-- Update 15 January 2010
Our son is coming up to nine months old and (apologies if you have stumbled on this review by accident but I assume most readers are new parents) the "contents" of his nappies can be quite eye watering now that he is munching his way through steak, bananas, porridge, liver and other delights. I stand by all that I said below and would like to add that I am very, very glad I did not try to make do with the non-glorified version each time I take a hermetically sealed tube of evil out to the bin...
-- Original Review
I was sceptical about this device when it was recommended to us by a friend - it seemed like nothing more than a glorified bucket (such as the nappy bin from Mothercare we had been using in my baby son's early weeks) but I am now very much converted (even though it is basically a glorified bucket...).
There is nothing especially complex about this bin but what it does it does very well. It works by providing you with a "sausage skin" tube of strong plastic which lines the bin. By tying knots in this tube, one produces a hygenic lining for the bin itself and also a sealed bag for used nappies.
- cartridges are easy to fit, remove and replace
- nappies are completely enclosed in plastic even as you push them into the device so no mess escapes and the bin never needs cleaning
- nappies are sealed away behind a spring-loaded lid elimating odours
- once the bin is full it is easy to open it, use the built-in cutter to cut and tie off a full bag of nappies which is now completely sealed and then tie a new knot to carry on
- the plastic is strong and has never let us down
You can decide for yourself if this is value for money. You will need to empty the bin once every few days (in our experience with a four month old) and you will need to purchase a three pack refill once every 5-6 weeks. On Amazon this will cost you about £10. If spending a couple of pounds a week is worth it for the convenience outlined above then this is for you but, of course, if it is not then a (non-glorified) bucket with carrier bag lining will perform the same function without the simple elegance this product affords.