Several readers have written in the past month to complain about the Baby Trend Diaper Champ, a diaper pail we recommended in the 7th edition of our book. Apparently, Baby Trend changed/revised the pail earlier this year . . . and the new pail is getting a thumbs down from readers. A sample of recent feedback:
Carlie writes:
I purchased a Diaper Champ because of the ‘use your own bag’ concept and was very happy with the original one that I purchased. I decided to upgrade to the ‘new & improved” version and have been so disappointed. The purchase was a complete waste of $30 as you might as well use a regular plastic wastebasket—it does not block the odor at all.
Stacy E. writes:
I just bought a copy, the latest edition, for a friend and I have to admit that I looked up a few thing first. I was disappointed in your review of the Diaper Champ in the newest book. The first one that I bought in 2003 was wonderful. This past January I replaced it with the newer model. I am so upset with it and with the company. One stinky diaper and the smell is overwhelming. I am having to change the bag daily. When I called the company to complain I was told that yes, it is a design flaw but there is nothing I can do. There was nothing they would do either.
Please let other parents know about this. Yes, I suppose that I am saving something by not buying refills for a canister type diaper pail but I am spending a lot in scented garbage bags, baking soda, and stick-up air fresheners.
If you have the revised/new Diaper Champ, what do you think of this diaper pail?
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I have the new one and have no complaints. It doesn’t completely seal out odor, but it’s doesn’t let me down from one cruddy diaper.
I have the new one and have no complaints. It doesn’t completely seal out odor, but it’s doesn’t let me down from one cruddy diaper.
I bought mine from BRU a month ago and have no complaints either. Love it, in fact! No smells at all, until I open to take it out the dirty diapers. But, mine doesn’t look like the one in the picture – bottom is white, not blue. But, box says “new and improved.” But, I also breastfeed my baby so maybe the diapers aren’t as smelly either.
I bought mine from BRU a month ago and have no complaints either. Love it, in fact! No smells at all, until I open to take it out the dirty diapers. But, mine doesn’t look like the one in the picture – bottom is white, not blue. But, box says “new and improved.” But, I also breastfeed my baby so maybe the diapers aren’t as smelly either.
We bought the Diaper Champ b/c we woulnd’t need the special bags. We don’t have a complaint about the smell, but rather about the mechanism to turn the diaper pail to dispose of the diaper. It is very hard to turn, requiring 2 hands — one for the handle, and one to hold the pail in place. Which hand holds the baby??
We bought the Diaper Champ b/c we woulnd’t need the special bags. We don’t have a complaint about the smell, but rather about the mechanism to turn the diaper pail to dispose of the diaper. It is very hard to turn, requiring 2 hands — one for the handle, and one to hold the pail in place. Which hand holds the baby??
Well, I must admit that there IS a vast difference between the odor-block capabilities of the “earlier” version, and this “new and improved” version.
I submit that most of the people who don’t think the smell is a problem have never used the “old” version — it was definitely better.
But I have been having problems with this product since the beginning…whatever kind of plastic they use seems to ABSORB ODOR — and not in a good way. About every 8 or 9 months or so, my wife and I buy a new one, simply because the product itself has absorbed the smell. Whenever we open it — WOW — even after it has been cleaned and disinfected. However, even with buying a new one every so often, it was still cheaper than the diaper genie set-up in the long run — at least when they were $20. Now that they are $30, I don’t know.
I will say, however, that the primary reason–besides aesthetics–for the “upgrade” was the balance issue with the old one. Even with the ‘add on’ base, it was still a little unsteady, especially if you had to use two hands to drop a particularly stubborn diaper. The new one has fixed this problem, and it seems to work a lot better.
Thankfully, we are transitioning out of diapers now, so my days of having to worry about this are drawing to a (slow) close…
Well, I must admit that there IS a vast difference between the odor-block capabilities of the “earlier” version, and this “new and improved” version.
I submit that most of the people who don’t think the smell is a problem have never used the “old” version — it was definitely better.
But I have been having problems with this product since the beginning…whatever kind of plastic they use seems to ABSORB ODOR — and not in a good way. About every 8 or 9 months or so, my wife and I buy a new one, simply because the product itself has absorbed the smell. Whenever we open it — WOW — even after it has been cleaned and disinfected. However, even with buying a new one every so often, it was still cheaper than the diaper genie set-up in the long run — at least when they were $20. Now that they are $30, I don’t know.
I will say, however, that the primary reason–besides aesthetics–for the “upgrade” was the balance issue with the old one. Even with the ‘add on’ base, it was still a little unsteady, especially if you had to use two hands to drop a particularly stubborn diaper. The new one has fixed this problem, and it seems to work a lot better.
Thankfully, we are transitioning out of diapers now, so my days of having to worry about this are drawing to a (slow) close…
I have the “New Diaper Champ” because it was well-reviewed in the edition of Baby Bargains that I have and all my friends who had the old Diaper Champ love theirs. Also, I had used the old model with my nephews and thought it was great.
I bought mine in Sept. 2006 right before my daughter was born. I figured a new design meant new and improved. But I’ve had some issues with it also. First of all, the wipes sometimes get caught in the side of the turning mechanism, so if I turn it and then turn it again, a dirty wipe might fly out. Secondly, I read the set-up instructions, but put my garbage bags in wrong for 8 months! It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that you pull down the rim from underneath the opening and fit the bag around the inside and lock it back. The diagram on the instructions doesn’t illustrate that well at all. Thirdly, it does smell a little, but not as bad as other commenters have said. If I ever have another baby, I’ll probably get something else.
I have the “New Diaper Champ” because it was well-reviewed in the edition of Baby Bargains that I have and all my friends who had the old Diaper Champ love theirs. Also, I had used the old model with my nephews and thought it was great.
I bought mine in Sept. 2006 right before my daughter was born. I figured a new design meant new and improved. But I’ve had some issues with it also. First of all, the wipes sometimes get caught in the side of the turning mechanism, so if I turn it and then turn it again, a dirty wipe might fly out. Secondly, I read the set-up instructions, but put my garbage bags in wrong for 8 months! It wasn’t until recently that I discovered that you pull down the rim from underneath the opening and fit the bag around the inside and lock it back. The diagram on the instructions doesn’t illustrate that well at all. Thirdly, it does smell a little, but not as bad as other commenters have said. If I ever have another baby, I’ll probably get something else.
I just bought the new and improved diaper champ about a month ago because our old diaper champ went kaput on us. I like the new one much better than the older one. My daughter is 2.5 years old now and I have used the diaper champ since she was a newborn. I think the new version holds the odor in just as well as the original. We have dogs too, and my daughter’s room is small, so they would be all over it, if it smelled. To be honest, there are some weeks that we are not very diligent about emptying it as quickly as we should, and I don’t detect a foul odor. But I agree with Tracy about the wipes flying out or getting caught. However, the new version does hold more diapers than the first one.
I just bought the new and improved diaper champ about a month ago because our old diaper champ went kaput on us. I like the new one much better than the older one. My daughter is 2.5 years old now and I have used the diaper champ since she was a newborn. I think the new version holds the odor in just as well as the original. We have dogs too, and my daughter’s room is small, so they would be all over it, if it smelled. To be honest, there are some weeks that we are not very diligent about emptying it as quickly as we should, and I don’t detect a foul odor. But I agree with Tracy about the wipes flying out or getting caught. However, the new version does hold more diapers than the first one.
I have been reading all the reviews on the Diaper Champ and felt the need to chime in. I love my new and improved Champ. I have no problems with odors(baby is formula fed)except when opening it for a bag change, and no problems with balance/needing two hands to turn. I have found it is hard to turn only when the bag is full. And to remedy the wipes flying out, I just make sure to put them in the dirty diaper and close it before depositing. As for the smell, I disinfect at each bag change and that really helps. I definitely recommend this diaper pail.
I have been reading all the reviews on the Diaper Champ and felt the need to chime in. I love my new and improved Champ. I have no problems with odors(baby is formula fed)except when opening it for a bag change, and no problems with balance/needing two hands to turn. I have found it is hard to turn only when the bag is full. And to remedy the wipes flying out, I just make sure to put them in the dirty diaper and close it before depositing. As for the smell, I disinfect at each bag change and that really helps. I definitely recommend this diaper pail.
I have the new one and I also love it. We’re well into solids now so we have all manner of stinky diapers, and I don’t ever smell it (except my husband finds it somewhat overwhelming when he goes in to change the bag!!). I also don’t find it difficult to turn the handle one handed. Like a previous commenter said, this only happens when the bag is full. Wipes and stuff do get caught, but like the previous commenter mentioned, I generally close the wipes into the dirty diaper and throw it all away as one big stinky package.
I have the new one and I also love it. We’re well into solids now so we have all manner of stinky diapers, and I don’t ever smell it (except my husband finds it somewhat overwhelming when he goes in to change the bag!!). I also don’t find it difficult to turn the handle one handed. Like a previous commenter said, this only happens when the bag is full. Wipes and stuff do get caught, but like the previous commenter mentioned, I generally close the wipes into the dirty diaper and throw it all away as one big stinky package.
I have both the old and new version and I HATE the new one. It smells sooooo bad. I also agree that loose wipes get caught. We spray it, use charcoal, disifect it and so on and it helps for a day or so and that is it. I do not have this problem with the older version. I do NOT recommend this product to anyone.
I have both the old and new version and I HATE the new one. It smells sooooo bad. I also agree that loose wipes get caught. We spray it, use charcoal, disifect it and so on and it helps for a day or so and that is it. I do not have this problem with the older version. I do NOT recommend this product to anyone.
I agree with the previous posters, this diaper pail smells absolutely horrible! Unfortunately, this has been a complete waste of money. I have used the NEAT! Safety First system for almost 3 years and just had to replace it because it has been discontinued. I should have saved my money and just put the diapers in the trashcan, the result is the same!
I agree with the previous posters, this diaper pail smells absolutely horrible! Unfortunately, this has been a complete waste of money. I have used the NEAT! Safety First system for almost 3 years and just had to replace it because it has been discontinued. I should have saved my money and just put the diapers in the trashcan, the result is the same!
I love the new and improved version. The older version had a smaller hole for the diaper. This is fine when the diapers are small. The larger diapers just don’t fit. When we outgrew the old diaper champ we started to use a lidded trash can and the smell was overwhelming. We discovered the new diaper champ at a friend’s house and ran out to buy one. It is working really well for us. I also like the button added to open the pail when the bag is full.
I love the new and improved version. The older version had a smaller hole for the diaper. This is fine when the diapers are small. The larger diapers just don’t fit. When we outgrew the old diaper champ we started to use a lidded trash can and the smell was overwhelming. We discovered the new diaper champ at a friend’s house and ran out to buy one. It is working really well for us. I also like the button added to open the pail when the bag is full.
I love the new and improved version. The older version had a smaller hole for the diaper. This is fine when the diapers are small. The larger diapers just don’t fit. When we outgrew the old diaper champ we started to use a lidded trash can and the smell was overwhelming. We discovered the new diaper champ at a friend’s house and ran out to buy one. It is working really well for us. I also like the button added to open the pail when the bag is full.
I love the new and improved version. The older version had a smaller hole for the diaper. This is fine when the diapers are small. The larger diapers just don’t fit. When we outgrew the old diaper champ we started to use a lidded trash can and the smell was overwhelming. We discovered the new diaper champ at a friend’s house and ran out to buy one. It is working really well for us. I also like the button added to open the pail when the bag is full.