Do You Think Generic Diapers Are as Good as Branded Ones?

Updated on January 25, 2011
R.D. asks from Port Jefferson, NY
27 answers

Hi,
I am thinking of switching to generic diapers. I have not researched yet and now we use pampers. Any thoughts? If they are not as good then I will stick to the brands. Also is the cost savings worth it? I amy check BJs and walmart.
Thanks!

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D.S.

answers from Houston on

dont go to generic they leak luvs are about the same price and dont leak. the cost per package is higher but the cost per diaper is cheaper. theyare $7.50 a package and I have never hadone leak on me.in total desperation I will use dollar general generics. they dont leak but the tapes suck. I seal them better with duct tape. duct tape fixes everything :)

2 moms found this helpful
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L.L.

answers from Topeka on

I loved Pampers Swaddlers for newborns also Huggies we did use both Huggies lil movers & Pampers cruisers then I started to buy other brands LUVS didn't work with my son with my daughter it was ok now my 3rd will not switch out of them other brands we used were Parents Choice not my first choice of diaper,UP&UP from Target if that was the only brand & size they had left,Huggies lil movers love them but not woth the money I don't have any coupons left from them stopped receiving in the mail ( I used them & loved them)so now onto LUVS for the last 8 months or so & I will not switch back.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.S.

answers from Spokane on

I switched from Pampers to a generic brand once and my daughter broke out in a wicked rash. Switched back within 2 days and it cleared up almost as quickly as it appeared.

I've always wanted to try Luvs, but we don't get them in Canada.

2 moms found this helpful

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C.P.

answers from Provo on

The best diapers I ever used were Costco brand diapers. They are a good price and great quality.

3 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

parents choice are a lot better (they are like pampers) i use them on my daughter and she rarely ever leaks. luvs are also like pampers too.

2 moms found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I always really liked the Nanny's from ALDI--very, very soft, "cottony" feel. I bought them once to have as "extras" at my mom's etc. and ended up buying them all of the time!

2 moms found this helpful

L.L.

answers from Rochester on

If you want to switch, switch to Luvs. They are a wonderful diaper, they don't like, and they are MUCH cheaper than Pampers or Huggies, plus P&G Brandsavers offer coupons online, through the mail, and in diaper boxes for 1-2 dollars off all the time. Personally, I pay:
Luvs, Size 4, 96 count 15.99
Pampers, Size 4, 80 count 21.99
See the huge difference?

BUt as to generic diapers...no. They are crappy, they leak, and to me, they are not worth the extra savings. Besides, I've done a price per diaper comparison every few months for the last six years or so, and I yet to find generic diapers cheaper than Luvs.

2 moms found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Orlando on

Before we started using cloth we had switched to target (Up&Up) brand. They are pretty comparable to Pampers. I really didn't like that you could see the circle pattern through some onesies, but that was not enough to account for the huge cost difference. For us though Cloth is way cheeper and much much better for our daughter.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.M.

answers from Boston on

We really liked Luvs - lots cheaper than huggies, available everywhere, very stretchy waistband. Also you can sometimes get BJs coupons for them and then they're really affordable.

2 moms found this helpful
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L.M.

answers from New York on

I've tried the 'store brand' - target - babies r us - and have found that they cannot hold as much and I end up using more diapers than I do when I use huggies. However, I have bought Costco and only tried them because one of the employess who uses them for their child recommended them. The Kirkland brand work just as well as the Huggies.

1 mom found this helpful
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B.B.

answers from New York on

I just switched from Target brand to Pampers and I can see a notable difference. Pampers are MUCH less bulky and I think they hold the pee much better. I feel like the Target ones get so much more blown up when wet.

That said - I never had a problem with leaking or rashes with Target brand at all. It is just that I was getting sick of the bulkiness - especially with my 2.5 year old. For some reason his diaper was constantly hanging down...and I change him frequently, so it isn't like the diaper was sopping wet.

1 mom found this helpful
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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

No, not one generic diaper I ever tried held up to the name brand ones. I always did like White Cloud, Walmarts brand, but they stopped making it and I used Huggies or Pampers after that.

Buy a box, a small one, of whatever brand you want to try and use it and compare. If you hate it you can always donate them to a shelter or other place.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from New York on

Ive tried generic diapers over and over again with different brands (walmart brand, target brand, numerous grocery store brands) with no luck. My son has sensitive skin and the only diapers that dont give him a rash are pampers and huggies. I dont really like the generics anyway because they tend to leak and sag. My personal favorite is Pampers.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.S.

answers from Washington DC on

I've been using BJ's brand diapers with my daughter and I think they're great. No problem with leaks at all, no issues with rashes, and we usually buy them when we get the BJ's coupon book so we get the savings, but they're cheaper than Pampers anyway. Plus, you have nothing to lose by trying them since BJ's will take them back and give you a refund if you have any problem. We like Target's "Up&Up" brand too, though not as much as BJ's.
Sizes in generics don't always run the same as Pampers, so you might want to buy a larger size than you normally would the first time you buy them, and if they're too big you can at least use them later.

1 mom found this helpful
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A.E.

answers from Nashville on

My favorite diapers are Pampers Baby Dry, but with 2 kids in diapers I just can't afford to buy them anymore. We tried Wal-Mart, Target and Kroger (Comforts) brand and of all of them I like the Kroger ones the best, with Target coming in second (hated Wal-Mart). Kroger's Comforts work just as well for my kids as the Pampers. Honestly I think i just depends on your kids. I know people who swear by Luvs or Huggies, but I hate both (feel cheap and we had tons of leaks/blow-outs with both kids). I think the best thing for you to do is get small packs of the generics and try them out, That way you'll know one way or the other what works best for your kid(s).

A.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I thought the Kirkland (Costco brand) diapers were WAY superior to Pampers, Huggies and Luvs. We only bought the other brands when we traveled and they always leaked. Did not like the Sam's Club ones at all.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.P.

answers from Philadelphia on

My daughter was a pampers girl but now with my son I don't want to shell out the big bucks for them. I have switched to BJs brand as well. I was pleasantly surprised and I plan on continuing to buy them. I did use lugs in the beginning with my daughter but found they leaked a lot. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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M.F.

answers from Phoenix on

In 18 years of childcare, I have used EVERY diaper on the market and do not believe generics absorb or fit as well as branded diapers. The only "generic" diapers that come close to performing as well as Huggies, which I don't find to fit or absorb as well as Pampers, are the Kirkland diapers sold at Costco. I prefer Pampers to Luvs and Luvs to Huggies, personally. Luvs are a little cheaper than Pampers and absorb and fit almost as well, so I would try those for a little while if you're looking to save money. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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A.P.

answers from Columbia on

I have used pampers, huggies, luvs, walmart's brand, sam's club's brand, fisher price(who knew they made diapers?! lol) the dollar store once for an emergency, and Target. I would have to say that I LOVE Target the best. I feel like it's a good combo of huggies and pampers. I loved how Huggies are thicker but they are almost too thick. Pampers were good but almost too thin and too expensive. Luvs worked good for a month or so but then my son was leaking through overnight consistantly so I had to switch. Target is affordable but they aren't cheap and flimsy. He has NEVER leaked through with them and we've used them for over a year now. Good Luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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L.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

I used Target brand Up & Up during the day with no problems and Huggies at night or if we were going on a long trip. I never had good luck with Pampers, they just never fit my son right and irritated his skin, the walmart brands didn't fit nice,they were really bulky and nonabsorbant, Luv's have a horrible scent and leaked as well, Kirkland brand (Costco) are actually more expensive per diaper than the name brand ones, but work just as well and I never really tried other genaric brands. I never let my son sit in wet/dirty diapers so when I mentioned that they leaked it was not because the diaper was plum full of tinkle, it was because the diaper did not properly absorb the wetness. I do believe that different diapers fit different babies differently so I would buy a small pack of a few different brands and try them out. But when you do find something you like always buy the box because you will get the best deal... or better yet price them out per diaper and you will always know if you are getting the best deal or not. Best of luck with your search!

1 mom found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Albany on

i think the generic diapers you have to change your child more. THey leak through, dont make it through the night. I am a fan of Target's UP diapers. My son was allergic to huggies, pampers, white cloud, walmart brand, price chopper brand and luvs. The target ones were perfect. No rashes, no problems, no leaking through. They were also really cute...they were polka dotted.... :-). Good Luck

1 mom found this helpful
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K.P.

answers from New York on

I would say that in general the generic diapers don't hold as much- more frequent changes = more diapers= less savings. Having said that, several of my friends like the Target UP diapers and have switched!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.A.

answers from Dallas on

We have tried multiple generic brands. Currently have some Albertson's pull ups for my three year old. They are very bulky. We always wind up going back to Pampers. We use Huggies some, too, but my personal preference is Pampers. One of the recurring problems I have had with generics is that they tend to leak. My mother in law recommended we try the Aldi diapers. She said they are the number one diaper, just in another country. May have to give them a shot since we currently have two in diapers.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.J.

answers from Harrisburg on

I switched to generic diapers with my daughter. I get the UP & UP brand from target and they work great. No leaks, and they fit comfortably.

1 mom found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Some were pretty close in quality, others not so much. I found that, once I used coupons (that were available practically all the time), that there really wasn't a difference in price.

P.M.

answers from Tampa on

Once they are stable walkers - YES, I think they are just as good. Crawling diapers like the original pampers and huggies flex are better since they are conformed more for the very on the go infant... but other than that - saving money is great!

I personally am going to have a go at cloth diapering my next child due in August sometime.

S.R.

answers from Kansas City on

If you are wanting to just save money you should consider cloth diapers. Depending on how old your child or children are you could save thousands.

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