12 Best Diapers From Our Tests

We performed these two tests on Size 1 diapers from popular brands. 

Absorption: We added four batches of saline totaling 100 milliliters and timed how long it took for the diapers to absorb them. 

This test showed us how quickly the diapers absorbed liquid, so you can be sure that your baby’s tender skin won’t be exposed to urine for long.

Dryness: We looked at whether the diapers held moisture in after absorbing it or let it seep back out if pressure was applied (such as if a baby sat down or was held with an arm around the bottom).

At Consumer Reports, we take baby and kid safety seriously. In the past, we’ve screened core diaper sections for heavy metals and phthalates, and discovered that the diapers fell below the regulatory guidelines, as determined by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, for each contaminant. As we found nothing of concern in our previous test, we didn’t test for harmful chemicals this time. 

Additional diapers we tested were Earth & Eden Sensitive, Pura Baby Diapers for Sensitive Skin, Kirkland Signature (Costco) Diapers, Luvs Pro Level Leak Protection Diapers, Rascal + Friends Premium Diapers, BabyCozy Bouncy Soft Diapers for Newborns, Terra Plant-Based Nappies/Diapers, Dyper Simply Kind Diapers, Believe Baby Premium Bamboo Eco-Friendly Diapers‎, and The Honest Company Clean Conscious Diapers.

Most of these scored decently in our dryness tests, so you can rest assured that your baby would probably stay dry when he plopped his diapered butt down in his crib. 

Absorption speed, however, was a different story. Diapers from BabyCozy, Terra, Dyper, Believe Baby, and The Honest Company, in particular, lagged in this area—i.e., when your baby peed in his diaper, there would be a bigger risk of leaks than if he wore a different one.