprinkled at the bottom of your diaper pail will help absorb the stinky smell. You can even throw in some in-between when there is still space in the bin but you can’t change it right now.
4. Keep it clean – yes, I know it goes without saying that whatever item you want to smell nice, you have to clean it regularly. This is especially true for dirty diaper pails. Every time you see brown coloring in your diaper pail that obviously doesn’t come from a chocolate bar, it’s time to clean it. Even if you haven’t seen a brown “masterpiece” in a while, a good rinse with hot water and soap once a week will keep your diaper pail nicer smelling and an overall more pleasant experience for everyone in the house.
5. Use vinegar – vinegar is a powerful bad odors absorber and deodorizer. If you are facing a massive poop explosion that is not positively affected either by cleaning the garbage can or by keeping the windows open after that, try vinegar.
You have three options (depending on how bad the situation is). First, you can simmer some white vinegar in a pan and let its steam spread in the house, absorbing the unpleasant odors on their way. Second, you can place a bowl of vinegar in the smelly area and wait until it does the trick. Third, if the diaper pail smells bad even after you have washed it, give it a good rinse with vinegar and then wash it with water to get it back to its former glory.