REASONS TO BUY
Good leak protection
Comfortable
Durable
Reasonable price
REASONS TO AVOID
Poor absorption
Disappointing eco and health benefits
Pampers Baby Dry Review
Better leak protection and comfort combine with poor absorption and eco-health make a diaper that isn't all that dry
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: The Best Disposable Diapers
Our Verdict
The Pampers Baby Dry diaper is a somewhat blah diaper with no real stand-out features and disappointing performances in critical absorption diaper tests. This product is comfortable and durable, with better leakage protection than much of the competition. However, it struggled with rapidly absorbing and locking in moisture to create a relatively dry diaper for the baby's skin. Ironic, given the “baby dry” moniker assigned by Papmers. This metric is an examination of a critical diaper function of a top-ranked disposable diaper. It is a make-or-break function you shouldn't compromise when choosing a diaper. The Baby Dry option has a friendly price and a soft feel, but the moisture transfer and lack of absorption make it a poor choice. It also has disappointing health and eco-friendliness, with no disclosure of materials or specifics on what the diaper may be free of, like perfumes, latex, chlorine, etc. All of these issues make it an option we don't think meets diapering needs well.
Editor's Note: This Pampers gear review received an update on May 24, 2023, with new information related to the update and new testing of 13 disposable diapers.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Pampers Baby Dry | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Disposable Diaper |  Best Disposable Diaper in Stores |  Best Budget-friendly Disposable Diaper | ||
| Price | $0.28 List $0.27 each at Amazon | $0.27 List $0.32 at Amazon | $0.33 List $0.33 at Amazon | $0.35 List $0.36 at Amazon | $0.31 List $0.25 each at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A durable and comfy diaper but poor performance for absorption and health considerations | Impressive performance and better health nods than you'd expect make this a budget-friendly diaper parents will love | Great absorption and leak protection, but few nods for baby's skin or the environment | With great absorption and leak protection, this durable and comfy diaper is a reasonably priced option for most families | Good absorption and few leaks with a budget price that are easy to find, but no nods for eco-health |
| Rating Categories | Pampers Baby Dry | Kirkland Signature | Huggies Little Snug... | Hello Bello Premium | Huggies Snug & Dry |
| Absorption (45%) | |||||
| Leakage (25%) | |||||
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Pampers Baby Dry | Kirkland Signature | Huggies Little Snug... | Hello Bello Premium | Huggies Snug & Dry |
| Type of Diaper Green/Traditional | Traditional | Traditional | Traditional | Green | Traditional |
| Chlorine-Free ECF/TCF | ECF | ECF | Not Listed | TFC | Not Listed |
| Fragrance-Free | No - Strong baby powder scent | Yes | Yes | Yes | No - Strong baby powder scent |
| Biodegradable | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | No | Not listed |
| Contains SAP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Materials Details | Petrolatum, Stearyl Alcohol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract. Topsheet/Inner-Liner: Polypropylene/Polyethylene nonwoven. Adhesive: Thermoplastic Polymers. | Made with Plant Based Materials (At least 23%+ by weight) | Wood Pulp Sodium Polyacrylate Polypropylene Polyethylene Adhesives Polyester Polyrurethane elastics |
TCF fluff pulp from sustainably managed forests, a high-performance Super Absorbent Polymer, polypropylene/polyethylene/polyester nonwoven fibers, plant-derived PLA nonwoven fiber, spandex strands, and an elastomeric fill | Wood Pulp Sodium Polyacrylate Polypropylene Polyethylene Adhesives Polyester Polyrurethane elastics |
| Wetness Indicator | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable side wings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Back of Diaper | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Eco-Awards & Certifications | Good Housekeeping ~ "2022 Parenting Awards" New York Magazine ~ "Best Diaper Subscription" ptpa.com ~ "winner" |
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| Dye-Free | "Pampers uses pigments for these colors, not dyes, because some dyes can cause allergy. The pigments we use are non-allergenic and skin safe. They are also commonly used in other consumer products, contact lenses, and food packaging." | Not listed, does have a print | "Printing inks are used to provide a decorative design. The colorants and pigments we use are evaluated to ensure they are safe and non-sensitizing." | No | "Printing inks are used to provide a decorative design. The colorants and pigments we use are evaluated to ensure they are safe and non-sensitizing." |
| Lotion-Free | No | Yes | Not Listed | Yes | Not Listed |
| Latex-Free | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Not listed |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Pampers is a brand name synonymous with babies and diapers. It is a name most parents know, and many hospitals use them. Pampers is a Proctor and Gamble company that has the distinction of helping to invent the modern disposable diaper in the 1950s. In the 1970s, Pampers came out with tape closures instead of pins, and the 80s and 90s saw the creation of a thin diaper, gelling material, elastic legs, and refastening tabs. Pampers continues to advance its designs even today.
Pampers Baby Dry was also reviewed in our best overnight diaper review in size four compared to the size one tested in this review. The Baby Dry performed much better in our tests for absorption in size four than it did in size 1. The Best Disposable Diaper Review has newborns and young infants in mind, while we geared the overnight review toward choosing diapers for older babies with increased overnight urine output.
Performance Comparison
The Baby Dry is both comfortable and durable compared to much of the competition.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Likes
The Baby Dry diaper is comfortable compared to some of the best diaper competition. It has soft fabric on the inside and skin-friendly closure tabs with no pokiness or rough edge to chafe sensitive skin. The motion points and elastic are also smooth to the touch with no binding or abrasive parts. This diaper also performed well in our tests and research for durability, with fewer reports of faulty tabs and SAP leaks than much of the competition.
The Baby Dry offers good leak protection and a comfortable design.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
There wasn't much more we liked about the Baby Dry other than the comfort factor. But it does have a reasonable price, and better than average reported leak protection. However, if you don't absorb much, and moisture sits on the baby's skin, then does leak protection matter?
The Baby Dry transferred more fake urine to the filter paper than much of the competition, indicating it isn't locking moisture away effectively.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Dislikes
The Baby Dry diaper performed poorly in our tests for absorption, arguably one of the most critical functions a diaper really should do well. This product earned well below-average scores for the group transferring a significant amount of wetness on the test paper. With the poor absorption of liquid waste, the baby's skin will be continually wet, leading to potential irritation and possible diaper rash over time. Our test results in this metric alone be enough to have you looking elsewhere.
Pampers doesn't seem to give much consideration to the fears of skin irritation or being eco-friendly by offering almost no transparency on what their diapers are made of.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
However, if that doesn't convince you, we also didn't like that Pampers' disclosure of materials is somewhat misleading and vague. They don't seem to be making an effort to create an eco-friendly diaper either. We think transparency is important and encourage parents to use their buying dollars to encourage manufacturers to come clean with their ingredients.
Should You Buy the Pampers Baby Dry?
Overall, the Pampers Baby Dry diaper offers poor absorbency, which resulted in a disappointing overall score. With such a vital metric test yielding poor results, it is hard to consider the Baby Dry a potential option to keep your baby dry. Tacking on the lack of skin irritation concerns or environmental considerations and we think parents will be happier choosing a higher-scoring diaper. Even if cost is a driving factor in your decision process, cheaper options scored higher in this review.
What Other Disposable Diaper Should You Consider?
Depending on your diapering goals, we love the Kirkland Signature diapers. These box-store brand diapers have impressive absorption and leak protection test results and score above average in every metric, which is impressive for a non-green option. With a budget-friendly price, you'll also save some money with the high performance. If you want an option you can buy online or find in most stores, Hello Bello Premium is a tester favorite with test results that wow from absorption to baby's health and the environment. With a reasonable price tag, it could be your go-to you can grab just about anywhere.
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
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