After hopping out of a steamy shower, no one wants to dry off with an old, scratchy towel with fraying threads. If that sounds like your towels, it may be time for an upgrade — a plush and cozy bath towel can totally change your bath time experience. And lucky for you, you won’t have to wait long for your brand-new towels to arrive at your door, because there are so many great options available on Amazon with free Prime shipping.
At the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab, we test all sorts of towels, including kitchen towels, beach towels and quick-dry towels to determine which ones are worth buying. In recent years, we’ve tested over 80 towels for properties like absorbency, dry time, washability, strength and more using our Lab equipment. Our consumer testers then try out the towels in their homes, rating characteristics like softness, appearance and absorbency. I used this testing information, my categorical expertise and reviews from online users when making picks for the best bath towels you can buy on Amazon.
1
BEST OVERALL
Everplush Diamond Jacquard Quick Dry Bath Towel
Material: 60% polyester microfiber, 40% cotton | Size: 56″ x 35″
Everplush’s popular jacquard bath towel is both quick-to-dry and absorbent, thanks to its unique construction. It has plush and absorbent cotton fibers on the surface and soft, quick-dry microfiber on the inside. When we evaluated the towel in the Textiles Lab, it beat out more than 40 other towels for its speedy drying time. During our wash tests, the material showed more signs of wear and produced more lint and fuzz than other towels, which can be attributed to the blended material, but our testers said it maintained its appearance and looked great after several cycles in the wash.
2
BEST VALUE
Amazon Basics 6-Piece Fade Resistant Bath Towel Set
Material: 100% cotton | Size: 54″ x 30″ bath towels, 26″ x 16″ hand towels, 12″ x 12″ washcloths
For under $25, this six-pack of towels (containing two bath towels, two hand towels and two washcloths) has nearly 50,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and is a total steal. Amazon Basics towels have consistently performed well in our evaluations, receiving high marks from our analysts for being super absorbent and soaking up the most fluid in our Textiles Lab tests.
Our consumer testers are also fans of the affordable towels, sharing that the towels felt absorbent and soft when they used them to dry off at home. Because the towels were so absorbent, they did take longer to dry in our Lab tests, and at-home users agreed that the drying time was lengthier than other towels they’ve used. Online reviewers of this style say they’re good quality and a nice value, with one describing the towels as “soft and extremely plush for the price.”
3
MOST POPULAR
American Soft Linen 4-Piece Bath Towel Set
Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Size: 54″ x 27″
Amazon’s #1 best-selling bath towel sets include four standard-size bath towels for just $40. They’ve wowed consumers with more than 42,000 Amazon reviewers giving the towels five stars for their cozy feel and impressive absorbency. One reviewer shared that the towels were “softer than expected,” and another said, “These towels are incredibly soft, plush and absorbent, providing a spa-like experience every time I use them.”
I love that the towels use 100% Turkish cotton, which is a higher quality, longer cotton fiber that tends to have a softer feel than shorter staple cotton. Some reviewers shared that they were disappointed that the towels were thin and not as fluffy and full as they seemed in the pictures online, but others pointed out that the towels fluffed up in the wash.
4
BEST LUXURY
Brooklinen Bath Towels
Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Size: 30″ x 58″
At 820 GSM, these towels from Brooklinen are heavier weight than any of our other picks. The ultra-luxurious 100% Turkish cotton towels are dense and cozy and “almost feel like a blanket,” according to one tester. They excelled in our Textiles Lab evaluations for absorbency and were unanimously rated as soft by our consumer testers. I personally use these seriously cozy towels and can’t get enough of them.
When we washed the towels in the Textiles Lab, we were impressed by how few fibers they shed, given that they’re so plush. The trade-off: The thick towels did take longer than some others to dry, and one tester noted, “It’s important to hang the towels up properly without bunching or folding the material because you might end up with wet spots.” Brooklinen offers a variety of neutral shades on its Amazon storefront, but the brand’s site features some bolder color options and even some striped styles.
5
BEST SET
Utopia Towels Towel Set
Material: 100% cotton | Size: 27″ x 54″ bath towels, 16″ x 28″ hand towels, 12″ x 12″ washcloths
I’ve found that most towel sets tend to come with six pieces, but this set from Utopia Towels on Amazon includes two standard bath towels, two hand towels and four washcloths — and all eight pieces are less than $40 on sale! Highlight the towel set’s absorbency, quality and vibrant coloring, with reviewers saying they’re a great starter towel set for someone moving into a college apartment or for someone shopping on a budget.
The towels are not only super soft and plush, but they also dry quickly. Some users experienced fraying threads and unraveling seams with repeated use and regular washing, so they may not be as long-lasting as other picks, but I still think they’re a great value for the price. And with 25 shades to choose from, including everyday neutrals and fashion colors, there’s bound to be a towel set to coordinate with your bathroom decor.
6.
BEST TURKISH COTTON
Chakir Turkish Linens Premium Turkish Bath Towels
Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Size: 27″ x 54″
I used these towels for several years in my own home and I agree: I never experienced linting or shedding fibers in the wash, and the towels looked great after being laundered dozens of times.
They were a great value option. While they weren’t the plushest towels I’ve used, they were absorbent.” The towels are made with 100% long-staple Turkish cotton fibers, which have a smooth feel, but some online reviewers wish the towels were a bit softer upon opening, noting that the towels grow softer with each wash but aren’t as fluffy when they’re brand new.
7
BEST OVERSIZED
Cotton Paradise Oversized Bath Sheet
Material: 100% Turkish cotton | Size: 40″ x 80″
Whether you prefer a big, fluffy towel to completely wrap up in for a cozy feel after the shower or you’re tall like me and looking for a little more coverage while you dry off, this bath towel from Cotton Paradise can do the job. Most standard bath towels are around 27 inches wide and 52 to 56 inches long, but this oversized bath sheet is a whopping 40 inches wide and 80 inches long.
The color doesn’t fade in the wash and that the material feels “super soft. It also says the 100% Turkish cotton towels help them to feel completely dry after a shower. These incredibly soft and absorbent towels have become a must-have essential in my daily routine. The brand and reviewers recommend washing the towels before using them because the fibers can shed, and some reviewers even mention excessive linting.
How we choose the best bath towels
We test towels including beach towels, kitchen towels and bath towels in our Textiles Lab and share them with our consumer testers. In recent years, we’ve tested more than 80 towels from popular brands and have collected over 10,000 data points for analysis. When we evaluate towels, here are some characteristics that we analyze:
✔️ Washability: In the Lab, we wash each towel 20 times, measuring shrinkage and rating changes in appearance with each wash. We also weigh the towels to evaluate how much the towels have linted (shed fibers).
✔️ Drying speed: To calculate drying speed, we pour a standard amount of water on a towel swatch. Then, the towel is hung to dry and weighed every 30 minutes until it reaches its initial weight, meaning it has fully dried.
✔️ Absorbency: We set up a towel at a 60-degree angle and then pour water from a standard distance onto the towel (pictured). Any water that isn’t absorbed by the towel rolls off and into a tray below, which is weighed. This process is repeated throughout the laundering cycles to account for absorbency changes after washing. The runoff water helps us to calculate absorbency levels, and a towel with excellent absorbency will soak up all water with no runoff in the tray.
✔️ Fabric strength: We use our Instron machine, which pulls towel fabric swatches apart and measures the force needed to rip each swatch.
✔️ Consumer tests: Lastly, we share towels with dozens of consumer testers who actually use the towels in their homes and rate them for factors like appearance, dry time and softness.
What to look for when shopping for the best bath towels
Consider what type of towel you’re looking for: absorbent or quick-drying.
✔️ Absorbent towel: Towels made of 100% cotton fibers, especially longer staple cottons like Turkish cotton, are very absorbent and will help you to dry off quickly. A denser towel has more loops of yarn on the surface and will be more absorbent as a result. You can also consider GSM, which is the weight of the towel. A towel over 600 GSM is heavier weight, and these towels will likely be more absorbent and plush. A lower GSM towel will be lighter weight and may not feel as soft or absorb as much moisture.
✔️ Quick-dry towel: If you’re more interested in a low-maintenance towel that dries quickly, try a cotton and polyester blend towel or a cotton towel with a lower pile (shorter yarn loops). Polyester fibers are inherently hydrophobic, which means they don’t soak up moisture, and lower pile loops have less capacity for absorption. A towel with either of those features will be less absorbent but will dry more quickly and could prove to be more durable long-term.