For new and experienced moms alike, finding the right diaper is a daunting exercise, and one that often requires trial and error. The diaper market is flooded with options, with many making the same claims regarding comfort, leaks, and protecting the skin of your little one. 

That’s why we’re reviewing four diapers—Coterie’s The Diaper, Millie Moon’s Luxury Diaper, Honest’s Clean Conscious Diaper, and Pampers’ Pure Protection Diaper—to help you make an informed choice for you and your baby. And given that babies are in diapers just about 24/7, we’ve enlisted the help of our expert, Matheson Jean, R.N., a nurse specializing in pediatric care. She’ll help us understand what to look for—and avoid—in a diaper.

Combining Jean’s expertise with hands-on reviews by TCD moms on staff, we evaluated these diapers on 1) Absorbency, 2) Softness, 3) Materials, 4) Convenience and 5) Price, and found one clear winner. Read on to find out which!

What should parents look for when choosing a diaper?

Choosing the right diaper “is crucial for a baby's skin health and overall well-being,” says Jean, “because prolonged exposure to moisture or irritants can lead to diaper rash and discomfort.” And those issues can lead to other problems like trouble sleeping, fussiness, and even infections.

Important features, according to Jean, are “breathable materials, moisture-wicking layers, and a snug yet gentle fit to prevent leaks and irritation.” We prefer brands that disclose all diaper materials / ingredients, and have undergone third-party testing. Diapers sit against a baby’s skin all day long, and sometimes linings rip or tear; so look for safe, non-irritating materials throughout the construction.

Now, let’s take a look at how Coterie, Honest, Millie Moon, and Pampers Pure compare.

Diapers Compared

In our first impressions we noticed some distinct differences. Both Coterie and Millie Moon were noticeably softer than Honest and Pampers Pure. However, Millie Moon’s outer shell and adhesive area felt less substantial than the others, which did bear out in our absorbency test. Honest and Coterie both had the sturdiest outer shells and overall structures, but Honest’s was noticeably behind on lining softness in this test –  surprising given its higher price point. 

Here’s a quick look at how the diapers stacked up in all of our testing categories:

Absorbency 

Coterie Wins with Fast Absorption and High Capacity

Perhaps the most important factor in choosing a diaper is absorbency. The best diapers keep sensitive skin dry and free from rashes. These four brands make bold claims on absorbency – both Millie Moon and Pampers Pure claim to have up to 12 hours of protection; Honest claims “advanced absorption;” and Coterie claims to be “up to 70% more absorbent” and keep skin “up to 3x drier” than other leading brands. Those claims leave a lot of room for interpretation, so we did what you’d expect from us: put them to the test and find out which diaper is really the most absorbent.

We conducted a liquid absorption test, pouring ¼ cup (about the typical amount a diaper needs to hold between changes) of blue-dyed water on each diaper. We then evaluated absorbency and wetness visually and by touch at three intervals: immediately after pouring on the liquid, 1 minute later, and 5 minutes later.

How should an ideal diaper perform in this test? First, it should absorb all liquid immediately upon contact with the liner layer. At 1 minute, the liquid should be moving from the surface of the liner into the absorbent pulp layer, and feel wet but not soaked to the touch. At 5 minutes, the liner should feel damp but not overly wet, as the pulp has absorbed all of the liquid. It’s important that the surface of the diaper is not full of excess moisture, as this can cause diaper rash.

Here's how the diapers performed at each interval in the test. Each is rated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 representing very low absorption and 5 representing ideal behavior:

After pouring the liquid into each diaper, Coterie and Millie Moon showed strong absorption within the first minute. The liners fully absorbed the liquid with no pooling. Pampers Pure did not fully absorb the liquid within the first minute; the lining layer was noticeably more wet to the touch with slight pooling. Honest also took 2 minutes for the liquid to fully absorb, with it still spreading across the surface of the liner at the 1 minute mark.

At 5 minutes, Honest and Millie Moon failed to contain all of the liquid within the soft liner, with some of the dyed water leaking out to the sides of the diapers. We felt dampness on the elastic side areas for Honest, and on the backsheet for Millie Moon. Since blowouts tend to occur either at the back of the diaper or through the elastic around leg openings, wetness in these areas can cause discomfort and may eventually lead to blowout. Meanwhile, Pampers Pure had caught up to the other diapers by absorbing all of the water from the surface, but the lining itself still felt significantly more damp than the others. Pampers’ capacity appears lower than the other three brands.

After 5 minutes Coterie was the sole brand that was completely dry in all areas surrounding the liner. The liner itself, which absorbed the liquid well within the first minute, remained only slightly moist as is ideal.

Coterie is designed specifically for both all-day and all-night use. Jean, our pediatric RN, notes that a full overnight is usually too long for a baby to stay in a single diaper. “Without sufficient protection,” Jean says, “the risks of discomfort, leaks, or skin issues like diaper rash are high.” Coterie, says it uses high-absorbency materials and a protection-focused design to offer comfort overnight, which was backed by our own testing. Coterie is the most absorbent of the four diaper brands. 

‍

Clean Materials 

Coterie Wins with Transparency and Sustainable Materials

Babies’ sensitive skin are in diapers all day long, so it's vital that the materials in their diapers are safe and free of harmful chemicals. The FDA doesn’t regulate diapers², meaning it’s up to parents to research diapers and pick the safest option. The four brands we tested publish some lists of materials. Only Coterie and Honest publish exhaustive lists of the materials used in each part of their diapers.

Let’s take a closer look:

Wood pulp is used in the core of most diapers. This material used to be bleached with elemental chlorine gas to make it softer and more absorbent. In the 1990s, however, alternative methods were developed after trace elements of the pollutant dioxide—which can cause health issues like thyroid problems and cancer—was found from this process³. 

Core materials may seem similar across the four diaper brands we compared, – but Coterie is the only brand that uses Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF) Pulp. The others use Elemental Chlorine-Free (ECF) Pulp – a product process which still includes chlorine derivatives. ECF exhibits safe levels of chlorine according to the EPA and FDA, but we do prefer the total chlorine free pulp found in Coterie – as there are health concerns about dioxin exposure with diapers using chlorine over a long period of time⁴.

Coterie is free of lotion and fragrances to avoid harmful skin reactions. Honest uses citrus extract as an odor inhibitor while Pampers Pure includes shea butter in the lining. “Fragrances and lotion can cause inflammation from irritation or allergies on a baby’s very delicate skin, says Jean, our nurse expert. “Coterie employs hypoallergenic materials and stays away from chemicals and perfumes.”

Coterie is also the only brand that publishes third-party safety reports. Coterie’s diaper underwent independent laboratory testing with SGS Laboratories in 2022 and was “proven to be free of, below detectable, or significantly below allowed levels (when regulation exists) for nearly 200 chemicals that may be considered toxic or harmful”⁵. 

Ultimately, Coterie’s third-party safety reports, transparency in materials, and proven chemical-free composition make Coterie the best choice for safe, non-toxic materials.

‍

Softness 

Coterie Wins with Pillow-Like Feel

We tested each diaper on softness and comfort: by touch and also with a baby wear test. We focused on the lining, the largest area of the diaper, as well as the leg openings and waistband, common friction areas.

All four diapers were softer and felt more comfortable than everyday disposable diapers like Huggies Swaddlers or Pampers’ Baby Dry. There were, however, some noticeable differences between each brand.

While Millie Moon’s lining was soft, the protection flaps around the leg openings and the waistband were rough – and comparable to those budget diapers. Leg openings are a common source of irritation and diaper rash. Honest featured softer flaps, but the lining itself had a rougher feel than our softest diaper, Coterie. The lining on Pampers Pure was the least soft.

‍Coterie’s lining ranked highest during testing, and our baby tester agreed. The lining had a pillow-like softness, and the difference was immediately noticeable compared to the other three brands. 

‍

Convenience 

It’s a Four-Way Tie

Ultimately, convenience all comes down to how you prefer to shop. Our testers favor autoship and subscriptions, but others make diaper shopping a regular part of their grocery runs.

Both Coterie and Honest offer convenient monthly subscriptions but are also available as single packs. Millie Moon is only available at Target, while Pampers Pure is sold at several large retailers. For those who like the peace-of-mind of an autoship subscription, Coterie and Honest are great options. Coterie also offers 10% off with its auto-renew subscription, and the subscription can be managed entirely by text message.

‍

‍

Price 

Millie Moon Wins

We compared the price per diaper for size 1 diapers from each of the four brands, looking at the subscription price for Coterie and Honest and the price at Target for Pampers Pure and Millie Moon:

In our test Millie Moon is the cheapest, followed by Pampers Pure, Honest and Coterie, with those last 3 separated by just about 10 cents. Coterie’s absorbency, materials, and softness does justify its slightly higher pricing in our evaluations. That’s especially true since we needed to change Coterie diapers less frequently. A single Coterie diaper can last through a full overnight, which is not true of the other three brands. Ultimately, the best value depends on what you (and your baby) are looking for in a diaper. 

The Verdict: Coterie is the Best Diaper on the Market.

In this group, including Honest, Pampers Pure, and Millie Moon, Coterie stood out with its exceptional absorption and moisture containment abilities, helping reduce the risk of skin irritation and rashes. Its safe, environmentally-friendly materials and high comfort, despite a slightly higher price point, make it the winner.

“Coterie is a fantastic diaper option with its focus on baby's comfort, skin health, and safety. I recommend Coterie to parents because of its high-quality materials, performance, and dedication to transparency and safety,” said Jean, our pediatric RN.

Ready to try Coterie? Use code CUSTOMERDIGEST10 to save 10% on your subscription. 

‍

‍

1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/diapers-what-keeps-babies-and-astronauts-from-springing-a-leak/
2. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=876.5920
3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0009922817706998
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8998495/
5. https://www.coterie.com/safety-reports
6. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165993621002314