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After testing 99 towels in our Lab, I took 22 home with me for long-term testing. face towel
Nicole Lund is the shopping editorial director for Real Simple with six years of experience writing product reviews. She has written product reviews, gift guides, and more for Real Simple, The Spruce, MyDomaine, and Apartment Therapy.
Whether you prefer to wrap yourself up in a plush, spa-like towel or dry off quickly with a lightweight, textured option, choosing the right bath towel can make all the difference in your daily shower experience. The problem with shopping for bath towels, though, is that the towel you buy isn’t the towel you’ll have after several weeks and months. All towels, especially cotton ones, lose some softness and shrink a bit after a few washes, making it hard to shop based on feel alone.
That’s where we come in. To date, we have tested 99 towels in our Lab and assessed them based on their quality, texture, absorbency, durability, and overall value. I decided to take that testing further and conduct my own at-home testing on 22 towels over a span of six weeks. To do so, I procured two of each towel, with one remaining untouched over the testing period and one being used and washed regularly by a household of five. At the end of the testing period, I compared the two towels to see which ones held up and which ones started to decrease in quality.
For expert tips on buying and using bath towels, I turned to Whitney Thornburg, design director at Coyuchi; Sarah Smith, product education and customer experience manager at Serena & Lily; and Elana Frosk, account executive at Hohenstein Institute, the U.S. testing lab for Oeko-Tex. No matter what type of bath towel you're looking for, I have a tested and approved pick for you.
It has maintained its appearance and plushness after long-term use, and it’s a great value.
It doesn’t come with any extra features, like a hanging loop or dobby.
This towel stood out among all those I tested, because it has a dense, weighty feel that alludes to luxury—but costs less than $20 each, making it an absolute steal. When it was tested in the Lab, Italic’s Serene towel earned a perfect score in our absorbency testing, soaking up all 4 ounces of water in just 10 seconds. Considering it’s the heaviest towel on our list at 800 grams per square meter (GSM), we were sure the dry time would be outrageous. But much to our surprise, the towel was completely dry in just 90 minutes.
I had high expectations for this towel when I started testing, and it did not disappoint in any category. Its excellent absorbency is a true standout feature—despite its weight, I felt that it was easy to dry myself off, and it air-dried relatively quickly after use. Compared to the similarly plush towels I tested, this one was the most quick-drying and absorbent by far.
After washing, the towel shrank by about 6.5% and didn’t lose any of its weight (though it was slightly less soft than it was before washing). In our Lab testing, it didn’t sustain any significant damage after we ran a scrub brush over it 50 times, and all the stains we applied to the fabric came out easily in the wash. In my home testing, I was shocked at how similar the used and unused towels were. While it did lose some of its softness, as all towels do, it stood out among the others as being one of the most similar to its unused counterpart. There were no snags, loose threads, flattening, or balding—the only difference between the two is that the color got a bit dingier.
This towel offers excellent coverage for a standard bath towel, and all members of my family felt comfortable using it. It comes with the Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex certification, ensuring it has been tested for harmful substances. In the future, I would love to see more color options, as the towels are currently only available in four neutral hues (white, gray, cream, and charcoal). Plus, it has no special features, like a hanging loop or dobby (which is a decorative weave added to some towels), and it’s sold as a set of two and cannot be purchased individually.
Overall, the Italic Serene Ultraplush Towel stands out for its long-lasting softness, impressive absorbency, and durability. It’s a true luxury towel that costs much, much less than expected—it was just as plush and soft as more expensive towels, but even more absorbent, making it an excellent value.
Material: Australian cotton | Size: 30 by 54 inches (shrunk to 28 by 51 inches) | Weight: 800 GSM | Certifications: Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex
It’s even more durable than some of the much more expensive towels and stays impressively soft over time.
Quality isn’t consistent, with some towels showing wear and tear quicker than others.
I’ve used a wide variety of budget towels from a mix of brands, including Amazon, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s, and Macy’s—but none of them come close to this bath towel from Better Homes & Gardens’ Walmart line. (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by Real Simple’s parent company, Dotdash Meredith.)
The key is in the construction: Instead of being made from 100% cotton, it’s made of 90% cotton and 10% viscose, which is a semi-synthetic fiber made from wood pulp. Viscose is known for its silky smooth feel, and combining it with cotton results in a long-lasting softness that rivals that of typical terry cotton towels. The GSM isn’t listed, but it has a nice mid-weight feel that’s more thin than plush. It’s not a luxurious spa-like towel, but for the price it’s definitely one of the best options.
It’s worth noting, though, that there was a difference in quality between the Lab test and my own at-home test. This towel scored pretty low in our Lab’s abrasion test, which involved swiping a scrub brush on the towel back and forth 50 times—by the end, the abraded part looked very worn. Plus, after washing the towel three times in the Lab, it showed fraying and loose threads. I did not have that issue at home and noticed zero imperfections in the towel after weeks of use and washing. What this tells me is that the quality isn’t consistent with these towels, which isn’t unusual for budget towels but is something to keep in mind when shopping.
In terms of style, the BHG towel has a decorative dobby that gives it more of a spa-like feel, and it comes in eight colors. Plus, it has the Made In Green certification from Oeko-Tex, so it’s free from harmful chemicals and is manufactured in environmentally friendly facilities under safe and socially responsible working conditions. At 30 by 56 inches, it’s a decent size for a towel, and it only shrunk by about 4% overall. The not-too-heavy, not-too-light weight, extra-soft feel, and overall durability make this a truly above-average budget towel that pretty much anyone could be happy with.
Price a time of publish: $10
Material: 90% cotton, 10% viscose | Size: 30 by 56 inches (shrunk to 30 by 54 inches) | Weight: Not listed | Certifications: Made In Green by Oeko-Tex
It sustained no damage after we ran a scrub brush over it 50 times.
It shrank more than other towels and does not come with any certifications.
I put all the towels through the ringer, including multiple launderings and 50 swipes with an abrasive scrub brush in our Lab. Out of all those I tested, I was the most impressed with how well the Lands’ End Premium Supima Cotton Bath Towel held up. Post-wash, the towel remained very soft and fluffy. The color (of which there are 17 to choose from) remained just as saturated, and the stains came out easily.
There was not a single pull or loose thread either, and after six weeks of consistent use, the towel’s texture didn’t change whatsoever. What’s more, after running a scrub brush over the towel 50 times in our Lab, there was no damage to the towel that we could see or feel, so we can almost guarantee that it will stand up to whatever abuse you put it through.
Made from American-grown Supima cotton, this towel is plush with a medium-heavy weight (650 GSM). In our absorbency tests, it was able to collect all 4 ounces of water from a bowl in a matter of seconds, leaving the bowl bone dry. Afterwards, it required about 85 minutes to dry, which is on par with the weight of this towel. While using it at home, I found that it dried me off quickly and easily, and air-dried in a short amount of time. Out of all the towels I tested, this one was the group favorite, with all five members of my household identifying it as one of their top three favorites for its softness, medium-weight feel, and absorbency.
The Lands’ End towel has a generous size of 30 by 56 inches, though it shrunk by about 7% after six weeks. It’s also available for monogramming, making it a great choice for a gift. Keep in mind, though, that it doesn’t come with any certifications, which might be an immediate no for some people. But, given the size, durability, and quality of the materials, I think the price is more than reasonable—but Lands’ End does run frequent sales, so it’s likely you can get it for less while shopping.
Price a time of publish: $35
Material: Supima cotton | Size: 30 by 56 inches (shrunk to 27.5 by 52 inches) | Weight: 650 GSM | Certifications: N/A
It stays impressively soft after washing, and the oversized design and heavier weight makes it extra cozy.
It takes a while to dry completely.
Made from 80% Turkish cotton and 20% modal—a semi-synthetic fabric that’s even more absorbent than cotton—this towel from the Southern Living line at Dillard’s is amazingly soft and durable. (Southern Living is owned by Real Simple’s parent company, Dotdash Meredith.) It’s constructed with soft and absorbent zero-twist fibers, meaning the fibers are longer and can be looped through the towel as opposed to being twisted out from the towel. It was among the most absorbent towels of all those tested in our Lab, although we did find it had a long dry time, requiring a full two hours to fully dry.
After laundering at home, it remained just as soft and plush as the unwashed towel, even after six weeks. In fact, it felt just as soft, if not even more so, than the very expensive luxury towels I tested. It was a favorite in my family for that unbeatable softness as well as its generous size and durability. It shrank just about 5%, which ended up feeling like the perfect size—large enough for good coverage but not enough to be unwieldy, which is important considering it’s on the weightier side. It was a particular favorite of my brother, who at 5-foot-11 prefers a slightly larger towel.
The Southern Living towel is available in a wide variety of colors, each of which comes with a decorative border that gives it some extra style. I tested the Raspberry color and noticed that there was no change in its vibrancy after several weeks. Given the price, performance, and durability, this is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a towel that’s luxuriously soft yet not too much of a splurge.
Material: 80% Turkish cotton, 20% modal | Size: 30 by 56 inches (shrunk to 28 by 54 inches) | Weight: 700 GSM | Certifications: N/A
This is a weighty towel with an extremely fast dry time and over 20 color options to choose from.
It’s soft, but not as soft as other luxury towels.
This 100% cotton bath towel has a weighty, plush feel that immediately signals luxury and absorbency. In fact, it was able to soak up an entire half-cup of water in just one minute. Given its weight (700 GSM) and absorbency, we were sure it would take a long time to dry, but it proved us wrong: In the Lab, it dried in just 11 minutes—one of the fastest dry times of any towel we’ve ever tested. This is thanks in part to its high-loop terry weave, which creates air pockets for faster drying. To be fair, I didn’t think it dried quite that fast in my bathroom, but it was better than the other thick towels I tested.
This towel is thick and plush to begin with, and it maintains that plushness over time. It suffered no wear and tear during washing, and stains came out of the fabric very easily during Lab testing. Plus, the color remained rich after weeks of washing (I tested it in the vibrant True Lacquer Red color).
There are two potential cons to this towel. First, although it’s extremely plush and weighty, it’s not the softest option. That’s not to say that it’s not soft, but I did notice that it lost more of its initial softness compared to other plush luxury towels. Second, it’s a large towel that might feel a bit unwieldy for shorter people. (My 5-foot-3 sister and 5-foot-3 mother both agreed that it was too much for them.) But, I still think that it’s the best plush option. Unlike other towels, it has extremely impressive absorbency and a much faster dry time, which is unusual in a heavy towel.
This towel comes with the Oeko-Tex Made In Green certification, meaning it is made without harmful substances and in environmentally friendly facilities. The sateen weave hem and double-banded border add to its luxurious appearance, and it’s available in 19 different colors. Plus, monogramming is available, making this an excellent wedding or housewarming gift. Although it’s not a cheap towel, I’ve noticed that it goes on sale a lot at department stores, so there are definitely opportunities to save.
Material: Cotton | Size: 30 by 58 inches (shrunk to 29 by 55.5 inches) | Weight: 700 GSM | Certifications: Made In Green by Oeko-Tex
This towel is super thick and luxurious, and maintains its feel.
It doesn’t have any certifications, which is disappointing considering the high price.
I was immediately impressed by how soft, plush, and luxurious this RH towel felt out of the box. It's made from long-staple Turkish cotton and is slightly oversized, so you can completely wrap yourself in its cozy fabric. It maintained its quality even after laundering; I didn't notice any fading after washing it multiple times, except for one snag. And it was easy to remove stains after spilling mascara and foundation on it.
After six weeks, this towel is still delightfully soft and fluffy, and it feels like a towel you’d find at a fancy hotel or spa. After the Lab test, there was some noticeable damage that occurred after abrading it with a scrub brush, though the towel remained in good condition overall. While the fabric became frizzier, the loops didn't unravel, and no loose fibers fell off. Unless you regularly rub your towels with a scrub brush, I think this one will hold up to years of normal use.
This towel has a hefty GSM of 750, and it did take two hours for it to be about 80% dry. That longer dry time isn't the most convenient, but it is expected with such a thick towel. While using it at home, I did find it to be a bit unwieldy to use—it’s heavy and not the most absorbent, so when it’s wet it feels even heavier. Still, it’s undoubtedly the fluffiest option I tested, and the heaviest. It looks and feels totally luxurious and maintains its softness. Given its luxe fabric and durability, I think this towel is a standout option.
Material: Cotton | Size: 30 by 56 inches (shrunk to 28.5 by 56 inches) | Weight: 750 GSM | Certifications: Not listed
This towel is extra-absorbent thanks to its ribbed texture, yet it’s still quite plush.
It shrank much more significantly than the other towels and is starting to fray after six weeks.
The thin-ribbed texture isn't the only thing that makes the Brooklinen Organic Ribbed Bath Towel towel a stellar pick, though it definitely helps. That extra texture adds a cozy, luxe touch to this towel and makes it extra absorbent. In fact, it had an absorbency percentage of 150% in our Lab test, which is one of the highest on this list, and it soaked up 8 ounces of water in under one minute. It didn’t dry as quickly as others, but I found it to be mostly dry within two hours. After laundering it three times and staining it with foundation and mascara, the fabric still felt as buttery as ever, and there was zero indication that it had even been stained in the first place.
That’s about as good as it got in terms of durability, though: After a few weeks, it lost quite a bit of softness and plushness, and the edges look worn when you look closely. It also had the most significant shrinkage out of all the towels I tested, losing about 9% of its original size. This is definitely disappointing, but in all fairness, I washed it in hot water with other towels even though the care instructions say it should be washed in cold water and tumble dried on low heat.
This towel is made from Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)-certified organic Turkish cotton and has a hefty feel to it. Drying off with it is fast and easy, and the textured appearance gives it some extra visual flair. While it’s not the most durable option, I still think it’s the best textured towel I tested and is an ideal option for people who don’t like the feel of a too-soft towel. It’s better-suited for a smaller household where it won’t be put through the wringer quite so often, or it could be alternated with less expensive towels to add a bit more style to your bathroom.
Material: Organic cotton | Size: 30 by 58 inches (shrunk to 27 by 54 inches) | Weight: 560 GSM | Certifications: GOTS, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex
It’s luxuriously soft and offers significantly more coverage than your standard bath towel.
The dry time could be faster given its weight, and it’s very expensive.
At 550 GSM, this is not the thickest towel we tested; but what it lacks in thickness, it more than makes up for in surface area. While it’s not quite a bath sheet, it still provides significantly more coverage than your standard bath towel (although it is also available in a bath sheet size). I really liked the size of this towel, which surprised me because I expected it to feel too unwieldy. I think the fact that it’s not very heavy made it feel more manageable, and the very soft feel contributed to its ultra luxurious vibe.
In terms of absorbency, this towel was able to absorb an entire half-cup of water from a bowl in one minute, though its dry time was just average at 58 minutes. While using it on myself, I found that it had better absorbency than most plush towels, and the water didn’t feel like it was just sitting on top of the towel. This probably also contributed to its manageable feel, as I never felt like I was wearing a wet blanket (a surprisingly common occurrence with thick towels).
After washing, this towel shrank by 4%, which is well under what you would expect from a 100% cotton towel, and it never lost its soft feel. In fact, I couldn’t believe how soft it remained, with very minimal difference between the washed and unwashed towels. It’s the Platonic ideal of a bath towel: plush, cloud-like, and not too heavy. This towel also stands out for being available in 22 colors, and it comes with the option to add a monogram, too.
Material: Cotton | Size: 30 by 60 inches (shrunk to 28 by 57 inches) | Weight: 550 GSM | Certifications: Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex
It feels just like a typical cotton towel but stays softer for longer.
It doesn’t have any certifications.
There are a few cotton-blend towels on this list, but this one is my favorite. It also has the distinction of being the only towel on the list that’s made from a combination of cotton and bamboo fibers. Now, for some clarity: When we talk about bamboo, we’re not talking about bamboo specifically, but instead the fibers from bamboo wood pulp. This is typically referred to as “rayon from bamboo,” which can be confusing since rayon is a synthetic material, while bamboo is a natural resource.
Similar to lyocell and modal, bamboo fibers are known for their softness, strength, and absorbency. This towel is definitely all three—after six weeks, it’s still delightfully soft and plush, and there are no signs of damage. In fact, I actually think it looks better than the unwashed towel, as the color looks richer somehow. We haven’t tested this one in the Lab yet, so it hasn’t gone through the abrasion or absorbency tests, but I found it to be seriously quick-drying and easily able to dry me off.
One thing I really like about this towel is that it feels like the best version of an all-cotton towel. The unwashed towel has that silkier bamboo feel, but the used towel feels like a very soft cotton towel, which I think makes it more appealing for people who aren’t very adventurous and want to stick to what they know. It's also a really good mid-weight—not heavy yet still soft and plush; not light but not too thick. I think this towel would please just about anyone.
Material: Cotton, rayon from bamboo | Size: 30 by 56 inches (shrunk to 28 by 52 inches) | Weight: 550 GSM | Certifications: Not listed
The texture cuts down on time spent drying off.
It's not a cozy towel and might be best for warmer weather.
When it comes to bath towels, terry cloth towels will always win in a popularity contest, but waffle weave towels are gaining a fan base now, too. The Mara Organic Waffle Towel features a unique honeycomb texture that increases the towel’s surface area and helps to trap moisture, speeding up the drying process significantly. Therefore, I expected to see a fast dry time and was pleased to find that the towel was dry enough to be used again in the evening if I used it in the morning.
The reason why waffle weave towels aren’t as popular as terry cloth towels is that the texture takes some getting used to. These towels typically aren’t as soft and have a bit of a rough feel that’s dissimilar to the plush towels you already know. That’s why the Mara towel stands out: Despite its textured surface, it still has a soft, cushioned feel that didn’t dissipate after six weeks. Plus, it’s much lighter in weight and airier than your typical terry cloth towel, reducing the amount of storage space it takes up in the linen closet.
Given the thin construction of the towel, I was worried about its long-term durability. But, I didn’t need to worry: After six weeks of constant use and washing, the towel sustained no damage and all stains came out easily. In fact, it didn’t change at all in appearance, looking exactly the same as it did out of the box, minus some minor shrinkage.
The towel, which comes in a set of two, is made with 100% organic Turkish cotton. While I acknowledge that the unique construction of this towel takes some getting used to, I’ve grown to love it. Overall, the quality of the materials as well as the soft feel make this bath towel an excellent value, especially for those who like a lighter weight towel that’s good for wrapping hair.
Material: Organic Turkish cotton | Size: 30 by 56 inches | Weight: Not listed | Certifications: GOTS, Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex
After six weeks of testing 22 bath towels, my top pick is the Italic Serene Ultraplush Australian Cotton Towel. It has a luxurious weight and soft feel, and it proved to be highly absorbent with a reasonable dry time. Plus, it comes in a set of two for a very reasonable price.
For a more budget-friendly option, the Better Homes & Gardens Signature Soft Bath Towel offers a lot of bang for your buck. It has a luxurious plush feel and high-end look that makes it look much more expensive than it actually is, and it maintained its softness better than more expensive towels.
To write this article, I used insights from two different tests: our comprehensive Lab tests and my own at-home test. I started with the insights from our Lab, which, to date, has tested 99 bath towels and bath sheets. From there, I selected 22 top-performing towels to test at home, where I currently live with my parents and two siblings. With five people using the towels daily, I was able to get good data on how well the towels hold up to long-term use in real-world conditions (aka, not in a lab).
First, I’ll go over the Lab tests. We began by visually inspecting each bath towel to assess the quality, looking at the stitching, color vibrancy (when applicable), softness, and more. Next, we ran our hands over each towel to evaluate its texture, noting whether it feels soft to the touch, how tight the weave is, etc. Then came the real test of each towel: absorbency. To determine how well the towel absorbs water from the skin, we used one end of the towel to dry off our hands. We then placed the dry end of the towel in a shallow bowl of water, leaving the towel to absorb for one minute and took note of how much water each towel soaked up and how long it took to dry afterward.
The next day, we washed and dried each towel, and then we repeated the tests above, taking note of any change in the towel’s ability to absorb water. We also took this opportunity to evaluate the durability of each towel, based on how well it held up after washing and drying—considering the texture and size of each towel before and after washing, including any shrinking, fading, pilling, or loose threading. To complete our durability testing, we laid each towel flat on a table, scrubbed it with scrub brush, and took note of how well the abraded area held up. Finally, we received the price of each towel and scored its overall value based on how well it performed and whether we would pay the listed price or wait for it to go on sale.
Now, onto the at-home testing. To perform this test, I ordered two of each towel, with one acting as the “control” towel to compare to the washed towel. I started the same way the Lab testers did: Inspecting and measuring each towel. I wanted to see whether the towels actually met the manufacturer specs and found that all of them did, give or take an inch here and there. I also labeled each towel so I could separate the control towels from the ones that were actually being used.
Then, we got to work! After washing all the towels we were going to use, I set them all up on a bench in our hallway to keep them separate from the towels my family was already using. Everyone was under strict instructions to only use the testing towels, and to only use them one time before putting them in the hamper. This was so we could cycle through them quickly and really get a feel for their long-term durability (we washed a lot of towels!). To wash the towels, I decided to not follow manufacturer instructions and instead wash them the way I would any towel: all together, using hot water, and drying on high heat. I wanted to get a feel for how they would last in true real-world conditions, so I didn't do anything special aside from separating the lights and darks from each other.
Each towel was used at least once a week, often more. When using the towels, we were focused on a few key aspects: the texture of the towel, how well the towel absorbed water, the durability of the towel, how quickly the towel air dried, and how much coverage the towel provided and if that changed over time. After six weeks, each towel went through a rigorous evaluation. After examining each towel’s softness and texture, thickness, shape and size, I searched for any snagging, fraying, shedding, discoloration, or color fading.
I then measured each towel to see how much it shrunk and compared it to its unwashed counterpart. Taking all of these insights into account, I came up with this list of the best bath towels.
When it comes to bath towels, cotton is king. You can find towels made from synthetic materials, such as polyester or rayon, but experts tend to agree that cotton is best for absorbency: “Choosing a towel that is made from high-quality materials, such as premium cotton that has extra-long staple fibers to enhance strength, softness, and absorbency, is the way to go,” says Smith.
However, there are several different types of cotton to choose from, with varying degrees of absorbency and durability:
Egyptian and Turkish cotton are the most highly sought-after types of cotton for bath towels. Both are made from long-staple fibers, which produce a smoother, softer, and more durable towel, and they become even softer after washing. Egyptian cotton tends to be more thick and absorbent to begin with, while Turkish cotton becomes more absorbent with use. Turkish cotton is also quicker to dry and more lightweight, while Egyptian cotton has a more fluffed-up, luxurious feel. Another type of long-staple cotton, Pima cotton, is similar to Egyptian and Turkish cotton but made with cotton sourced from the U.S.
Cotton isn’t the only material to watch out for, though: More and more towel companies are making towels from a blend of cotton and either bamboo, modal, and viscose. Bamboo doesn’t literally refer to bamboo, but rather the material made from the pulp of bamboo wood. Similarly, modal and viscose are semi-synthetic materials made from wood pulp that doesn’t come from bamboo. All three materials are known for their silky smooth feel, although bamboo and modal are stronger and more durable than viscose, which is typically cheaper.
I was surprised at how much I loved the cotton-blend towels I tested, and three of them made it onto this final list: the Better Homes & Gardens Signature Soft Bath Towel, the Southern Living Turkish Cotton & Modal Bath Towel, and the Bamboo Bliss Resort Bamboo Collection by RHH Bath Towel. All of these towels stood out for their long-lasting softness and durability compared to cotton towels.
The standard bath towel size is about 28 by 54 inches, give or take a few inches. This size is designed to wrap around your entire body without being overly heavy or cumbersome. If you prefer to bundle up in a bath towel while you get ready in the morning, or if you want a spa-like experience at home, a bath sheet can provide more coverage—around 40 by 70 inches—but usually at a higher price point. Take into consideration your body size and intended use when determining what size towel you need. For example, if you plan to use your bath towel to wrap your hair, you might consider picking a smaller, more lightweight towel.
It’s also important to keep in mind that all bath towels shrink a bit after washing. On average, I found that the towels I tested shrank between 5% to 6% of their original size, which definitely made the smaller towels feel much smaller. The largest towel I tested was the Matouk Milagro Bath Towel, which measured 30 by 60 inches when I first took it out of the box and ended up shrinking to 28 by 57 inches. The towel that shrank the least was the Mara Organic Waffle Weave Towel from The Citizenry, which shrank just 2.5%.
The weight of a towel is measured in grams per square meter (GSM). The higher the GSM, the thicker, heavier, softer, and more absorbent the towel. If you like a super plush, thick towel, a higher GSM is preferable; if you like a lighter, quicker-drying towel, a lower GSM is better. In general, anything below 400 GSM is considered lightweight, and 400 to 600 GSM is considered a medium weight. Towels above 600 GSM are the most luxurious, plush, and absorbent, but keep in mind that they’ll take some time to dry.
My favorite overall towel, the Italic Serene Ultraplush Australian Cotton Towel, has a GSM of 800, the highest on our list. It doesn’t feel quite as heavy as the RH Ultra-Soft Turkish Towel, though, which has a GSM of 750. The lightest towels are typically waffle weave, like the Mara Organic Waffle Weave Towel from The Citizenry, which doesn’t list its GSM but is significantly lighter than any other towel I tested.
In addition to the material and weight of the towel, how the fibers are constructed can have a profound effect on the towel’s texture and performance. Here’s some bath towel terminology to know before you shop:
Terry cloth is the weave most people associate with bath towels. The term refers to a style of weaving distinguished for its uncut loops that extend off the woven base. The resulting towel is plush, soft, and ultra-absorbent. Waffle- or lattice-weave towels, on the other hand, are lighter and quicker to dry than terry cloth, and they take up less space in your linen closet. Waffle-weave bath towels don’t have the same luxurious feel as terry cloth, but their quick-drying ability makes them less prone to developing the dreaded musty smell that can develop on dense terry cloth towels.
There are several independent third-party tests that ensure textiles meet certain standards for product safety: “When textiles are made, there are chemicals used to process them and there can be a residual of a harmful substance on the textile that you can’t see by looking at it,” says Frosk. “The only way to know if a textile has some level of a harmful substance on it is to test it.” The most common and widely trusted product labels are the Oeko-Tex certifications, which include both Standard 100 by Oeko-Tex and Made In Green by Oeko-Tex labels.
According to Frosk, the Standard 100 label indicates that a product has been tested for harmful substances, while the Made In Green label ensures that the product is both safe from harmful substances and made in environmentally friendly facilities with safe and socially responsible work practices. All Made In Green-certified products are also Standard 100-certified.
For organic textiles, look for the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) label—another independent third-party certification that defines requirements for organic textiles, from harvesting raw materials to manufacturing and labeling. Two organic towels made it on this list: the Brooklinen Organic Ribbed Bath Towel and the Mara Organic Waffle Weave Towel from The Citizenry.
Color, patterns, embroidery, and stitching can all have an impact on the look and feel of your bath towel (and bathroom). Be sure whichever towel you choose is one you’ll be proud to hang on your towel rack. “Bath towels are also a great opportunity to express favorite colors and to add in fun design details like macrame fringe and tassels,” says Smith.
Cariloha Bamboo Bath Towel: This is another standout cotton-bamboo blend towel that retained its softness over the six-week testing period. It’s absorbent and quick-drying, and it has a nice 600 GSM weight that’s substantial but not overpowering. The only reason it didn’t make the main list is that it’s so similar to the Bamboo Bliss Resort Bamboo Collection by RHH Bath Towel, which just beat it in terms of softness.
Frontgate Resort Collection Bath Towel: I had high hopes for this popular towel and was indeed impressed by its long-lasting softness and plush feel. Ultimately, I ended up disappointed that it didn’t dry me off very well. The water seemed to sit on top of the towel, giving it a wet blanket feel that was uncomfortable and not very cozy. Plus, the dobby appeared to shrink more than the rest of the towel, which gave it an odd appearance.
West Elm Everyday Textured Bath Towel: This is a great option for people who like a rougher feel and lighter weight in their towel, as it has a textured construction that dries you off quickly. Still, I found it to be a little too rough, especially compared to the Brooklinen Organic Ribbed Bath Towel, and it shrunk significantly, ultimately measuring 25 by 50 inches. Still, it was my sister’s favorite towel, and she loved using it to dry her hair.
So how often do you really need to wash your bath towels? Most bath towels can be used three to four times before they need to be washed in the washing machine. Even when you can’t see it (or smell it), body oils, dirt, and sweat can all build up on your towels—and in a steamy bathroom, they’ll be even more vulnerable to bacteria growth.
Be sure to always give your towels room to spread out when air drying, and avoid leaving them in a crumpled heap on the bathroom floor. To keep your towels from getting dingy, you should wash white towels and colored towels separately, using hot water for white and warm water for colors. Avoid using fabric softeners, as they can reduce the absorbency of your towels. Smith suggests using dryer balls to “keep bath towels feeling soft and fresh, wash after wash.” And always make sure your towels are completely dry before putting them away.
You should have at least two bath towels for each person in your household so that everyone always has at least one towel to use on laundry days. If you have long hair, you may want to have four towels, so you can always have at least one clean hair towel and one clean body towel. “Some people also change out towels by season—choosing a cozy, fluffy one in the winter and a lightweight one in the summer,” says Thornburg.
This depends on the quality of your towel, but in general, you’ll want to replace your bath towels every two years. If your bath towels no longer dry you effectively, have a funky smell even after washing, or have visible wear and tear, these are all signs it may be time to replace them. Thornburg suggests switching out towels seasonally to give your bathroom a refreshed feel and extend the lifespan of your towels.
This article was written by Nicole Lund, an associate editorial director who oversees Real Simple and Southern Living’s commerce teams; Melanie Fincher, a commerce editor, also contributed to reporting. To compile this list, we first tested 99 bath towels in our Lab, evaluating them based on their quality, texture, absorbency, durability, and overall value. Afterwards, Nicole took 22 of the top performers home with her, where she put them through long-term testing over a span of six weeks.
For expert tips on buying and using bath towels, we consulted Whitney Thornburg, design director at Coyuchi, and Sarah Smith, product education and customer experience manager at Serena & Lily. We also received insights from Elana Frosk, account executive at Hohenstein Institute, the U.S. testing lab for Oeko-Tex.
Next to each product on this list, you may have noticed a Real Simple Selects seal of approval. Any product appearing alongside that seal has been vetted by our team—put through tests and graded on its performance to earn a spot on our list. Although we buy most of the products we test, sometimes we do get samples from companies if purchasing a product ourselves isn't an option. If that's the case, we test the product just like we test anything we buy, but we also disclose that we received it for free to be as transparent with you as possible.
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