Written by Carley Thornell, an award-winning journalist with experience in caregiving and occupational therapy
Updated May 24, 2024
The sheer volume of incontinence pad options for those who sprinkle before they tinkle can be overwhelming. Some incontinence pads resemble maxi pads but are designed for senior citizens, others are designed for postpartum moms, and others for those with medical issues. There’s something for every need—and budget.
Even though incontinence is more often a women’s issue, our expert testers trialed products for both women and men.
During our testing process, Ultimate Absorbency Tena Incontinence Pads (available at Amazon) emerged as the best incontinence pad for the amount of fluid it handled without leaks, as well as the feel of its upper surface material. For those looking for something sleeker, Ultra Thin bladder control pads (available at Amazon) are both wallet-friendly and discreet.
The below list features the very best incontinence pads money can buy, ranked on a wide range of factors like absorption, disposability, and discreetness.
Best Overall
Tena Sensitive Care Ultimate Absorbency Pads
The Tena Sensitive Care Ultimate Absorbency pads are the Cadillac of incontinence aids—they’re big and cushy, with a soft surface that’s like a smooth leather seat. They’re not the daintiest model out there, but they have some nice flourishes, like a purple honeycomb design on the surface and a handy arrow to orient placement. This isn’t exactly the most modern incontinence pad design you’ll see (meaning NSFL, or “Not Safe for Leggings”), but the Tena Ultimate Absorbency pads earn top marks for absorption.
Pros
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Soft surface
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Highly absorbent
Cons
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Bulky
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Likely to be noticed under clothing
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High price point per pad
Buy now at Amazon
$23.38 from Walmart
Best Value Incontinence Pad for Men
Amazon Basics Incontinence Guards for Men
Amazon Basics Incontinence Guards for Men have some of the most effective adhesion of all the products on this list, which means there’s little slippage likely once placed in regular underwear. That’s a good thing, because this pad is a bit bulkier than the other men’s option we tested.
Unlike the Tena incontinence guards, there’s a bit of extra material toward the back, like a shorter version of a women’s maxi pad. This one also comes wrapped in a gray, semi-opaque fabric pouch, so you’d better head for a stall before busting it open. There’ll be more change jangling in your pocket, however, since the price point on this men’s pad is pretty low, comparatively.
Pros
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Great adhesion
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Value priced
Buy now at Amazon
Best Value Incontinence Pad for Women
Amazon Basics Women's Ultra Thin Bladder Control Pads
This is by far the slimmest incontinence pad we tested, and it’s the one that most closely resembles a traditional maxi pad (perhaps mentally more approachable than transitioning to incontinence products). The way its pouch is designed so that the plastic covering over the adhesive comes off with it is a clever feature, since having them as two pieces means inevitably one of them will fall on the powder room floor.
In the contouring department, this one doesn’t have elastic at the gusset area to provide some curvature (and extra leak protection). This is not the choice for those with heavier leakage issues or overnight needs, but it’s the best choice for those with a low flow looking for a good value.
Pros
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Lower price point
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Slim design
Cons
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Only for minor leakage
Buy now at Amazon
Best Incontinence Pad For Absorbency
Tranquility Super Personal Care Pads
As long, bulky, and costly as these pads are, you’d expect them to be hyper-absorbent. And they are. But you’d better also think twice about the added price of having to buy new, larger underwear to fit them into. If elephants had incontinence pads, these would be it.
However, for those looking for straight-up the most effective incontinence pad when it comes to absorbency ratings, this is the one you want. The fluid has more real estate to spread out.
Pros
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Extremely absorbent
Cons
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Highest cost
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Poor texture on surface material
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Bulky design
Other Incontinence Pads We Tested
Tena Sensitive Care Overnight Pads
The Tena Ultimate Absorbency pads for overnights take most features from the Ultimate version (our top-ranked pad) and enhance them—for the most part. On the plus side, the overnights are slightly less thick, and the surface material is softer. They’re the same (oversized) length and width at the gusset, allowing for the maximum amount of space for ultimate fluid absorption.
But the curvature outward at the derriere increases the bulk, without adding a wider glue strip at the back—meaning there’s a chance this extra surface area could get bunched up. The Tena Ultimate inched out its Overnight cousin due to superior adhesive and ease of removal, as well as lower moisture transfer after our first absorption test.
Pros
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Same great features as our best overall
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Soft surface material
Cons
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Increased bulk
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Less adhesion
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Hard to remove
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Lower moisture transfer
Buy now at Amazon
$21.22 from Walmart
Poise Fresh Protection Pads - Ultimate Long
There’s not much that’s whimsical about incontinence pads, but the bubblegum-pink pouch is a nice touch, as are the scalloped edges and purple flourishes as a placement key. Design-wise, the curvature of the cotton at the gusset with the elasticized ruching to maintain shape give this pad’s users a leg up to allow maximum movement without impediment.
The adhesive is also quite effective compared to other pads. The initial absorbency test showed maximum effectiveness, but the second unfortunately didn’t go quite as well, so this isn’t the choice for use long-term or overnights.
Pros
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Pretty design
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Shape allows for more leg movement
Cons
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Absorbency results were mixed
Buy now at Amazon
$23.49 from Target
$22.94 from Walmart
Always Discreet Pads - Heavy Long
Like Amazon Basics Ultra Thin pads, Always Discreet are quite slim and resemble a maxi pad. Their design is clever, with elastic at the gusset so the pad maintains a body-hugging curvature.
What Always lacks in floof, however, it more than makes up for in overpowering scent that borders on off putting. Besides our initial absorption test, this pad came in last for its propensity to take on additional volume. For those with a heavier unexpected flow, Always may not be so “discreet” for long.
Pros
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Thin
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Body-hugging
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Good absorbency
Cons
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Puffs up with moisture
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Extremely perfumed
Buy now at Amazon
$14.19 from Target
$13.88 from Walmart
What You Should Know About Incontinence Pads
How To Wear Male Incontinence Pads
While many women have knowledge of and experience with maxi pads that will transfer nicely to incontinence pads, men might feel a little less prepared.
According to the National Association for Incontinence, bladder leakage is an issue more prominent in women, but it’s not uncommon for men to face it too. Unfortunately with less support, as it’s not discussed enough.
Women’s pads and unisex pads will not fit men well. Look for those designed specifically for men to best accommodate the male anatomy.
Also called “guards,” incontinence pads can be found in many shapes and sizes. Look for a guard that works with the underwear cut the wearer uses most often.
If adhering a pad to underwear poses a problem, also consider absorbent briefs or adult diapers.
Are Incontinence Pads Covered by Medicare?
No. Just like all urinary incontinence products, Medicare does not cover incontinence pads. If you seek coverage for incontinence pads, your best option may be to peruse options tied to state Medicaid plans or private insurance providers.
Coverage options for Medicaid and private insurance can vary widely from state to state and from company to company, so speak to an expert in your area for the most concrete information.
If you have one, you can likely use your HSA or FSA to purchase incontinence products.
How We Test the Best Incontinence Pads
We test incontinence pads based on aesthetics, absorption, surface texture, effectiveness of adherence, scent, and disposability.
The process features two tests, both first and second with 3 tablespoons of juice, applied to the same pad after a waiting period of 20 minutes. We also use paper towels between each application to test for absorbency. Leakage is visually determined, and it informs the ranks seen above.
Subjectively, each pad is also graded based on its ease of application, quality, absorption and size options, as well as level of discreteness.
More Articles You Might Enjoy
- The Best Adult Cloth Diapers
- The Best Incontinence Underwear
- 20 Personal Care Products All Caretakers Should Have
- The Best Toilet Seat Risers
Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more.
Meet the tester
Carley Thornell is an award-winning journalist and health-tech writer whose first job was in an occupational therapy office. Her father was a disabled Army veteran, which made her passionate about all things healthcare and accessibility. Carley also covers DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) topics for many other publications, including Skift.
See all of Carley Thornell's reviews
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