In addition to Baker, we also consulted Diana A. Wyman, executive vice president of AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists), and Deborah Young, a textile expert specializing in textile science, textile design, and textile history.
Our team of experts put 19 of the best bath towels on the market to the test over the course of two days at our testing facility in Des Moines, Iowa. We thoroughly evaluated the towels based on their texture and plushness, threw them in the wash to see if their quality diminished over time, soaked them in water to check their absorbency, tested how well they resisted stains, and performed abrasion tests to assess their durability. We also put a few of these to the test at home to gain additional insight.
Still, while preference plays a role, there are some features you simply expect in a good bath towel. Most importantly, you want it to be well-made and feel good against your skin. Bath towels should also be durable, hold up well after going through the wash, and successfully absorb water so you can dry yourself efficiently.
“The most important thing is how you like it and how it works for you,” says Saana Baker, a textile expert with 25 years of experience based in San Francisco.
When it comes to bath linens, a lot comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer a plush, fluffy towel; others are partial to lightweight towels made of thinner materials that dry quickly. For some, size is a priority, and a roomy bath sheet with ample fabric to wrap yourself in might be the goal. A towel’s weave, origins, and decorative embellishments can also be a matter of preference.
Sadly, it didn’t repel stains as successfully as some of the other best bath towels on our list—both the foundation and mascara were visible, although somewhat faded. Some loose threads appeared after it had been washed, but none that couldn’t be easily trimmed.
The dry time on this bath towel is also worth noting; although some of the towels on our list took up to two hours to fully dry, the Boll & Branch towel dried after just 60 minutes, which we felt to be an especially reasonable time considering how thick and plush it is.
It fared well in the wash with little texture or color changes and had good absorbency. Post-wash, the towel was still very plush and felt worn, but in a comforting way.
The towel is made of 100% organic cotton that’s GOTS Certified Organic with low-twist yarn and a terry construction. Although the retailer doesn’t list their towel’s GSM, we found it to be quite dense—a very good choice for anyone after a thick, spa-like towel.
For a traditional, fluffy option, the best bath towel is the Boll & Branch Cotton Bath Towel. The towel scored high marks for its plush, soft, thick texture. Overall, we noted that it feels like a luxurious product.
However, the drawbacks were evident early on. Out of the package, the towels had several snags in the fabric, though these snags did not worsen with multiple washes. And makeup stains did not come out with laundering; traces of both mascara and foundation were clearly visible even after washing.
Because bath sheets can take up a lot of space in a linen closet when they’re folded, we liked having a loop as an option for hanging the towel on a hook. And the price for two bath sheets is quite affordable.
With a handsome band on one end and a loop for hanging, this OEKO-TEX-certified bath sheet is simple, modern, and attractive. It is thirsty and absorbent but still very quick-drying—it took just an hour to dry completely, which was the fastest of the towels we tested. It also held up well in our durability test, with almost no pulling or fuzzing after we abraded it with a bristle brush.
Several snags in the fabric were noticeable before we even used the towel, and makeup stains did not come out in the wash.
These generously sized and reasonably priced towels dried faster than any other towel we tested.
The towels are also thinner than we were expecting, and the 54 x 30-inch bath towel is on the small side of industry standards. But for the price, you’re getting 18 basic towels, which might be just what a new grad, college student, or budget-conscious homeowner is looking for.
The drawbacks on this set include its quality, with several fabric flaws and snags visible from the get-go. That only got worse with use and washing during testing. After three runs through the laundry, the loops on one portion of the towel loosened and sagged, making them more prone to snagging.
Sometimes you need a slew of towels in the same color and varying sizes—washcloths, hand towels, and bath towels. This set from Latitude Run is a budget buy for just such an occasion, and it won points for softness, absorbency, and stain release. It dried in about two hours, which seemed appropriate for its thickness. We also appreciate its 10 colorways, including both neutrals and bold brights, so you’re sure to find one that will work in your bathroom.
There were several significant snags apparent right out of the package. These were also rougher and smaller than other towels we tested.
At first feel, the towel comes across as a bit thin, and its woven texture looks like it could snag with regular use. When we abraded the towel with a bristle brush for a durability test, the towel pilled and degraded somewhat, though the underlying fabric did not appear stressed.
In addition to the great color options, these towels feature a loop for hanging them to dry, a lighter weight, and nice softness. The color did not fade with washing, and the towel let go of makeup stains completely, leaving no marks behind. It’s also priced competitively and certified by GOTS and OEKO-TEX.
Coordinating towels are a budget-savvy way to put the finishing touch on a bathroom, but it can be hard to find well-priced towels in sophisticated colors. That’s why we’re taken with the 10 high-end hues on these West Elm organic towels, which range from pale pastels to rich darks, every last one of them stylish and attractive.
This towel is on the smaller side and it feels a little thin.
If tantalizing colors are high on your list, look no further than these gorgeous hues, all rendered in textured organic cotton.
The only issues we noticed: It wasn’t as absorbent as other towels, and it took a bit longer to dry—which might be because it’s so thick and dense.
This beauty also comes in an array of 15 really lovely colors (several neutrals and a few pretty blues), so you’re likely to find just the one to match your bathroom. It exceeded our expectations in terms of washing, durability, and overall feel, and it’s definitely worth the price.
This might be due, at least in part, to the long-staple Turkish cotton, whose fibers are longer and don’t pill as easily as other fabrics. Towels made with long-staple cotton maintain a tighter weave and smoother surface.
Both before and after washing, this Restoration Hardware towel boasted major loft, super softness, and deep terrycloth loops. It didn’t fade or wear with a turn through the washer and dryer, and maintained its handsome appearance and dense pile. It released makeup stains with ease, and it performed well in our durability test, with no loose fibers or fuzz.
It isn’t as absorbent as other towels we tested and took longer to dry.
This towel wowed us with its soft, thick, plush construction that held up well during washing.
We did notice some pilling and loop breakage during the durability test, where we abraded the towel with a brush. As for value, its price is in the middle of the pack at $89 for two towels, but we weren’t quite sold that this pick is worth that much, especially compared to other options.
It absorbed lots of water in our testing, and it dried pretty quickly (in less than two hours), which is great considering its larger size. Makeup stains washed out of it easily and left behind no traces, and multiple washes did not compromise the towel’s good looks one bit. The GOTS certification means the cotton is organic and its processing was environmentally and socially responsible.
Made from GOTS-certified Turkish cotton, this Brooklinen towel stands out from the rest with its plush ribbed texture and its hefty size (about 58 x 30 inches). That puts it somewhere between a typical bath towel and the larger bath sheet—plenty of cotton for drying off while still small enough to fold and easily store in a linen closet.
One downside worth mentioning is dry time. Given that this towel is on the thinner side, we assumed it would dry fairly quickly—but at two hours to regain its original weight, this was definitely one of the slower-drying towels we tested.
Softness and plushness don’t always go hand and hand with towels. If a thick, plush fabric is your preference, this may not be the best bath towel for you. Overall, the Luxome towel has a medium thickness and weight.
Some of the towels we tested lost a bit of their initial softness after going through the wash, but the Luxome towel remained very soft even after multiple washes. We also noticed that it did become somewhat smoother and silkier. The fabric also didn’t shrink as much as many of the other towels we reviewed and the stains went away nicely.
During testing, we praised the Luxome Spa Collection Towel for its softness. The fabric, a blend of viscose from bamboo and cotton, scored top marks for quality and texture and held up well in abrasion tests. We also found the towel to be high-quality and appreciated that there were no loose threads or uneven stitching.
Appearance-wise, this is a well-constructed towel with an attractive banner that you’d be happy to display in a guest bathroom . It’s worth noting, though, that there are no other extra features or decorative embellishments, if that’s something that’s important to you. Color options are more limited, but it’s offered in classic neutrals like ivory, silver, and mineral.
In tests for durability, the Quince bath towel fared very well. The fabric didn’t develop any loose threads or snags, and the color resisted fading and discoloration. And while we did feel that the fabric became just slightly less soft, overall it remained lovely and plush after multiple washes.
Although the retailer doesn’t list GSM, we found this to be a medium-weight towel that felt very substantial. At 27 x 54 inches, it may not be quite big enough to qualify as a bath sheet, but it’s still roomy enough to feel luxurious. We found the proportions were generous, and easily wrapped around us with extra length to spare.
If you reserve the best bath towels in your house for guests, you’d be proud to offer them the Quince Turkish Spa Bath Towel. We loved this terry cloth towel’s plush texture and the soft, spongy feel of its 100% long-staple Turkish cotton.
Unfortunately, the Quince Organic Turkish Waffle Bath Towel did experience some of the highest shrinking of the towels we tested. And while it’s certainly not undersized at 54 inches long, the width (27 inches) is on the smaller side, and we thought that these dimensions are a little narrow.
In the lab, the Quince Organic Turkish Waffle Bath Towel successfully repelled stains (even in the white color), retained its texture after being washed, didn’t develop any loose threads or fabric changes, absorbed liquid nicely, and held up in the abrasion test. In fact, we felt that the abraded area was barely noticeable.
We found the texture was airy and high-quality, and appreciated that it was different than a typical terry cloth towel. With the waffle weave and a wide, 1.5-inch border on each end, this towel also looks and feels high-end.
The Quince Organic Turkish Waffle Bath Towel combines a waffle weave with 100% long-staple Turkish cotton, which is famous for its luxurious softness. The result is a soft, lightweight bath towel that’s organic, too.
It experienced some of the most shrinking of all the towels we tested.
For all this heft, one might think it would take a long time to dry, but not so—it was dry within 90 minutes. And it handled our abrading test with ease, with no significant changes to the towel’s surface or appearance. It looks and feels like absolute luxury, which makes its price for a pack of two all the more amazing. Our only complaint is that it’s not as soft as other towels we tested.
Its size is impressive, being large enough to cover a taller person with room to spare. It’s thirsty, too, soaking up ample water in our absorbency test. We found that it released makeup stains with no residue left behind.
Our favorite bath sheet weighs in at a whopping 800 grams per square meter, making it a super dense option. It is well-made and high-quality—there were no loose threads, snags, or defects either before or after washing during testing.
This very large, very thick bath sheet is very well constructed, and a great value for a set of two.
At $79, it is definitely a luxury item, and it was not the softest or most absorbent towel we tried. But we feel it’s still a good value for what you get—it’s a whole lot of towel for the money.
It comes in three sophisticated neutrals that will slip easily into almost any décor, it ranked highly in our durability testing, and it was just as soft after washing as before. It released stains easily, and our abrading test did not cause any snags, loose threads, or fading.
This towel is woven of GOTS-certified organic cotton and it’s also OEKO-TEX certified. The former stands for the Global Organic Textile Standard, which certifies that a product is organic, and has been processed in an environmentally and socially responsible way.
For as large as this bath sheet is—and it’s huge—it is surprisingly lightweight and has great drape, so it’ll twist around your body or wet hair with ease. The terrycloth is thick and dense, and there’s a loop on one of the long sides so you can hang it to dry. At 69 x 39.5 inches, it might be more towel than you need if you’re shorter.
It’s not as soft or absorbent as others we tried.
Supima cotton isn’t known for being particularly fast-drying, and while the Lands’ End towel won’t win any awards for its dry time, it also wasn’t the slowest-drying product we tested. The fabric was fully dry within 85 minutes, which was pretty average for the towels we tested in our lab.
Nearly 70 inches long, this qualifies as a bath sheet, though we did feel that the width could be a little more generous given its length.
Post-wash, it was evident that the sheet had been washed but the fabric remained very fluffy, if marginally stiffer, with no loose threads or quality issues. The color was saturated even after multiple washes, an especially good thing since the brand offers an impressive 20-plus color options shoppers can take advantage of. We tested a lighter color and were impressed that there were no stains leftover after washing.
Not only is this bath sheet a great value, but our abrasion tests indicate it’s highly durable and will last you for years to come. The texture was just slightly softer but not visibly altered after the fabric had been brushed, and the abraded area produced little fuzz.
This was also one of the most absorbent towels we tested in our lab. When placed in a bowl of water, it collected all of the liquid within seconds and left the bowl bone dry.
Supima cotton is known for its softness, plushness, and incredible absorbency, and the Lands' End Premium Supima Cotton Bath Sheet didn’t disappoint. We enjoyed the texture of this bath sheet and specifically liked its thick, soft, high-pile fabric, attractive decorative border, and quality.
We wished it was slightly wider given how long it is.
Price-wise, this is on the higher end of the bath towels we reviewed , but we felt that the cost was reasonable given the quality. The only thing to keep in mind with this towel is dry time; even after two hours, the thick, plush fabric remained damp, so it’s definitely not the fastest-drying towel on our list.
Even after multiple washes, the Garnet Hill Cloud-Loft Towel retained its high-end texture. There was only the slightest difference in softness post-wash, but overall the towel still felt very plush and cozy. There were some visible signs of wear after the abrasion test (the brush produced a grape-sized amount of fabric debris, though there were no holes or loose loops). We were impressed that the fabric fully repelled the mascara and foundation stains, too.
It’s made of long-staple Turkish cotton, a material that’s known for being luxurious and soft. We liked that it felt thick and spa-like without being overly bulky. The high-quality details are a selling point, too, especially the detailed border that gives the towel a stylish look and feel.
True to its name, the Garnet Hill Cloud-Loft Towel scored rave reviews for its wonderful soft-as-a-cloud texture. We appreciated the towel’s thickness and overall quality and felt that it was the ideal combination of plushness and softness.
We did notice a few small issues. While the towel started off soft right out of the package, it lost some of its silkiness upon washing. And two stitching errors — a loose tag and stray blue thread in the towel—were disappointing. But its other attributes and reasonable price made this towel our best overall.
It comes in five colors (three neutrals and two fanciful brights), and it’s crafted of OEKO-TEX-certified cotton. Products with this label have been rigorously tested and are certified not to contain a number of potential harmful chemicals.
The best bath towel we tested looks like a fresh, thick hotel staple, with a subtle Hay logo and a loop for hanging. We appreciated its absorbency—the towel soaked up plenty of water in our tests—and its durability (released makeup stains and held up against abrading). The towel dried quickly too (in about two hours), which was especially noteworthy considering how thick and plush it is.
This luxe towel from Hay is absorbent and durable, dries quickly, and has a high-end, hotel-like look.
The Bottom Line
Our pick for the best bath towel overall is this option from Hay which is simple, clean, and modern. It absorbs plenty of water, dries quickly, and it held up well in our washing and abrading tests. It’s also modestly priced and comes in five colors.
Our Testing Process
To determine the best bath towels on the market, we performed extensive testing and research in our lab in Des Moines, Iowa. We assembled a team of home and bath experts to put 19 popular bath towels through a series of tests to assess their texture, absorbency, and durability.
First, we carefully examined each bath towel for snags or imperfections in the fabric, rating the softness and texture, and looking for any special features such as an extra loop for hanging on a hook. Each bath towel was washed and dried twice to determine if they’d shrink, lose softness, experience color fading, or become damaged.
We then tested absorbency by weighing a dry towel, submerging the upper half in 4 ounces of water, letting it drip for 10 seconds, then re-weighing it while wet. The towels were also tested for how fast-drying they were: We weighed a dry towel, sprayed 2 ounces of water all over the surface, and timed how long it took to reach its original dry weight.
After that, we created two stains with foundation and mascara on one towel and one washcloth, then treated and washed the towel. The unwashed washcloth was compared to the washed towel to assess how well the stains came out of the fabric.
As a last test, we assessed the towel’s durability by quickly swiping it with a brush 50 times, then noting the quality of the abraded area against the area that had not been brushed.
Finally, we assigned an individual score to each towel and created this list of the best bath towels based on the overall performance in our tests.
After rigorous testing in our lab, we sent the top-performing bath towels home with individual testers to see how well they held up over time in a real-world setting. Each home tester used the bath towels on a daily basis for six months to see how it impacted their daily routines. We incorporated their feedback about the absorbency, softness, and durability of each towel into our final list of winning bath towels.
We Tested the Best Bath Towels
What to Know About Bath Towels Before Shopping
Materials
The type of materials used to make a bath towel will impact the towel’s absorbency, drying speed, softness, and plushness. Some commonly used towel materials include:
Size
When shopping for the best bath towels, pay attention to the dimensions of the towel listed on the retailer’s website. Bath sheets are always bigger than bath towels, but there can be size variability within each, too. The average bath towel dimensions are around 27 inches wide by 52 inches long; bath sheets are larger and tend to be around 35 by 60 inches.
Size mostly comes down to preference, but keep in mind that if you purchase a bath towel that's too small for you, you may not be able to fully wrap it around your body or dry off thoroughly with it. Bigger bath towels feel especially luxurious, but they may be harder to store when folded.
Features
In addition to the material a bath towel is made of, there are a number of other features you may want to keep in mind as you shop:
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Weight/GSM
Weight is a major consideration when shopping for bath towels. You’ll notice that retailers list their bath towel’s GSM, which stands for grams per square meter. This measurement indicates how light or heavy the towel’s fabric is: A towel with a GSM between 300 to 400 is lightweight, one between 400 to 620 is moderate weight, and 620 to 900 is the heaviest weight.
GSM can be helpful if you’re looking for a bath towel with a specific weight or density. If you know you prefer a thinner, lightweight towel that will dry quickly, for example, you’ll want to look for a lower GSM when shopping. But if you’re partial to a plush, cozy towel, a product with a higher GSM would be the best bath towel for you.
Other Bath Towels We Tested
Nordstrom Hydrocotton Bath Towel
Though we liked how durable and well-made the Nordstrom Hydrocotton Bath Towel was, it ultimately lost points for texture. Unwashed, the bath towel—which is 100% cotton, OEKO-TEX certified, and available in a variety of soothing colors—had a soft, comforting feel. But we noticed a clear difference in fabric texture after the towel had gone through the wash. It lost some of its fluffiness, and we felt that it actually seemed like a different towel.
Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towels
With a relatively high GSM of 700 and excellent absorbency, the Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towel feels like a luxury-quality bath towel. But it wasn’t as durable as some of the other towels we tested. It was visibly damaged after the abrasion test and we noted that it looked noticeably duller and used after a few washes. For that reason, it didn’t make the cut as one of our best bath towels.
Chakir Turkish Linens Turkish Cotton Towels
There’s a lot to like about the Chakir Turkish Linens Turkish Cotton Towel. Overall, we appreciated the towel’s soft, plush feel, and it fared well after going through the wash. But it was very slow-drying, which could be particularly challenging in humid environments. Compared to the other bath towels we tested, it also didn’t repel stains as successfully.
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Your Questions, Answered
What is the difference between a bath towel and a bath sheet?
The main difference between bath towels and bath sheets is simply size—a bath sheet is always going to be bigger. Bath towels measure between 27 to 30 inches wide by 52 to 56 inches in length, while bath sheets measure between 35 and 40 inches wide by 60 to 70 inches in length.
In addition to size, bath sheets also dry more efficiently and tend to be more expensive. Bath towels are more affordable but slightly less efficient when it comes to drying time.
Because bath towels are smaller, they may also be a tighter fit to wrap around your body; the bigger size of bath sheets can make them feel more luxurious.
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
What does GSM mean?
GSM stands for grams per square meter and is a measurement of a bath towel’s weight. Although it’s not necessarily an indicator of quality, GSM can be helpful to determine how heavy or dense a bath towel’s fabric is and how long it would take to dry. The higher the GSM, the heavier the towel, as well as the softer and more absorbent it is.
“[GSM] is a personal preference,” says Baker. Some people like a cozy, heavier towel, while others prefer a lightweight, thinner towel that’s faster drying.
In bath towels, GSM typically ranges from 300 to 900 grams per square meter:
How can you tell if a bath towel is good quality?
When shopping for bath towels, much comes down to personal preference. Depending on what you like in a towel—plush or thin fabric, terry cloth or waffle weave, standard or superior absorbency—you’ll want to consider the towel’s materials, size, and weight. But generally, bath towel quality is impacted by fiber content, fabric weight, and construction.
If you’re not sure what kinds of towels you like, Baker recommends purchasing a few washcloths from different brands and using them at home for a few weeks. This can help you determine if you like the towel’s fabric, and whether it washes well and holds up over time.
In addition, as with bed sheets, thread count can be a useful measurement to keep in mind when buying bath towels, although retailers don’t list it as frequently as they do GSM. Thread count refers to the number of threads, or plies, woven into the fabric of towels in either direction.
A higher thread count doesn’t always mean a better towel, but it may be something to consider, especially when you think about long-term use. “If they’re a lower thread count, they’ll run and snag easier and they’ll go bald quicker,” says Young.
And again, while GSM is very personal—and high GSM isn’t necessarily an indicator of a better-quality bath towel—this measurement can be helpful to determine the towel’s weight or density.
How much do bath towels cost?
The towels we tested range from $19 to $89 each, though you could probably spend less and definitely spend more. Many come in sets that can include multiple bath towels, washcloths, hand towels, bath towels, and bath sheets. These often cost more—the best bath towel sets we tested range from $55 to $100—but they can also be a great value.
How long do bath towels last?
It depends on the quality and how often you use them. Towels in the guest bathroom will likely last longer than the ones put through the ringer every day. With proper care—following the manufacturer’s recommendations for washing and drying—the best bath towels should last at least a few years. And even after they start to fray (one of the first signs of age in a towel), they’re still perfectly serviceable for use in the garage, pet care, or in the yard.
Better Homes & Gardens / Henry Wortock
Who We Are
Kathleen Felton is a freelance writer originally from Connecticut, now living in Sydney, Australia, covering home and lifestyle for Better Homes & Gardens. Sarah Halverson is a freelance writer in Austin, Texas, with more than 25 years of experience writing and editing for shelter magazines and websites. To compile this list of the best bath towels, they analyzed lab insights from our testing site in Des Moines, Iowa.
They also consulted three experts: Diana A. Wyman, executive vice president of AATCC (American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists); Deborah Young, a textile expert specializing in textile science, textile design, and textile history with 25 years of experience as an educator based in Los Angeles; and Saana Baker, a textile expert with 25 years of experience and the editor-in-chief at The Textile Eye, a trend and show report on high-end home textiles, surface design, fiber arts, and interior design based in San Francisco.
What is BHG Recommends?
Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they're worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn't an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.
Looking for more products that have earned our BHG Recommends seal of approval? Check out our picks for everything from picnic blankets to humidifiers.
With high quality products and considerate service, we will work together with you to enhance your business and improve the efficiency. Please don't hesitate to contact us to get more details of Solid Bath Towels.