If you're in search of the best cloth diaper pail, look no further than the Dekor Plus! In this review, I break down the pros and cons, along with more useful info about this pail.
Before having a baby, I had NO IDEA that there were so many diaper pails out there! When I started to look into it, I got very confused. How could there be so many different styles and how on earth was I to figure out the best option?
When I had the realization that cloth diapers and regular diaper pails might not jive, that really helped to narrow it down.
I figured out my requirements. First of all, it had to be practical. After all, it was going to be used multiple times a day for YEARS, so it had to work well. Secondly, I wanted something that would blend in with my decor. Not something that was bubblegum pink or neon green. Thirdly, it needed to be worth what it cost, as opposed to using a cheap garbage can, so that had to be weighed as well.
What is the Best Cloth Diaper Pail?
Most diapers pails on the market today are designed for disposable diapers, so it can be challenging to find something suitable to hold your dirty cloth diapers (and their smell!) until washing day.
But, I believe I have found the one that will work well for everyone. The Dekor Plus diaper pail!
I'll break down what's great about it.
Dekor Plus VS Classic VS Mini
First of all, you need to know that Dekor sells different sizes of diaper pails. The smallest is called the Dekor Mini, which holds up to 25 newborn diapers.
Then there is the Dekor Classic, their standard size and probably the best size for disposable diapers. It holds up to 45 newborn diapers.
The Dekor Plus is their largest model of diaper pail and can hold up to 60 newborn diapers. Because cloth diapers are not as compact as disposables, you need the extra room that the Dekor plus offers, unless you plan on doing laundry every single day!
Dekor Plus Pros
Diaper Capacity
Compared to the other diaper pails on the market that can be used with cloth diapers, the Dekor Plus is the largest and can hold the most cloth diapers. For me, it can hold a full 2 days' worth of diapers.
Odor Control
One of my husband's requirements for our diaper routine was that he didn't want to smell ANY poop and he was so skeptical of any diaper pail's ability to accomplish that.
The Dekor Plus keeps odors under control with 2 barriers. There is a lid that flips up with the use of the step pedal and then a door under that which opens downwards and shuts quickly as soon as the diaper drops through it into the pail. Because of this, we have not noticed ANY odour coming from the diaper pail.
This diaper pail is also made of ABS plastic, which won't absorb odours like other plastics.
Hands-Free Opening
The design is perfect for moms who are often holding their babies (yep, all of us!). After you change your baby, you've likely got your baby in one arm and you're holding the dirty diaper in your other hand. You don't have a free hand to reach down and open up a complicated diaper pail!
The Dekor Plus is completely hands-free. You just step on the foot pedal, which lifts the first lid, and then drop your diaper onto the second lid (you could call it a trap door!), which will let the diaper through and quickly shut, keeping any odors inside the pail. Ease of use is a big selling point for me and this pail has that!
Reusable Waterproof Pail Liners
Another reason this pail is perfect for cloth diaper users is there are reusable pail liners that fit the pail perfectly, which are available to purchase separately. They come in a set of two, so on wash day, you can immediately place a clean liner in when the dirty one is in the washing machine with the rest of the cloth diapers.
It just makes sense to use a reusable diaper pail liner when you're already washing diapers and wipes.
Option to Switch to Disposables
The Dekor Plus diaper pail comes with one of their disposable refills (garbage bags). If something changes and you end up using disposable diapers, your pail can adapt to that! More info on that below.
Childproof
A child lock button is located above the trap door to keep your curious toddler from reaching in and getting those dirty diapers!
Multi-Purpose
Once your babies are out of diapers, (which can be MUCH sooner than you think! Read more here.) you can take out the trap door section and use this pail as a regular foot pedal trash can!
Color Options
The Dekor diaper pail is available in different colors: white, grey, black, blue, pink and mint. Whether you are looking for a fun pop of color or for your pail to blend in, there is an option for you!
Dekor Plus Cons
This pail WILL fill up after 2 days of cloth diaper use. Once it's very close to full, the trap door cannot be pushed down all the way, so it can be difficult to add more diapers. So, if you get behind on the laundry, you may need to take the reusable bag out to add more diapers. If you're not able to wash them right away, you will start to smell them.
Before switching to cloth diapers, I used this pail with disposables for a few weeks when my baby was newborn. A tiny newborn diaper is not heavy enough to open the trap door when dropped on top, so you have to push it in with your hand. I haven't had any problems dropping cloth diapers in though.
Dekor Plus For Disposables
This is a wonderful diaper pail to use with cloth diapers, but also with disposable diapers! The design allows you to use regular kitchen trash bags, but their specific refill bags are recommended, and they aren't your regular garbage bag.
Essentially, a Dekor plus refill is a very long continuous tube of thin plastic that has been folded up to fit in the diaper pail. You tie a small knot at the end of the tube to form the bottom of your bag and pull it down to gradually unfold and work through the refill. At any point when you want to throw away the diapers, you can cut the bag wherever you want and tie a knot on the top to close it. This way, you can take out the diaper trash more regularly because you can make the bag the perfect size for your amount of diapers! If you use regular trash bags, there's a potential for a lot of wasted space, which equals wasted money.
Because the refill is one continuous piece, you don't have to put a new garbage bag in every time you take one out! You simply tie a new knot at the bottom to start fresh.
There is also a childproof cutter that's built-in to the door, so it's as simple as pulling the bag out, sliding through the cutter and tieing it up!
Is a Diaper Pail Really Necessary?
No, it's not, but it is very nice! You can definitely get away with using a regular trash can or wet bags (waterproof bags) hung on the back of your door. Since I plan on having multiple children and using cloth diapers with all of them, the $100 (ish) I spent on the pail and 2 reusable liners is worth it for me, for all the benefits the pail gives me.
The Dekor Plus is a great option for disposables and especially cloth diapers. It's been the best diaper pail and has helped keep my cloth diaper experience running smoothly. Keeping it right by the changing table to throw soiled diapers in has been very convenient.
If there's something you don't like about the Dekor, the Ubbi diaper pail will be one of your next best options. From my research it's a close second to the Dekor Plus, it's just smaller, requires one hand to operate, and is made of steel. But it might work for you as well!
What questions or comments do you have about the Dekor Plus diaper pail? I'd love to hear in the comments below!
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