The Best Adult Diapers (2025)

A good adult diaper can open up the world for someone with incontinence, making daily life a whole lot easier. A reliable diaper allows you to see friends, go to the gym, and travel without anxiety about leakage, smells, or finding the nearest bathroom to change.

After testing 15 adult diapers, we found that drugstore options are mostly bad. If you’re fully incontinent, we think it’s worth spending more for premium diapers that offer better coverage. And if you need only light protection, say, for after labor, you may prefer incontinence underwear (which we’re currently testing).

The extremely absorbent InControl BeDry Premium Incontinence Briefs hold more than 67 ounces (the equivalent of voiding your bladder five to eight times) and didn’t leak in our tests. They’re a good choice if you need maximum coverage and want diapers you only need to change a few times a day.

A wetness indicator strip makes it easy for a caregiver to see whether the diaper needs changing. The refastenable tabs are sturdy and will stay tight even through intense activity, but those with arthritis or other dexterity issues may have trouble with the thin material.

While these diapers are pricier per diaper than many we tested, the overall cost will likely be lower than cheap brands because you’ll need fewer throughout the day. Though the smaller packs (2-count and 16-count) are available on Amazon, we recommend you buy through the InControl website; you’ll get a better deal per diaper and free shipping if you order a case of 48 diapers. They come in four sizes and one color.

We found that the NorthShore MegaMax Tab-Style Briefs absorbed just as much as the InControl BeDry diapers (even though they’re advertised as holding less). They come in a wider range of sizes, so they may be a better fit for those who need a smaller or larger diaper.

Because they lack a wetness strip, they’re less helpful for caregivers than the InControl BeDry diapers. The refastenable tabs are very similar to InControl’s in that they will hold tight even with strenuous activity, but they might be hard to use independently if you have arthritis.

Though they cost the most per diaper out of all the diapers we tested, the higher quality means you can change them less often. Unlike the InControl, NorthShore MegaMax diapers are available in five different colors and can be purchased at several online retailers.

The Beyond XP5000 Plastic-Backed Adult Briefs have Velcro-style, hook-and-loop fasteners that set them apart from our other picks. The tabs require less strength to take on and off and provide a larger and thicker surface to grip, making them easier to use for those with conditions like arthritis. But hook-and-loop fasteners can loosen throughout the day more so than adhesive tabs, so we think they’re best for folks who aren’t particularly active.

They’re also not as absorbent as our InControl and NorthShore picks, struggling especially with a full bladder emptying quickly. With less volume, they absorb decently well and will keep your skin dry.

Most of the diapers that you can buy in the store — including the Assurance Unisex Stretch Briefs with Tabs — hold much less liquid and are more prone to leaking if you have full incontinence. But the Assurance diapers are the best of the lot, holding about 20 ounces more in our stationary tests than diapers from better-known brands like Depend (though they do start feeling wet to the touch at only 8 ounces).

While competitors absorbed less and leaked easily, the Assurance diapers showed no leaks or seepage below 30 ounces of liquid. But we don’t think this diaper will work for anyone who needs to be able to regularly empty a full bladder because the absorbency is so slow.

At a little over 50¢ per diaper (compared with around $1.50 to $3.00 for our other picks), the initial cost of buying these is easier on those with a tight budget. However, long term you may end up spending as much as or more than you would on our other picks because you’ll likely need to change the diaper more often.