As you begin to dip your toes into the vast pool of cloth diapers, you immediately are thrown back by the overwhelming number of choices.
Perhaps you’ve only used a disposable diaper before and the thought of stuffing, pinning or doing origami is enough to send you back to wasteful convenience.
When it comes to sposie-like (sposie is slang for disposable diaper) ease, the all in one (AIO) cloth diaper is the option for you.
An AIO does not require a cover or stuffing, although many AIOs offer you the option to add extra absorbency in a pocket.
This is an important factor to keep in mind when buying a cloth diaper stash. The ability to convert a daytime diaper into a nighttime diaper saves you money. Not having to buy special “nighttime diapers” will prevent confusion from husbands as well 
Be forewarned, AIOs often give people stick shock. Then again, most cloth diapers at first glance have this effect.
An AIO can be more expensive than other styles but this isn’t always the case.
Below I will give you a brief summary of some leading brands’ AIO cloth diapers. If I have written a detailed review I will link to it. Stay tuned for more detailed reviews over the next few weeks.
Trim ratings: Trim, Super Trim, Uber Trim
BumGenius Freetime: Detailed Review. Microfiber soaker material. Suede cloth inner. One size with snap down rise in front. High quality, trusted brand. Snap or aplix closure. $19.95. Pocket located under soaker flap for adding extra absorbency. Trim. Bum Genius Freetime is available in several gorgeous hues and prints.
Ones&Twos: Microfiber soaker material. Microfleece inner. One size with snap down rise in front. Brand new cloth diaper brand from Australia. Aplix closure. Available in 6 solid colors plus white. Budget friendly AIO at $16.95 or for a 5-pack of white they come to $15.99. Front pocket for adding extra absorbency. One thing I like about Ones&Twos booster is that they are topped with stay dry fabric. This allows you to keep the AIO easy and lay it on top against baby’s skin (you can’t lay straight up microfiber against baby’s skin). Super Trim.
Thirsties Duo AIO: Microfiber soaker material. Microfleece inner. Two sized system allows for a more custom fit yet still providing a wider size range; rise snaps in front. Pass through pocket allows for easy addition of extra absorbency.
These diapers are thirsty! I love the amazing absorbency present without adding anything extra. Hemp inserts are available for purchase and make this diaper a great nighttime option. 13 different solid and print choices. Snap or aplix closures. At $15.75, Thirsties is your best buy! Size 2 will fit your child for most of their cloth diapering days. The only thing I wish the Duo AIO had was the gussets Thirsties is famous for. Trim.
itti bitti d’lish AIO: This is my favorite of the itti bitti line. Sized diaper (not one-size) The d’lish AIO (the snap in one isn’t bad, just not as easy as the AIO) is luscious minky on the outside, suede cloth and bamboo on the inside. Longer drying time. $18.97. Super Trim. Lower rise diaper so size up if you want more bottom coverage. I did have more wicking at the legs with this diaper than the others. Available in several bright fun minky solids and prints.
Ragababe AIO: Sized diaper. Aplix closure. Suede cloth inner, bamboo soaker. Pocket for adding absorbency. Super absorbent diaper! This cloth diaper was made for Camden. But, just so you know I’m not playing favorites, Ragababe AIOs did NOT work with Sterling. Ragababe cloth diapers are hard to get at the moment, although I’m praying for a production miracle. $27.95. 10 prints and solid choices. Uber Trim.
BumGenius Elemental: Detailed Review (2009). This was my go to diaper with Sterling. Elementals fit him like a glove and he can still wear them on the smallest rise setting (although he’s been out of diapers for almost a year!). Formally known as BumGenius Organics, the Elemental has an organic cotton inner. One sized, snap down rise on front. $24.95. Uber Trim. No pocket for adding absorbency. The major drawback to the Elemental is the tendency over prolonged use for the soaker to develop holes. I used the same Organics/Elementals on Sterling for 2 years and even with holes they still worked great
Swaddlebees Simplex AIO: I really like this diaper. My favorite part? The multiple personality tongue. Seriously. This diaper is (almost) all cotton inside. Perfect for those who only want natural fibers touching baby’s skin. But, what if that’s what you think you want then your baby’s skin says, “Um, no thank you. Please keep my skin dry.” No problem. Just pull out the tongue (also called the soaker pad) that contains a layer of stay dry microfleece and lay it on top of the diaper. Genius! No need to cut strips of microfleece in order to make use of the money you already spent. This is a one sized diaper and retails for $25.95. The swirls print is my favorite! Super Trim. You could add absorbency for nighttime.
GroVia AIO: A one sized, side snap diaper with a 100% organic cotton inner. I like the quality of PUL GroVia uses and the buttery soft organic cotton but there’s where my love stops. The elastic casing is very tight. This can be a great thing for babies with skinny legs! Actually this could be the perfect diaper for petite babies. Camden peed once and wetness could be felt at the legs. $22.95. Uber Trim.
This is just a sampling of the all-in-one cloth diapers available. Feel free to browse the AIO category for other reviews I’ve done in the past.
I can’t tell you how nice it is to have an easy cloth diaper. But, “easy cloth diaper” means different things to different parents at different times!
Six months ago easy to me was a pocket diaper. Four years ago it was a fitted diaper. It has always been fun experimenting with the different systems. For research purposes of course.
Let me know if you have questions about any of the brands I listed or one I didn’t list.
September 22, 2012 at 7:20 pm
Autumn (or anyone else
, what are your thoughts on which types of babies Ragababe works best on (I know you said they worked for one of yours, but not the other)? We’ve only used prefolds/covers in the past, and I would like to try some AIO/AI2′s for baby on the way. Our DD has very chubby legs, and both my husband and I are more athletically built (so i’m guessing no twiggy baby on the way for us 
. Thirsties covers are our favorites. I’ve ordered a couple of Ragababes (b/c they are so hard to get, I’d like to get a few now if I can), but am curious as to how the fit is? I have yet to snag one in DD’s size, only the smaller ones. Thanks for your feedback!
April 13, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Thanks for the informative post. However, the comment that the diapers “will prevent confusion from husbands as well” raises in me the same reaction that the “Dad test” Huggies commercials did. Husbands are not, to make a literary allusion, Epsilon-minus semi-morons. To assume that men are just blathering idiots that need to be saved from their own stupidity is just as insulting as saying that women shouldn’t be allowed to drive cars for fear that they will ruin them.
April 14, 2012 at 12:59 pm
Well, the honest truth is that most dads (including my own who is a doctor, highly intelligent and able to do most anything he tries) are not as proficient at changing diapers. My husband wants the easiest and he has made that point very clear
February 29, 2012 at 10:12 pm
I love BG Elementals on my 13 month old. When she was younger we tried a variety including pre-folds w/ Snappis and a cover, pockets, etc. I loved using a pre-fold when she was little because she just looked so darn cute and I have to admit that is the main reason I cloth diaper. However, after buying a few Kawaii baby pockets I’ve noticed that they tend to leak at her inner thighs, although for the value and prints, I love them for during the day, but now that she is older and chunkier in the legs the BG Elemental is my favorite diaper. They are just so easy to use, easy to wash and though they tend to have a longer drying time, I love the fit on her because they are so trim.
February 12, 2012 at 6:10 pm
Hello…
Do you have any comments on Giggle Life CD?
February 17, 2012 at 1:16 pm
I haven’t tried them. Can you send me a link?
February 3, 2012 at 7:54 pm
Just received 2 Ones & Twos from Kissed By The Moon so here’s my initial review. The quality of the suede cloth and outer fabric are impressive. My girl is around 14 pounds and it fit her great. I like the narrow crotch (similar to Fuzzibunz) but it has some drawbacks. I used the microsuede/microfiber insert it came with inside the pocket. It’s so small compared to Flip inserts. About as narrow as a small sized Fuzzibunz insert. She soaked up the attached and inserted pocket in 2 hours. So I might have to use an extra hemp or bamboo insert as well. It’s going to be hard to stuff extra regular sized microfiber inserts due to the narrow crotch but would be good as a daytime diaper.
February 3, 2012 at 7:57 pm
Also the aplix is much stronger on the Ones & Twos than Thirsties
February 3, 2012 at 7:34 pm
Love my Ragababes, but I’d love to try one of the new Thirsties AIO’s or the new Ones and Twos. Those are next up on my have to have list. Thanks for the reviews. I’m even more excited about them now.
February 3, 2012 at 2:56 pm
I am surprised at how much I love the BG Elementals. My sitters, mothers-in-law and husband all find them fairly easy to use. They cover well and seem to be fairly absorbent. However, I have had to use fitteds and covers at night. Nothing else seems to hold. I am enjoying the SBISH fitteds I was lucky enough to get but they are really bulky and my covers are extremely tight over them. I’m looking for preferably a wool solution and wondered if you had any recommendations. I know at one time you said Wild Child Woolies were your favorites but they seem to have a more limited production currently. Suggestions?
February 2, 2012 at 8:59 am
I am confused….my simplex doesnt have any stay dry fleece on the tounge or anywhere in the diaper. I wish it did though, that would be nice.
February 1, 2012 at 4:14 pm
I just bought a BG newborn AIO for my baby due in June and noticed the laundry tab is on the inside back part. I’m worried it will scratch or irritate newborn skin! Not sure why they would make them like this. Does anybody have experience with these and/or problems with scratching baby’s skin? Thanks.
February 1, 2012 at 11:30 pm
I used the bumgenius newborn diapers and I felt liked they leaked. I used cloth diaper safe cream but I think it cause the little diepers to be less absorbing. (The bumgenius 4.0 is wonderful though.) Now I use a liner if I have to use cream. The tab didn’t seem to bother my baby though.
February 3, 2012 at 7:08 pm
I used these with my son recently and thought the same thing. I had both styles (the soft laundry tab and the loop laundry tab). Neither style irritated his skin. I actually have a review of these on my blog. http://adventures-in-fluff.blogspot.com/2012/01/newborn-diaper-reviews-part-1-all-in.html
February 4, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Thank you so much!
February 1, 2012 at 2:10 pm
My favorite was the Bum Genius 2.0 AIO…. Sigh. But since I can’t find those hardly anywhere, I will settle for the new Freetime which I do love, just not as much. But I would like to know what you think of Soft Bums. Those are very alluring to me and wondered why you didn’t mention them here.
February 1, 2012 at 2:53 pm
I didn’t include any AI2s (Peachy Green, Softbums, Best Bottoms, Flip, GroVia) because I was sticking with the system most like a disposable. Softbums are an excellent AI2 choice, especially for diapering more than one child at a time.
February 1, 2012 at 1:35 pm
Is there are fabric that works the best for an AIO diaper? I love AIO, but dry time is an issue for me.
February 1, 2012 at 2:55 pm
You can always make the soaker external for quick drying. If you use microfiber just add a microfleece or suede cloth topper.
February 1, 2012 at 1:25 pm
In my personal opinion, for an all-in-one, a natural fiber is the only way to go. We loved the BG Elementals for this reason. AIOs are harder to get completely clean and rinsed free of everything, imo, so the design of the Elemental AIO makes washing it a breeze. Microfiber always ends up looking dingy and stinking no matter how much stripping I do, so I always avoid it like the plague unless it’s a foldable single-layer insert for a pocket, like those mf towels. Just my 2 cents on AIOs.
February 1, 2012 at 12:10 pm
What about your favourite “Grasshopper” . My DIL says she is not doing cloth because she found these didn’t “wick” and it was like her baby was walking around with a wet towel on. hahaha I laughed out loud when I heard that. I told her that she was supposed to change the baby when he was peed, not when his diaper weighed 5 lbs. LOL My other DIL loves these diapers.
February 1, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Oh my goodness. I forgot. Need to add that…
February 1, 2012 at 8:11 am
Any thoughts on the Kawaii brand?
February 1, 2012 at 2:57 pm
good pocket system.
February 1, 2012 at 8:01 am
Peachy Green/Bright Star Baby?
February 1, 2012 at 7:04 am
If I’m not mistaken, than GroVia uses TPU fabric not PUL
February 1, 2012 at 8:30 am
sorry.
February 1, 2012 at 2:22 am
Please discuss the differences, advantages, disadvantages, etc. between the Ones & Twos AIO vs. the Thirsties AIO. I know that Thirsties has 2 sizes whereas Ones & Twos have one, but what does either offer that the other doesn’t? And for what kinds of babies or needs would they be suitable for? I’m looking for strong aplix since I’ll be ordering a stash for daycare. I’ve found my Thirsties aplix are frayed after only 3 washings
April 1, 2012 at 12:25 am
I’ve used Thirsties for my 5-mo old boy as my main go-to diaper. We’ve used their all-in-2 pocket diaper mainly, but recently I acquired a new Thirsties AIO with snap closure. It is great. Very trim, dries quickly in the wash as fast as my liners for the pocket dipes. I haven’t tried stuffing it to add absorbency as I usually use the AI2′s for naptimes, etc., but it looks just as easy to do as stuffing a pocket diaper. I agree with others who say the Aplix closure for Thirsties is lacking. I’ve had to return 15 Aplix AI2′s to Thirsties because they have pretty much unraveled. Luckily, Thirsties has excellent customer service and has replaced each diaper with a new snap-closure diaper at absolutely no cost to me. Not even for shipping.