Fisher-Price Happy Days Review

Happy Days is a diaper made by Fisher-Price. It is fragrance free, has flexible leg cuffs, and something Fisher-Price calls “total stretch waistband” and “size right” fit indicator to help consumers find a comfortable fit. They have a middle of the road price and a name parents are familiar with from other products in the Fisher-Price lineup (mainly toys).

Performance Comparison

Absorption and Leaks

Happy Days received a 5 of 10 for absorption. There were certainly diapers that tested lower, but many that scored above this, making Happy Days a fairly unimpressive absorber. It scored even worse for leaks, with a 4 of 10, which put it in the bottom half of all diapers tested for this metric. It scored the same or worse for absorption than 3 other diapers in our tests in its price range, and worse than 5 other diapers in leaks. One of our Best Value picks, Cuties, performed better in absorption and costs about the same on average. Huggies Snug & Dry scored better with a 7, and costs slightly less.

The leak score was below average in our test at a 4 of 10, and only 7 of the 24 diapers we tested scored worse. Up & Up scored better with a 5, with an absorption score close to Happy Days it makes us wonder who would want to pay more for about the same capabilities. However, Happy Days wasn't alone in its poor leak score; it was better than several more expensive diapers including Seventh Generation Free & Clear which got a 2, and Huggies Pure & Natural which managed a 3 of 10. With both diapers being more expensive, Happy Days proves price had little to do with leaks. If good absorption and leak scores is what you are after, Pampers Swaddlers Sensitive scored fairly well for a similar price, but if price is a driving factor in choice, Cuties would definitely be the Best Value with a slightly lower score, but similar price.

Comfort and Durability

Happy Days continued to un-impress in the comfort category. With a 4 out 10 score, earning points for comfy elastic on the back and sides, and not much else, it just failed to stand out. White Cloud was the stand out in this category, no matter what the price, earning an 8 of 10. Only two other diapers scored better, and they were both significantly more expensive; Andy Pandy earned a 9, and Babyganics Rear Gear got an 8.

Continuing the blah and mundane feeling of this diaper is its durability score. Scoring a 4 of 10 it is hard to say much about it. In fairness, no diaper scored over an 8 in this metric, and several scored below a 4, so it wasn't a bad score so much as an uninteresting one. Cuties scored far better with an 8 of 10 for durability, and if you combine that with its better comfort score of 6 you get a diaper that rated higher and costs a little less on average. If budget allows there were several more expensive diapers that scored better in this metric as well as others. Earth's Best Tender Care got a 6 for durability, and a 9 and 6 of 10 for absorption and leaks respectfully; however, it costs slightly more on average than Happy Days.

Eco and Health

If Eco-friendly is what motivates you, this diaper is definitely not the choice for you. With a score of 1 out 10 it merely shows up at the eco party without bringing any cool friends or snacks. In fairness, Happy Days is not marketed as a green diaper, so when compared to other traditional diapers it measures about on par. If you want a diaper that scores higher in this metric you really need to look closer at green diapers. But be aware that being green didn't mean a great score in eco-friendly.

For health of baby, Happy Days rates just slightly better with a score of 2 out 10. This was due to the diaper being perfume free. In addition, Fisher-Price claims this diaper is hypoallergenic, but given the insignificance of this term, because it doesn't have a definition according to the FDA, we didn't count that claim as a point for any diaper. With no testing or proof that we could find to back up the claims of hypoallergenic, we didn't count it as for or against the diaper. Many of the diapers we tested failed to earn more than 2 for health and only 4 scored higher than a 4 of 10; included in these were our Editors' Choice, BAMBO Nature with an 8 of 10, and Eco by Naty with a 6.

Best Applications

Parents who feel that the Fisher-Price name equals quality are likely to be drawn to this lesser known diaper. Given its boring overall scores in testing, its middle of the road price, and its limited availability, it did nothing to win points in our heart or tests. There were several diapers that scored better in most metrics that were either cheaper or just flat out better. Even if you just consider diapers within a $0.05 range of Happy Days, you will find several diapers with better overall scores, and some of them are cheaper! Cuties is usually cheaper, and scored 49 of 100 compared to Happy Days score of 41.

Conclusion

Happy Days is an okay diaper. It neither shined nor shocked us with its abilities and attributes. Our tests showed it managed to hit the middle mark for some metrics and below that for others. It wasn't alone in its scores but its company wasn't always the greatest. Don't get us wrong, Happy Days isn't a bad diaper, but it's sort of like taking your cousin to the prom, you probably don't want to do it.

Depending on why you were drawn to this diaper there are better alternatives out there. Our Best Value, Cuties, scored better overall, better in absorption, the same for leaks. If you want a store brand, or popular name brand, Target's Up & Up had better leak, comfort, eco, and health scores and was just 2 points shy of Happy Days overall score, and it is also significantly cheaper. Even Huggies Snug & Dry did better overall with a 44 of 100 and was usually cheaper depending on the day.