We scored 5 diaper pails on what they're made of, what parents and testers report, and value. Our top pick is Munchkin STEP Diaper Pail, with a Cradle Score of 78.
Highest Cradle Score of the 5 we scored. The best odor control tested by far.
Materials & safety score of 70. Best value: hands-free, child-lockable and takes regular trash bags.
| # | Product and Cradle Score | Materials & safety | Parents | Value | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 78Munchkin STEP Diaper PailAbout $60 | 64 | 92 | 80 | Low |
| 2 | 73Dekor EKO Diaper PailAbout $40 | 70 | 70 | 86 | Low |
| 3 | 65simplehuman Diaper CanAbout $100 | 80 | 56 | 52 | Low |
| 4 | 65Diaper Genie Platinum Diaper PailAbout $80 | 66 | 64 | 66 | Low |
| 5 | 57Ubbi Steel Diaper PailAbout $80 | 76 | 40 | 54 | Low |
Scores out of 100. Materials & safety and Parents each count 40%, Value 20%.
Nice to have Some parents love theirs; others regret pails that need proprietary refill bags and fill fast. A lidded trash can emptied daily works too.
Secondhand: Fine secondhand. Fine secondhand after a deep clean.
Typical use: about 30 months.
Tip: Check whether it takes regular trash bags before you buy.
The biggest long-term cost of a diaper pail is its bags. Pails that take regular trash bags cost less over time; specialty refill systems usually seal odors better.
1 has a safety or materials point to know about, noted in the reviews below.
The best odor control tested by far. It needs proprietary bags and a baking soda puck that adds fragrance.
Best value: hands-free, child-lockable and takes regular trash bags. Odor control is weaker.
Beautiful, hands-free and quiet, but the split lid leaves a gap that let odors out in BabyGearLab's test, and it needs simplehuman's own liners.
High-end feel with a carbon filter, but odor escapes when you drop in a diaper and refills add up.
Good-looking steel with regular trash bags, but it had the worst odor control in testing and held smells even when empty.
Munchkin STEP Diaper Pail has the highest Cradle Score of the 5 diaper pails we scored, at 78 out of 100 (Good). The best odor control tested by far.
Dekor EKO Diaper Pail scores highest on materials and safety among the diaper pails we scored.
Munchkin STEP Diaper Pail has the strongest parent and tester consensus, based on the praise and complaints that keep coming up in hands-on reviews and parent communities.
Dekor EKO Diaper Pail (About $40) scores highest on value and longevity among diaper pails with a Good or Excellent score.
None of the 5 diaper pails on this page has an open recall in our latest check. Always check the CPSC recall database (or NHTSA for car seats) before you buy or use a product.
Each score is 40% materials and safety, 40% parent and tester consensus, and 20% value and longevity. Every product page lists its sources and when we last checked it, and brands cannot pay for placement.
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