Getting started

The type of diaper pail you'll want depends on whether you're using cloth diapers or disposables. Cloth-diaper users now favor a "dry" pail, a lined plastic pail into which you put rinsed diapers until wash time. "Wet" pails—a plastic pail for soaking diapers before laundering—were once the standard, but are not used much anymore. The typical disposable-diaper pail is also plastic, and it may be rigged with special liners or devices that dispel diaper odors, or with regular garbage bags.

Recommendations

The right diaper pail can make diaper duty less of a chore. Pails that use their own liners typically contain odors better than those that use garbage bags, but their refills cost more. One pail we know of that takes garbage bags, the Graco Touch Free, has an "isolation design" plus carbon filters to control odors. If you use cloth diapers, dump solid waste into the toilet before depositing a soiled diaper into the pail. (For instructions on caring for cloth diapers, see our diapers buying guide.) It's a good idea to dump waste from disposables, too; that step helps cut down on the odor.

The right diaper pail can make diaper duty less of a chore. Pails that use their own liners typically contain odors better than those that use garbage bags, but their refills cost more. One pail we know of that takes garbage bags, the Graco Touch Free, has an "isolation design" plus carbon filters to control odors. If you use cloth diapers, dump solid waste into the toilet before depositing a soiled diaper into the pail. (For instructions on caring for cloth diapers, see our diapers buying guide.) It's a good idea to dump waste from disposables, too; that step helps cut down on the odor.

Look for a secure lid; any diaper pail can be a danger to a young child. Plastic liners in a disposables or dry pail are a suffocation hazard; water in a soaking pail is a drowning peril. And a child who lifts a diaper-pail lid and falls in may not be able to get out.

Look for a secure lid; any diaper pail can be a danger to a young child. Plastic liners in a disposables or dry pail are a suffocation hazard; water in a soaking pail is a drowning peril. And a child who lifts a diaper-pail lid and falls in may not be able to get out.

Capacity counts too, although we have found in our previous testing that manufacturers may claim a pail holds more than it actually does. But as diaper size increases, most pails hold fewer. And besides, whether you go with cloth or disposables, you will want to regularly empty the pail anyway to minimize odor. A pedal- or motion-detector opening mechanism makes disposal faster and easier. A taller pail means you won't have to bend as far. When you're changing diapers all day, every day, anything that helps you out is a plus.

Capacity counts too, although we have found in our previous testing that manufacturers may claim a pail holds more than it actually does. But as diaper size increases, most pails hold fewer. And besides, whether you go with cloth or disposables, you will want to regularly empty the pail anyway to minimize odor. A pedal- or motion-detector opening mechanism makes disposal faster and easier. A taller pail means you won't have to bend as far. When you're changing diapers all day, every day, anything that helps you out is a plus.

Types

Once you answer the perennial diaper question—cloth or disposable?—you'll be able to select the right diaper pail for the job. Here are the two types of diaper pails to consider.

Wet pails for cloth diapers are strong enough to hold a considerable amount of water but are easy to carry, and have a comfortable handle and a spout for pouring out soaking solution. A dry pail can be any sturdy plastic model that uses a standard plastic garbage bag for a liner, such as Safety 1st Easy Saver or the

Simple Step diaper pail, both of which can also be used for disposable diapers.

, both of which can also be used for disposable diapers.

Disposable diaper pails are typically simple models that are easy to operate. With some you can open and close the pail with one hand, which helps when you're holding a baby in the other. Other models offer a "hands free" design. You simply step on a pedal to open the lid and drop in a diaper. Still others have a motion sensor that automatically opens the lid when you wave your hand over it (batteries required). A number of diaper pails have an advantage because they can be used with regular trash bags. Others require specially made tubular bags specific to each that you have to purchase. The refills are an added expense that you may not want to bear.

Features

Because you will be using the diaper pail many times a day (and night), it's important to get the features that will make the changing chores easier. Here are the diaper pail features to consider.

Diaper-pail makers claim that pails hold from 24 to more than 50 disposable diapers, although our tests have shown that capacity to be often overstated, so you have to empty the pail sooner than you might think. Keep in mind that diaper-pail capacity decreases as your baby grows into bigger diapers.

A disposables pail, which can also be used as a "dry" pail for cloth diapers, should have a child-resistant locking button or a mechanism that makes it difficult for a child to break in, such as a step-pedal opener. Be careful with pail liners, whether model-specific tubular liners or regular trash bags; both are suffocation hazards. A wet pail requires a locking lid to prevent any young child from falling in; children can drown in an inch of water.

If you're going the cloth route and choose a wet pail, pick one with a pouring lip and comfortable handles.

Some diaper pails require two steps: You have to open the lid, and then place the diaper into the plastic-bag insert. Others require more steps; still others can be operated with one hand or have a "hands free" pedal or motion sensor.

Some pails require special plastic liners, which add to the cost of diapering, while others use regular garbage or plastic bags. The cost of refills will depend on the brand of diaper pail you choose. Standard garbage bags are not specially designed to trap odors, but diaper-pail liners are, which contributes to their cost. Depending on the sensitivity of your nose, you may feel the extra cost is worth it.