Review: Econobum Cloth Diapers

When the second baby came along, I got really into cloth diapers. I've seen a wide variety at this point, and they all seem to have their own perks and drawbacks. Some are similar, but no two seem to be the same as far as quality and absorbency. One of them that really got my attention was the Econobum diaper. This diaper has it all: great absorbency, a leak-proof cover, ease of use, an affordable price, and the diapers are adjustable so I won't have to buy a new size when baby gets bigger.

The problems I have with it? The diapers are still pre-folds, which I find a lot harder to take on the road. Diaper changes aren't as fast as with the ones with the liners and plastic pouches that snap in and out. And because the fancier diaper covers have a plastic pouch that protects them from baby's messes, you can use the same cover for a few changes and just change out the pouches. With this diaper you get three pre-folds, but one messy diaper can get onto the cover (although it won't get out of the cover!) and you'll have to toss it in the wash without being able to use it again, which means in the end you have to buy extra diaper covers just to be safe. I have found out though (from repeated washings) that this cover not only retains its original shape and springy-ness, but it doesn't stain easily. Months of use, and mine is still white!

All things considered though, this item makes for a fierce competitor in the cloth diaper market. And because the absence of the pouches makes the diaper cheaper to manufacture, it's hard to pass it by on a sheer cost basis. As far as quality goes, I was really very impressed. I thought that because the diaper was cheaper that the fabric wouldn't be as good, or that the diaper cover would leak. But this is one of those rare times when the cheaper item turns out to be one of the more superior. The diaper can be purchased in a trial pack from Walmart.com for around $11, and shipping to get it to your house is only 97 cents.

I have to warn you though, if you search for this diaper multiple times, your cost will go up on the Walmart website. Walmart is one of those companies that looks for cookies to see what you are interested in buying (or have bought) and will then make the price go up. I purchased this item for $11.95 a couple of weeks ago, and now when I search for it the cost has gone up to almost $14. Unfortunately, like with most cloth diapers, this item isn't available in stores, so you will have to wait for it to come in the mail. I personally love to shop online, but hate waiting for my items to arrive as I'm a very instant-gratification sort of person. If Walmart were to start putting this item in stores, that would probably be enough to push this diaper into first place on my list. In the meantime though, I suggest shopping with a different, smaller company which isn't likely to price-gouge. The only benefit to ordering through Walmart is the cheap shipping, but if they start to raise the price on you (like they did with me).

You can find out more about Econobum and where you can purchase their products by visiting their website at www.econobum.com. You can also connect with them on their Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, and as always, my opinions are purely my own.