Top 5 compared
The best nappy bins
Dirty nappies sealed away by the changing mat, with the smell kept in until bin day.
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The top 5 at a glance
A nappy bin sits by the changing mat and holds used nappies until it’s emptied, keeping the smell in between changes. Some wrap each nappy in its own twist of film or drop it into a long bag of multi-layer film; others take an ordinary bin liner and rely on seals round the lid. The UK throws away around 3 billion disposable nappies a year, so it’s a bin that works hard.
Film bins need their maker’s own refill cassettes, an ongoing cost on top of the bin itself. Liner bins take ordinary bin bags, so there’s nothing extra to buy. Most are plastic; steel is the other choice.
What matters
- A lid that opens with one hand.
- Capacity in nappies, so you know how often it needs emptying.
- A taller bin, to save stooping at every change.
- A child lock, once a toddler’s on the move.
#1Tommee Tippee Twist & Click Nappy Bin (with 1 refill cassette)
£10–£20
Each nappy is twisted into its own wrap of film, which Tommee Tippee makes with antibacterial and deodorising layers, and the compact bin holds up to 33 before it needs emptying. Its 10.5m refill film is half as long again as other makers’ refills, Tommee Tippee says.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps smells in and earns its place beside the changing mat, with plenty of room, though some find the lid and twist awkward and opinions on value differ.
A closer look: The plunger in the lid pushes each nappy down into the cassette, where it’s twisted into its own wrap of film, so hands stay off the contents. Only Tommee Tippee’s Twist & Click cassettes fit, so it’s worth buying a multipack of refills along with the bin and its single cassette.
- Antibacterial, deodorising film
- Hands stay off the contents
- 1 refill cassette included
Best for: Each nappy sealed separately
- Holds (nappies)
- Up to 33
- Refills
- Own cassettes, 100+ each
- Odour seal
- Wraps each nappy in film
- Opening
- Lid with plunger
- Body
- Plastic
- Height
- 39cm
#2Angelcare Classic XL Nappy Bin
£10–£20
A tall bin that takes up to 70 size 1 nappies before it needs emptying, with no twisting: press the button, push the nappy through the flap and close the lid. One refill holds up to 210 nappies, so the cassette needs changing less often.
What owners say: Owners like how many nappies go in before it needs emptying, several days’ worth, and say it keeps the nursery from smelling, though some find a refill runs out sooner than they’d hoped.
Heads up: Buy the octagonal refills: the Classic XL takes Angelcare’s Octo cassettes, and the round ones don’t fit.
A closer look: Press the button, push the nappy through the flap and let the lid close, all with one hand while the other stays on the baby. When it’s full, the film is cut by the blade inside and tied off like a bin liner, and at 69cm tall it saves stooping over a low bin.
- No twisting needed
- Works one-handed
- Blade inside cuts the film
Best for: Big capacity, long-lasting refills
- Holds (nappies)
- Up to 70 (size 1)
- Refills
- Own Octo refills, up to 210
- Odour seal
- Antimicrobial multi-layer film
- Opening
- Button lid, push-through flap
- Body
- Plastic
- Height
- 69cm
#3Tommee Tippee Twist & Click XL Nappy Bin
£30–£50
The tall Twist & Click: 76cm high and holding up to 75 size 1 nappies, Tommee Tippee says, so it needs emptying far less often, with the same individual wrap of antibacterial film round each nappy and a smart sealing lid.
What owners say: Owners like how much it holds, handy in busy homes with more than one child in nappies, and find it easy to use, though opinions on how well it keeps smells in are mixed and some find the refills dear.
A closer look: Loading a cassette takes under a minute, and each one lasts up to about a month, depending on the nappy size and how many go in. At 76cm it’s tall enough to use without stooping, and the plunger pushes each nappy down so hands stay clear.
- Cassette loads within a minute
- Antibacterial film wrap
- Hands stay clear of contents
- 1 refill cassette included
Best for: Fewer trips to the outside bin
- Holds (nappies)
- Up to 75 (size 1)
- Refills
- Own cassettes, about a month each
- Odour seal
- Wraps each nappy in film
- Opening
- Lid with plunger
- Body
- Plastic
- Height
- 76cm
#4Ubbi Steel Nappy Bin
£75–£100
Powder-coated steel doesn’t soak up smells the way plastic can, and it takes any ordinary tall kitchen bag, so there are no refills to buy. The sliding lid lets out less air as it opens, and a child lock keeps small hands out.
What owners say: Owners find the sliding top easy to work, say smells stay put, and are glad it takes the bin liners already in the kitchen cupboard; several report the lid breaking.
A closer look: Line it with a tall kitchen bin bag and slide the lid back to drop a nappy in; the lock stops toddlers getting into it later on. A wipe with a dry cloth keeps the steel clean, and once the nappy days are over it can carry on as a bin somewhere else in the house.
- Steel doesn’t soak up smells
- Lid lets out less air
- Wipes clean with dry cloth
- Becomes a normal bin later
Best for: No refills, steel body
- Holds (nappies)
- Up to 55 (newborn)
- Refills
- Any tall kitchen bag
- Odour seal
- Steel body, rubber seals
- Opening
- Sliding lid, child lock
- Body
- Powder-coated steel
- Height
- 49.5cm
#5Shnuggle Eco-Touch Nappy Bin
£39.99 RRP
No cassettes to buy: it takes any standard bin liner, and a dual-seal airlock keeps smells in even while the outer lid is open. It works one-handed, and Shnuggle makes it from fully recyclable plastic.
What owners say: Owners say it keeps smells contained and is quick to wipe down, though several find the lid doesn’t always close first time.
A closer look: Open the lid, drop the nappy in and let it close: the inner seal stays shut, so the airlock keeps working between changes. It holds fewer nappies than the others here, so expect to empty it more often, and Shnuggle says it suits reusable nappies as well as disposables.
- Seals even with lid open
- Suits reusable nappies too
Best for: Ordinary bags, small nursery
- Holds (nappies)
- Up to 26 (size 1)
- Refills
- Any bin liner
- Odour seal
- Dual-seal airlock
- Opening
- One-hand drop and go
- Body
- Recyclable plastic
- Height
- 43cm
How they compare
Swipe sideways or rotate device to see all 5.
| Feature | #1Tommee Tippee Twist & Click | #2Angelcare Classic XL | #3Tommee Tippee XL | #4Ubbi steel | #5Shnuggle Eco-Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best budget | Biggest capacity | Best premium | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.1 |
| Price | £10–£20 | £10–£20 | £30–£50 | £75–£100 | £39.99 RRP |
| Holds (nappies) | Up to 33 | Up to 70 (size 1) | Up to 75 (size 1) | Up to 55 (newborn) | Up to 26 (size 1) |
| Refills | Own cassettes, 100+ each | Own Octo refills, up to 210 | Own cassettes, about a month each | Any tall kitchen bag | Any bin liner |
| Odour seal | Wraps each nappy in film | Antimicrobial multi-layer film | Wraps each nappy in film | Steel body, rubber seals | Dual-seal airlock |
| Opening | Lid with plunger | Button lid, push-through flap | Lid with plunger | Sliding lid, child lock | One-hand drop and go |
| Body | Plastic | Plastic | Plastic | Powder-coated steel | Recyclable plastic |
| Height | 39cm | 69cm | 76cm | 49.5cm | 43cm |
| Best for | Each nappy sealed separately | Big capacity, long-lasting refills | Fewer trips to the outside bin | No refills, steel body | Ordinary bags, small nursery |
| Buy now | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
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