Cuties Review
Pros: Inexpensive, absorption, better health for the price
Cons: Leakage, not eco-friendly
Manufacturer: First Quality
The Skinny
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Cuties | |||||
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| Awards |  | |  | ||
| Price | $0.23 List $0.18 each at Amazon - 20% off | $0.43 List $0.43 each at Amazon | $0.35 List $0.33 each at Amazon - 5% off | $0.39 List $0.39 each at Amazon | $0.32 List $0.33 each at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Inexpensive, absorption, better health for the price | Great absorption and leak prevention, better health and eco-friendliness | Absorption, comfy, durable, better health | Great for health, eco-friendly, comfy | Great health, good absorption, eco-friendly |
| Cons | Leakage, not eco-friendly | Hard to find a good fit, not as comfy or durable | Average leakage and eco-friendliness | Average for leaks and durability | Possible leaks, not so cozy |
| Bottom Line | Budget-friendly choice with good absorption but has a tendency to leak | Earth friendly, healthy choice that works great | Keeps baby drier in a cozy, durable diaper that has better health stats | Comfy, healthy option with performance where it counts | Best green bang for the buck that works well with a top health score |
| Rating Categories | Cuties | Nature Babycare | Babyganics | Bambo Nature | Free & Clear |
| Absorption (40%) | |||||
| Leakage (20%) | |||||
| Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Health (15%) | |||||
| Eco Friendly (5%) | |||||
| Durability (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Cuties | Nature Babycare | Babyganics | Bambo Nature | Free & Clear |
| Type of Diaper | Traditional | Green | Green | Green | Green |
| Chlorine-Free | Elemental Chlorine-free |
Totally Chlorine-free |
Totally Chlorine-free |
Elemental Chlorine-free |
Totally Chlorine-free |
| Perfume-Free | Yes | Yes | Not Listed | Yes | Yes |
| Biodegradable | No | 99.90% | No | No | No |
| Contains SAP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Materials Details | Corn Based Plastics | ||||
| Wetness Indicator | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Stretchable Side Wings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Back | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Eco-awards | FSC Certified Vincotte OK Biobased Certified Swedish Asthma and Allergy Foundation Recommended "Good Environmental Choice" Eco Label from Swedish Society for Nature Conservation EcoCert GOTS Certified |
Nordic Eco-label FSC Certified Asthma-Allergy Denmark |
FSC Certified Rainforest Alliance Certified |
Our Analysis and Test Results
Cuties brand diapers are manufactured by First Quality, a company that also makes adult incontinence products. First Quality began making children's diapers in 2008, and Cuties are the only diaper for children they produce. The company's goal is to create a great performing diaper that has high absorbency qualities. It is one of the more economical diapers we tested.
Performance Comparison
Likes
Absorption is the only metric that Cuties earned a score above average. It is one of the few things we like about this diaper. With better performance compared to the competition, this diaper is pretty good at locking away moisture and keeping baby's tushie on the drier side. Our tests also indicate it is consistent, showing at the very least a certain quality assurance during manufacturing, unlike some of the competition that had test results all over the board.
This diaper has an average score for health but is relatively high amongst cheaper diapers. While it doesn't offer full disclosure on best practices or the manufacturing process, it is chlorine-free, making it one of the few inexpensive choices that are. However, they don't state if they are elemental chlorine-free or total, so the jury is still out on what it means overall.
Dislikes
The Cuties diaper did not score well for leakage with a score that is below the average for the group. In our tests, this diaper showed some runoff, which indicates slow absorption and a chance for leaking. Online reviewers also indicate that the diaper leaks more than the competition with 33% of reviews we looked at discussing leak issues. This percentage shows that one of the two main jobs of a diaper is lacking; the absorption is just average, and the leakage is below average. It doesn't bode well for the diaper during use.
We also didn't care for the ecological performance of this product with a below-average score and almost no consideration for creating a more Earth-friendly diaper. Cuties claim to be chlorine-free, but they don't say if it is elemental or total. They do not offer a disclosure list of how they make the product or what is inside. It does not appear as though they used renewable or sustainable resources, and there is no information for biodegradability. While no disposable diaper is going to be Earth-loving, some brands are making efforts to improve the eco-friendliness of this type of diaper.
Conclusion
Cuties diapers are a cost-effective diaper solution that scored above average for absorption but disappointed with a below-average performance for leakage. Cuties aren't the best at the two main functions of a diaper, absorbency, and preventing leaks. If a diaper can't absorb liquids quickly or it doesn't prevent leaks, then it doesn't work very well. Besides, this diaper isn't the best for eco-friendliness and is below the average for comfort. No matter what metric is most important to you, Cuties doesn't meet the need even at the lower cost.
— Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz