REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Durable
Fewer leaks
Lower price
REASONS TO AVOID
Not eco-friendly
Poor absorption
Disappointing health attributes
Huggies Snug & Dry Review
Inexpensive, cozy option but poor absorption, ecology, and health performance create an overall disappointing diaper
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: The Best Disposable Diapers
The Skinny
The Huggies Snug & Dry diaper is a budget-friendly diaper that performed well in our tests for leakage. This diaper is comfortable and durable, with a combination not seen in most of the competition. Unfortunately, however, this diaper also failed to perform well in our tests for absorption, which is one of two things a diaper should do well combined with preventing leaks. If a diaper can't trap moisture, it isn't much of a diaper. So even if you can overlook its poor eco score or its failure to remove potential irritants from the diaper, it simply doesn't perform the duties of a diaper as well as the competition.
Editor's Note: This disposable diaper gear review underwent an update on April 20, 2022, with additional sections to help you find the right diaper for your little one.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Huggies Snug & Dry | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | ||||
| Price | Check Price at Amazon | $0.24 List $0.20 each at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon | $0.28 List $0.25 each at Amazon | Check Price at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Comfortable, durable, fewer leaks, lower price | Durable, comfortable for baby, affordable | Durable, comfy, lower price, good leak protection | Comfortable, durable, reasonable price | Comfortable, durable |
| Cons | Not eco-friendly, poor absorption, disappointing health attributes | Average absorbency, less eco-friendly | Not eco-friendly, no considerations for health | Disappointing absorption and health benefits | Poor absorption, more leaks, not eco-friendly |
| Bottom Line | Inexpensive, cozy option but poor absorption, ecology, and health performance create an overall disappointing diaper | A durable diaper that has some health and comfort benefits without breaking the bank | Durable and cozy diaper with good performance for the price, but it lacks ecology and health considerations | Comfy and durable, but has disappointing performance for absorption and health | A comfortable option that fails to provide enough absorption and leak protection, even at the lower price |
| Rating Categories | Huggies Snug & Dry | Mama Bear Gentle Touch | Kirkland Signature... | Pampers Baby Dry | Target Up & Up |
| Absorption (40%) | |||||
| Leakage (20%) | |||||
| Comfort (15%) | |||||
| Health (15%) | |||||
| Eco-friendly (5%) | |||||
| Durability (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Huggies Snug & Dry | Mama Bear Gentle Touch | Kirkland Signature... | Pampers Baby Dry | Target Up & Up |
| Type of Diaper | Traditional | Traditional | Traditional | Traditional | Traditional |
| Chlorine-Free | Not Listed | Elemental Chlorine-free |
Not Listed | Elemental Chlorine-free |
Elemental Chlorine-free |
| Perfume-Free | Not Listed | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Biodegradable | No | No | No | No | No |
| Contains SAP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Miscellaneous Materials Details | |||||
| Wetness Indicator | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Side Wings | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stretchable Back | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Eco-awards |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Huggies is part of the Kimberly-Clark Baby and Childcare Brands that also make Good Nites and Pull-Ups. Huggies makes a variety of different diaper options and top-ranked baby wipes. They are a well-known brand in the United States, and many parents consider them a quality brand at a reasonable price.
Performance Comparison
The Snug & Dry is relatively comfortable and earned its top score in comfort.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Likes
Snug & Dry diapers are a cozy option with one of the highest scores in the diaper competition. This diaper has skin-friendly elastic on the sides and back with smooth motion areas for limited chafing. The fabric is softer than the average diaper, and the closure tabs are free of poky parts.
The closure tabs and elastic on the Snug & Dry are skin friendly and non-abrasive compared to the competition.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
We also like that this diaper is durable, with very few online reviewers remarking on durability issues. Compared to the competition we tested, we feel confident that it will withstand what baby dishes out at least until the next diaper change.
The Snug & Dry only had small drops in the leaking pan during our tests for leakage, but it had absorption issues as indicated by the large wet transfer on the absorption test paper.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Snug & Dry also performed well in our tests for leaks, with no leaking or run-off during testing. Also, only a third of Amazon reviewers remarked on leaks in their online reviews, which is favorable compared to the competition.
We also like the reasonable price point of the Snug & Dry, which is partly why this diaper is so popular and often the diaper of choice for many parents. It is tough to beat this price while still purchasing a well-known brand name. This price is more on par with store-brand diapers.
We didn't like that the Snug & Dry performed poorly in our tests for absorption with more wetness transfer than the higher scoring competition.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Dislikes
We dislike a few things when it comes to the Snug & Dry, and while some of them may not be on your list of important factors, certainly one of our dislikes is. This diaper did not score well in our absorption tests, falling below average when retaining moisture and locking it away. We had some concerns that excess wetness could cause skin irritation, diaper rash, or wet clothes. Absorption and leakage are the two primary objectives of a diaper, and if a diaper doesn't do both well, then it is hard to consider it a top contender no matter what else it brings to the table.
We also don't like that Huggies is not making any strides toward a more Earth-friendly or baby health-friendly diaper. While a disposable diaper will always have flaws when it comes to eco-friendliness, the Huggies brand and the Snug & Dry option are not even trying. This diaper earned very low scores for Ecology and Health. Huggies does not offer a list of materials used and does not include information on renewable resources or biodegradability. They do not specify if they are chlorine, latex, perfume, or dye-free. They make no claims or boasts about being allergy certified or attempting to use fewer chemicals during processing.
Should You Buy the Snug & Dry?
Huggies Snug & Dry is a popular, inexpensive diaper that parents seem to like. They provide a cozy feel and comfortable fit that is durable enough to meet expectations between diaper changes. This diaper performed well in our tests for leakage, with no run-off during testing and few reports of leaking from users. However, it did not do well in our tests for absorption with significant moisture transfer during testing that could potentially result in messes or skin irritation. The Snug & Dry is an old-fashioned diaper that doesn't seem free of anything, including chlorine, perfumes, dyes, or lotions, which could be a problem for sensitive skin. This diaper also lacks and nods to eco-friendliness, which seals its fate as a diaper we do not recommend.
What Other Disposable Diaper Should You Consider?
If you want a great all-around diaper with an impressive performance in key metrics, Babyganics is one of our top performers. It is a comfortable choice with better test results than Snug & Dry in almost every metric. If you have a tighter budget, Mama Bear Gentle Touch earned a significantly higher overall score than the Huggies and cost about a third less. Bambo Nature is tops for eco-friendliness and is a shoo-in for any parent worried about the environmental impact of their diapering choices.
—
Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz
You Might Also Like
Honest, objective reviews. Led by a Pediatrician.
BabyGearLab was founded by a Pediatrician Mom with a mission to provide a reliable, independent, source of information to new parents. Our experts have tested thousands of baby and kids products to share key performance, health, and safety findings. We spend tens of thousands of dollars crash testing car seats to inform our ratings. And, we combine our review work with gobs of expert parenting advice. To assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. No sponsored content. No ads. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing by people who care.
Learn More