The Best Baby Bib Review

Material: Organic Cotton, Polyester Fleece| Pocket: No

The KiddyStar Toddler Bib is a stellar performing bib, quickly becoming a tester favorite. It is a winner for comfort with its ultra-soft fabric, perfect for your little one's delicate skin, especially if they are wearing it for some time. The bib's front is 100% certified organic cotton, and the back is 100% polyester fleece. This bib is large, so it is more appropriate for a toddler or if you want a bib that will provide more coverage. The KiddyStar is a snap-on bib with four neck-size settings, which is the most of any bib in our review. Also, the bib has impressive absorbing capabilities. It absorbs thin liquid nearly instantly and thick liquid a little slower, but more notable is how much it retains before seeping. A feat that not many cloth bibs in our review, except for the KUDL, could match.

This likable bib does have a few minor downsides. It is the only one in our review that required a 1/2 cup of vinegar added to its initial wash to help set and preserve color. Although this is not a big deal, it is an added step, and you will need to have vinegar on hand. The manufacture suggests laying the bib flat to dry for best results; however, that is time-consuming. Alternatively, you can tumble dry the bib on low heat, which is quicker, and if you are already running the dryer, why not toss it in? Mild shrinkage did occur after its initial wash, and its bottom edge slightly curls up, but ironing will remedy this issue. Nevertheless, if you don't mind a little work on the front end and if you have a youngster that is a heavy drooler, then the KiddyStar Toddler Bib is your best defense. It will save your sanity by avoiding multiple outfit changes throughout the day, plus you will have no qualms about your baby's comfort.

Material: Cotton, Fleece| Pocket: No

The KUDL Absorbent Baby Toddler Bib is a top-contender. This bib has premium cotton on the front and fleece lining on the back, which feels ultra-soft. It has incredible absorbency capabilities, absorbing thin liquid instantly, and thicker liquid a little slower. Most impressive is how much it can retain before seepage, just about the same amount as our top-performing bib. This bib has a convenient snap-on closure, which is easy for a caregiver to use and most comfortable for a baby. The KUDL is easy to launder, toss it into the washer, then dry on low heat. Plus, it does not shrink after its initial wash, and the ends do not curl, which are additional bonuses.

One thing to note is that this bib is large and may be too big for a newborn, but more suitable for a toddler. Another downside of this bib is that it only offers three neck-size settings, unlike our highest performer, which offers four. Regardless of this minor difference, the KUDL performs nearly the same as the KiddyStar Toddler Bib, which is why it also received the Editors' Choice award.

Material: Organic Cotton, Polyester Fleece| Pocket: No

The MatiMati Bandana Bib is a noticeably stylish bib that is a good option for little ones who dribble from teething. The front is 100% organic cotton, and the back is 100% polyester fleece. The bib is soft to the touch, primarily the fleece on the backside, and it lays flat on the baby's chest instead of bunching up underneath the chin. The Bandana Bib snaps on, and babies from 3 months to 24 months of age can wear it. It slowly absorbs thin liquid, and it is excellent at retaining a decent amount. However, due to its bandana size and limited footprint, it doesn't hold when compared to the traditional-style bibs in our review.

The bib absorbs thin liquid slowly, yet struggles to absorb thick liquid well. It can retain a decent amount of liquid before seepage, nearly matching the traditional-style cloth bibs, but its bandana-style shape is smaller, causing this bib to tap out earlier. The bib is easy to wash, but care instructions say to lay it flat to dry, which is time-consuming. It also offers two neck-size settings, which is limiting; you either have large or small, but no other choice. Although this bib lacks a range of adjustability and thick liquid gives it a hard time, it is a bronze medalist for absorbency concerning how much it can retain. It also offers style, comfort, and the best bang for your buck.

Material: Silicone| Pocket: Yes

Traditionally, cloth bibs were for mealtime, but they soaked up the mess and needed to be laundered after every use, making them a poor choice. Thankfully, those days are over. The Happy Healthy Parent Silicone Bib answers the call of making mealtime easier to clean up. The bib's material includes food-grade, high-quality silicone that is free of BPA and PVC, 100% waterproof, lightweight, and pliable. Plus, silicone does not easily stain like cloth. It moves with the baby and feels comfortable. The closure system consists of buttons and holes, which are relatively easy to fasten and disconnect, and it offers a range of four neck-size settings. Most noticeable is its deep sturdy pocket that stays open to catch spills and mess. Plus, your baby may be excited to discover leftover treasures in the pocket. When it comes to cleaning the bib, the task couldn't be easier - simply empty the pocket of food, handwash the bib with soapy water, and let it air dry or towel it off. The bib is also dishwasher safe, but hand washing will prolong the bib's lifespan. The ease in wiping, washing, and dry, plus its flexibility, makes this bib an excellent travel-friendly option. Roll it up and carry it in a diaper bag or suitcase.

This bib is not for soaking-up drool or to be worn for an extended time. The pocket will not catch-all, but it will significantly reduce the amount of food you will be picking up off the floor. One thing to be aware of is that users report that the holes can rip over time and that a child's long hair can catch in the buttons. Despite these flaws, we believe the Happy Healthy Parent Silicone Bib is one of the easiest bibs to use and a mealtime superstar.

Material: Polyester Fabric| Pocket: Yes

The smock-style Bumkins Sleeved Bib offers an advantage that other bibs in our review do not: full-coverage. Between its waterproof fabric and long sleeves, it protects clothing underneath and is for babies 6 months - 24 months of age. The fabric is free of BPA, Lead, Phthalates, and PVC. The closure system is a tie that holds its durability over time and is not easily undone by baby, which is great for when your little one is covered in a mess. Another bonus is that this bib is machine washable. Toss it into the washer, then hang to air-dry.

A downside of this bib is that the large pocket is basted 1/4 inch in the middle at the top to preserve the pocket shape, which limits what you can place inside. Also, the bib is relatively long, and the pocket lays at lap level, so it is not very effective at catching food. Even though this bib is soft and flexible, it is not as comfortable as other cloth bibs in our review. But, if you have a little Picasso who enjoys art exploration or a child who wants to feed themself, but creates a mess, then this bib is a good full-coverage option.

Material: Cotton Muslin| Pocket: No

Your teething baby will put just about anything in their mouth. Instead of worrying if a teether has been on a germy floor, or has fallen out of reach, the Nuby Reversible Muslin Teething Bib is a brilliant solution to this issue. This drool catcher is a bandana style bib made of muslin, with a BPA free teether attached at the tip, where it is easily accessible for baby. The fabric initially feels soft and continues to feel softer with each additional wash. This bib is designed for little ones as early as three months of age and onward. It is also easy to wash and can tumble dry on low heat (a rare find in bib-Ville).

The Nuby does have a few downsides. The closure system is Velcro, and there is only one neck-size. These two factors hurt this bib's score for comfort. Velcro is not ideal as it can lose its strength over time, making the bib easier for your baby to remove, and it can feel scratchy. It also can stick and pull threads of other clothing while laundering. The bib did slightly shrink after laundering, plus the bib's material is not overly absorbent, so it is not a match for heavy droolers. Although the Nuby may not be your primary bib, it provides a unique solution for your teething baby with its convenient teether and bib to catch dribbles while being easy to wash, dryer safe, and at an economical price point.

Material: Cotton Muslin| Pocket: No

The Aden + Anais Burpy Bib is a versatile, two-in-one design that can either be a burp cloth or snap-on bib. This bib is made of 100% cotton muslin and is soft to the touch. Its kidney bean shape and substantial size provides excellent coverage while burping, or for baby while feeding. It is one of the largest bibs in our review. This bib is easy to wash and can tumble dry on low heat. What is great about this bib is that it offers longevity. You can use it from day one, when you welcome home baby, up to introducing solids, and beyond.

A downside of the Burpy Bib is that it is not as absorbent as we would like it to be considering its quilted material. It absorbs both thin and thick liquid quickly but performs better with smaller amounts, as larger volumes begin to seep through to clothing underneath. The baby bib offers only one neck-size, but, with that said, it is on the larger side. Also, there is some mild shrinkage after the initial wash. Regardless of its flaws, we feel that this bib is worth the splurge for its dual-purpose and longevity, plus it is easy to wash, soft for baby, and offers great coverage due to its generous size.

Material: Silicone, Nylon, Polyurethane| Pocket: Yes

The OXO Roll Up Bib is a hybrid of a cloth and silicone bib, combining the best features of each. Considering that a silicone bib's closure system of buttons and holes may rip over time, the OXO Roll Up Bib resolves this problem by replacing the silicone on top with fabric that is 100% nylon coated in polyurethane (PU), along with a Velcro closure that offers a range of neck-size settings. The food-grade silicone on the bottom is soft and flexible, yet has a sturdy pocket to catch spills and mess, and liquid repels off the fabric. We found the bib's material to sound a little crunchy, but this may soften as time goes by. This bib is great for babies 6 months of age and onward. It is easy to wipe off and can be either hand washed or machine, then hang to dry. Also, a neat feature of this bib is that the fabric rolls into the silicone pocket and stays closed with a closure.

This bib does come with a few downsides. Velcro does not maintain its durability as long as other closure systems, making it easier for your baby to remove the bib. Users report that the fabric on top may be prone to mold and musty smells over time. It also does not dry as quickly as full silicone bibs, so you may find yourself waiting to use this bib as it air drys. Also, the unique closure that keeps the bib rolled up for travel is not always dependable, especially when tossed around in a diaper bag. Despite these flaws, if you appreciate the benefits of having fabric on the top, and don't mind Velcro, yet want the perks of silicone, then this hybrid bib is worth consideration.

Why You Should Trust Us

Leading this review is Molly Bradac, a member of the BabyGearLab Review Team. Molly holds over 14 years of childcare experience as a Nanny and Newborn Care Specialist. She has worked with a range of ages, from newborn to school-age, including multiples, and in various settings. Molly easily transfers her background and knowledge to the world of baby gear. Also contributing and participating in our review is our little tester, Annie, who put on and wore each baby bib.

Analysis and Test Results

Before testing, each bib was laundered multiple times following the care instructions recommended by its manufacturer, then experienced the same test procedures, along with side-by-side comparison.

Absorbency

The primary function of a bib is to absorb and protect clothing underneath from wetness and mess. It is essential to know how well a bib absorbs and how much liquid can it retain before seeping. To assess a bib's retention threshold, two liquids with different consistencies (milk and water) were tested. The same measurement of liquid was administered to the same location and repeated until seeping occurred. Of all the bibs, the Aden + Anais Burpy Bib and the Nuby Reversible Muslin Teething Bib struggle in this metric with some of the worst results. Alternatively, the KiddyStar Toddler Bib and the KUDL Absorbent Baby Toddler Bib did the best. They can retain a considerable amount of liquid before the clothing underneath starts to get wet. Coming in behind the KiddyStar and KUDL, is the MatiMati Bandana Bib. Although this bib struggles to absorb denser liquid and its bandana shape with less surface area limits the amount it can retain, it does have the ability to hold a fair amount of thin liquid before seeping.

Comfort

For comfort, we examined the material, neck-size adjustability, and closure system comfort for baby. The most comfortable closure is a snap, whereas ties, Velcro, and buttons and holes, are not as cozy due to various factors, like hair getting stuck. If a baby is itching to remove a bib, then they will not be able to focus. Also, since drooly babies may be wearing a bib for an extended period, comfort is vital. This metric is important and worth considering before purchasing a bib. The KiddyStar Toddler Bib is the king of comfort. Its material is incredibly soft, primarily the fleece backing. It has a snap closure system, which helps, plus it has four neck-size settings. On the flip-side, the Nuby Reversible Muslin Teething Bib has one of the lowest scores in this metric due to its Velcro closure that can feel scratchy for baby and that it only offers one neck-size setting.

Easy to Use

If a bib is easy to use, then there is a higher chance you will reach for it. It should be easy to launder and dry. It should also be easy to put on and take off, yet not easy for your baby to remove. The Happy Healthy Parent Silicone Bib is a champ in this metric being easy to wipe, wash, and quick to dry. It is ready to go in no time for the multiple meals your little one will eat during the day. However, the MatiMati Bandana Bib did not excel in this metric. This is mainly due to its care instructions that recommend laying the bib flat to dry, which is not the most convenient as it takes up space in your laundry room and is time-consuming.

Conclusion

Choosing a baby bib or combination of baby bibs to get your little one through the day can be essential. This review provides the information you need to help you navigate the world of bibs. There is bound to be a bib here that will meet you and your baby's needs.