According to research from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, about 13 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with incontinence or the loss of bladder or bowel control. The problem can range from the occasional leak to not being able to get to the toilet in time, and can significantly affect the quality of life.
A variety of factors can contribute to the development of incontinence. Age is one of the main ones—as we age, the muscles in the bladder and the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body) lose some of their strength, which can result in urine leakage. Changes that accompany aging can also reduce how much liquid the bladder can hold, and may affect bowel control. Other risk factors include pregnancy, menopause, being overweight, smoking, neurological diseases, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and having a family history of incontinence. There are treatments available, and they include behavioral techniques like bladder training and diet management, pelvic floor muscle exercises, a variety of medications, and some medical devices. Surgery is only used in severe cases when other treatments don’t help.
Meanwhile, people who have incontinence can use pads and other protective garments like adult diapers to ease the discomfort and inconvenience of leakage. Fortunately, the products made today are made of advanced, highly absorbing materials that are a lot less bulky than they were even a couple of decades ago. Many of today’s adult diapers aren’t much different than underwear and can be worn easily under everyday clothing.
If you or a loved one suffers from incontinence and wants to wear adult diapers, it can be difficult to know which one is best. Because incontinence is such a common and widespread problem, many manufacturers are now making these products, which means you have a wide selection. We recently reviewed dozens of adult diaper products to find the ones that will best fit your lifestyle and needs. We looked at factors like absorbency, type of fit (style), wearability, exterior materials, visibility, affect on sensitive skin, and cost. All of these top-rated adult diapers can be purchased online at Amazon.
We’ve identified the Always Discreet Underwear for Women as the best option for women, and the Depend Fit-Flex Underwear for Men as the best option for men. Both of these products provide superior absorption with a comfortable fit, so you can go about your day without having to worry about your incontinence.
In This Article
The 5 Top-Rated Adult Diaper Products
| Editor's Picks | Brand | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Best Adult Diaper for Women Overall | Always Discreet Underwear for Women | 4.4 |
| Best Adult Diaper for Men Overall | Depend Fit-Flex Underwear for Men | 4.5 |
| Best Budget Adult Diaper | FitRight Extra Adult Briefs | 3.9 |
| Best Overnight Adult Diaper | Tranquility Premium Overnight Underwear | 4.6 |
| Best Comfort Adult Diaper | Egosan Maxi Adult Diaper | 4.0 |
*Ratings are from Amazon at the time of publication and can change
Best Adult Diaper for Women: Always Discreet Underwear for Women
Whether you’re struggling with postpartum leakage, stress urinary incontinence, or an overactive bladder, you can wear the Always Discreet Underwear for Women and no one will know. With a comfortable, feminine design, this underwear is made with a gentle, cotton-like fabric and a soft waistband that follows your body’s curves and fits perfectly under your clothes.
Double LeakGuards help prevent leaks where they’re most likely to happen—out the side of the underwear—while a RapidDry core helps pull, trap, and lock away wetness. OdorLock technology (dermatologically tested) neutralizes odors instantly so you don’t have to worry about changing before it’s time, while the HeavyLeak protection works for day or night in most situations.
Reviewers love these for a variety of reasons: some use them for elderly parents, others to manage heavy periods, some for postpartum recovery, and of course, many for incontinence.
Always Discreet Underwear for Women Key Features:
- Comfortable, cotton-like material
- Form-fitting and feminine design
- RapidDry core locks moisture away
- Double LeakGuards keep you secure
- Perfect for incontinence, but can also be used for postpartum recovery and heavy periods
Best Adult Diaper for Men: Depend Fit-Flex Underwear for Men
Men suffering from incontinence can say goodbye to worries of embarrassment with the Depend Fit-Flex Underwear for Men. This underwear has a high-performing waistband to make sure it stays in place, along with a comfortable, underwear-like fit so you don’t have to feel like you’re wearing diapers.
It’s flexible and moves with you, and has comfortable leg elastics to help prevent leaks. Three sizes all provide maximum absorbency, with a fast-drying material that locks in wetness and odors, helping to keep you dry and worry-free.
If you have sensitive skin, don’t worry, as this product is free of rubber latex, lotion, and fragrances, with a soft, breathable design. If you order it online, it ships to you in a discreet box that protects your privacy. Users say over and over again that these feel and look good, that they absorb well, and that they work for all ages.
Depend Fit-Flex Underwear for Men Key Features:
- SureFit waistband keeps the underwear in place
- Built for maximum absorbency
- Locks in wetness and odors
- Rubber latex-free, fragrance-free
- Ships in a discreet box to protect privacy
Best Budget Adult Diaper: FitRight Extra Adult Briefs
If you need adult underwear only once in a while, it may be easy enough to manage, but if you need them consistently, they can get pretty expensive. We chose the FitRight Extra Adult Briefs for our budget item, as they are one of the few to come in at less than $1 each, and yet they are still comfortable and absorbent.
You will have to navigate tabs with these, but they are refastenable and easy on your skin and will give you a secure, custom fit. Reviewers note that they are more like Velcro than adhesive, allowing you can adjust and readjust as needed.
Elastic gatherings at the legs help prevent leaks, while the SensiSoft fabric is breathable and soft—no swishing or embarrassing sounds of plastic. The unique FitRight design provides Anti-Leak Guards and a super-absorbent core, and because you can tighten or loosen them as needed, they can work equally well for women or men.
If you’re a caregiver for a person who is suffering from incontinence, you may like the FitRight underwear as it has a color indicator to show when it’s wet, helping you to keep your loved one comfortable.
FitRight Extra Adult Briefs Key Features:
- Works well for women or men
- Refastenable tabs allow you to adjust for a custom fit
- Made of a soft, breathable fabric
- Color indicator shows when the diaper is wet
Best Overnight Adult Diaper: Tranquility Premium Overnight Underwear
Most adult diapers will provide the necessary protection during the day, but overnight can be a different matter. Some people do just fine wearing the same diapers for both, but others need more to be able to sleep comfortably.
Overnight diapers need to provide maximum protection without leakage, but they need to be comfortable enough that they allow you to sleep undisturbed. We chose the Tranquility Premium Overnight Underwear for its high-level design specifically for overnight use.
You’ll get premium absorption in a pull-on style product with comfortable, breathable sides and a full-rise waist panel to provide a snug, secure fit. So-called “kufguards,” or inner leg cuffs, channel fluids into the core of the diaper and are strong enough to contain large voids as well as bowel incontinence. The manufacturer guarantees skin dryness, preventing that cold, wet feeling, and the product is also designed to reduce odors and inhibit bacterial growth.
Perhaps one of the best features of this one is the easy tear-away sides that make changing quick and easy for individuals and caregivers.
Tranquility Premium Overnight Underwear Key Features:
- Super absorbent and capable of handling large voids and bowel incontinence
- Keeps skin dry without that wet, cold feeling
- Protects against odors and bacterial growth
- Tear-away sides make changing easy
Best Comfort Adult Diaper: Egosan Maxi Adult Diaper
If you have sensitive skin or need to wear adult diapers regularly, you know your skin can suffer. It may become red and irritated, to the point that wearing more diapers only makes things worse.
The Egosan Maxi Adult Diaper helps counteract those effects with “VitaSoft,” a soft and breathable fabric infused with aloe specifically designed to protect the skin. The non-woven, hypoallergenic material has an aloe-infused layer to prevent chaffing and discomfort. All Egosan products are also PEFC certified, which means that all the materials come from sustainably managed forests.
These diapers provide maximum absorbency, so you can wear them day and night. They come in a variety of sizes and have adjustable, refastenable tabs you can tighten as needed. Standup leak guards protect against leakage while odor protection reduces unpleasant smells. There’s also a wetness indicator perfect for caregivers.
Reviewers comment specifically on the feel of these diapers, saying they are very soft and comfortable.
Egosan Maxi Adult Diaper Key Features:
- Absorbent enough to work day or night in most cases
- Made with hypoallergenic, aloe-infused materials to protect skin
- Refastenable tabs allow you to create a custom fit
- Wetness indicator helps caregivers know when to change the diaper
- All materials come from sustainably managed forests
With all of these options, there’s no reason for you to let incontinence hold you back. Choose the one that’s best for you and get back out into your life. For additional overnight protection, you may want to check out our article on Best Mattress Pads.
