Throwdown: We Tested 3 Luxury Diapers – Here’s Our Favorite

Did you know babies can use upwards of 2,000 diapers in their first year of life? If you have ever had a baby, you know it’s a LOT of diapering… which means that the diapers you put on your baby count! While I used to believe all diapers were pretty close to the same, having two kids in diapers has certainly proved otherwise. Differences in cost, fit, absorbency, and ingredients have never been more obvious to me. In true TQE fashion, we’re comparing three of the most luxurious diapers on the brand. Read our full throwdown of the diapers to see who came out on top!

The Players

HealthyBaby: First on the list of players is HealthyBaby. The brand’s website states they are on a mission to provide the “safest essentials for your baby and our planet” and to support baby’s “healthy connected brain.”

Coterie: Coterie was established after its founder noted the lesser quality in US diapers as opposed to Japanese ones. 

‍Kudos: Kudos was founded in the hopes to make disposable diapers as sustainable as cloth diapering. Fun fact: the brand was featured on NBC’s Shark Tank. 

Test 1: Softness

HealthyBaby: I simply can’t get enough of HealthyBaby’s softness. I live in Michigan, so my hands are constantly dry in the winter months and touching some soft things gives me the “ick.” Not HealthyBaby – my dry fingers still love the touch of these… and so does my baby. From what I’ve read, that’s thanks to this diaper’s 15% organic cotton outer layer – it feels like a total dream!

Coterie: I tried Coterie first out of all three brands and I doubted the softness could be beat. It felt amazing on my bare hands, so I could only imagine it on my baby’s booty. But… HealthyBaby was somehow hands-down way softer.

Kudos: These were disappointing in the softness department. The outside felt nice and smooth, but the inside (you know, the important part) was rough to the touch. You know when you feel a product that you know is sustainably made, but like not in a good way? That was the vibe.

Winner: HealthyBaby

Test 2: Price

HealthyBaby: HealthyBaby is what I’d call a luxury diaper, so you can expect a higher price tag from them. They run $0.50/diaper for a 5 pack when you bundle (210 diapers in size 1). 

Coterie: Coterie is about the same price as HealthyBaby, coming in at $0.51/diaper for a pack of 198 size 1 diapers.

Kudos: Kudos, to my surprise, came in cheaper than both HealthyBaby and Coterie at $0.41/diaper for a pack of 216 size 1 diapers.

Winner: Kudos

Test 3: Absorbency

HealthyBaby: Isn’t this the test that really counts?! Just kidding, they all do… but no one likes #1 and #2 all over you. HealthyBaby is designed with specific leak protection and “magical air channels” for superior absorbency. I definitely noticed this in action with my 2-month-old and overnight changes. As he’s begun to sleep longer stretches, these diapers have successfully wicked away moisture to keep him asleep longer… that’s a win for mama!

Coterie: Though this kept my baby asleep for longer than the others (praise!), we did experience a few messy blowouts… and no parent likes that.

Kudos: These worked decently well, but felt closer to other thin diapers I’ve tried, which typically don’t hold #1 well. No major complaints, but it left me wishing it held more “pee pee,” as my toddler says.

Winner: HealthyBaby

Test 4: Safety

HealthyBaby: If you’ve been around the “clean” diaper space for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard the acronyms “TCF” and “ECF,” which mean totally chlorine free and elemental chlorine free, respectively. TCF is considered safer for baby, as that means no chlorine is used in the making of the diaper – period. HealthyBaby is TCF and actually goes above and beyond to be the 1st and only EWG Verified diaper, meaning it is free of 2800+ chemicals and materials linked to health risks.

Coterie: Also TCF, this one is a good choice from a safety perspective. It is also free of many major chemicals and contains some plant-based materials.

Kudos: These diapers are TCF, too – in addition to being OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified. That means they’re free of 100+ of the most harmful chemicals.

Winner: HealthyBaby

Test 5: Sustainability

HealthyBaby: You’ll immediately notice HealthyBaby diapers are different as soon as you see the packaging: it's made of paper not plastic. These diapers are also made in the EU at a carbon neutral manufacturing plant, and the brand is even certified Plastic Neutral, which means that HealthyBaby offsets every gram of plastic it generates (from the absorbent center of the diaper) through a nonprofit partner called rePurpose. 

Coterie: While Coterie appears to recognize the importance of sustainability, its website alludes more to R+D that the brand is doing over ways their current diaper is made more sustainably: “We’re currently making significant reinvestments into sustainable materials R&D, with the ultimate goal of a fully-sustainable diapering solution.”  The other important thing to know is that more liquid capacity means more absorbent plastic in the center of the diaper. In the meantime, Coterie offers complimentary recycling for your Coterie plastics. 

Kudos: Kudos considers their cotton diapers to be better for the environment than other textiles and plastic. The brand explains that, “Cotton is energy self-sustaining, and does not contribute to net greenhouse gas emissions.” The brand’s sustainability efforts seem to mostly stem from using natural, plant-based materials, though it still uses plastic in its diaper as do almost all disposable diapers on the market. 

Winner: HealthyBaby

Test 6: Convenience

HealthyBaby: HealthyBaby thrilled me with its convenience factor. Not only is it available on their website for a subscription or one time purchase, it is also available at Target nationwide. In the case of emergencies or travel, this is perfect for our family to supplement the subscription. Even better, the subscription is able to be tailored to your schedule.

Coterie: Coterie I found to be convenient, too. On top of being available DTC, they are available at Erewhon, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. In the midwest, we aren’t spoiled enough to have Erewhon or Wegmans… so I went to Whole Foods.

Kudos: I was truly disappointed by the convenience factor of Kudos’s diapers. While I love the subscribe and save/DTC model, it sometimes isn’t practical – especially with the unpredictability of babies. I could not find Kudos diapers anywhere except online through their site. I view this as a huge disadvantage as we like to purchase our diapers at our destination when we travel (instead of packing them). Not only that, but emergencies happen!

Winner: Tie between HealthyBaby and Coterie

Overall Winner: HealthyBaby

All things considered, HealthyBaby took home our trophy for best luxury diaper on the market. Their softness, absorbency, ingredient list, and total convenience for parents just couldn’t be beat. If you’re looking for a safe diaper that actually works – look no further than HealthyBaby.

Try our clear winner, HealthyBaby, for your sweet babe today!