In a nutshell

A bargain nappy from a brand you can trust

What we tested

  • Snugness of fit
    A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.
  • Absorbency
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Comfort
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
  • Quality
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
  • Durability
    A star rating of 4.0 out of 5.
  • Worth the money
    A star rating of 5.0 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 4.1 out of 5.

Pros

  • Excellent value for money, reliable brand name

Cons

  • Not as luxurious, feel cheaper, some mums have feel they're not absorbent enough

When Pampers launched their new Simply Dry nappies in credit-crunch-ridden-2009, it was like hearing a fanfare in the middle of a Radiohead song. Finally, a top branded nappy at a price that’s nice – but can they really live up to their name?

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On first inspection, the Pampers Simply Dry nappies do look cheaper. They’re not as soft and any feeling of luxury has almost certainly been zapped in order to get the price down. However, they’re still advertised as being highly absorbent, have stretchy back ears, Flex, and ‘Leakguard cuffs’.

I use disposables on my 4-month-old, Rosie. They’re just so easy and although I keep saying I must give natural nappies a go, I can’t be doing with all the extra washing. Rosie’s not fussy with her nappies and will happily soil anything you put her in, and Pampers Simply Dry are no different.

What we love

The price. Let’s not beat around the bush. The reason we’re all lapping up these nappies is because £3.99 will buy you 32 nappies in size 3, 26 in size 4, or 22 size 5 for one of the big brands – it’s a bargain!

And Pampers do come up trumps. They are a name you can trust, they do keep baby dry and without any bells and whistles, they’re a good way to keep costs down without enduring extra washing.

What to watch out for

If you don’t want to compromise on luxury, stick with what you know. Simply Dry feel cheaper because they are!

Generally Rosie made her way through the entire packet without many mishaps. I say ‘many’ because there was just one. We’d left her with my mum for a couple of nights whilst we escaped for a cheeky hotel stay and after collecting her, set off on our two-hour drive home.

About half way home, a less than happy noise started coming from the back seat, accompanied by a bit of a stink, so we found a supermarket and pulled over. By the time I’d got Rosie into the baby changing room, she was pretty much covered in poo. I noticed that one of the tabs had come unstuck, leaving the nappy unstable and able to move around, smothering her body and clothes in the stinky stuff – lovely!

Now, I can’t be sure that this wasn’t just my mum’s lack of experience in disposable nappies and maybe she hadn’t stuck the tab down quite as well as she should have, but I do think they seem a bit small and less sticky compared to Rosie’s usual nappy. That said, the other 31 nappies in the pack all went without a hitch, so I can’t really grumble.

On Pamper’s own site, some mums have commented that Simple Dry aren’t very absorbent, with comments ranging from not leaving their babies’ bottoms dry to leaking and causing sore red bottoms.

Who are Pampers Simply Dry nappies best for?

Parents after a budget daytime option.

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MadeForMums verdict

Pampers Simply Dry are a budget-minded nappy, and they’re obviously not as luxurious as Pampers’ premium nappies. Opinions online are divided over how well they do the job when it comes to absorption and leakage, though MFM’s reviewer had no problem.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandPampers
ModelSimply Dry
Price£3.99
Available sizesSize 3 Midi (4-9kg/9-20lb), size 4 Maxi (7-18kg/15-40lb), size 5 Junior (11-25kg/24-55lb)
Suitable for
Child age (approx)From 5 months
Features
Features
  • Umbilical cord cut-out
  • Organic cotton texture
  • Waistband that stretches
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