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I am looking for feedback in regards to an idea for a re-usable baby diaper system. According to numbers I gathered, it seems a baby consumes about 8-10 diapers a day for 2.5-3 years. At $0.30 per disposable diaper, this could amount to $3300 per baby during their diaper wearing years. Other estimates i've seen put this figure in the $5000 area. Normal reusable diapers need to go through a normal wash and rinse cycle and a set of these diapers still costs ~$300.
At any rate, I've thought of a system that includes a patented style of reusable diaper with a miniature washing machine that would fit on a table top. The machine would be capable of washing AND drying 10-12 diapers at a time in a period of 15-20 minutes start to finish; it would be ideally placed next to a basin sink in the basement and plugged right into the regular washing machine drain and water supply from the sink faucet.
If there was an all inclusive system designed to be a one time investment for diapers for the first few years of a child(ren) at somewhere around $500-600, would this be attractive to parents of babies? Would you be willing to pay more if something like this was available?
I would not invest in something I already have, a washer and dryer. We washed and dried diapers daily as part of our daily routine, not a big deal since we did laundry daily anyway.
What do parents do with the mini washing machine when your baby is done with diapers?
The same that people would do with other baby items when they are done with them; sell it, gift it or store it for the next time. This machine would be the size of a microwave.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CSD610
...not a big deal since we did laundry daily anyway.
Good point, a lot of people certainly do laundry everyday.
The same that people would do with other baby items when they are done with them; sell it, gift it or store it for the next time. This machine would be the size of a microwave.
In that case, I would not be interested in it, even as a parent of multiples, for a couple of reasons:
- it's one more thing to figure out what to do with when you're done using it, and I would have to sell it for less than I paid for it as a used item
- it duplicates equipment and a process I already have
- no room in laundry area
- potential leaks/plumbing issues
I like the idea because you can wash dirty diapers seperately from your other wash. And there are a lot of over similarly pricey baby items like strollers, car seats that you don't use after a few years. I think the eco-conscious crowd would be a good market, because it cuts down on landfill waste from diapers. Me personally - even though I consider myself an environmentalist and tried cloth diapers, I just couldn't deal with the time required to wash and went to disposables.
Most folks who use cloth diapers now are fine with using their washing machine they already have, or use a diaper service. Most people cloth diapering to save money will not buy an extra special diaper washing machine. Most people with money who are cloth diapering for the environment will pay for the diaper service because it's more convenient than your proposal. Most people who use disposables usually do so because they have to, because daycare requires it, or because they just don't have that kind of time or patience. Honestly, an extra special diaper only washing machine with a complicated hookup sounds like MORE hassle, not less. The name of the game in selling things to parents is to do things that involve LESS hassle. Like a diaper service where they just take your dirty ones and give you clean ones, and poof you're done.
Aren't compact washing machines already a thing? I think they're only like $100. I wouldn't pay $500-$600 for one considering our full size washing machine wasn't even that much.
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