The Best Bibs to Keep Babies Mess-Free

Pros:

• Quick, convenient magnetic closure
• Dishwasher-safe silicone
• Wide pocket

Cons:

• Only one size/closure setting
• May be too large for smaller babies

So many Babylist parents wrote in to our Best Baby Products survey to rave about this bib—it checks all the boxes for both messy eaters and busy parents, thanks to its wide pocket and wipe-clean material, but it’s the innovative magnetic closure that helps it clinch the top spot in our book. Other parents love the magnetic part, too; one parent said in our survey that “the easy magnetic latch is perfect for impatient babies and lazy dads.”

The Babynetic bib, which one Babylist parent called “seriously genius,” is made with convenience in mind—no buttons or snaps, just wrap the neckband around your baby and to connect the magnets, quick and easy. And the magnets are strong enough that tiny hands can’t undo them (but they’re still easy enough for an adult to remove). You can even hang the bib on your magnetic appliances (like your fridge or dishwasher) for easy storage, a pro tip that one parent called “an actual game changer.”

To double down on the convenience factor, the entire bib is platinum-grade silicone so it’s easy to clean—it’s 100% dishwasher safe—and features an extra wide, stay-open crumb pocket to catch anything your little one throws at it (literally).

The only real downsides are that the closures aren’t adjustable to fit different sizes, and the bib overall is a little too large for babies younger than six months old.

Real Parent Reviews:

“So adorable! The magnets were way more powerful than I expected, easy for a grownup to pull off but didn’t slip off my kiddo’s neck at all.” — Samantha R.

“Not only is this bib adorable hanging conveniently on my refrigerator but it made post-dinner cleanup a breeze! It washed very easily and went right back on the fridge to use the next day!” — Lilly R.

“10/10 recommend. Absolutely love this bib. It is so easy to put on my wiggly baby and I love how you can store on your fridge for easy access! The wide mouth of the bib catches everything! This will definitely be my go to for baby shower gifts!” — Lexie W.

Pros:

• Machine washable
• Absorbent fleece backing
• Dozens of adorable, trendy designs

Cons:

• Only two adjustable snaps
• Small coverage area (not great for big messes)

While most bibs on this list work great for older babies who are already eating solids, these bandana bibs from Copper Pearl are perpetual favorites among parents of younger babies because of their absorbency. Drool, milk and other liquids tend to slide right off of silicone and plastic bibs (and right into baby’s lap…or yours), whereas these cotton and polyester fleece bibs soak everything right up. They provide just enough coverage for baby’s neck and chest, but since there’s no crumb-catcher pocket, I wouldn’t suggest using them for solid food meals.

When my youngest wore these bibs, they stayed soft even after dozens of washes. He wore one at all waking hours during his teething stage and when we’d bottle feed, and they caught every bit of drool and dripped milk (for solid food meals, we swapped to a silicone option because he was just so messy). I considered it a bonus that these bandanas could also be matched to his outfits every day, and other parents agree: “They are the first ones we have found that not only work for catching drool but also look amazing! Complete game changer for outfits,” one Babylist parent said.

One drawback to the design of these bibs is that there are only two snap closures. An adjustable neckline makes for a longer-lasting bib, but these Copper Pearl bibs only have three size settings. My son outgrew his right around his first birthday, so while we did get about a year of use out of them, he couldn’t use them into his toddler years like the more adjustable bibs.

Real Parent Reviews:

“Absolutely love these bibs!! I’ve been looking for the perfect bib for a while since my little girl drools and spits a lot and these are the best by far! Super absorbent and the cutest prints 😍” — EvaMarie

“I absolutely love these bibs. The animal print is so cute. These are more like accessories than bibs, and they are so soft plus you can get matching headbands.” — Kellie S.

“Most absorbent, best fitting bibs out there. My baby wears one all day long (except for naps of course) for feedings and to catch drool. They wash well and hold up fairly well over time with heavy use.” — Kaila B.

Pros:

• 100% organic cotton
• No buttons or snaps to worry about
• Absorbent knit terry backing

Cons:

• Neck hole can lose shape and stretch out
• No waterproof layer (doesn’t hold up to heavy drool or spills)

If you’re looking to use natural products and materials with your baby, then these 100% organic cotton bibs from Burt’s Bees Baby are the ideal choice. Most bibs, including those with cotton top layers, have plastic, silicone, polyester or harsh chemical layers to help with water resistance, but not these. It’s layers of organic cotton all the way through—just keep in mind that that also means they’re not as water-resistant as the other bibs on this list, so they won’t hold up to heavier messes.

These bibs also have a unique non-closure design, using lap-shoulder flaps instead so that they’re easy to slip on and off baby’s head—they even work for babies with larger heads. “My baby has trouble with getting some shirts and other pull on bibs over his head, but due to the way these are set up it is very friendly to bigger head sizes,” one parent told us. So no messing with buttons or snaps, and even stronger babies won’t be able to pull them off.

One drawback to the lap-shoulder design and soft material is that they can cause the bibs to stretch out. “After about 15 minutes of my baby tugging or playing while wearing the bibs, I notice the neck is sagging,” one parent said. The good news is that, since it’s 100% cotton, you can soak the bibs in hot water to help shrink the fibers back to their original size.

Real Parent Reviews:

“These bibs are a great size and the opening is really gracious so our baby doesn’t feel like we’re smooshing his face trying to get it over his head. I saw some other reviews about the corners curling after washing (which they do) but it’s more of a minor inconvenience. They do their intended job well and the bib portion itself is really nicely sized to get all the drool, spit up, and snot compared to the smaller bandana style bibs. I just wish they were a little more affordable with maybe some more pattern options and I would buy a lot more.” — Jamie

“Great bibs. I got these for my premature baby and although they are too big they are easy to put on and I’m not struggling with trying to fasten something in the back. Great material like always.” — Peralta

Pros:

• Over four inches of adjustability
• Dishwasher safe
• Extra-wide pocket that actually stays open

Cons:

• Material is stiffer than most bibs
• Babies may be able to reach and pull on adjustable neck cord
• May be too large for smaller babies

This bib has the most adjustable neckband of any bib we’ve found—with over four inches of adjustability, it’ll keep working for your baby from their first days of eating up through preschool. “My oldest still occasionally likes to wear them for messy meals,” one parent said in their review. It’s also got a wide pocket that actually stays open to catch spills. It’s made from BPA-free, food-safe plastic that’s easy to clean—it’s dishwasher safe!—and dries quickly.

Keep in mind, however, that even though this bib looks just like popular silicone bibs, it’s actually made of sturdy plastic. “It’s more rigid, but this makes it stronger and easier to clean,” one parent said. Another parent noted that “it’s too stiff and we had to wait until our child was long enough to not hit the tray and push into our child’s esophagus.”

And as great as this neckband is for growing with your baby, some parents noted that older toddlers may be able to reach the cord and accidentally over-tighten it.

Real Parent Reviews:

“Seriously, just buy these bibs. We put a set on our registry and then have tried others at grandparents’ house and all others are noticeably inferior. They either don’t tighten enough to where food makes it between the bib and the clothes (biggest problem among most other bibs), or the pocket doesn’t open right and it just lands in babies lap, or the pouch isn’t big enough. This bib has none of those problems. The only flaw if it can be considered one is that it is inflexible which means it’s likely not the best for eating out and about as it will take up a lot of space in the diaper bag. If you’re on the fence about it, just do it. You won’t regret it.” — H.

“These bibs are a hard plastic so they’re better at catching food than the silicone ones as they don’t get squished against the high chair tray. The band around the neck can be fastened tightly to stop food slipping down the inside, though I did accidentally once pinch my baby’s neck when I was fastening it so be careful of that! I don’t think they’re as comfortable for baby as the soft, silicone ones.” — Frances

Pros:

• Includes long sleeves and full front torso coverage
• Made from recycled, waterproof, Oeko-tex Certified materials
• Machine washable

Cons:

• Air-dry only
• Not adjustable (only comes in one size)
• Not for younger babies (only 6 months & up)

If you’ve got an extra messy baby like my sons were, I strongly recommend going for a full-coverage bib like this one instead of a traditional one, especially when they start self-feeding. This smock-style bib from Lalo (a parent-favorite for all types of feeding essentials) covers baby’s chest, belly, shoulders, arms and even the tops of their legs, and it even has a front pocket for catching food and crumbs. It’s a great option to keep baby’s outfit as intact as possible or if you’re trying to avoid extra bath times, like the Babylist parent who said in his review: “My little guy is a monster when eating. The smock bib makes it so we don’t need to rush to the bath after every meal.”

This bib also does double duty for art and sensory playtime. The 100% polyester material is waterproof and wipes down easily, so I was never afraid to let my kids go wild with the finger paints (which, more often than not, became body paints—but this smock kept the paint off most of their skin).

Keep in mind though, that while the smock can be machine-washed, it’s not dryer-safe. You’ll need to hang it up or lay it flat to air-dry, but in my experience, it dries really fast. And when it comes to the fit, it doesn’t have an adjustable neckline or sleeves, so it works best for older babies age six months and up.

Real Parent Reviews:

“I use these when I want an easy cleanup and I want to keep adorable little outfits to remain intact. I throw them in the washer and hang to dry as needed. I have a few in rotation and it works quite well for us!” — Missy B.

“The feel of these is just thick and soft enough to be durable but airy enough to be comfy for baby! The best smock bib I’ve found.” — Cassandra

Pros:

• Fully disposable for on the go
• Three absorbent, leak-resistant layers
• Built-in crumb catcher pocket

Cons:

• Not adjustable
• Not as durable as reusable bibs
• Only comes in one design

Need something for the restaurant or grandma’s house? These disposable cloth-like paper bibs from Bibsters can be tossed after one use, so you won’t have to worry about washing a bib in a restaurant bathroom sink or stashing a dirty bib in the diaper bag until you get home.

And even though they’re disposable, these bibs are triple layered—a quilted paper top layer that feels like cloth, an absorbent middle layer and a leak-proof bottom layer—so they protect your little one’s clothes as well as the bibs you use at home every day.

But since these bibs are paper-based, they’re not as durable as regular reusable bibs. Older, stronger babies may be able to tear them off, since the neckline is just a hook-and-loop fastener. “This is a decent bib when I’m out at a restaurant with my son,” one parent said in her review, “but they are so easily broken by my 13-month-old. One yank and the neck will immediately tear.” And speaking of the neckline, these bibs aren’t adjustable, so smaller babies may end up with a gap around their neck where food can get caught.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a variety of designs, no dice here. There are other disposable bibs on the market with different designs, but they don’t hold up as well to larger spills or excessive drool (the pocket on Bibsters bibs is much bigger than other brands). So for the best disposable bib on the market, you’ll have to go with their only design: Sesame Street.

Real Parent Reviews:

“I was a little hesitant to buy these before our vacation, but at $10, and with them being such a cute print, we went ahead and grabbed a box to take with us. I’m so thankful we did. These saved so many outfits, and bibs from getting covered in food and stained or potentially even molding while away for a week without access to a washer. They’re lightweight, but not overly so to the point of being easy to tear. Our little put a handful of the Bibster in his mouth on more than one occasion without it disintegrating or tearing. They are super easy to put on, you just tear the little perforated section in the back, and then [connect] the two parts together on your little one. They make cleanup so much easier, we wiped our little one’s hands and face, and then removed the bibster and chucked both it and the wipe. Our new must have for keeping them clean and dry when we go out to eat. We will definitely be ordering more to use when we’re in town, not just on vacation.” — Mama K.

“I got these reusable bibs to put in our diaper bag when we’re on the go or eating out. They are light, easy to use, and good at catching toddlers’ mess while eating. As a bonus, they have Sesame Street characters and are super cute. I will definitely buy more when we run out and always make sure to have a few in the diaper bag when we go out.” — AZ