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Keep your nursery from smelling like a dirty diaper with these parent-approved diaper pails. water bucket with lid
There’s a lot to love about the baby stage, but changing diapers is rarely one of them. From projectile poop to diaper blowouts that take your breath away, diaper changes can be a hair-raising, nose-turning, and memorable experience. Because that strong smell can linger, our parenting editors tested some of the most popular diaper pail brands in our testing lab, evaluating the odor control, ease of use, and more.
A diaper pail might seem like a splurge purchase for some people’s baby registries, but a good one can keep lingering odors from creeping throughout your home. Likewise, if you live in a walk-up apartment or space where you don’t have immediate access to an outdoor garbage can, that pail can store your diapers and contain odors until you can dispose of them. Plus, if you’re simply trying to get your bouncing bundle of joy changed and into the crib for naptime or overnight, a diaper pail is a convenience you won’t regret.
If you don’t want to make daily runs to the main trash can, a diaper pail with a decent capacity is a must, and one that you can operate one-handed—since you should never leave your baby unattended on a changing table—is equally important. Plus, you’ll want an option that’s easy to sanitize to prevent the structure from absorbing diaper odors and harboring bacteria. And of course, controlling odors is critical.
With that in mind, we tested 14 diaper pails in our lab. To review these diaper pails, we focused on capacity, ease of use, odor control, and maintenance. Then, we compared each one’s performance against its cost to determine if it's a worthwhile purchase before whittling down our list to the eight best options.
Why We Like It: This is a compact diaper pail that’s compatible with other trash bag brands. Plus, it comes pre-assembled and can be used as a regular trash can down the line.
But Take Note: While this pick has a straightforward design, you might smell a few lingering odors, especially if you get close to the pail.
The Dekor Classic Hands-Free Diaper Pail is a smart investment that ticks off pretty much every box on our list. Its compact size works in tight corners and small spaces, and it comes ready to use straight out of the box. It’s compatible with 4-gallon bags—including those from other brands, so you’re not limited to buying from Dekor—and it’s incredibly affordable.
We love that it supports one-handed diaper tosses thanks to the foot pedal. Plus, we found it easy to change bags using the cutter inside the pail. (The internal cutter works with the brand’s proprietary continuous refill liner, allowing you to make a smaller bag for immediately tossing out those particularly stinky diapers, or you can use the full pail capacity.)
This diaper pail is made from plastic material, it’s easy to wipe down to prevent stains. Better still, once your baby’s graduated to potty training, you can continue to use this pail as a regular trash can.
The only real drawback with the Dekor Classic Hands-Free Diaper Pail is that it doesn’t completely block odors. We found that the pail smells like a dirty diaper if you get really close to it, even when it’s closed. So, you still might want to make regular trips to the main trash can.
Why We Like It: This Diaper Genie pail is a wallet-friendly option with a reasonable capacity, and cut-as-you-go bag liner.
But Take Note: It’s made to be used with the brand’s proprietary diaper pail liners. Trying to use your own garbage bag may compromise on odor control and functionality.
For many, a Diaper Genie pail is the go-to solution for dirty diaper storage. The brand offers a lot of options to choose from, but we love the budget-friendly Expressions pail. Along with an affordable price, it has a cut-to-fit diaper pail liner, a slim design, and a plastic construction for easy maintenance.
Similar to the Dekor Classic, the Diaper Genie Expressions pail comes with a built-in cutter located in the lid that’s intended for use with the included liner, so you can store as many or as few diapers in the liner as you’d like. (According to the brand, the maximum capacity for this pail is up to 50 newborn-sized diapers.) When you’re ready to dispose, simply pull the liner, cut it, tie it off, and toss the dirty diapers away.
It stood out during testing with its select-a-size liners, smaller footprint, and slim design, so it can work in small spaces. Plus, the plastic construction means you can easily wipe it clean with a damp or soapy cloth without causing it to rust. We found that it does an excellent job at containing odors, with no detectable odor wafting out when the lid was closed or during a five-second open lid test.
Still, this pail isn’t without a few drawbacks. First, it’s not really meant to be used with unbranded trash bags. Because this is a system that relies on a cutter and select-a-size pail liner, our testing editors note that the pail’s design isn’t very efficient with regular trash bags. So, you’ll need to factor the brand’s $6 replacement liners into the overall cost. And, while Diaper Genie’s seven-layer bags help block odors, the same might not be possible with a regular trash bag. Also, it lacks a foot pedal, so you need to push a button on the lid to open the pail before disposing of a dirty diaper.
Why We Like It: If the thought of even a hint of dirty diaper odor has you holding your nose, Munchkin’s lavender-scented bags and the Arm & Hammer deodorizer on the inside of this pail’s lid will keep those smells at bay.
But Take Note: Because this diaper pail has a very unique mouth design, you can only use Munchkin’s pail refills with it. Additionally, for ultimate odor control, you’ll want to push the diaper deep into the bag, so one-handed use is a little tricky.
Lingering diaper odors can be a maddening experience, which is why the odor-controlling Munchkin Step Powered by Arm & Hammer Pail is a serious upgrade. While this is one of the pricier options from our testing, it delivers on its promise of preventing odors from escaping by combining lavender-scented pail liners with a built-in Arm & Hammer deodorizer on the inside of the lid.
Additionally, a unique design twists and literally locks in each diaper once you’ve pushed it past a catch mechanism, We found that the initial setup was fairly straightforward and we quickly installed the liner with minimal effort. Meanwhile, the smooth interior makes wiping it down with a damp cloth or sanitizing wipe simple.
Aside from the higher price point, there are some other drawbacks to be aware of. First, this is a bit of a bigger pail, so it’s not the best pick for truly tight spaces. Additionally, its unique mouth design makes it incompatible with generic trash bags, so you’ll need to opt for Munchkin’s proprietary ones, and we sometimes found it tricky to get the diapers far enough into the bin to trigger the catch mechanism.
Why We Like It: The compact design is perfect for tight spaces, but its 27-inch opening is wide enough that you’re not fighting to stuff diapers into the pail.
But Take Note: The companion trash liners might be difficult to replace one-handed if you’re dealing with a wiggly baby on your changing table.
If you don’t have a dedicated nursery or simply don’t want unsightly trash cans taking up space in your house, a diaper pail with a slim design is a major plus. The Dekor Plus Hands-Free Diaper Pail fits the bill with a compact footprint and easily accessible foot pedal for one-handed disposal.
According to the brand, the pail can also be used for cloth diapers, and while you can use Dekor’s diaper pail liners if you so choose, we found that the system also works well with regular 13-gallon trash cans. You’ll appreciate that inserting new trash bags and liners is simple, too. Included with the pail is the brand’s continuous liner, which allows you to use a little or a lot depending on just how stinky the most recent diaper change was. As is standard, there’s a built-in cutter, and to create a new “bag,” simply tie off the end before closing the side door.
Though the can is slim, the larger 27-inch square opening means you don’t have to squeeze in an overstuffed dirty diaper. Additionally, we love that the style blends into any room, not just a nursery, so you can use it as a regular trash can after your baby’s out of diapers. However, note that there may be a faint odor when the pail is closed, and to change the bag, you’ll need two hands.
Why We Like It: This is a straightforward diaper pail that comes with a refill roll of perforated bags, and each bag can hold up to 47 newborn diapers.
But Take Note: While this pail did get fairly high marks, odors are bound to escape whenever you open the lid since there’s no internal mechanism to trap the stench.
If you’re hunting for a large-capacity diaper pail, the Diaper Genie Signature is a smart choice. The brand promises that one refill pack of diaper bags can contain up to 846 stinky newborn diapers. That translates to 47 diapers per bag—so it’s a solid option if you’re caring for multiple kids in diapers.
The Diaper Genie Signature Pail comes with a foot pedal-activated lid that supports one-handed diaper tosses. The wider mouth also lets you put multiple diapers inside of it at once, if needed. While this pick comes with a refill roll, we found that you can easily use your own trash bags if you’d prefer. Plus, the simple design means it can be used as a regular trash can once you’re out of the diaper stage.
Our tester loved that this was easy to set up, and that replacing the bags was simple. Likewise, they loved the larger lid opening which was “likely better for larger diapers” and tossing in multiple diapers at once since they could “fit all three diapers through the opening very easily.”
The only real drawback we experienced during testing was that this particular Diaper Genie pail isn’t the best at odor control. While it did a commendable job of keeping odors from extending too far beyond the pail, when you open the lid, be prepared to smell whatever’s already in there. As one editor added, when performing the five-second open lid test, “a bit of the odor did waft out,” which happened consistently when testing this diaper pail.
Why We Like It: If the thought of any odor escaping makes you squeamish, the UV feature kills odor-causing bacteria, ensuring that no stench remains.
But Take Note: Beyond the premium price, you’re somewhat confined to Munchkin’s proprietary liner bags, adding to the overall expense. Likewise, the narrow opening makes it tricky to push diapers in far enough to activate the odor control features.
Most odors are caused by bacteria feasting on bodily or material waste, and those stinky diapers are no different. Munchkin takes odor control a step further than most with its UV Diaper Pail, which promises to stop odors at the source thanks to its built-in ultraviolet sterilization function.
Simply put, every time you toss a stinky diaper into the bin and the lid closes, the high-tech pail runs a sterilization cycle to block odors and prevent the bag from turning into a bacterial breeding ground. It also helps that this pail comes with a push mechanism that forces the diaper further into the bag and twists the bag to lock in smells.
During testing, we found that this diaper pail is incredibly adept at delivering on its promise, with one editor noting that “this thing definitely controls the odor—it’s pretty airtight.” While you could potentially use your own trash bags, the combo of the twist-and-push mechanism and the bag installation design might not be as effective when using something other than Munchkin’s continuous liner or snap-and-seal bags.
Similar to other options that twist the bag or use a push mechanism to prevent odors from escaping, pushing the diapers all the way into the pail can be a little difficult. We found that even getting one diaper in it was challenging because the opening is narrow. Also, while this isn’t a deal breaker, it needs to be plugged into an electrical outlet, and because of the built-in UV unit, you can’t clean it with a damp cloth. And we can’t pretend that this isn’t a splurge item at $130—however, for the true germaphobic or odor-sensitive parents out there, it may be worth the investment.
Why We Like It: Thanks to a variety of colors to choose from and a fairly goof-proof one-handed toss design, this diaper pail feels like an obvious choice—which is why it’s a baby registry fan favorite.
But Take Note: With sustained use, be prepared for this diaper pail to absorb odors—especially since you can’t use any liquid products to clean or deodorize it.
If you’re looking for a diaper pail that you can match to your nursery decor, look no further than the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail. While much shorter than the competitors in our tests, the Ubbi comes in an astounding 16 hues, including a few prints. Understandably, this is why this pail is often featured on Pinterest and other social channels when you’re endlessly scrolling for nursery decor inspiration.
But aesthetics aside, this is a very user-friendly diaper pail with a low learning curve. While it usually is sold with at least one roll of Ubbi’s proprietary perforated diaper pail trash bags, you can just as easily use your own since it accommodates regular 13-gallon bags. Once your bag is in the diaper pail, simply unlock the lid, slide back the opening using the O-ring, and toss your diaper into it.
Several of our Parents editors have used the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail with their own kids and can attest that it works for larger diapers. You’ll enjoy the one-handed operation, the sliding lid, and the wide opening that can “fit any size of diaper,” one editor noted.
The only real drawback with the Ubbi is its odor control capabilities and care instructions. While closed, the Ubbi is incredibly effective at preventing odors from escaping. But, when you slip open the slot to drop a diaper in or have to lift open the lid to change the bag, it’s not pretty. Likewise, with sustained use, the steel container does absorb diaper smells, and the brand states that you can’t use any liquid products to clean it, making sanitizing the interior a difficult task. Ultimately, it comes down to whether odor control or user-friendliness is your priority.
To find the best diaper pails that are easy to use and reduce the stink, we asked our testers to consider a variety of factors in the lab, including capacity, design, ease of use, and most importantly—odor control.
Most manufacturers list diaper pail capacity in terms of newborn diapers. While this will give you some idea of how many diapers a pail can hold, this isn’t effective since most babies outgrow the newborn diaper size by the time they’re a month or two old. We asked our testers to use diapers that were sizes 1, 3, and 6, placing multiple diapers (up to three) in the pail at once.
Additionally, tricky-to-use features that turn a diaper pail into more of a chore aren’t worth it, so we asked our testers to consider how easily they could install a new bag, how well the liner cutter worked (when applicable), how easily the locking mechanism can be activated, and whether the maintenance instructions were reasonable and convenient for busy parents.
Many diaper pails promote an odor-locking design. Sometimes, this translates to a mechanism under the lid that automatically twists the bag closed after a diaper is tossed into it. While this is a nice feature, it often requires that you push the diaper through a catch, which may require excessive effort (or you to put your arm into the dirty pail), so we took note of how easy and sanitary it was to complete this task.
Finally, odor control is a primary reason people buy a diaper pail. To test this claim, we spared our testers the pain of using poopy diapers and instead had them run an experiment using pungent apple cider vinegar. We poured ⅓ cup of apple cider vinegar into size 1, 3, and 6 diapers, and—using one hand—folded them up and tossed them into the pail. We then immediately closed and locked the pail.
Afterward, testers moved away from the diaper pail to a “breakroom” where they sniffed coffee beans to cleanse their nasal palette. Once their smell returned to normal, they returned to the pail to try and detect the apple cider vinegar smell, noting if the smell spread throughout the room, if it was noticeable when they leaned in close to the closed pail, or only detectable when the lid was open.
We also tapped Dr. Christina Johns, M.D., M.Ed, FAAP, a pediatric emergency physician and senior medical advisor at PM Pediatric Care to provide expert advice on what to consider when buying a diaper pail, what features should be prioritized, and safety considerations to keep in mind when using a diaper pail while diapering your baby.
Whether you have a dedicated nursery or house your sleeping baby in your bedroom, a diaper pail needs to fit your space. Be sure to note the pail’s measurements and compare them against where you plan on storing it in your home. Small spaces may require that you need a slim design that won’t take up much space, and if you have multiple little ones in diapers, you may want to opt for a larger pick.
Many manufacturers list capacity by how many newborn diapers a pail can hold. In theory, this is nice to give you a visual aid—but it’s not practical. Most parents will tell you that their baby outgrew their newborn diapers within the first month or two after coming home from the hospital. So, once your baby outgrows that newborn stage, you won’t achieve the actual capacity that the manufacturer is promoting.
Whenever possible, look to see the official volume capacity for the compatible bags or liners. If the diaper pail is compatible with regular trash bags, it will usually tell you the applicable size, such as a 13-gallon trash bag. However, this can be a tricky metric to uncover as many brands have now switched to continuous liner bags. In theory, this is nice, since you can immediately remove stinky diapers and avoid lingering odors, but it also means you don’t really know your diaper pail’s true capacity.
Ease of use covers a few key factors: assembly, replacement of the bags or liners, tossing diapers into the container, and cleaning and care. Most diaper pails are designed to have a goof-proof assembly, with many models not requiring any effort right out of the box—just insert a bag or liner, and you’re good to go. However, diaper pails with more complicated odor control mechanisms can be more difficult to use when you need to replace the liner or trash bag.
Likewise, this factor becomes an issue when you need to toss a diaper into the pail. A one-handed toss is a very specific metric because normally when you’re changing a diaper, you need to maintain one hand on your wriggling baby and do everything else with the other hand. This is a safety issue — especially if you’re not using a changing table with a safety strap on it. In these scenarios, you need a diaper pail where you can easily open the lid and toss diapers into it with one hand. This is especially true if you have an odor-locking design that requires more effort for you to push the diaper through the lid and into the bag or liner to activate the odor trap.
Finally, you need to keep that diaper pail clean. Diaper blowouts and other incredibly smelly nappies are a part of caring for a baby. Even the most odor-controlling diaper pail can eventually absorb odors if you never clean the pail itself, so always look at the instructions to determine the best cleaning methods. Most plastic-based pails can be cleaned with soap and water. The only exception to this on our list is the Munchkin UV Diaper Pail because it includes an electronic component that can’t get wet. Similarly, metal-based diaper pails like the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail are not meant to get wet and should only be cleaned with a dry cloth.
Stinky diapers that have been fermenting in a diaper pail for a day or two will literally take your breath away every time you open the lid. So, you’ll need to consider whether you want a pail that simply keeps that smell from oozing throughout the room, or one that actually prevents it from escaping the bag, even when the lid is open.
Our list includes many diaper pails that trap odors in the bag so that even when the lid is open, you smell nothing or very little. This is usually due to a twist mechanism that requires you to push the diaper (with some force) through a catch that then twists the bag or liner when the lid closes. However, several options are only successful at controlling order when using it with the brand’s proprietary bags or liners.
Diaper pails can vary widely in cost, with the cheapest option we tested being just $28, while the most expensive is $130. It’s possible to find wallet-friendly options for every budget, but note that diaper pails come with ongoing costs that vary widely depending on the type of diaper pail you select. Initially, evaluate how much you’re willing to spend for an initial purchase. But also think about the cost of replacement bags to store those stinky diapers.
If you pick an option like the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail, you aren’t forced to use the brand’s proprietary diaper bags, though you’ll still need to buy replacement trash bags. But, its compatibility with generic 13-gallon trash bags means you can buy store brand or dollar store options to save some cash. Meanwhile, diaper pails with odor-locking catch mechanisms usually require the brand’s continuous liner refills, which range in price.
Diaper pails aren’t usually devices that pose serious safety hazards, but how you behave around them is still important. The reason we emphasized one-handed diaper toss support during our testing is that you’re usually using a diaper pail while also caring for your wriggly baby on their changing table. With newborns, the fear of rolling over is less serious, but as your baby grows, this is a real issue—the last thing you want is for your baby to fall from any serious height because you’re using two hands to open a diaper pail.
And, to state the obvious, dirty diapers are disgusting. They can breed bacteria or attract bugs that spread germs like salmonella or E. coli from those gross diapers to other parts of your home. So, you need to keep your diaper pail clean: It’s a good idea to give it a general cleaning every time you change the bag or liner. Also note that if you opt for cloth diapers, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you invest in two pails—one for wet diapers and one for soiled diapers.
Dr. Johns also reminds parents that as their babies shift into toddlerhood, a diaper pail can become a dirty little plaything. They might be tempted to open it, play with the contents, and potentially expose themselves to germs and illness as a result. “So make sure to keep the diaper pail secure and supervise your toddler” when they’re around it, she says. Also, if you need a refresher on the hygienic way to change a diaper, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a quick one-sheet with best practices.
Do you need a diaper pail like you need diapers? No, you actually don’t—taking dirty diapers out to the trash works fine, too. However, a diaper pail is one of those nice-to-have buys that makes changing time a little easier and more convenient. A good diaper pail blocks dirty diaper odors from permeating your home, and, for new parents that are overwhelmed with everything else, it cuts down on trips to the main garbage can outside.
UV diaper pails are an alluring option for germaphobes, but ultimately, this is a question that centers on convenience and maintenance. The biggest draw of a UV diaper pail is that it automatically sanitizes the pail’s interior. This not only cuts down on bacteria, but the gross odor that bacteria can create when it consumes waste as a food source. However, Dr. Johns cautions that this feature “is not guaranteed to keep the pail 100% germ-free.”
In truth, you can sanitize a diaper pail on your own without the financial markup of a UV diaper pail. Disinfectant wipes are a quick and easy solution, as are a disinfecting cleaning spray and a paper towel or reusable cleaning cloth (that you then immediately put in the dirty clothes to wash and sanitize). But if you feel that you’re already spread thin with childcare and your budget can afford it, there’s nothing wrong with opting for this splurge-worthy upgrade.
Dirty diapers will take your breath away, and if you let them sit too long, that odor will eventually leach into the pail’s material. So, your first step is to regularly change the bag or liner in your pail. While it might be tempting to wait until it gets completely full, avoid this urge, especially if your little one has an egregiously smelly soiled diaper.
Likewise, routinely clean the pail itself when you change the bag or liner. This helps to remove spills or residue that can inevitably get on the diaper pail’s interior, especially for pails that require you to forcefully push the diaper through the lid.
ribbed plastic spout cap Dorian Smith-Garcia is a commerce health and parenting writer at Parents, and a mom of one daughter, who is thankfully out of the diaper stage. She’s a solid supporter of the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail she used with her daughter (and she found a color that matched her nursery decor).