In-depth reviews guided by a Pediatrician

Huggies Snug & Dry Review

Inexpensive, cozy option with poor absorption, eco, and health scores
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Price:   $0.23 List | $0.21 each (in 200-pack) at Amazon
Pros:  Comfy, durable, few leaks, price
Cons:  Not eco-friendly, poor absorption, disappointing health score
Manufacturer:   Huggies
By Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz  ⋅  Jul 28, 2017
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48
OVERALL
SCORE

RANKED
#14 of 22
  • Absorption - 40% 4
  • Leakage - 20% 7
  • Comfort - 15% 8
  • Health - 15% 1
  • Eco-friendly - 5% 1
  • Durability - 5% 7

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, then 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.

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Our Analysis and Test Results

Huggies Snug & Dry is a popular diaper with a good leakage score but poor absorption.
Huggies Snug & Dry is a popular diaper with a good leakage score but poor absorption.

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 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.
The Snug & Dry is relatively comfortable and earned its top score in comfort.

Likes


Snug & Dry diapers are a cozy option with one of the highest scores in the review. 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.
The closure tabs and elastic on the Snug & Dry are skin friendly and non-abrasive compared to the competition.

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.
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.

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 a favorable amount compared to the competition.

We also like the reasonable price point of the Snug & Dry, which is at least in part why this diaper is so popular and often the diaper of choice for many parents. At roughly $0.20 per diaper, it is tough to beat 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.
We didn't like that the Snug & Dry performed poorly in our tests for absorption with more wetness transfer than the higher scoring competition.

Dislikes


We dislike a few things when it comes 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 tests for absorption, falling below average when it comes to retaining moisture and locking it away. We had some concern that excess wetness could cause skin irritation, diaper rash, or wet clothes. Absorption along with 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 is always going to 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 both 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, and they make no claims or boasts about being allergy certified or attempts at using fewer chemicals during processing.

Conclusion


Huggies Snug & Dry is a popular inexpensive diaper that parents seem to like. It provides 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 to be 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.

— Juliet Spurrier, MD & Wendy Schmitz