Best Adult Diaper For the Price, Cheapest Isn't Always Best

Overview

What's the best adult diaper for the price? Unfortunately, in the incontinence world, the adage “You get what you pay for” is so very true. This article explores the full solutions that are the cheapest. We did not say "Cheapest!" because, as you will find out, that brings you to call our customer service department if you have heavy incontinence.

To begin, if you are a light to moderate user, the store brands can be great for you. If they are, stick with them and this article is really not for you. However, some less expensive brands will bunch up in the crotch area when wet, and they tend to leak. The leakage can be due to the way they are constructed or the lack of features like cuffed leg openings. If you are currently using a generic brand product, and they work for you, then stay with them. But if you are experiencing wadding, leakage, or discomfort, it may be time to look for a better brand.

Price is just not the only factor. You have to factor in a "least expensive & a full solution to the incontinence issue". Thus, the cheapest adult diaper is not always the best, it depends. Let's take a good look at why. Then we'll give you the least expensive options that we've found to be full solutions. Again, this article is more for heavier incontinence. Slight leakage while sneezing, for example, can be moderated with a store-bought pad. We are exploring heavier problems and fully showing you what to do for them.

We've broken down this article into different levels of incontinence based on your different needs. If you want to skip to your level of incontinence, click on the appropriate link below

Moderate Urinary Incontinence

Most of the brands on the market will deal with moderate urinary incontinence. However, there are some downsides. Are they comfortable to wear? Do you experience leakage? If the product is not comfortable to start with, you will be dealing with that feeling all day long. And no one wants to experience leakage from a product, especially when you are out in public.

Some generic brands do not have elastic cuff bands around the leg, which is where most leakage occurs. If their tab fasteners do not refasten, then what do you do? These are just a few of the shortcuts used to make the product less expensive. Again, if what you're doing is working, stay with it. We get so many calls from people having problems though.

These products are name brands but not that much more expensive than the generic. Again, we're trying to show you the least expensive that fully works. They will have some advanced features and are more comfortable without as big of a price tag:

Tranquility Comfort Care Economy Pull-Ons, higher capacity with leg cuffs and elastic waistband. Locks in fluids and odors along with a comfortable fit.

Prevail Per-Fit Protective Underwear, soft, breathable cloth-like outer fabric that does not make noise and reduces the risk of skin irritation. Improved odor control, promotes skin health, and wearer comfort.

Surecare Protective Underwear, leg cuffs to prevent leakage. Maximum fluid retention reduces odor while keeping wetness away from the skin.

Here's a Comparison Table of the Above 3 Products:

Note that although Tranquility Comfort Care Economy Pull-Ons are more expensive, they also have more features, comfort, and durability.

An Example we get a lot

One customer called in and was experiencing leakage. She was very upset because it happened in public. After asking several questions, it turns out that her generic brand did not have the elastic cuffs at the leg openings. So thus the leakage. She switched to an actual brand name product with better features and was surprised they were not that much more expensive, they fit correctly, they were comfortable, and no more leakage.

Full Urinary Incontinence

For those with heavy urinary incontinence including heavy incontinence during the day, you probably won’t find a store product that will work for you. The higher capacity products are not readily available at the local store. It has more to do with the stores' stocking procedures than the manufacturer. They buy in bulk and only carry certain brands. Several brands have products that are excellent for heavy incontinence with a high capacity. Most heavy incontinence customers have to switch over when they find out about these better products because heavy incontinence almost always requires a better product to work well.

Here are some products made for those in need of heavy incontinence products and not much more in price than the generic brands. They have the added capacity:

Tranquility Slimline Brief – brief with tabs, dual leg cuffs, super high capacity, and no extra padding at the hip area. Great for daytime use.

Tena Stretch Pull-On Brief – a brief with tabs with stretch sides for ease of movement, leg cuffs. Good for those who are active and do not like the feeling of confinement.

Tranquility Premium Daytime Pull-Ons - pull-on style with dual leg cuffs with high capacity for daytime use.

Here's a Comparison Table of the Above 3 Products:

Full Urinary incontinence is starting to get where corners can't be cut or there will be problems. Full Urinary incontinence has the same problem as overnight. You should see, the same questions are almost always asked in customer service. We receive calls all the time from people who try to use generic brands due to the cost. But by the time they have switched to a better brand, they are comfortable and know they will not experience the problems they were having. They feel confident to go out and do things again. Unfortunately, there are no less expensive options, but people work with the products as best they can. It's a tough job in customer service providing full solutions when the cost is a factor. Full solutions simply are not cheap, we've found. This article is trying to save you time. Think "Cost" + "Full Solution".

Maximum/Nighttime Incontinence

None of the products sold in the stores have the maximum or nighttime rating. Your muscles relax when you sleep and the flow is heavier than during the daytime. If one of the store brands is working for you, great. Stay with it. If not, here are some that will have a higher capacity and keep you dry during the night:

Tranquility Premium Overnight Pull-Ons – This is a pull-on style, available to fit from a 17” waist up to an 80-inch waist. Capacity ranges, depending on size, from a whopping 20-34 fluid ounces, and that's capacity under high pressure.

Tranquility ATN Briefs - Similar to the Premium Overnights only the brief with tabs style. Waist size from 18 inches to 64 inches with a capacity from 18-34 fluid ounces.

Tranquility Smartcores – A brief with tab style for waist sizes 32-64 inches. Extremely high capacity of 44 fluid ounces but it also costs more.

Here's a Comparison Table of the Above 3 Products:

Note that the Tranquility Elites have that huge capacity, which is why they're priced higher.

These products will keep you and your bedding dry through the night. They will allow you a full night's sleep and wake up dry and rested. Note that it's always good to change a wet diaper as soon as possible to save the skin.

Moderate Bowel Incontinence

Unfortunately, inexpensive products usually do not perform bowel control. The majority of products sold in your local stores do not deal with bowel incontinence. Thus, when looking at the local store products, read the package, and see if it deals with fecal incontinence. Most locally available products do not manage this issue and you will be at risk of experiencing those embarrassing moments. The product will not perform for your needs as it was not designed to deal with that need. Bowel incontinence products deal with the special needs for containment. They have extra leg cuffs and more absorption at the back of the product. They will fit a little snugger for the containment factor.

Here are some Moderate Bowel Incontinence products that would be cost-effective. They have more of the features at less cost:

Tena For Men (with an adjustment) – This product is designed to be worn with the wider side to the front. However, if turned around with the wider side to the back, you have bowel coverage.

Prevail Breezers Adult Briefs – Designed for both comfort and performance. Rustle-free with Easy Lock fasteners that will attach multiple times anywhere on the cloth-like outer fabric.

Tranquility Slimline Brief – features dual leg cuffs, re-fastenable tabs for adjustment, and peach mat core that quickly wicks away and keeps the odor contained. No added padding on the sides for a slimmer look under underclothing.

Here's a Comparison Table of the Above 3 Products:

An Example

We had a customer that had tried almost everything and was very frustrated that nothing worked along with being seen under his clothing. The cost was an issue. The Tena for Men product was suggested, and he tried it and went from frustration to being able to go out in public without fear of his clothing being stained.

 

Heavy Bowel Incontinence

Once again, not all incontinence products deal with bowel issues. These tend to be called “specialty” items. Products for bowel incontinence deal with placing the absorption product where needed, close-fitting leg openings, and ease of changing. So when looking at the generic products at your local store, read the package and see if it deals specifically with fecal incontinence. Chances are it won’t be designed for this purpose and you will experience those embarrassing moments.

Here are some products that might be of some help for those with heavy bowel incontinence if the cost is less of an issue:

Abri-San Special Heavy – while only a pad, it can be worn inside your normal close-fitting underwear. The sides will cover your entire backside with ribs and pockets to contain fecal matter. It has a massive urinary and bowel capacity of 67.6 fl. oz.

Tranquility Smartcore Brief – has been designed for a large capacity for bowel and urine during the day. It has dual leg cuffs for leakage control and odor control.

Tena Ultra Brief – improves dryness and healthy skin while reducing leakage. Dual-core transfers any fluid-to-core for containment. Hook tab fasteners are easy to use and refasten as needed.

Here's a Comparison Table of the Above 3 Products:

Although the Tena Ultra Briefs are good for moderate to heavy bladder and bowel leakage, they don't have the massive capacity of the other two products above, which is the reason for the cheaper price. You're getting what you pay for in this case.

Both Urinary and Bowel Incontinence

Once again, the products you are finding at your local store or store brands probably do not cover bowel incontinence. They are basically for urinary only. Bowel incontinence products can contain feces with extra protection added with absorption control placed where it is needed most.

All the above products in the bowel incontinence sections will hold urinary incontinence also. Your primary concern when it comes to both urinary and bowel incontinence is the bowel side of the issue.

Conclusion

As you can see from our many examples, there's more to think about than cost here. The best adult diapers by cost are also full solutions. Think, "Do I want to try and cut corners and have problems?" We've found that isn't what people want. Thus, we hope to have outlined some ways to balance cost with features for a full solution or the best possible solution. You're stating what's important, and this has been your guide.

While some of these products listed in the tables may be a little more expensive than your store brands, they are designed to do the job. When figuring out the costs involved you should probably also factor in the washing of bedding and clothing along with the embarrassment involved. Also factor in the fact that you now feel like you can go out and go places again because you have the coverage you require.

So it is time to get out the calculator and figure out how many times you change during the day before leakage occurs. Then find a higher capacity product and compare the daily costs. You may be surprised at what the best cost is. The prices per diaper in the above tables are for a medium case, study, and choose sizes wisely.

Best Wishes

The iDiaper Team