The 6 Best Diaper Pails That Trap Odors, Hold a Ton and Won’t Wreck Your Nursery's Vibe

When we looked through the What to Expect community forums, we found that the Ubbi diaper pail was easily mentioned most often. Many parents raved about how easy it is to use and how well it masks diaper smells: A lot noted that they used the Ubbi for several years (and through multiple babies) without any issues related to smell.

It has a sleek design and comes in a lot of different color choices to match your nursery, unlike most other diaper pails that are only offered in white. But one of the best things about the Ubbi is that you don’t need special bags for it, which is a convenient money saver (and means it can be used as a regular garbage pail down the line). 

“We use the Ubbi and love it, particularly that it takes normal trash bags so you don’t have to spend a fortune on special bags,” says Robin Hilmantel, What to Expect’s Senior Director of Editorial Strategy and Growth, . “It really does a good job of keeping the odor contained.” She notes that she tries to take poop diapers to the outdoor garbage can right away and occasionally uses a Munchkin Arm and Hammer Nursery Freshener in the Ubbi to keep it fresh.

Sarah Darby, What to Expect’s Senior SEO Content Strategist, also used the Ubbi with her son and really appreciated that she could use any garbage bag with it. “It also holds more diapers at a time, so I only have to take the bag out one to two times per week and it never smells when closed,” she says, noting that like Robin, she puts a Mrs. Meyer’s Essentials Oils packet in the bottom of the Ubbi to keep it fresh. She also adds that although it lacks a foot pedal, it’s still easy to use one-handed — just slide the top open and toss the diaper in. 

Parents also attested to the fact that bags were easy to change, but some noted that a very full bag creates some suction to the pail that can make it hard to remove. One other downside is that it’s still a pricey diaper pail, despite the lack of the foot pedal. However, many reviewers felt that the impressive odor-masking and ability to use any garbage bags available are what set this pail apart from the rest.

The Munchkin Step diaper pail is another popular option among the What to Expect community. With a self-sealing system and space for a baking soda puck, this pail was designed with odor-blocking as a top priority; something that was very important to Liz Buxton, What to Expect's Director of Commerce Content Strategy. 

"As a first-time mom who’s very smell-sensitive, locking in odors was my top priority when picking a diaper pail to add to my registry. After a ton of research, I chose the Munchkin Step," she says. "The real standout is its patented self-sealing system: a twisty mechanism at the top of the bag that locks in odors whether the lid is open or closed. I also love the refillable baking soda puck, which safely neutralizes odors and only needs to be replaced every six months."

I also used the Munchkin diaper pail with both of my kids, and was as in love as Liz.  Although it’s small, I found that it still holds an impressive amount of diapers (more than 270 newborn diapers!!). And, I like that it’s very easy to use, even when holding a newborn, although the opening to put the diaper in is a little tight.  

Another clever feature: the lid won’t fully shut if the bin is too full, which forces you to take it out before things start to marinate. 

One thing Liz and I disagree about: the ease of changing the bag. I was frustrated by the fact that there's no built-in cutter, but Liz was unbothered and, "found the process as simple as pull, snip and tie." 

The Dekor Classic a relatively slim design that allows it to easily stand against a wall or dresser without taking up too much room. Put it still has an impressive capacity (it holds up to 495 newborn diapers!) so you're not changing bags every day for the sake of saving space. 

Beyond being a dream for smaller nurseries, the Dekor pail has several important features, such as dual rubber seals to lock in odors and an easy-access door for changing the bag without fuss. 

The foot pedal makes it easy to toss diapers one handed, and the built-in cutter makes cleaning out a dirty bag so simple. The way the Dekor bag is designed is that it supplies one continuous liner without a specific length. You use the built-in cutter to cut the bag where you need it, which means you won’t waste any bags by throwing them out before they’re full. Parents who use cloth diapers can also instead opt for the reusable cloth diaper liner.

“I’ve used other diaper pails when visiting friends, but I always find my Dekor to be the one I like the most,” says Leah Rocketto, Associate Commerce Editor at What to Expect. “I like to throw out the dirty diaper as soon as it’s off, and the foot pedal makes it easy to do that without having to take a hand off my baby.” Leah adds that the Dekor holds more diapers than people would expect; she changed it two to three times a week when her daughter was at peak dirty diaper production. She hasn’t had any issues with odors, but does have to push the lid down herself. (This, however, could be because her Dekor was a hand-me-down.)

For those who do have to  change the bag more frequently, the Dekor makes it easy to do so. And, more frequent bag changes are more likely to cut down on odors. Parents found that the built-in bag cutter made changes quickly and appreciated the small, compact size that allowed them to put the pail just about anywhere.

The Diaper Genie is the OG diaper pail, with thousands of great reviews and plenty of feedback from the What to Expect community. The Diaper Genie Complete is packed with features and holds a lot of dirty diapers — up to 36 newborn sized ones. This is a great option if your baby needs to be changed a lot or if you have multiples. Although it may get smelly if you don’t change it often, it has several odor-blocking designs in place including an air-tight clamp and a carbon filter at the top. 

“The Diaper Genie does a really great job of containing the diaper stench,” says Christine Mattheis, Group VP of Content & Brand Solutions at What to Expect. “I liked that it was tall enough to contain many diapers before needing to take the bag out to the trash.” She also adds that she found it very easy to use and was notably highly kid-proof — even up against her toddler who managed to get into everything but the Diaper Genie.

“I love the Complete because it’s tall, so adults don’t have to bend over to throw a diaper away,” Grace Pan, Product Designer at What to Expect,  says. “It also has a large capacity to contain diapers.” She adds that the hole on the Complete is large enough to toss diapers away with no mess.

One major downside of the Diaper Genie is that it requires special bags. However, they have a multi-layer film that keeps odor in and inhibits bacterial growth, so you might find that they’re quite handy. 

Although there are thousands of positive reviews on the Diaper Genie, it’s worth noting that some parents in the What to Expect community found that it didn’t hold in odors as much as they wished it would. And Christine ended up having to throw her Diaper Genie out once her child was potty trained because the pail smelled so bad inside. So, it might not be a good option if you want to use it for more than one child over time.

Sure, you can toss diapers in the hotel’s garbage pail or Grandma’s trash can, but there’s a strong chance the smell will linger. Instead, consider adding the Pure Pail Go to your packing list.

Measuring 9.75 x 3.5 x 9.75 inches, this portable diaper pail fits seamlessly into your suitcase, carry-on, or the trunk of your car. Once you reach your destination, it expands to 8 inches tall and can hold up to 12 newborn diapers.

Even though it’s a travel-sized pail, it still offers the same odor-blocking technology as its non-portable counterparts. It features a charcoal filter that absorbs unpleasant smells. And if you're sensitive to scents, don’t worry — it’s fragrance-free! Plus, the bags stay sealed even when the lid is open, so odors can’t escape.

Once your child is finally done with diapers, you’re probably eager to ditch the obvious-looking diaper pail. And considering how much some of them cost, that can sting a bit. If you’re hoping to stretch your dollar, simplehuman's diaper can is a smart choice that can be repurposed well into the college years.

The sleek, relatively compact pail looks like a standard trash can, but it comes with an all-natural 45-day odorsorb pod and odorsorb liners to block the stench of dirty diapers. Not a bad feature to have on any garbage receptacle, to be honest. That, paired with the foot pedal and silent-close lid, makes this a true winner for diaper disposal.

Another thing to love about the simplehuman diaper can: it's almost too easy to find the right bag. simplehuman uses a special coding system to help ensure you’re buying the perfect fit. And when you're running low, the bags include a tag with a QR code so you can easily reorder from your phone.

Obviously, a diaper pail of this size has a smaller capacity — especially as your child moves up in diaper sizes (though you can buy a larger size if you wish). And yes, it’s a bit more expensive than some other diaper pails on this list, particularly when you add the cost of the odor-sorb pod. But when you factor in the longevity, it’s actually a steal.