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Few things feels quite as cozy as stepping out of the shower into a warm, plush bath towel. ssww
We tested 14 towels for absorbency, durability, and comfort and also interviewed several textile experts to determine the best bath towels. Our top pick is the Kassatex Atelier Bath Towel, which is luxuriously plush and absorbent. For a budget option, we recommend Target's Threshold Antimicrobial Towel, which is just $12 and has held up to over five years of long-term testing.
When it comes to picking the best towel for you, Emily Forrest, resident towel expert at the wedding registry site Zola, said you should consider size, material (Egyptian, Pima, and Supima cotton are all very fluffy), and also grams per square meter (GSM), which will define how weighty, luxurious, and to some extent how durable the towel is.
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Best overall: Kassatex Atelier Bath Towel - See at Neiman Marcus Kassatex's Atelier Towels are the densest, most absorbent, and softest of all the towels we tried. They remain soft after several washes, and the hanging loops are a thoughtful touch.
Best budget: Threshold Antimicrobial Towel - See at Target At just $12 for a bath sheet and $7 for a traditional towel, these Target-exclusive towels are a great buy on a budget and they come in 11 colors to match any aesthetic.
Best quick-dry: Hydrocotton Organic Bath Towel - See at Pottery Barn The Hydrocotton Organic Bath Towel from Pottery Barn has a soft, extra fluffy, and substantial feel and it dries surprisingly quickly despite its weight.
Best Turkish: Mediterranean Organic Towel - See at Coyuchi The Coyuchi Mediterranean Organic Towel is a lightweight, tightly woven towel made from organic Turkish cotton that not only looks great but also ticks all the boxes for comfort, absorption, and thoughtful production standards.
Best waffle: Onsen Bath Towel - See at Amazon The Onsen Bath Towel is a lightweight and resilient waffle-weave option that absorbs water well but doesn't drag or hang heavy like other waffle towels.
Pros: Soft, heavyweight, absorbent, durable, hanging loop, can be monogrammed
Cons: Dries slowly, limited color selection
This thick towel is heavy and absorbent, with an 800 GSM (a measurement of a towel's weight), and takes a while to dry (about four to six hours in my experience) but it's all worth it if you want to wrap yourself in the equivalent of a comforting hug.
Made from combed cotton, which is cotton that goes through an additional process that combs out shorter fibers and impurities, the towel feels soft and sumptuous. While other towels I tested got rougher after multiple washes, the Kassatex towel remained as soft as it was at first use. Even though it wasn't as plush as a close contender from Frontgate, I loved Kassatex's towel the most because of its long-term softness potential.
It has an attractive dobby border — the decorative weave above the edge of the towel — that's not too big or small. If you don't like to hang your towels on a bar, each towel has a sturdy sewn-in hanging loop.
I tested the towel in the color Chalk, which was a little lighter in person than the photo on the brand's website indicated, so if you're choosing a specific shade to go with your bathroom style, keep this discrepancy in mind. The good news is that Kassatex offers 60-day free returns on non-monogrammed towels.
For $7 to $12 (depending on the size), you can't really beat the value of Target's Threshold towels. While they don't boast the same hefty weight as other towels in this guide (in fact, Target doesn't disclose the GSM of these towels at all, but it is described as heavyweight), they are incredibly soft and decently absorbent. You can choose from 11 different colors and several sizes to find the best option for your bathroom.
The towels are are 100% cotton fabric with terry construction and a textured border; your standard towel design. It's not entirely clear what, if anything, makes these towels antimicrobial. They are, however, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certified, meaning they have been independently tested for more than 100 harmful chemical substances.
I've had three of these towels for almost seven years now, and they've held up really well. I have noticed some fraying; but they're still plenty soft and absorbent. If you're looking for colorful, comfortable towels at an affordable price point, these are the ones to buy. —Lauren Savoie
Pros: Fluffy, made from organic cotton, dries quickly, comes in many colors, monogramming is available
Cons: Loose threads may emerge after multiple washes
I usually associate quick-drying towels with thin or textured construction, but this towel from Pottery Barn proves you can enjoy a fluffy, moderately thick feel without compromising drying ability.
On average, the towel took between 3 and 3.5 hours to air dry. Our picks for best waffle towel and best Turkish towel below actually dried faster. However, we're designating this Pottery Barn design our best quick-dry pick because it also has the traditionally soft and fluffy cotton terry feel that most people are looking for.
The towel retains its softness after multiple washes because it's made from 100% Turkish, GOTS-certified cotton and with untwisted yarns. Forrest said, "To make a towel, the yarns are twisted together, and the more the yarn is twisted the harder and less absorbent the towel becomes. But, if the towel is constructed with very little twist or with no twist, the outcome is a fluffier towel that will dry more efficiently because there is simply space between the yarn so each strand can dry."
That being said, I did notice a few loose threads emerge after I took it out of the dryer. We'll continue to do more washing and drying tests and monitor whether more threads come out.
Pros: Lightweight, absorbent, durable, stylish, sustainably made, doubles as a beach towel
Cons: Thin, fringed edges can tangle or unravel
Turkish (also known as Hammam or Fouta) towels are characterized by their traditional flat weave and knotted fringes. Coyuchi's Mediterranean towel is a thoughtful and beautiful interpretation, made from Turkish-grown and woven organic cotton and available in five coastal-inspired colors. Its fringes are soft, thick, and hand-knotted.
While thin, the towel is tightly woven and sturdy. It's not soft or fluffy like a cotton terry towel, which means it can also double as an effective beach towel since sand slides right off the woven surface.
Turkish towels aren't for everyone, but they dry quickly and are very lightweight and packable, making them the best towel for traveling. I brought along this towel on many recent road trips, and it barely took up any space.
The main con I discovered is that the fringed edges can get tangled in the wash or unravel. It also seems to bleach more easily than the other towels I tested; if I could go back, I'd probably choose the white color to hide any potential bleach stains.
Coyuchi only uses GOTS-certified organic cotton, which certifies that every part of the supply chain is free of toxic chemicals and meets social standards for worker conditions. It also takes back products to be mended, cleaned, and resold in order to reduce textile waste. Thanks to practices like this, the towel is sold at a premium price, but you'll know exactly what your money is going towards.
Pros: Light, dries quickly, comfortable texture, durable
Cons: Thinner and less soft than traditional towels
Fluffy, thick terry towels can sometimes feel stifling, especially if your body temperature runs hot or you live in a warm climate. Onsen's bath towel is a great alternative because it's thin, light, and quick-drying but still highly absorbent and comfortable.
It's made from 100% Supima cotton, which is a fiber that's strong yet soft. Adding to the towel's durability is a relaxed waffle-weave construction that seems to stretch and adapt to however you handle the towel. Though I could see the thin, individual fibers, I was impressed with how the towel never came out of the wash with frayed or loose threads. It also never snagged on my jewelry, which was a joyous revelation since I keep my earrings and nose ring on in the shower, and they can catch even on terry towels. Meanwhile, the bonded 2-inch edges provide structure to the flexible fabric.
Though it has the measurements of an average-sized bath towel, it dries quickly and takes up much less space, making it a good travel towel. And unlike other waffle weave products we've tried, the Onsen towel doesn't shrink in the wash.
The lattice texture can take some getting used to, but overall the material feels pleasant and springy. The towel also absorbed water off of my skin without clinging to it, a combination that's especially welcome in humid weather.
There are several factors you should take into consideration while shopping for a new bath towel:
Our favorite bath towels are all made from cotton, but there are many differences between the type of cotton used that impact the texture of your towel. Here are some common terms to look out for:
Long-staple cotton: Compared to short-staple cotton, long-staple cotton has longer, silkier fibers, which ultimately result in smoother and stronger yarn. Bath towels made from long-staple cotton will feel soft yet durable, and they're more resistant to fraying or pilling. According to Karen Leonas, a professor of textile sciences at the Wilson College of Textiles, NC State University, the industry definition of long-staple cotton is a fiber length of 1.15-1.22 inches.
Extra-long staple cotton: As the name suggests, extra long-staple cotton has even longer fibers than long-staple cotton. As a result, it's smoother, more flexible, and more resistant to pilling than long-staple cotton. Extra-long staple cotton is one of the best towel materials you can buy.
Turkish and Egyptian cotton: "Turkish" and "Egyptian" cotton refer simply to where the cotton is sourced from, not necessarily its quality and strength.
Pima and Supima cotton: Pima and Supima cotton are the same thing — Supima is merely the trademark name — and refers to extra-long-staple cotton that is grown only in the US and has a fiber length of at least 1.5 inches.
Combed and ring-spun cotton: With combed cotton, the cotton fibers are treated before they are spun into yarn. They are brushed to remove shorter fibers and any impurities. With ring-spun cotton, the fibers are spun and twisted together to create longer, stronger threads. The two terms can be independent of each other: combed cotton isn't necessarily ring-spun, and vice versa. It's also possible for both techniques to be present in your cotton towel. Either way, combed and ring-spun are ways to make the cotton, and thus your bath towel, softer and stronger.
The best bath towel will efficiently dry off your whole body in just a few pats, but high absorbency may come at the cost of drying speed — the most absorbent towels tend to be heavier and take longer to dry.
To assess absorbency, look at material (cotton is best) and GSM (grams per square meter). GSM stands for grams per square meter and is a measure of towel density. The higher the GSM, the heavier and more absorbent the towel is, and the longer it will take to dry. "Typically, the higher the GSM (900 is considered very high), the more luxe and plush the towel. A lower GSM (300 would be pretty low) indicates a lighter weight and more quick-drying towel," said Emily Forrest, an expert on towels at the wedding registry site Zola. She says the best towels usually have a GSM between 400-600; not too thick and not too thin.
Bath towels usually measure 28 to 31-inches wide and 54 to 58-inches long. They're designed to wrap comfortably around the shoulders and torso of an average person, but depending on your height, size, and personal preferences, you may need to pay closer attention to the towel's dimensions. If bath towels feel small, try shopping for bath sheets instead, which are usually 35 to 40-inches wide and 68 to 72-inches long.
Since you'll use your towel every day, fabric strength is of utmost importance. You'll want something that can stand up to hundreds of uses in a year and doesn't fray or get scratchy. Long-staple and extra long-staple cotton, with their long fibers, are strong and resistant to fraying and pilling. The type of weave also affects strength. Our favorite waffle towel, for example, has stretchy and adaptable construction that's also extra durable and never seems to come loose.
Oeko Tex: You may notice that some of our best towel picks have an Oeko Tex certification. This label means the final product has been independently tested for more than 100 harmful chemical substances and is safe for human use. While it's not the only certification out there, it's widely used and known in the textile industry. Our experts say you should look for the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification for basic safety, but if you also care about manufacturing, look for STeP by Oeko Tex. It checks for environmentally friendly, socially responsible, and safe practices all along the production process.
GOTS: The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is another certification, used specifically for organic textiles. GOTS-certified sheets contain at least 95% certified organic fibers and meet environmental and social standards at every stage of processing and manufacturing.
In our search for the best towel, we tested 14 products and put them through the same tests:
Absorbency: I used each towel to dry my entire body after a shower and wring out water from my wet hair (I have thick, medium-coarse hair). I repeated this test multiple times over the course of several months.
Drying: I timed how long each towel took to dry completely when hung normally on a towel bar.
Comfort: The best towel should be cozy and comfortable to use. I noted softness, fluffiness, and thickness and how the towel clung to or wicked water off damp skin.
Durability: I washed each towel and evaluated it for shrinkage, fraying, color loss, and roughness over time.
The towels we test and review here are bath towels and typically measure around 28 to 31-inches wide and 54 to 58-inches long. Bath towels are designed to drape around your shoulders or wrap around your body comfortably, but if you find you want even more coverage, you'll want the much larger bath sheet. Bath sheets typically measure around 35 to 40-inches wide and 68 to 72-inches long.
Keep in mind that the increase in size also means bath sheets are more expensive and take longer to dry than bath towels.
Wash your towels before you use them for the first time, and then after every three to four uses. A bath towel may seem relatively clean since you only use it to dry off after a shower, but that's actually not the case: towels provide a rich environment for bacteria to build up and grow.
"Think about when you dry yourself off with your towel — you are collecting oils and skin, and so you want to wash your towels every few uses. [That's also] why it's important to have a stocked linen closet," Forrest said.
For a regular clean, use warm or hot water and a small amount of detergent in the washing machine. Be warned that too much detergent can lead to residue buildup, which affects the towel's absorbency and fluff. In addition, manufacturers often add finishes or softeners to the towel, further contributing to buildup.
For a deeper clean, wash it in a hot cycle with a cup of white vinegar, and then run it in a second wash cycle with half a cup of baking soda.
After washing, you can toss it in the dryer on low or medium heat. Add a wool dryer ball to help with drying efficiency and to soften fabric. Be sure to clean the lint trap after each use, as towels are prone to shedding. Line drying is an option, too.
It depends on how often you rotate your towels out as well as the material they're made out of. Generally, bath towels should last at least a couple of years with good maintenance. If there's excessive fraying, it doesn't feel as soft or fluffy as it used to, or if there's a lingering smell you just can't seem to get rid of, then it's probably time to buy a new towel.
Hang your towel on a hook or towel bar when not in use, making sure the towel has plenty of space for air to circulate. This speeds up drying time and prevents mildew growth.
For clean, dry towels meant for longer term storage, you can fold or roll them, then stack them in your linen closet or cabinet. However you choose to arrange them, it's important to make sure the storage space is cool and dry, and that your towels are completely dry before you store them away.
If a wet towel is left bunched up in the hamper or on the ground, mildew starts to grow, leading to a musty smell. To avoid mildew, hang your towel right after use so it has the space and time to dry completely.
If it still smells, use our deep clean method: wash it in a hot cycle with a cup of white vinegar, and then run it in a second wash cycle with half a cup of baking soda. Dry it in a machine or hang it up to line-dry.
There are a couple of possible culprits for stains and discoloration:
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