Which diapers have the best absorbency? Coterie vs. Millie Moon vs. Dyper vs. Kirkland vs. Pampers
High diaper absorbency means no leakage, no blowouts, no diaper rash, and a full night’s sleep. As a busy exec, mom of two littles in diapers, and notorious over-scheduler of our social calendar, I’m looking for baby products that make life easier, including the best diapers on the market. Because an absorbent diaper is a necessity in life, period.
Every diaper claims to be “highly absorbent,” so my obsession with research got the best of me, and I decided to test this diaper feature myself (along with rank them on a bunch of other important criteria).
The test: pour water on each diaper, then see how quickly liquid is absorbed and feel how dry it is. I know, very clever 😆
Absorbency Test
Coterie: This diaper absorbed liquid instantly and felt incredibly dry. 5/5
Millie Moon: This performed the same as I’d consider your average diaper – absorbed the liquid (not instantly like Coterie though), and feels damp on the touch. 3/5
Dyper: While this diaper absorbed quite quickly, these felt the wettest of all the options. 2/5
Kirkland: The liquid rolled on top of the diaper, resisting absorbency. Once absorbed it didn’t feel sopping wet, but it certainly didn't feel dry. 3/5
Pampers Swaddlers: Just like Kirkland, the liquid resisted absorbing into the diaper, and took even longer to settle in. These definitely feel wet. 2/5
ABSORBENCY WINNER: COTERIE
Other Important Criteria
SAFETY
Coterie: Total Chlorine Free. Latex free. Fragrance free. Lotion free. Dye free. Alcohol free. Paraben free. Phthalate free. They are the only brand to release a public Diaper Safety Report. 5/5
Millie Moon: Elemental chlorine free (pulp is bleached with chlorine dioxide, not as safe as TCF). Latex free. Fragrance free. Lotion free. 3/5
Dyper: Elemental Chlorine free (pulp is bleached with chlorine dioxide, not as safe as TCF). Latex free. Fragrance free. Lotion free. Paraben free. Phthalate free. 3/5
Kirkland: Elemental Chlorine free. Latex free. Fragrance free. Lotion free. Not a ton of transparency for anything else. 2/5
Pampers Swaddlers: Elemental Chlorine free. Latex free. Dye free. Alcohol free. Paraben free. Phthalate free. Contains fragrance and lotion! 1/5
SAFETY WINNER: COTERIE
SOFTNESS
Coterie: OMG these are so soft! The material is like cashmere for diapers. 5/5
Millie Moon: These have a slight plasticy feel to them, like layers of tissue paper crinkling between your fingers. 3/5
Dyper: These diapers are soft, but are missing the fluffy, cloud-like feel that Coterie has. 4/5
Kirkland: These are softer than your average drug store brand, but flexibility of the material is strongly lacking. 3/5
Pampers Swaddlers: These feel exactly as you’d expect a diaper to – plastic and crinkly. 2/5
SOFTNESS WINNER: COTERIE
COST
Coterie: 198 diapers for $90 on monthly subscription for size 1 (8-12lb baby) = $0.45 each
Millie Moon: 108 diapers for $30 for size 1 (6-11lb baby) = $0.25 each
Dyper: 224 diapers for $80 on monthly subscription for size 2 (6-16lb baby) = $0.36 each
Kirkland: 192 diapers for $39 for size 1 (6-11lb baby) = $0.20 each
Pampers Swaddlers: 164 diapers for $43 for size 1 (8-14lb baby) = $0.26 each
COST WINNER: KIRKLAND
And the best diaper of 2024 is…
Taking absorbency as the top criteria while also factoring in the others, Coterie is clearly worth the price as the best diaper in this lineup. Yes I know, the price of Kirkland diapers is very appealing, but you’ll use twice as many diapers compared to Coterie because of its inferior absorbency… meaning more diaper changes -> more diaper purchases. If you can swing it, Coterie is worth the splurge. Try them for yourself now.