The best nappy bins and buckets for dirty nappies
Check out the best nappy bins and buckets to keep your home neat and smell-free, including compact nappy bins, extra large nappy bins for twins and buckets for disposable and reusable nappies.
Are you tired of having to trek downstairs or outside to put dirty nappies in the bin? A nappy bin or bucket can save you from constantly venturing out into the cold in winter to dispose of a single dirty nappy.
A nappy bin allows you to dispose of nappies quickly and easily. Some of the very best nappy bins and buckets even have scented liners or are designed to be as airtight as possible so there's no worries about your nappy bin stinking out the place.
Some people question whether nappy bins are really worth it, and it really does depend on your budget and circumstances. They can be very handy and, in general, offer more odour protection than a normal bin. They're convenient and usually quite reasonable-priced, and you can get some quite stylish ones in the nursery.
A nappy bin or bucket is an important part of your kit if you're using reusable nappies. Many of the best nappy bins and buckets have compatible mesh or cloth liners which can be thrown straight into the washing machine with your nappies, saving time and reducing mess.
If you're struggling as to which nappies you should use, take a look at our round ups of the best newborn baby nappies or best nappies for babies and toddlers. Plus, we have the best recommendations for nappy rash creams that will be handy too.
More like this
What should I look for when buying a nappy bin?
Liner system – Some nappy bins are designed to take liners, which are essentially just plastic bags, but they often come as a long roll on a special "cassette" which can be pricey to replace (and difficult to locate if you have an older model). Check availability of these before you buy!
Capacity – The capacity normally covers size 1 nappies, so the bin and liners will hold fewer nappies (and need changing more often) as your baby grows. However, older babies can often go a bit longer between changes so it can even out.
Special features – Yes, it's a bin, but many of the modern designs have extra features, like the ability to wrap the nappy up tightly to avoid odours. Most of these are nice, but not necessary. If you're on a budget, all you really need is a bucket with a lid.
Safety – As with all bins, plastic bags and liners, you'll need to make sure your little one can’t get hold of them. Look for bins with lids that require an adult touch to open them, and store the bin away from curious little hands.
Reusable nappy bins – Reusable cloth nappies need to be stored in a bucket or bin with a tight-fitting lid until they're washed. Although previous generations soaked their soiled nappies, modern cloth nappies are better stored in a "dry pail", possibly with a mesh bag inside. If you've used a disposable liner, you can put the used nappies straight into the bucket and pop on the lid. Soiled or stained nappies will usually need to be rinsed first.
How did we choose our 10 of the Best?
Our 10 of the Best lists are compiled by qualified and experienced parenting journalists. They rely on a number of sources, including our independent reviews, testing undertaken during the MadeForMums Awards, and feedback from our home testing panel and Top Testers Club. Each year thousands of products are put through their paces by hundreds of parents across the country on behalf of MadeForMums, to ensure we’re bringing you honest and true reviews and recommendations.
To collate this list of best nappy bins and buckets, we spoke to our hand-picked panel of Made For Mums home testers to find out which nappy bins they use and why they love them.
When testing nappy bins we look at value for money, cost of refills, capacity of nappies it can hold, ease of use and effectiveness of keeping the smell locked in.
Our list is not an ordered ranking from 1-10, instead it is a carefully selected group of tried-and-tested products, each of which we believe is best for a different situation or requirement. We don’t just tell you what is best, we help you discover what is best for your family.
Here's our pick of the best nappy bins and buckets
1. Tommee Tippee Twist & Click Nappy Disposal Bin, £29.99
– Best for Antibacterial storage
No of nappies stored: 28 per bin | Liners included: One cassette (up to 1 month's worth of refills) | Cost of refills: £38/6 cassettes | Colours: White; Green; Pink; Blue | Awards: Gold – Nappy changing accessory, MadeForMums Awards 2022
With a twisting mechanism that individually wraps each dirty nappy and locks it away inside the bin, the Tommee Tippee Twist & Click Nappy Disposal Bin claims to give maximum hygiene protection.
Simply drop your nappy into the bin and wind the handle to twist and wrap the nappy in the protective bag for odour and germ protection. Then just close it to seal. The antibacterial film kills 99% of dangerous germs on contact, so bacteria and odours can’t escape.
Up to 28 Size 1 nappies can be stored in each bin load. The liner then continues to be used for the next bin load, with each cassette liner holding around 1 month's worth of nappies.
MFM home tester Katherine used this nappy bin and said, "this has to be one of the best investments we've bought. The bags inside are scented so helps to reduce the smell".
Pros: scented bags, antibacterial
Cons: refills are rather expensive
Available from: Mamas & Papas, Amazon, Boots and Tommee Tippee
Refills available from: Boots (3-pack) and Amazon (3-pack)
2. Angelcare Nappy Disposal System, from £19.99
– Best for one-handed nappy disposal
No of nappies stored: Approx. 20 per bin | Liners included: One cassette - 128 liners per cassette | Cost of refills: £14.99/3 cassettes | Colours: White
The Angelcare Nappy Disposal System has a one-handed push and lock system, so once you push the dirty nappy through the hole in the top of the bin, that’s it.
It has 'Air-Seal' technology, designed to keep bad smells at bay, and claims to use up to 4 times less plastic than other nappy bins.
Coming with one liner cassette, each bin load can hold around 20 nappies, with each cassette lasting around a month.
MFM home tester Emma found it "really useful" as she lived in a 3rd floor flat at the time. However, she mentioned how "the refills can be pricey". Jayne, another MFM home tester, who's used the bin for 5 years said, "it was super easy to set up and it's simple and easy to use. I have never had an issue, any leakage of smells."
Pros: one-handed push lock system, uses less plastic, easy to set up and use
Cons: expensive refills
Available from: Mamas & Papas, John Lewis, Amazon and Argos
Refill cassettes available from: Boots (3-pack), Boots (12-pack) and Amazon (3-pack)
3. Korbell Plus Nappy Bin, £39.95
– Best for twins
No of nappies stored: Up to 65 per bin load | Liners included: One pack of liners - 580 liners per pack | Cost of refills: £24.99/3 liners | Colours: White/grey
This large bin is perfect for twins, or more than one child in nappies, as its 26 litre size holds up to 65 nappies per bin load, with each liner lasting for up to 580 nappies.
It’s got a foot pedal and opens at the front for easy removal of the liner once you have filled the bin.
Plus it’s odour-free and it also comes in different sizes. The Mini 9 litre bin holds up to 25 nappies at a time, with each liner lasting for up to 300 nappies, meanwhile, the Standard 15/16 litre bin holds up to 45 nappies at a time, with each liner lasting for up to 495 nappies.
Pros: holds up to 65 nappies, foot pedal for easy use
Cons: Large so takes up space
Available from: Amazon and Uber Kids
Liners available from: Amazon (3-pack), Uber Kids (3-pack)
4. Vital Baby Hygiene Odour-Trap Nappy Disposal System, £40.49
– Best for not needing refills
No of nappies stored: 25 | Liners included: N/A | Cost of refills: N/A | Colours: Grey
Some nappy bins can work out quite expensive when the cost of refills is included. This Vital Baby nappy bin requires no refills, any bag can be used. To help save the planet, you could try biodegradable bin bags and eco-friendly nappies.
The system has been created to lock in unpleasant odours to keep your house smelling fresh and clean with its odour-trap seal.
This nappy bin is also great for reusable nappies, simply pop them in then when the bin is full or you're ready, put them in the wash. MFM home tester Elizabeth likes that it can be used for reusable nappies, "it works really well at containing smells and it can be used for reusable nappies so is very flexible".
Mariyam, another MFM home tester "absolutely loves it!" going on to say it was "easy to empty and no smells would linger in our bedroom".
Pros: no refills needed, can be environmentally-friendly if used with biodegradable bags, locks in odour
Cons: only holds 25 nappies
Available from: Ocado, John Lewis and Amazon
5. Rotho Babydesign TOP Nappy Pail With Lid, from £13
– Best for bright colours
No of nappies stored: About 15-20 disposable or 8-10 cloth nappies | Liners included: use wetbag or regular bin bag | Colours: available in over 15 colours
The pail is available in over 15 modern colours, so you'll definitely find something to suit your changing station or nursery. It can be used for disposable nappies (by adding a regular bin liner) but the lidded bucket also delivers as a dry pail for reusable nappies. The click-close lid can be operated one-handed so you can keep one hand on your baby as you get rid of their nappy, and once closed will keep odours at bay until wash day.
The carry handle makes transporting dirty nappies to the washing machine easy, and the simple polypropylene design is easy to wash between uses, using just soap and water.
Pros: no refills needed, can be used for reusable, one-handed operation
Cons: small and only holds 15-20 nappies
Available from: Amazon and Daisy Baby Shop
6. Junior Joy Nappy Bucket, £9.29
– Best for reusable nappies
No of nappies stored: 12 | Liners included: N/A| Cost of refills: N/A| Colours: Pink, yellow, blue, white and grey
Do you use reusable nappies? This nappy bucket is perfectly designed for storing reusable nappies before washing. Its securely fitting lid is designed to keep nasty odours locked inside.
The lid can be removed using only one hand. The nappy bucket is also durable and easy to clean making it a hygienic place to store reusable nappies.
MFM home tester, Alannah uses the Junior Joy Nappy Bucket and she praised it by saying, "I don't find it smells at all". A very important requirement when searching for a reusable nappy bucket!
Pros: no liners or refills needed, variety of colours
Cons: only holds 12 nappies
Available from: Amazon and The Range
7. Skip Hop Nappy Bin, £70.26
– Best for storing nappy changing essentials
No of nappies stored: 20 | Liners included: N/A| Cost of refills: N/A| Colours: Grey
Make nappy changing easier with the Skip Hop Nappy Bin. All your nappy changing essentials can be stored in one place.
Its odour proof seal and dual air-lock system prevents any nasty odours escaping from the soiled nappies before they are thrown away. It has a child-proof lock to stop children opening up the bin and making a mess.
You can throw the dirty nappy away and grab a fresh new nappy all in one place. It's a great way to keep everything you need in easy reach.
There's no need to buy specific bags for this bin, standard rubbish bags work well.
Pros: storage compartment for nappy essentials, no refills needed
Cons: expensive
Available from: Amazon
8. Munchkin Bagit Portable Disposable Nappy Bin, from £2.40
– Best for travel
No of nappies stored: Up to 30 per bin | Liners included: No | Cost of refills: N/A | Colours: white
This clever design is a full-sized portable nappy bin. It comes in a near-flat circle that can be popped up and filled with up to 30 nappies, then you throw the whole thing away. Sold as a single unit or in packs of five, it offers a slightly more sturdy alternative to just keeping nappy sacks in your changing bag.
This portable unit is a great option for travel if you're short on space until you reach your destination. It also stands up in most car boots so you can fill it up during a long journey, or it could be used as a second nappy bin in the house if you have multiple changing stations on different floors.
Pros: portable
Cons: have to keep re-buying
Available from: Amazon
About the author
Chloe Brightwell is a Digital Reviews Writer working for Immediate Media's Parenting team. She is dedicated to helping parents find the best deals on the very best products.
Read more...
Authors
Chloe is a Digital Reviews Writer and Coordinator for Immediate Media's Parenting team, specialising in household and trying to help parents save money. She researches and writes articles, recommending the best products, ranging from best cordless vacuums to best playpens. She has a First-Class Honours Psychology degree where she developed a strong interest in child development. During her teenage years she worked as a play worker and Brownie volunteer to support children's play.
How NatPat's wellness patches may help your family
NatPat's range of wellness patches and stickers aim to tackle everything from allergies to lack of focus. We take a closer look at the range.