Pampers may be the ‘go-to’ of the nappy industry but have you ever noticed they aren’t all that good? Not to mention how over priced they are! In this day and age there is just no need for it. So Arran and I have spent the last couple of months trying out the store brand nappies from the UK supermarket giants; Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Lidl and Aldi. We have found as a general rule that not only are these more affordable but they tend to be better quality.
So, in a bid to save you a penny or two as well as keep your little one dry and comfortable, we’ve rated the brands and present our findings to you.
- Little Ones (Sainsburys) Size 2 of the Newborn Range
As the only nappy we tried from the Newborn range, to make price comparison fair this is their active fit price which rounded up comes in at 5p per nappy.
These nappies promise to be super soft, provide day and night protection, are super stretchy and have a 3D Liner for ultra absorbency. They also have a wetness indicator which you don’t get with a lot of the bigger nappies. The packaging says they are ‘recommended by mums and dads’.
What’s good: They really are super soft, lightweight and breathable which is absolutely perfect for a newborns delicate skin. The elasticated waistband also makes them easy to put on, especially if your baby is a wriggler.
What’s not so good: These nappies got last place as every single one we put on Arran leaked. It makes me wonder if we weren’t putting them on quite right but we haven’t had this problem with any other of the brands. Arran was also less than a month old when we tried these out so it wasn’t like he was moving around in them a great deal. A real let down, we didn’t even finish the pack.
- Fred and Flo (Tesco) Size 4-6p per nappy
Tesco promise customers that their nappies lock in wetness, provide up to 12 hour protection, fasten in place securely with their tri-hook tabs and have a fit guide making it easier for you to decide when you should go up a size.
What’s good: The wetness lock really is fantastic, even with a pretty wet nappy Arran’s skin was dry. A real virtual high five for Tesco on that one. Obviously drier bums mean more comfortable and less rashy bums.
The tri-hook tabs really do hold the nappy together well on my getting wiggly baby and they are super lightweight.
What’s not so good: The leg cuffs are a little on the small side, this means we’ve had the occasional dampness around the legs of Arran’s vest and if it’s a particularly BAD nappy (you know what I mean) you end up with it leaking onto legs. So even with that great dryness, any nappy with leaking scores a low mark for me.
- Lupilu Soft and Dry (Lidl) Size 4-6p per nappy
Lupilu really plugged their nappies at both the baby shows I attended this year, I ended up with no end of free samples. They promise that their nappies are soft with ‘skin friendly fleece’ and of course, the promise of all nappies it would seem; up to 12 hour’s dryness.
What’s good: They are super soft, very cosy indeed. Again very lightweight when they are dry making them more comfortable to wear and we had only the occasional leak with these, probably more down to human error than the nappy itself.
What’s not so good: Definitely a slight tacky feel to Arran’s skin once they were wet and this did lead to some very slight nappy rash.
They are soft and light but they soon bulk out once wet and they can feel very heavy. But my main issue was the sizing. All nappies are about the same in the UK size wise but Lupilu sizes were in between what I would consider standard and this made buying for my chunky monkey very difficult. We ended up with nappies too big which may have been why we had the leaks.
- Mamia Ultra Dry (Aldi) Size 3-5p per nappy
Aldi is my supermarket of choice so (full disclosure) these are actually the nappies we use on a regular basis, cheap and cheerful but also really effective.
Again Aldi claims that they could keep Arran dry for up to 12 hours, their new air flow system will help his skin to breathe, fasteners are re-sealable and they help lock liquid away.
What’s good: We have had zero nappy rash, even though we are currently teething. These nappies really do just fit well, they are lovely and soft and those re-sealable tabs are perfect for Arran who is on the verge of rolling and likes to practice every time I try and change him. We have had no poo leaks and again only a handful wee ones.
What’s not so good: They get very bulky when wet and I don’t think they would hold up for 12 hours. The do leave skin slightly tacky to touch if very full meaning he does get a little grumpy.
- Little Angels Comfort and Protect (Asda) Size 3-5p per nappy
So little angels where the nappy of choice when Dylan was a baby but let me tell you, they have come a long way in 8 years and I was pretty impressed with them back then. These nappies promise they are super absorbent being able to hold 30x their own weight, up to 12 hour protection and they have a leak prevention back.
What’s good: I just loved them. I initially worried they didn’t go high enough at the back but I didn’t have a single leak out of any in that pack. They were super soft when dry and protected Arran well even when wet. Again we had no nappy rash at all and though I wouldn’t want to test the 12 hour theory if I had to place a bet on any of them making it; I’d place it on this one.
What’s not so good: My only complaint, the padding seemed to break up a little when wet. Though it still kept Arran dry it felt clumpy and I imagine that made them a little uncomfortable.
Have we missed anything? Have you found a really affordable nappy that could top any of these? Let us know in the comments section.
Outnumbered 