Baby Trend Diaper Champ--This isn't a garbage pail, it's a PIECE of garbage
Written: Jun 02 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: One handed operation, uses any style garbage bag
Cons: Doesn't contain the smell, bugs like poop, difficult to clean, large/bulky, etc
The Bottom Line: If you have $30 that you want to waste on an ugly, ineffective, worthless garbage can... then the Baby Trend Diaper Champ is for you!
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| gatorgirlie's Full Review: Baby Trend Diaper Champ 4000 |
Let me start by saying this -- I'm writing this review angry. I'm beyond any means p i s s e d off and I plan to explain exactly why in a few moments.
When I was shopping for Aidan's nursery I came across the concept of a "diaper pail." According to every website (and most friends) these were a must, though everyone differed on which one they liked. After researching and realizing that every can had people who either loved it or hated it, I decided to go with the one that would be cheaper in the long run -- the Baby Trend Diaper Champ.
Product Description
The Diaper Champ comes mostly assembled, you just have to attach the lid and you're ready to go. It is a white plastic bin with a blue latch and blue dials on the side -- this is definitely one of the uglier items you would have in your nursery.
The product claims include:
*Uses any plastic bags
*Simple, one-handed operation
*Odor and germ free
*Easy to clean and replace bags
*Large capacity
You can buy this almost anywhere, usually retailing for $29.99. I bought mine at Babies R Us, but I've also seen it at Target and Wal Mart.
So why is this cheaper in the long run?
The Diaper Champ uses any kind of regular trash bag -- from the large kitchen ones to plastic grocery bags. This is in contrast to the Diaper Genie which requires specialty refills. Though the Diaper Champ costs more initially, it will turn out to be significantly cheaper in the long run.
Score one for product claims.
How about the size?
The size is very large, in my opinion. It's actually the same size as my kitchen garbage can, so it can hold quite a few diapers. I'm pretty sure it's larger than most other diaper pails (at least in height).
Ok... how about operation... is it easy?
Yeah, the Diaper Champ is pretty easy to use. First, the bags are easy to install. All you have to do is place the trash bag inside the pail, secure the edges and close the pail. The bags are also easy to remove, just reopen the pail and pull out the bag. The operation is fairly simple as well. There is an opening in the top of the lid where diapers should be placed. Just drop the dirty diaper in, turn the handle and the diaper gets deposited into the pail.
About the only issue I have is that it is slightly difficult to unlock the lid, but honestly... it's not that bad. In fact, this can be a definite plus if you have a curious toddler in the home.
Is it easy to clean?
Ahh, here's where we hit the first snag. This can be a pain in the butt to clean. If the dirty diaper leaks in the opening, you have the potential to have poop smeared all over the lid. Then you have to *somehow* stick your hands in the opening without getting it all over you.
I've tried to clean my pail once every few weeks, but I don't think that's enough. I can't see how they can claim it would be "germ free" when it's around poop and poop leaks. If I cloroxed it every day, it might be germ free for a few minutes... but that's about it. Plus, who wants to clorox a diaper pail every freakin day? The name of the game is LESS WORK, not more.
Ok, you got me... why the one star rating?
Two things -- odor and bugs. We'll start with the odor first.
When my son was born and eating breastmilk, his poop didn't smell. At all. Ever. I loved the Diaper Champ (though I'm not sure why) because it did provide a convenient place to throw the dirty diapers -- ie: I didn't have to carry them outside. Then, horrors of horrors... my son started on formula, and then... solid food. The formula made the poop smell, but the solid foods made it STINK. You really don't know the meaning of smelly until you change a 6 month old's diaper who just finishing a meal of green beans and carrots.
You know what? That marvelous odor containing machine all of a sudden couldn't contain the odor. Instead, the smell lingers in his room for hours and nothing short of throwing the garbage out will get rid of this. Not only that, but when you open the garbage pail to remove the trash bag... you are hit with the smell of stale poop full in the face. This is inexcusable -- why did I buy this freakin pail?
One of my friends actually had the idiocy to say this to me: "Well, as the baby gets older ALL diaper pails lose their effectiveness because the baby starts on solid foods."
Let's evaluate this ridiculous statement.
1. My baby's poop didn't smell before solids/formula
2. Since my baby's poop didn't smell, I didn't need an expensive diaper pail to contain the odor... I could've just chucked it in the trash
3. Now my son is on formula/solid foods and his poop stinks to high heaven
4. The Diaper Champ has lost it's odor-containment
The only logical conclusion you can make is this:
5. THE DIAPER CHAMP WORKED ONLY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY ODOR TO BEGIN WITH. THE REASON YOU NEVER NOTICED A SMELL BEFORE IS BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ONE TO BEGIN WITH, NOT BECAUSE THE DIAPER CHAMP CONTAINED THE ODOR. MY DAMN KITCHEN GARBAGE PAIL WOULD HAVE WORKED AS WELL.
Now that I've gotten that out of my system, allow me to move on to the next serious issue I have... bugs.
I live out in the country -- no, serioulsy... I do. I live 30 minutes away from the closest Wal Mart on about 1.5 acres surrounded by few neighbors and forest. This means I do battle with bugs on a daily basis. I was introduced to country living the second day we were living in our home. It rained and fire ants decided they wanted to not only move into my home, but also to make a nest out of my bed. Then I had an epic battle with Indian Meal Moths whom invaded my pantry and stubbornly refused to die.
But I won both battles, as I've won all the battles with snakes, spiders and scorpions in my home.
The past day or so I've been noticing little flying gnats around my home. It's been driving me insane because I couldn't find where they were coming from. Just one or two here and there -- probably let in one night when I opened my front door... but they had to be breeding inside my home.
Guess where they were breeding?
Yup, that's right -- the Diaper Champ diaper pail. Fanfreakintastic. A whole colony was living in the bottom of the diaper pail, probably gorging themselves on one of Aidan's diapers. Now, that diaper pail gets emptied twice a week (tell me you empty yours more often). Monday night and Friday night the trash goes out, so the diaper pail gets emptied. How did they get in? You got me. How long have they been on the bottom of the pail? It could be anywhere as long as two weeks, seeing as how that was when I last cloroxed it. I can't believe they'd be around that long (especially since I only started noticing them a few days ago), but my husband was the one who took the trash out of the pail. I would hope he noticed the bugs, but he doesn't notice anything unless it hits him in the face usually. All I do know is that if this freakin piece of trash can't keep out BUGS... how in the world is it supposed to keep in ODORS?
Yeah, so overall... what do you think?
What do I think?
I think the Diaper Champ is a overglorified piece of junk that exists solely to sap money out of people's pocketbooks. Because we live in a society with a lot of disposable income (really, Americans live with more money than most of the known world), people become convinced they can't live without something like this when really... a regular old garbage can would do the same job. That's all this is -- a $30 garbage can. Yet another way to sucker people from money, plain and simple.
Will other diaper pails work better? I don't know, I haven't used one... but I can find one major flaw in the design of this pail. The diapers aren't individually wrapped (like the Diaper Genie), meaning when you open the lid... the full stench nails you in the face. Do you like the smell of stale poop? I know I don't. What makes this can any better than a regular trash can? Let's go over this again... it doesn't contain odors, it's hard to clean, you get hit with the full stench of the diapers when you remove the trash bag, it invites bugs... what can you possibly like about this piece of garbage?
Would I recommend this to someone? Heck no. Actually, when I was in Babies R Us I talked someone OUT of buying it.
Pros:
*Easy to use/install bags
*Just uses regular trash bags
*Costs just $30 (this is also a con, by the way)
Cons:
*This is an overglorified trash can... do you already have a trash can? Then you don't need this.
*You're spending $30 on another trash can
*It's ugly white plastic
*When you go to remove the trash bag, nothing is separating you from the dirty diapers... meaning you get hit with the full stench
*Doesn't contain odors -- heck, the only reason it worked for the first few months of Aidan's life is because there weren't any odors in the first place
*Apparently doesn't keep out bugs
*Hard to clean
*Yet another worthless, pointless contraption designed to take up space and rip you off
Recommended:
No
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gatorgirlie
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