As a mom with years of diaper changing left in her future (I'm a slow mama when it comes to potty training), I've purchased my fair share of diapering accoutrements — wipes, creams and balms, you name it. And while I definitely didn’t have 'highly opinionated diaper pail consumer' on my adult Bingo card, I come to you wearing this badge proudly. It's me: A mom of two kids, one completely out of diapers and one deep in it. The diaper pail is a critical nursery room purchase. And it's one parents have strong feelings about.
Two brands that seem to have claimed the proverbial Gold medals in the nappies space are the Ubbi pail and Diaper Genie. I set out to test their limits.
How I tested
I've been using both pails for years — I have an Ubbi at my house and my parents have a Diaper Genie for the grandkids. For a more focused approach, though, I used each pail for a number of days exclusively at my house before switching out for the other, placing both in the same spot next to my changing table so I could assess how easy or hard it would be to utilize them while in the middle of a change. Luckily, I have an endless surplus of diapers in my house, so I didn’t have to look hard to find the rest of the testing supplies.
I also made sure to keep each pail full unless I couldn't handle the smell. I wanted to truly test each pail for odor-fighting capabilities.
Best diaper pail for odor:
I bought my first Ubbi pail in 2018 when I had my daughter, and even then, it was touted as one of the best on the market. The pail has advanced since then, now offered with a lock mechanism that prevents little hands from opening it up to hide toys inside (or worse, remove dirty diapers).
It's made out of stainless steel, which is often used to help with odor control, and is available in over 10 colors so you can find the shade that works best for your nursery.
One of the best features of this pail is that it works with any trash bags you have in the house, so no need to buy anything special. This is a big selling point. Any trash bag.
Ubbi says the pail can hold up to 55 newborn diapers, but I've never gotten close to that limit. I like to pull out the trash bag before it gets too heavy. I don't know what the mom math of 55 newborn diapers is to Size 5 diapers, but after stuffing in about 10 to 15 of 'em, the trash bags just get hard to yank out.
But arguably the best feature of this diaper pail is how it handles smell. After filling it up for a few days, I left town and left it full, completely expecting to regret this decision upon my return. I could not believe how well the odor was contained after two days away. The room had hardly any odor whatsoever. Even Shop TODAY editorial director, Adrianna Brach, agrees that the Ubbi is a winner when it comes to smell. "I don't want to re-buy refills when I can just use a regular trash bag for Ubbi," she says. "I think it conceals the smell more — I hack it and add in an Arm & Hammer charcoal deodorizer inside to help."
Best diaper pail with foot pedal:
Chances are you've heard someone recommend a Diaper Genie to you, and the Diaper Genie Select is one of the newer models in the brand's lineup. The original Diaper Genies are made of plastic and don't hold in odor that well, but this newer version is made from stainless steel construction.
It's the refill technology that really sets the Diaper Genie apart from the pack. Diaper Genies only work with the brand's refill bags, sold in refill cartridges that are either square or round, depending on the Genie you purchase (the Select I used requires the square refills). There's no locking mechanism on the lid, so if you have a child like mine who likes to investigate everything mom's doing, you might find yourself pleading with them to “please don't open that up.“
Beyond that, it also features a Push N Lock odor-locking clamp, which means that you can toss diapers in and rest assured the Genie's working overtime to keep that stink inside the canister. It did a great job of containing the odor.
Other features that are super useful: it has a wide square opening so you can shove that wad in with one hand, and the convenient foot pedal, which is key if you're using one hand to keep your tot on the changing table and only have one extra hand to spare. If you need that foot pedal, this is where the Diaper Genie Select truly shines.
Best overall
The best diaper pail for your nursery really depends on your needs and preferences. If you have a squirmy baby and don't mind purchasing special bags, then the Diaper Genie Select is the clear winner because of its strong foot pedal. If you're more concerned about odor, you'd probably want to first try out the Ubbi.
How we chose
We chose the two diaper pails because they are both bestsellers from each brand and are similar in function. Both of the brands are parenting favorites and are popular in the baby space.
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