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Most of the soon-to-be moms probably don’t have a wipe warmer on their must-have list. However, once your baby is here, you may notice that he or she tends to get irritated during the diaper change when you touch their sensitive skin with a cold wipe. Our Munchkin Wipe Warmer Review evaluates a gadget that promises to resolve this issue by warming up the wipes to a pleasant temperature.
Munchkin Wipe Warmer is one of the most popular products from Munchkin, well renowned American producer of original equipment for kids and their parents. This company has been around for more than 15 years, and they have been praised for focusing on safety, innovative approaches, and the use of healthy materials wherever it’s possible.
All these qualities relate to their wipe warming device too. But how does it work? And do you really need it at all? This review tries to explain everything you should know about this latest addition to your diaper changing organizer in detail.
Let’s begin with Munchkin Wipe Warmer’s most important features:
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Features of Munchkin Wipe Warmer:
These are the most important features of Munchkin Wipe Warmer, which is also known as a Warm Glow Wipe Warmer:
- An energy-efficient device with low voltage use
- Soft light with automatic shut-off for convenient use during the night
- Flip-top lid for easier access to warmed wipes
- Can store up to 100 standard size baby wipes
- Wipes have to be bought separately
- This product is the 2016 Winner of The Bump’s Best Wipe Warmer Award
Specifications of Munchkin Wipe Warmer:
Here are some of the product’s technical specifications and parameters you might find useful:
- Dimensions: 7.25″ x 5″ x 10″
- Weight: 7.7 ounces
- Power supply: 110-120 volt AC outlet (don’t use with 220 volt AC outlet)
- Batteries required: No
- Dishwasher safe: No
- Portable: Only if close to proper AC outlet
Advantages of Munchkin Wipe Warmer
Munchkin Wipe Warmer is probably not something you or your baby couldn’t live without, but it definitely can make your everyday lives more comfortable and stress-free.
This applies particularly to families with very sensitive babies, who tend to get fussy over the slightest discomfort. Warming wipes before use is a simple way to keep your baby calmer and happier when you change their diaper.
Wipe warmers are also very popular as gifts – it’s that little extra something that can work perfectly as a baby shower present or a ‘congratulations’ gift to new parents. But how to choose the best one and what are the main qualities you should focus on? Here are some of the advantages that make Munchkin Wipe Warmer stand out:
Large capacity and great compatibility
Some apparently useful gadgets can in practice become a source of new worries and responsibilities. Fortunately, Munchkin Wipe Warmer is not like that. Its integral container can house up to 100 wipes at the same time, so you most likely won’t have to refill it more than two or three times per month.
Also, you won’t have to worry about getting the ‘right’ type or brand of baby wipes – Munchkin works perfectly with any type of standardly sized pop-up wipes. Thanks to the built-in control window, you don’t even have to open the lids to check if there’s still enough filament inside. This gives you perfect control over your reserves at a brief glimpse.
Mechanisms for moisture perseverance
We all know that wet wipes don’t stay wet forever – once you open the lid and remove the wipes from their original packaging, the clock starts ticking. Thankfully, Munchkin Wipe Warmer has several thoughtful mechanisms and features that prevent wipes from premature drying.
Firstly, wipes are stored behind two sealed lids that enclose the container almost hermetically. All you have to do is make sure that the lids are always thoroughly closed after every use. Also, don’t forget to turn the warmer off when you don’t plan to use it for a longer period of time. Heat slowly dries the wipes no matter what precautions you take, so this is the best prevention.
In case you somehow end up with dry wipes anyway, all you have to do is pour about ½ cup of clean water over the wipes to make them wet again. This procedure is recommended by the manufacturer, so it should be 100% safe.
Nightglow
Waking up (repeatedly) in the middle of the night to change our little one’s diaper is definitely not something most of us would consider their favorite routine. Munchkin Wipe Warmer makes it at least slightly more bearable by providing us with decent night light glowing directly from the device.
To turn the light off, you just have to press an illuminated button, which is easy to find even in the darkest night. The glow is bright enough to help you orientate in your diaper changing caddy, but it surely won’t wake your half-asleep baby (or partner) up completely.
Once you’re finished, you don’t even have to turn the light off thanks to the automatic shut-off with a timer preset for 10 minutes.
Reasonable price
Munchkin Wipe Warmer might be a bit of a luxury in comparison with some of the other baby gear, but its price makes it affordable for almost anyone.
If you’d compare this device to other similar products currently on the market, Munchkin stands somewhere in the middle with several slightly cheaper options on offer and numerous more expensive alternatives too.
Nice design
Although the design might not be your biggest concern when it comes to products like this, it’s definitely nice to have equipment that actually looks good on your table. Munchkin’s green and white design with beautifully round corners is also quite stable and completely sharp edge-free, which makes it safer around the baby too.
Disadvantages of Munchkin Wipe Warmer
Although this device boasts many great features, it also has some weaker points:
Drying accompanied by a change of color
Although Munchkin Wipe Warmer has various features for preventing the wet wipes from drying, its container is not a perfect vacuum, so wipes stored inside do eventually dry out. This can, of course, be intensified if you tend to keep the lids open longer than necessary or you buy some type of wipes that are drier from the beginning.
However, as the wipes dry in this warmer, they also tend to change their color due to the heat and become somewhat brownish. Although this shouldn’t have any major effect on the wipes’ safety, it surely doesn’t look pleasant so many parents end up throwing them away as a precaution.
No portable power supply
If you like you wipe warmer so much you’d love to bring it along on your trip, vacation, or family visit, beware that Munchkin Wipe Warmer can be used only when plugged into the mains. It doesn’t accumulate enough heat to keep the wipes warm inside for very long, and there is also no car adapter or battery compartment to keep it working on the go.
Moreover, most parents don’t change their baby’s diapers every time in a single spot in their house, so the inability to carry this thing around can complicate its use at home too.
No precise temperature control
Some wipe warmers have integrated thermometers with convenient LED displays that allow you to control the temperature of your wipes and adjust it to the season or situation. Unfortunately, Munchkin’s device lacks this feature completely.
No ON/OFF switch
If you don’t like the idea that this device will be permanently turned on (which can be dangerous especially if you have some older kids or curious pets at home), you literally have to pull this warmer plug out of the socket after every use. There’s no ON/OFF switch that would make this process more convenient.
Short Term usability
Let’s face it – wipe warmer is not something you will need for a long time. Even the most sensitive babies usually adapt well to shifts in temperature and contact with cooler objects in a matter of months, so parents rarely keep using these devices for the whole two to four years when their kids use diapers.
Of course, this disadvantage applies to many gadgets for newborns including the heartbeat monitors or baby bassinets. It’s also fair to say that most of these short-term necessities are significantly more expensive than the wipe warmer.
Munchkin Wipe Warmer alternatives you might like to try
Grownsy Wipe Warmer
Grownsy Wipe Warmer is a sophisticated wipe warmer with various advanced features. It can hold up to 150 wet wipes at the same time, and to ensure that the bottom layers won’t get dry before they are used, the heating is distributed from the top.
Grownsy has an integrated thermometer, and you can adjust the heat to your preference between 45℃-55℃ (you can set the temperature through the LED display with controls).
It makes no noise and there’s a dim night light for better manipulation in the dark. The device is made of food-grade safe materials too. On the other hand, its price is slightly higher.
Prince Lionheart Compact Wipes Warmer
Active families that are constantly on the move will surely appreciate Prince Lionheart – a compact and portable wipe warmer designed particularly for travels and trips. The package includes both wall and car adapter, which means that you can heat your wipes practically anywhere. Moreover, the insulated container can keep wipes warm for another hour after it’s unplugged.
Prince Lionheart Compact Wipes Warmer comes in two color designs (white and green-white), and its price is very decent. On the other hand, note that this wipe warmer can hold only 30 wipes at the same time, so it’s not the most convenient solution for everyday at-home use.
FAQs
Do you add water to the Munchkin Wipe Warmer?
The manufacturer recommends pouring about ½ cup of clean freshwater over the wipes whenever you feel like they’re starting to dry up. However, some users claim that the wipes get dry in this device relatively fast, so it’s best to add water automatically with each refill.
Can Munchkin Wipe Warmer grow bacteria?
Although warm and wet environments are in general linked to the growth of bacteria, wipe warmers are usually made of antibacterial materials that should limit these processes significantly. The wipes themselves are often impregnated with antibacterial solutions too. However, it’s best not to leave wipes in the device for too long if you don’t use the device on a daily basis.
How does Munchkin Wipe Warmer work?
Open the main lid by pulling the locks located on the device’s sides, and fill the container with an unwrapped package of wet wipes. Comply with the manufacturer’s recommendation on suitable type and size of wipes, make sure you don’t overfill the warmer too. Manually pull the top wipe through the opening in the lid. Close to keep the moisture inside and prevent the wipes from drying. Connect the device to the mains and wait until it heats up.
Conclusion – Is Munchkin Wipe Warmer good for you?
Munchkin Wipe Warmer is a beautifully designed, convenient, and affordably priced device that should satisfy most of the parents who are looking for this type of gear.
It has various nice features such as the night glow with a timer or large capacity. Its well-renowned producer can also be perceived as an advantage since the brand is known to use high-quality materials and focus on safety.
On the other hand, if you compare Munchkin’s device with some of the competition, it is a relatively simple machine with just a few features. To work properly, it needs to be plugged in the wall almost constantly, there’s no main ON/OFF switch, and also no temperature adjustment.
All in all, if you feel like you and your baby could benefit from this type of equipment or you’re looking for an original gift for a friend or a relative, Munchkin Wipe Warmer is a safe and reliable choice.
Interested to learn more about some of the other options you have? Our list of 7 Best Baby Wipe Warmers will provide you with more alternatives to choose from.
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