Fit Healthy Momma Rating: 8/10
The Pika Diaper Machine is a unique machine that cleans cloth diapers in one easy step, replacing your traditional, yet complicated washing routine. Once you have 10 dirty cloth diapers in the Pika, you drop the cleaning pod and press start. It's marketed as that easy, but is it? Let's find out!
Putting cloth diapers on your little one is something that is good for them, but it’s also good for the environment. Unfortunately, a lot of people are turned off by the prospect of using cloth diapers for their babies, thinking that it’s going to add tons of time to their daily routine. When in fact, you can very easily use cloth diapers without having to deal with all kinds of messes, as long as you have the right equipment on hand.
It can be a daunting task to accumulate stinky diapers and then find the time to clean them off and wash them. It can sometimes take multiple washings to get them clean. What if there was a unit that you could have right in your baby's bedroom or your laundry room (as long as there is plumbing access) that would take care of the cleanup for you? It might sound too good to be true, but there is a product called Pika Diapers that can do just that.
This is an effortless, economic and environmentally friendly cloth diaper option that you’ll feel good about using in your home. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the Pika Diaper Machine, as well as some of the basics that you should know about cloth diapering.
What Are Re-Usable Cloth Diapers?
Reusable cloth diapers are made by many different brands, and some mothers even opt to make their own using some fabric and a sewing machine. It’s a very simple option for diapering your child, and reduces the need for purchasing pack after pack of expensive diapers. Like the disposable variety, cloth diapers can be purchased in different sizes. Some of them even have a series of snaps in different locations that allow you to use the same diaper as your child gets older. Cloth diapers tend to become more absorbent as they age, so it’s optimal to have the same ones on hand for a while.
The design of a cloth diaper is simple. You usually have two different options to choose from. There are one-piece cloth diapers that you simply snap onto your baby and change it out when needed. There are other cloth diapers that consist of a cover as well as liners for the diaper. As long as the cover stays clean, you can just change the liner when your baby pees or poops. The method of cloth diapering many decades ago utilized safety pins to keep them in place, but there are now child-safe snaps and Velcro that provide a strong hold so the diaper doesn’t slip off.
When it comes to the cleanup of cloth diapers, there are a few different methods. If you’re lucky enough, you have a cloth diaper service that picks up your diapers weekly and returns them clean. You can also wash them at home.
Are Re-Usable Cloth Diapers Worth It?
To some parents, cloth diapers might not seem worth it. However, you end up saving a substantial amount of money when you’re using a reusable option. Within the first year of a baby’s life, they will use approximately 2,500 to 3,000 diapers. Depending on what diaper brand you choose, this could cost you close to $1,000 per year. While there is a bit of an upfront investment with cloth diapers, you won’t have to buy much moving forward. You can save about 30 percent in diapers the first year when you use reusable diapers, and that number increases to 60 percent after the first year (when your baby doesn’t need such frequent diaper changes).
Cloth diapers are also really good for the environment. There are more than 18 billion disposable diapers that will end up in landfills each and every year. The switch to cloth diapers would cut back on that number dramatically. It takes a staggering 550 years for a single disposable diaper to break down in a landfill.
Core Details of My Pika Diaper Cleaning Machine Review
Product: | Pika Diaper Machine |
Best for: | Cleaning cloth diapers in one easy step |
How many cloth diapers does Pika hold: | Up to 10 cloth diapers |
Special cleaning pods: | Yes, the Pika Pod |
How long does the cleaning process take: | The Pika Diaper Machine runs for 2 hours |
How clean do the cloth diapers get: | Very clean, and you can expect to have clean, re-usable diapers after the wash is complete |
What's the main drawback: | Expensive, and you have to keep reloading on Pika Pods |
Official website: |
About the Brand Pika Diapers
Alon Cohen is the creator of Pika Diapers. After the birth of his daughter, he became very affected by the concept of so many diapers ending up in landfills each year. These diapers create about 1.5 tons of plastic waste, so Cohen opted to come up with a more sustainable and eco-friendly option for his household. The Cohen household started using cloth diapers, but not without challenges. The cleanup chore was becoming daunting, which inspired the creation of the Pika Diaper Machine.
The Pika Diaper Machine is essentially a small washing machine that you can place anywhere in the home that is convenient. It makes cleanup of stinky diapers a breeze, and it saves you a lot of money when you’re babies are little. A subscription service makes this process even simpler. You receive the unit along with 30 cleaning tablets per month, and each one washes about 10 diapers.
Overview of Pika Diapers
As you go about your day and change your baby’s diapers, you’ll simply throw the soiled diapers into a unit that looks very similar to a traditional diaper pail. It’s slender and can be put in the corner of a nursery or in the laundry room (anywhere that you have normal plumbing access). When you accumulate around 10 diapers, you add a Pika pod and turn the device on. When the unit has stopped running, you’ll be able to remove clean and fresh diapers. It takes about two hours for the Pika machine to complete its cleaning cycle.
Pika does sell cloth diapers that can be used with their diaper cleaning machine, but you’re able to use any cloth diapers that you own with it. There’s no risk of running out of diapers and having to run to the store at the last minute to buy more, you’re doing great things for the environment and you’ll actually save money in the long run, despite having to invest in the unit to start out. Pika is in a pre-order phase, but you can secure yours now.
Pros
- Reduces greenhouse gases
- Saves energy
- Reduces waste
- Saves your household money
- Subscription service is available
Cons
- Pika is accepting pre-orders for their unit, which is currently set to come out in February of 2023
- It’s a bit of an up-front investment
- You’ll need to purchase additional cleaning tablets to replace what you’ve used
How Do Pika Diapers and the Pika Diaper Machine Work?
When you take off your child’s dirty diaper, you’ll place it directly into the Pika Diaper Machine without having to clean any of the mess off. With a more traditional method of cleaning cloth diapers, you have to pre-clean them to remove a lot of the solids. Then, you can place them in the washing machine or wash them by hand. You close the lid and the smell is contained. When the machine fills up (the capacity is about 10 diapers), you use a Pika cleaning pod and turn the unit on. It will run for two hours before turning itself off, and you can open the machine and remove completely clean diapers that are ready to go back on your child. There are Pika diapers that you can purchase to go along with your diaper machine.
The Pika is set up using a connected Pika adapter that is provided with the purchase of your unit. You then connect your Pika to your washing machine water supply hoses using the adapter. The Pika drain adapter connects to the standpipe and then the Pika and washing machine drain hoses connect to the adapter. It’s a pretty simple setup process.
What’s The Difference between the Pika Diaper Machine and a Washing Machine?
You may be scratching your head wondering how the Pika Diaper Machine is any different from a traditional washing machine. When you use a traditional washing machine, you have to pre-treat the diapers so they don’t have any solids on them. You’ll need to store them until they’re ready to be cleaned, which can promote a pretty stinky home. Once you’re ready to do a load of cloth diapers, you’ll need to pre-wash, wash and rinse your diapers. If you don’t complete this entire process each time, you can end up with diapers that harvest bacteria. This can increase your baby’s chances of developing a diaper rash. It could also cause the diapers to hold on to their smell.
Pika is designed to clean stool and urine without having to pre-treat anything. It’s also a much more compact option, and it leaves your washing machine free for all of the other laundry that you’re doing every day (Don’t get me started on the spit up!).
Why Would Moms and Dads Buy Pika Diapers?
Pika offers diapers that you can purchase which are highly compatible with their diaper cleaning machine. They are durable, soft and clean up very nicely. You can use your own cloth diapers with the Pika machine, but the brand recommends that you avoid using anything that is made out of cotton. Cotton doesn’t hold up very well over time.
Good for Parents
There’s so much that you take on with a new baby in the house. As a parent, you’re juggling feedings, housework, potentially a regular job and maybe other older kids in the home as well. Finding ways to make your life easier is imperative. Pika offers a really simple solution for helping the environment while also saving you money on disposable diapers. It’s so convenient to simply toss dirty diapers in a stink-proof unit, turn the unit on and come back to clean diapers just two hours later.
Saves Money
Raising a child is an expensive endeavor, and diapers are a very substantial expense during the first few years of life. Most parents opt for disposable diapers because they think it’s too difficult to cloth diapers, but with a little planning and an investment like Pika, you can save quite a bit of money prior to potty training.
Great for the Environment
By reducing the number of disposable diapers that are entering landfills all across the world, the Pika Diaper Machine can help you make a positive impact on the environment. If you think of the amount of diapers that your child will use during the first two to three years of their life, and then consider how many small children there are using those disposable diapers, you’ll start to wonder how you can reduce your carbon footprint as well.
How Much Does the Pika Diaper Machine Cost?
The Pika Diaper Machine is currently in the pre-sale phase. It is set to be released in February of 2023. The current cost is $595 (regularly $850). You can decide what you want your subscription cost to look like. A monthly supply of tablets costs $40 per month. You save five percent by opting for the three-month supply, and 10 percent is saved by purchasing the six-month supply.
How Long Do Pika Diapers Last For?
Your average cloth diapers will last for around 400 washes before they start to break down. This time frame can be shortened by not using the right cleaning products or cleaning process. The Pika Diaper Machine is a very gentle, yet effective process that protects the integrity of your diapers.
Alternatives Compared to Pika Diapers
There are some other products available that can help simplify your life if you’re using cloth diapers and / or want to help protect the environment by way of a more eco-friendly diapering option.
Bambino Cloth Diaper
The Bambino cloth diaper is one of the easiest designs to use. It provides a very strong closure system, along with super soft fabric and excellent absorbency. It prevents leaks and comes in a large assortment of colors and prints. The Bambino is stretchy, but it’s also very waterproof. When you use this cloth diaper option, you don’t have to pack all kinds of extra outfits and diapers when you head out. Once your baby becomes active, they’ll be able to get around with ease while wearing a Bambino cloth diaper.
Grovia Hybrid Diaper
This super cute hybrid diaper by Grovia is made using an outer shell that is adjustable and very snug. Liners are then purchased and placed on the inside of the diaper. You change those liners during diaper changes, leaving the outer shell unless it becomes soiled. Grovia offers some really adorable prints and their products are affordably priced. You can also choose from a range of soaker options, customizing your approach to cloth diapering how you see fit.
Charlie Banana Reusable Cloth Diapers
Made from organic cotton and hemp, hybrid diapers from Charlie Banana come with disposable inserts that combine convenience with a more environmentally-friendly and healthy option for diapering your child. They are fastened using a strong snap-closure, and each diaper has multiple snaps so you can adjust the diaper according to the size of your baby. You can keep the same diaper as they grow. They’re a little on the expensive side, but this is a one-size-fits-all diaper option that reduces the need for ongoing purchases. You can choose between solid colors and prints, and you save a little money by buying a set of multiple diapers.
The Bottom Line: Are Pika Diapers Worth It?
I think the Pika Diaper Machine is a brilliant idea that every cloth-diapering parent needs in their life. It makes cloth diapering a much more accessible option, reducing the inconvenience that so many parents experience when they try to clean cloth diapers on their own. To just throw dirty diapers in a machine that can do it all for you is incredible. If you’re going to be welcoming a new addition into your home or know someone who is, this is the perfect item to order before the baby arrives.
