Diaper Pail Test Drive: Ease of Use

Over the past few weeks I have been part of the Diaper Pail test drive sponsored by Mom Central. I decided to try a little something different with the diaper pails I was sent to use, and I chose to use them with cat litter rather than diapers. For the past few weeks, I have been alternating use of both the Playtex Diaper Genie II Elite pail and the Munchkin Arm and Hammer pail. The Munchkin Arm and Hammer diaper pail was the one to arrive first, so it was tested first. The pail came fully assembled, and all I had to do was inset the bags and the Arm & Hammer® baking soda cartridge. This pail requires the use of a hand to toss the diaper/cat litter away. I have to open the lid to dispose of the cat litter, but once I insert it into the bag, the Arm and Hammer automatically tightly seals the bag. My only complaint currently is that the opening to insert the cat litter is a bit small, so I have to actually push a bit harder to get the litter down into the bag. Perhaps this wouldn't be as big an issue with a diaper.

Refills are a cinch with the Munchkin Arm and Hammer diaper pail. You close and seal the bag and slip it down into the bottom. When replacing, you just open a new bag and clip it into place. It is very easy to refill. Each disposable refill bag holds up to 25 diapers, and with use for cat litter, I found that I can fill it close to 30 times before needing to change the bag. Once full, there is no cutting required to change the bag. The bag remains sealed as it is simply tossed away and replaced with a new bag.

From the company:

The Arm and Hammer diaper pail by Munchkin uses the odor-eliminating power of baking soda, combined with the patented self-sealing system to lock odors away. The pre-filled, vented baking soda dispenser sprinkles baking soda each time the lid is closed and continuously absorbs and eliminates odors even when the pail is not in use. The patented self-sealing system automatically seals the bag when the lid is closed and keeps it sealed when the lid is reopened. The disposable refill bags, each of which can hold up to 25 diapers, shut tight with a snap and can be easily tossed and replaced without cutting or tying.

The Playtex Diaper Genie II Elite pail required some simple installation, nothing I couldn't figure out myself rater quickly. It is truly a hands-free system. I merely step on the foot pedal, slide the bag of cat litter in the opening and then release the pedal. I never have to touch the cat litter bag at all. There is no twisting involved after the litter is inserted. Additionally, this pail is a taller design, so I do not need to stoop over to insert the cat litter bag.

Refills are not as easy with this pail. Even so, they are not the least bit troublesome, so I don't mind at all. To empty the pail, I simply use the internal childproof cutter, cut it off, and then tie the bag. The only downfall to emptying the pail is that I am required to smell the cat litter for those few seconds it takes me to tie off the bag. A bonus with this pail is that one cartridge lasts quite awhile before I need to change the refill.

From the company:

The Diaper Genie II Elite System is incredibly simple to use with its foot pedal for hands-free disposal. The taller ergonomic design means it’s easy for you to hold your child and dispose a diaper at the same time. Just step, drop and go. The Diaper Genie II Elite System takes care of the rest. To empty the pail, use the internal childproof cutter and seal. Diapers and odors are gone in an instant. Double-Lock design seals in odor keeping your baby’s room odor free. It has five-layer refill with odor-barrier technology. Foot pedal allows for easy, hands-free disposal unlike original Diaper Genie System, no twisting required.

Bottom Line:
For ease of use, I prefer the Playtex Diaper Genie II Elite diaper pail over the Munchkin Arm and Hammer diaper pail. The reasons why I like the Diaper Genie II Elite the most for for ease of use are that I can operate the pail one-handed and the taller design means I do not have to bend over to insert the cat litter.

This is post one of a two-part series where I compare the Playtex Diaper Genie II Elite diaper pail and the Munchkin Arm and Hammer diaper pail. In my next post, I will compare how each pail contains that awful cat litter smell.

Disclosure: I am a member of the Mom Central community and I wrote this review while participating in a Test Drive campaign by Mom Central, sponsored by Diaper Genie, and received a free Diaper Genie diaper pail and a free Munchkin Arm & Hammer diaper pail to facilitate my review.