The Best Wipe Warmer

Buying Guide

For many parents, baby wipes make diaper changes easier and more convenient. They not only keep baby clean, but also keep parents’ hands clean as well. However, for some babies, the cold and wet feeling of the baby wipe on their skin can feel jarring and uncomfortable. A baby wipe warmer is an easy-to-use gadget that keeps wipes at the optimal temperature for both babies and their parents.

Much like it sounds, a baby wipe warmer heats up baby wipes. Because they are soaked in a liquid, baby wipes tend to always feel cool to the touch. While this can feel comfortable to some, for most babies the cool feeling is unwanted. In addition to warming up the baby wipes, the gadget helps to ensure the wipes don’t get dry and discoloured as well. (Often, if wipes are not used for a period of time, they tend to dry out and get a yellow-ish tinge.)

With safety being a priority for all things baby related, one of the most important things to know is that wipe warmers have the potential to grow bacteria (after all, it is a warm, moist environment). This can lead to diaper rashes and irritated skin for your baby. When selecting a wipe warmer, consider whether it has any features to restrict bacteria growth. For example, some have a UV light system which kills of certain bacteria while others have antimicrobial additives. With some wipe warmers, you can restrict bacteria growth by regularly emptying them and cleaning them thoroughly.

• Consider how much space you have on your baby changing station. This will help you determine what type of wipe warmer you can accommodate. Typically, most wipe warmers are slightly wider, deeper and taller than regular wipe containers.
• Not all wipe warmers work the same way. Some warm from the top of the unit, which means that the first few wipes at the top will be the warmest. The ones that warm from the bottom warm the ones at the bottom of the pile first. Both work well, but it all depends on how many wipes you use at a time. If you only go through one or two wipes per diaper change, then a top-warming unit will work well. However, if you want a large stack for each change, then go with a bottom-warming unit. Heat rises, so these units can usually warm more wipes at a time compared to their counterparts.
• If you do a lot of nighttime diaper changes in the dark, having a little night light on the wipe warmer is a handy feature. This helps you navigate the gadget when the lights are out without disrupting your baby. This is a nice-to-have feature that can make bedtime diaper changes a breeze.
• Look for temperature controls on the wipe warmer. While some gadgets only have an on/off settings, others allow you to choose how warm the wipes get.
• How long does the gadget take to warm the wipes? It can vary from unit to unit. Some work effectively in just a few minutes while others tend to take much longer – which can be a problem when you need to do a diaper change right away.