Hi, I’m Patricia!

I’m the proud mama of two amazing toddlers. One girl, my three-year-old Adrina and my very wiggly, one-and-a-half-year-old son, Lincoln.

The best diapers of 2024:

What worked best for my babies.

Finding the right diaper is hard. They’re either harsh on sensitive skin, too expensive, or lack absorbency.  I tested the top diaper brands on the market for absorbency, softness, natural ingredients and price. Here are my results:

The results

The results

Scientifically testing diapers 🔬

Diapers I Tried

My diaper line-up!

  1. Firstly, I wanted to ensure that I tested all of the leading diapers on the market. I chose the following brands: Huggies, Parent’s Choice, Mama Bear, Hello Bello, Pamper’s Pure, Parasol, Honest Company, Coterie and VeryVery.
  2. I then weighed each dry diaper.
  3. I put the dry diapers in a saline solution that they absorbed.
  4. I reweighed the soaked diapers so that I could understand how much solution each diaper could hold.
  5. I finally subtracted the dry weight of the diaper from the wet weight of the diaper to understand how much solution each diaper could hold.
Testing Diapers

Scientific testing in saline solution using Parent’s choice

Testing on my babies 👼

I also wanted to test how the diapers would hold up on my kids. Here’s how:

  1. I had Adrina and Lincoln wear each diaper for two whole days.
  2. We made sure that we played outside, slept for a full night and generally stress tested each diaper to its limits.
Testing Diapers

These two are the perfect pair to test the diapers. They stretched each diaper to their limit.

These are the factors that mattered to me for diapers

✅ Absorbency -  Enough to last through the night. No leaks and less wake ups.
✅ Softness & Breathability -
Comfortable and gentle on skin. No diaper rash.
✅ Natural ingredients -
Free of chemicals. No dyes, or chlorine!
✅ Price -
I didn't mind paying a little more for the above, but not a small fortune.

One other thing. With Lincoln being so active, I had to find a diaper that could withstand him not only running around, climbing and jumping — it also had to hold up to him pulling off any tabs! So, here are the nitty gritty conclusions I made during my little experiment. Dive in and feel free to leave any comments of your own if you’ve tried any of these brands!

The best diapers I tried: VeryVery diapers

★ Winner ★
VeryVery

VeryVery Diapers
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4.9/5
$0.33 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Highest absorbency

  2. 12 hour leak protection

  3. Super soft cotton blend material

  4. Dry to touch in under 20sec

  5. High-waist reduces blowouts

  6. Dermatologist tested

  7. Elemental Chlorine-free

  8. Dye-free (inside)

  9. Fragrance-free

  10. Latex-free

  11. Lotion-free

  12. Offer a fit satisfaction guarantee

  13. Manufactured with renewable energy certifications

What could be better:

  1. No wetness indicator.

  2. Not available on Amazon.

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❤️ 15% off first order with code: DIAPER15
Best Diapers

The kids running around in their VeryVery diapers

Best Diapers

Adrina looking like a boss in  her VeryVery diapers

VeryVery Diapers

Back (left) and front (right) view of VeryVery diapers

⭐ Overall Rating ️
My ABSOLUTE favorite! These diapers fit both the kiddos amazingly and held up well for them overnight. The price for a single pack is surprisingly decent at 40 cents per diaper for a  pack was actually surprisingly decent for certified eco-friendly diaper and if you buy their 6 pack. you get a 20% discount! And the best part, stretchy tabs, so they survived my kiddos running around in the woods and climbing the couch.

❤ What we love ️
One of the top three softest diapers! These diapers were about as soft as the Parasol diapers. They also were not as wide so likely a great universal fit! So excited that like Parasol, is dedicated to environmental sustainability – eco-friendly, sustainably sourced material and use of renewable energy. The fact that their fit seems more ideal, they are one of the softest, most absorbent, and eco-friendly, puts them a bit above both Parasol and Coterie.

🙈 What could be better
I can’t think of a thing I would change! There isn’t a wetness indicator but I was totally fine with that considering that’s because these diapers boast being free of dyes and safe for baby’s skin.

📄 Description
VeryVery diapers are specially designed to protect the most sensitive skin! They include soft, cashmere-like material and more importantly, they do not include lotions, fragrances, chlorine and dyes. This makes VeryVery diapers incredibly skin-friendly! They keep the skin reliably dry for a long time (even at night!) without the undesirable additives that you’ll find in conventional diapers. VeryVery’s goal is to reduce the stress that often comes from a poorly-fitting, smelly, uncomfortable diaper! As such, they offer the following benefits:

☂️ Ultra absorbant and reliable:
High level of absorbance for day and night. Diaper features unique wetness channels and a long super absorbent core for dryness up to 12 hours. Dry to touch in under 20 seconds.  

☁️ Extra soft and breathable materials:

Ideal for sensitive baby skin!

👶🏻 Especially skin-friendly:
Made without perfume, lotion, dyes or natural latex, and gently bleached without chlorine

📏 Optimal fit and leakage protection:
Diapers include secure closures and flexible adjustment to legs and abdomen. Closures are firmly attached to each diaper-- no more accidentally ripping off the tabs by accident!

🔒 Optimal comfort:
Designed with an umbilical protection neckline and a high back waste for ultimate comfort and blowout protection.

🌱 Sustainable production:
One of our favorite benefits! VeryVery diapers are very eco-friendly. Made with 70% plant-based materials and the use of renewable energies including pulp from FSC-certified sources. Additionally, 40% of the packaging is made from recycled plastic bags"

Runner up: Coterie

Coterie Diapers
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4.8/5
$0.57 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Solid absorbency

  2. Second softest diaper I tried

  3. Elemental Chlorine-free

  4. Dye-free (inside)

  5. Fragrance-free

  6. Latex-free

  7. Lotion-free

  8. Wetness indicator

What could be better:

  1. Experienced a few blowouts

  2. Too expensive!

  3. Diapers are only 25% plant based

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⭐ Overall Rating ️
Love these diapers! However, at the high price point of 57 cents per diaper, a diaper that is whose ingredients are only 25% plant based just doesn’t seem worth it to me.

❤️ What we love
They were not as wide as the Parasol diapers, so likely have a better universal fit. These were also one of the softest diapers – inside and out, but not as soft as VeryVery. They did however, come out on top in my absorbency test! Soft (interior and exterior), thick padding, hypoallergenic, thick stretchy tabs, double-line wetness indicator. Even with a full diaper, the skin still felt dry. Stretchy back.

🙈 What could be better
All babies are different so this might have just been my experience but we did have a few blowouts with my youngest in the Coterie, which wasn't the case with the Parasol or VeryVery diapers. Lastly, I was disappointed that Coterie isn't as devoted to sustainability. I think it's definitely an area to work on for them given the high quality of the diaper, and especially given the price (57 cents a diaper)!

📄 Description
“Diapers free of dyes, fragrances, and harsh chemicals. No asterisks or fine print needed. Clinically proven hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and recommended by industry leaders. Unmatched absorbency. Beyond secure. Superior softness.”

Coterie Diapers

Back (left) and front (right) view of Coterie diapers

4.7/5
$0.32 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Cute patterns

  2. Moderate absorbency

  3. Elemental Chlorine-free

  4. Dye-free (inside)

  5. Fragrance-free

  6. Latex-free

  7. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Can get saggy

  2. Reports of rashes

  3. No certifications

  4. Wetness indicator only on select sizes and designs.

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⭐ Overall Rating
Decent diaper -- if they change the material a bit so that it didn't sag so easily I think it would be better. However given the price point (32 cents a diaper) and accessibility at Walmart, I think they’re a good pick for an eco-friendly diaper that is available at a big box store.

❤ What we love ️
Cute prints and is one of the softer diapers plus made from responsibly sourced material. Also the back is stretchy as well as the side panels by the tabs.

🙈 What could be better
Diaper seems to sag more than others even with a little bit of liquid. There is also a mild smell on the padding. Also, when I was looking them up, I noticed way more warnings of rashes than any other brand.

📄 Description
“Your baby deserves super soft, mighty comfy, seriously absorbent diapers. Goodbye blowouts. Premium baby Products at non-premium prices. Co-founded by Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard. 100% Chlorine-free. Phthalates-free. 20+ cute designs.”

Best Travel Pillows

Back (left) and front (right) view of HelloBello diapers

4.5/5
$0.66 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Environmentally sustainable

  2. Very soft

  3. High absorbency

  4. Elemental Chlorine-free

  5. Dye-free (inside)

  6. Fragrance-free

  7. Latex-free

  8. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Quite bulky

  2. Very expensive

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⭐ Overall Rating
Great diapers if you have a larger baby and want to order from a company devoted to environmental sustainability. Their softness definitely gives them an edge above the diapers available in stores. For my active, crazy duo these diapers would just be way too bulky, and at 66 cents per diaper, it’s definitely the hardest budget hit of all competitors.

❤ What we love
They were the top softest diapers! So very soft! The feather pattern is chic and cute. They also have a double-line wetness indicator and I love that they are not only eco-friendly, but they also use renewable energy. Parasol Co has been certified by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) as using materials sourced from certified-sustainable forests.

🙈 What could be better
I am a bit concerned about how wide the diaper is – it is the widest diaper, and it may fit awkwardly on most babies depending on their size.I foresee a lot of diaper “bunching” especially on smaller kiddos. The extra material made it too bulky for my daughter while wearing leggings and tights – you can see how it bunches up on her. They are also one the most expensive (at 66 cents a diaper) in this comparison so not budget friendly at all. There are also complaints of diapers being “too thin” and “not absorbent.” I would not recommend them for night time, especially at that price!  

📄 Description
“Natural diapers for sensitive skin with RashShield™ protection to guard your baby against diaper rash. Our premium diapers feature a unique, absorbent system that instantly wicks moisture away and locks it deep down to keep the baby clear and dry.”

Best Travel Pillows

Closeup (left) and front (right) view of Parasol diapers

Pampers Pure

Pampers Pure Diapers
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4.0/5
$0.33 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Elemental Chlorine-free

  2. Dye-free (inside)

  3. Fragrance-free

  4. Latex-free

  5. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Only moderate absorbency

  2. Found the material to be scratchy.

  3. Not very eco-friendly

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⭐ Overall Rating
Good affordable natural diaper, but the fact that the outer diaper feels wet when it’s full would make it a no for night time use. Price runs about 33 cents per diaper.

❤️ What we love
It is wider than most of the other store brand diapers, chlorine free and also an eco-friendly natural diaper. It has a wetness indicator. One of the more affordable natural diapers on the market. The wide tabs are strong which is a plus with an active toddler and the side panels are stretchy.

🙈 What could be better
It felt a bit thin and surprisingly didn't hold as much liquid as you would expect. The outer diaper feels wet when full, and that is a big no-no for me. There was also a mild smell on the padding and no stretchy back.

📄 Description
“Designed to help skin stay dry and healthy, Pampers Pure Protection diapers lock wetness away from skin for up to 12 hours for outstanding leakage protection with skin-loving care. Plus, our designer, boutique prints make Pampers Pure just as precious as they are protecting. We’ve thoughtfully chosen all of our ingredients to care for your baby’s precious skin. Our exclusive, plant-based liner is enriched with shea butter to help nourish and protect skin while our outer cover is enhanced with premium cotton, making Pampers Pure Protection diapers irresistibly soft and breathable. But the ingredients we’ve chosen to leave out are just as important. That’s why Pampers Pure Protection diapers are free of chlorine bleaching, fragrance, parabens, and latex and are hypoallergenic.”

Pampers Pure Diapers

Back (left) and front (right) view of Pampers Pure diapers

3.9/5
$0.24 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Elemental Chlorine-free

  2. Dye-free (inside)

  3. Fragrance-free

  4. Latex-free

  5. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Low absorbency

  2. Smells plastic like

  3. Lack of responsibly sourced material and energy certifications

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⭐ Overall Rating
Okay if you need something in a pinch from a local store that doesn’t have chlorine and is fragrant free, and you don’t mind changing diapers twice as much. Diapers run about 24 cents a piece.

❤ What we love ️
You can find them in most stores and they are surprisingly elemental-chlorine free. These diapers have a stretchy back and side panels (by tabs), very strong tabs, and an additional (purple) tab grip. Both children could not remove tabs by themselves (due to the second security tab). Also there is a wet indicator on the back of the diaper.

🙈 What could be better
The absorption isn’t that great, and like Parent's Choice, they have that plastic type of smell to them. They also aren’t that soft. Plus they aren’t environmentally friendly and when emailed about how they sourced material, it took two emails to nag them. They finally responded with a generic link to part of their website that talks about fragrances and material across ALL Kimberly-Clark products. There was no information directly on Huggies diapers so I was pretty disappointed in their customer service and transparency.

📄 Description
“Made without parabens, fragrance and elemental-chlorine. Dermatologist tested and clinically proven hypoallergenic for your baby's sensitive skin. No harsh ingredients. Plant-based diaper.”

Huggies Diapers

Back (left) and front (right) view of Huggies diapers

Parent’s Choice

Parent's Choice Diapers
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3.5/5
$0.13 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Elemental Chlorine-free

  2. Dye-free (inside)

  3. Fragrance-free

  4. Latex-free

  5. Lotion-free

  6. Includes wetness indicator

What could be better:

  1. Only moderate absorbency

  2. Lack of transparency about responsibly sourced material and renewable energy certifications

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⭐ Overall Rating ️
Okay for the price at 13 cents per diaper, but not worth it because they aren’t soft, comfortable or eco-friendly.

❤ What we love ️
It has stretchy back and side panels, wide tabs (about one inch), and the wet indicator is on the back of the diaper. And at 13 cents a diaper, the price can’t be beat.

🙈 What could be better
It’s thin and the exterior feels like paper. Plus, it wasn’t as absorbent as the claims. They boast 12-hour protection, but the reality was about three hours max before the diaper gets soggy, leaks and sags – hello messy blowouts! Lincoln definitely can pull the tabs off himself and it came undone while he was playing. I also wish it was softer and didn’t have that “plastic” diaper smell. They need to work on being eco-friendlier and more transparent about the information they disclose on their website regarding the material of their diapers.

📄 Description
“Parent's Choice Diapers are expertly designed with your baby's ultimate comfort and skin care in mind. They are hypoallergenic, perfume and lotion-free and are ideal for babies in their fourth stage (weighing 22 to 37 pounds). Our ultra-absorbent diapers provide up to 12 hours of leakage protection. A wetness indicator changes colors when wet to help you know when it's time to change your baby's diaper. The breathable material helps keep your baby dry and comfortable. Our diapers are thoughtfully made with super soft materials and shaped to fit gently all-around your baby's skin.”

Best Travel Pillows

Back (left) and front (right) view of Parents Choice diapers

3.0/5
$0.26 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Strong side panels

  2. Elemental Chlorine-free

  3. Dye-free (inside)

  4. Fragrance-free

  5. Latex-free

  6. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Very Hard

  2. Leaks a lot

  3. Diaper Sags

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⭐ Overall Rating
I likely would not opt to purchase these diapers (about 26 cents per diaper) off Amazon.

❤️ What we love
I can't really say that there was anything that I loved about these diapers, personally. I do appreciate that they are hypoallergenic, however. The diapers do have a stretchy back, strong side panels by the tabs which are wide. They also have a wetness indicator and cute prints.

🙈 What could be better
I think they could be softer inside and be made from responsibly sourced material. The padding feels thin/hard in some spots and has a slight smell on it. Given they are not sourcing their materials responsibly, I think that is something they should look into doing especially because Amazon is such a big name. The diapers also seem to be a bit shorter than the other diapers which may play a role in more leaks, but it might suit smaller babies. A full diaper sags, feels moist on the outside and my kid’s skin was left feeling wet.

📄 Description
“Hypoallergenic and dermatologist-tested. Free from chlorine bleaching, perfumes, lotions, parabens, and phthalates. Diapers at a great value with up to 12 hours of leakage protection; wetness indicator shows when it’s time for a change. Thin design with flexible fit for comfortable movement. Breathable outer cover helps keep the baby's skin dry and healthy.”

Mama Bear Diapers

Back (left) and front (right) view of Mama Bear diapers

2.9/5
$0.27 per diaper

What we love:

  1. Cute patterns

  2. Elemental Chlorine-free

  3. Dye-free (inside)

  4. Fragrance-free

  5. Latex-free

  6. Lotion-free

What could be better:

  1. Sandpaper hard

  2. Leaked almost every use

  3. Slight smell

  4. Lack of transparency

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⭐ Overall Rating
I was very disappointed in these diapers given their reputation. I personally would not spend the money (27 cents per diaper) on them.

❤ What we love ️
They have various diaper patterns that are cute. Moderate absorption, better than Huggies. Stretchy back and side panels, which are wide.

🙈 What could be better
Everything. They felt like sandpaper and even a family friend’s review of them was negative. He commented how he wouldn’t want this diaper near his private parts! They were also the narrowest diaper and leaked at almost every use even though the padding is thicker than competitive brands. Not to mention a slight smell on the padding, no wetness indicator, and the tabs don’t hold up. The company completely lacks transparency - when emailed about sustainably-sourced material etc. they responded that they could not disclose any information to me. They were the only company that said this.

📄 Description
Our eco-friendly diapers offer advanced leak protection, cloud-like comfort and stylish prints that keep your baby dry, comfy, and happy on life's daily adventures.

Honest Diapers

A view of the Honest diapers during our experiment. We weighed them (left) after adding them to saline solution (right)

Why I Chose VeryVery Diapers

So to recap, I didn't go into this thinking I'd fall in love with a diaper I could only get on a few sites, but it's been well worth it for the price and minor inconvenience. VeryVery's price point for being a luxury brand was also considerably lower than Coterie and Parasol, which as a budget conscious mama, meant the world to me. I was able to get the perfect diaper for both my kiddos, and also get something eco-friendly.

VeryVery uses renewable energy and supports global climate protection projects! I had to email every other company for these details, and you guys can only imagine how tedious that task was. Those things are so important to me and my family but the absolute bonus is that BOTH kids benefit from these diapers. With Adrina potty-training, our night-time use means that her skin stays dry and free from harmful dyes and additives. Plus with the super absorbent core, that dryness lasts up to 12 hours. And Lincoln my little climber? I'm never worried about him ripping the tabs, leaks, or sagging as he runs around.

Overall I'm thrilled that I don't have to buy two different brands to accommodate my kids. And if you're like me, keeping things simple makes motherhood a much more sane place to be!

Thanks for reading!

I’m the proud mama of two amazing toddlers. One girl, my three-year-old Adrina and my very wiggly, one-and-a-half-year-old son, Lincoln.