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The number of diapers you'll be changing with your twins is staggering. In the first 100 days, you'll have changed approximately 800 diapers…per baby.
By the time your dynamic duo turns one year old, they'll have gone through about 2,500 diapers…each. It goes without saying that with so many diapers in play, you'll want to invest in a diaper pail that is going to keep all the smells at bay while holding a huge amount of diapers, so you aren't changing the pail bags as often as you're changing your babies.
We've narrowed down the best diaper pail for twins, whether you're opting for cloth or disposable diapers.
Best diaper pail for disposable diapers: Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer
The best diaper pail, hands-down, for disposable diapers is the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail Powered by Arm & Hammer. It will have you breathing a sigh of relief instead of fighting to hold your breath while you change your babies' diapers.
Odor control
This pail is designed to trap odors inside, even when the lid is open. We have this pail, and it works. The inside of the lid has a spot to spin an Arm & Hammer baking soda puck into place, and the pail comes with lavender-scented bags, which keep things smelling fresh. When we ran out of the included bags, we opted for a continual roll of seven-layered unscented bags (they're much more economical) and they do a good job of containing odors, whether the pail is opened / in use or closed.
Ease of use
The pail opens with a tap of your foot on a pedal, which is perfect for when you've got both hands full while you're changing your wriggling babies. Probably its best feature (aside from masking odors so well) is how sturdy it is. When you're quickly tossing a diaper inside and then reaching back to grab your baby, who's just decided to do a barrel roll on the change table, the pail stands tall and proud. It's much more sturdy than other pails on the market. There is no fear of it wobbling or falling over if it's nudged by a roaming toddler. While YOUR baby is constantly on the move, THAT baby (the diaper pail) isn't going anywhere.
Capacity
The capacity of the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail is impressive. At 12.0 inches wide, 27.0 inches tall, and 11.0 inches deep, you'll find yourself wondering how the bag doesn't need to be emptied yet. It holds many more diapers than other popular pails (we just tested ours with our 18-month-old twins and got up to 33 Size 5 diapers before we had to empty the bin–incredible!). When the time finally does come, removing the full bag of diapers from the Munchkin pail is much easier than emptying other bins–in part, because it's so sturdy that it's not falling over when you pull the bag out.
Bag refills
One thing to consider when choosing which diaper pail to go with is that you'll need refill bags. While the Munchkin pail comes with individual snap-and-seal bags, there are other compatible (and more economical) options made to fit this particular pail. Nursery Fresh has a continual roll of seven-layered unscented bags that you just zip off as you empty the bin. They're available in eight-packs that are estimated to last a year, so with twins, two of the eight-packs will last you a year. We've been using the Nursery Fresh bags for almost a year-and-a-half, and their math is pretty accurate.
Esthetics
Beyond all this, the Munchkin boasts a sleek, neutral design, so it will complement any nursery or living room it's put to work in.
Best Disposable Diaper Pail
Munchkin Step Diaper Pail
This is the Munchkin Step Diaper Pail. It's our pick for the best bin for disposable diapers.
Best diaper pail for reusable diapers: Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
The best diaper pail for reusable diapers is the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail. When using cloth diapers, there are two methods for storing used diapers until laundry day: the dry method and the wet method. The wet method is more advanced (it can be a health hazard, can lead to mildew, depending on how long diapers are sitting, and could also void any warranty on your diapers), so if you're choosing to go with reusable diapers, it's likely best to go with the dry method. The dry method includes emptying any solid waste into the toilet before storing the diapers as-is (without rinsing or pretreating any stains) in the pail until laundry day.
Odor control
The Ubbi works well for reusable diapers because of its powder-coated stainless steel structure. Because it's made of steel, it doesn't absorb the odors the way plastic pails might and does a good job of containing those smells–at least, when it's closed. To help with overall odor control, you can add some baking soda to the bottom of the pail, and avoid using cotton bag liners because they can absorb the stinky smells and encourage bacteria growth.
Ease of use
This diaper pail is designed to be loaded, emptied, and cleaned with ease. While some users feel plastic bags can sometimes suction to the bin, the reusable bags you'd be using for your cloth diapers are a different material and would empty more easily. If you do decide to use this pail with disposable diapers at any point, it can accommodate any standard kitchen trash bag.
Capacity
The Ubbi pail has a smaller footprint and a slightly smaller capacity. At 8.4 inches wide, 19.5 inches tall, and 11.4 inches deep, it can hold about 20 larger diapers and up to 55 newborn-size diapers. One thing you'll want to consider is the capacity of the pail for the amount of diapers you'll be going through with twins versus how often you plan to do laundry.
Bag refills
With reusable diapers, you'll also use reusable diaper pail bags / liners. You'll want to make sure you have two reusable, waterproof liners: one that can be thrown right into the washing machine with all of the soiled diapers and one extra liner that's clean and ready to replace the one you just removed from the bin. That way, you aren't waiting on the laundry to be done before you can change any more diapers. Whichever diaper bag you go with, be sure to check if they can go in the dryer or need to be air-dried.
Esthetics
The Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail comes in a variety of colors and patterns, so you're likely to find a match for any nursery or play area in your home.
Best Reusable Diaper Pail
Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail
This is the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail. It's our pick for the best bin for reusable diapers.
Do you have one of these diaper pails already? If so, what do you love about them? Do you have a different pail you think should have been chosen over these ones? If so, why? Let us know in the comments section.
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