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By Will Porter and Kristi Kellogg
The best bath towels are both a creature comfort and a decorating opportunity. They can be the warm friend you rely on after a good soak, as well as a statement textile that influences the overall look and feel of your bathroom. And while you can dress up a bath mat or change out a shower curtain for visual effect, few items feel as luxe and splurge-worthy as the absolute best bath towels; you look at and use them every single day, so it makes sense to invest.
We turned to towels we’ve been browsing that also scored the highest marks when it came to user reviews. Whether you’re looking for waffle-weave towels, ultra-soft quick-drying towels, or ultra-absorbent bath sheets that make you feel like you’re in a spa, you’ll find the best towels at all price points here with customer comments to guide the way. Read on to find your favorite new towel.
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Brooklinen is a leader in bed sheets and all things linen, and its line of bath towels is just as impressive as the rest of the brand’s goods. Its classic set features its most absorbent bath towels, which are made of 100% Turkish cotton. Brooklinen also offers ultralight, waffle-weave, hammam, and super-plush bath towels. With so much variety, you can easily find Brooklinen super-plush bath towels that best suit your personal preference. It’s also worth mentioning that a standard bath towel from Brooklinen is closer to bath sheet size, adding a few more inches than the average bath towels on the market. The brand‘s new organic ribbed style towels are one of our top picks as well.
Colors available: White, smoke, graphite, ocean, vanilla, marled black, wild moss, midnight navy
Customer review: “I tend to just buy cheaper towels, because they’re just towels…How could they really vary in quality? Well it turns out, they do! These towels feel so soft and absorbent. I also like the size of these as they’re easy to wrap around my body. They have a nice weight to them. I’ll definitely be adding more of these to my collection."
You can’t go wrong with one of the luxury bath towels from Boll & Branch, whether it’s the ultrafluffy plush bath towel or the lighter-weight spa bath towel. Notably, all of Boll & Branch’s towels are made with Fair Trade–certified cotton.
Colors available: White, pewter, stone, shore, mineral
Customer Review: “Love these towels! They are incredibly soft and incredibly thick. It’s like a spa feeling every time I use them!”
These minimalist Turkish cotton towels feature a flat-weave front and a short-terry back. The understated striped linens are also made from 100% long-staple Turkish cotton. They’re as durable as they are absorbent and have long been a Parachute classic.
Customer review: “I purchased two bath sheets and am very pleased with them. They are plush enough to feel soft and luxurious but thin enough to dry quickly and look a bit more modern.”
The name alone gives us light and airy vibes. Combine that with the beachy color palette and Global Organic Textile Standard, Fair Trade and Made Safe certifications and you’ve got yourself a beautiful, consciously-made set of two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths.
Colors available: Alpine white, undyed, dusty coral, fog, jade
Customer Review: “We love this company and all their products. These towels exceed [our] expectation. It is wonderful to know when you are drying off or washing your body is not absorbing toxic chemicals.”
Nearly 18,000 customers have given this under-$40 set a positive review, which led us to name them the best bath towels on Amazon. Don’t want a 4-piece set? You can mix and match whether you want a single bath sheet, washcloths, hand towels, or various other configurations. Made of OEKO-Tex certified cotton in Denizli, Turkey, this is a set you can feel confident purchasing at a reasonable price point.
Colors available: 14 Star rating: 4.4 Customer review: “Beautiful towels. Super soft yet absorbing. These have been washed 12x and still look new. So pleased with the color and quality, and also the cost.”
Linen company Matouk has been in operation for over 90 years, so it’s safe to say the brand knows towels. Made in Portugal of Oeko-Tex cotton, they’re made of long-staple cotton and can be purchased with a matching bath mat.
Colors available: 23 shades, including pool (pictured)
Customer review: “Towels are plush and luxurious, worth every penny. Wash well and no signs of wear and tear even though we aren’t washing them in the gentle cycle. Who does that? Treat yourself; you won’t regret it.”
Spice up your bath experience with the Lola towel from Anthropologie—specifically the leopard print. The towels come in three colorways, ranging from subtle to eye-popping, and any choice you make will be a good one. They’re made from super soft velour cotton that is Oeko-Tex certified. They also come in hand towel size, so you can pick up a few to make a set.
Colors available: Neutral, navy, ochre
Customer review: “These towels are so good! The blue leopard print and the gold detail combination are stunning. Such a perfect addition to my bathroom. Classic and modern rolled into one.”
If the plush and velvety texture doesn’t convince you to hit “add to cart,” the fact that these Nordstrom brand towels have more than 650 positive reviews should do the trick. They’re made for maximum absorbency and are made in Turkey from 100% Oeko-Tex cotton.
Colors available: Grey sphere, teal mist (pictured)
Customer review: “I love these towels. They replace every cheap towel I’ve accumulated over the years. My goal is to have my entire house outfitted with these towels. They are so soft, I can’t use any other now. Don’t use fabric softener with these or they actually lose their softness & absorption.”
If you’re a fan of the size of beach towels, this waffle-textured bath towel is spa-worthy thanks to its plush texture. The subtle color palette will add the perfect pop of personality to your space and you’ll be thankful to wrap yourself up in this sheet post-suds. Colors available: Black, charcoal, terra-cotta, white Star rating: 5 out of 5 Customer review: “The weave is really big, and it picks up lint in the dryer, but it’s cozy and absorbent and I love it.”
When it comes to bathroom essentials, there’s nothing more classic than a set of plush, white towels. If you’re in the market for a quick-dry bath towel, these absorbent sheets have reinforced edges, made with double-needle, embroidered stitching, to prevent frays and snags. Reviewers also praise how much fluff these towels retain after dozens of cycles through the washing machine.
Colors available: 18 colors, including a white and grey combo Star rating: 4.4 out of 5 Customer review: “These are luxury towels. If you don’t like luxury 5 star hotel type towels...keep looking. They are the softest and most water absorbent towels I’ve ever owned in my nearly half a century worth of living. I wouldn’t write this if I didn’t mean it.”
If you’re sprucing up your home goods, Restoration Hardware is always a safe bet. These Turkish bath towels are made from exceptionally plush cotton terry that is loomed to a luxurious 802 grams per square meter (the highest on this list). Translation: these are such soft towels you might never get dressed.
Colors available: 21, including white, natural, spruce, and latte, among others
Star rating: RH doesn’t feature starred reviews, but you can see a glowing review below.
Customer review: “To say these are high-quality is an understatement. These are the best towels I have ever used. I have never visited a hotel, resort or home with towels that come close.”
If personality is what you’re after, this multicolored, 500 GSM towel from The Company Store will deliver. The best thing about having just about every color represented in a single towel is that it will go with pretty much anything. Don’t sleep on the details: The design features a contrast strip along the border, which gives the playful color palette a grown-up spin. The towels are made in Portugal with Oeko-Tex certified cotton, and you can pair with a bath sheet or wash cloth (sold separately) for a full set of fluff.
Customer review: “These are the softest, nicest, and most well made towels I have ever owned. I can not recommend them highly enough.”
No list of the best bath towels would be complete without an Egyptian cotton towel. Known for its incredible absorbency, Egyptian cotton tends to be thicker, which means they are very soft (these are made of 600 GSM cotton) but not as fast drying as a waffle weave or microfiber towel. However, more than 1,000 reviews point to positive outcomes. The towel set is a great value that includes two face cloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels. For $20 an item, you can add a monogram, which would make the set a great housewarming or wedding gift.
Customer review: “These towels are perfect; just what I was looking for (navy blue isn’t easy to find.) I also like the fact that they have no banding at either end; makes for a nicely-tailored look.”
If you’re not after a super plush, thick towel that feels more like terry cloth, these waffle-weave towels from Onsen are a great option. Made of OEKO-Tex certified, American-grown Supima cotton, waffle bath towels are designed to be highly absorbent and to dry super fast. We’re also big fans of the earthy color options and thick banded construction. Each set comes with a bath towel, hand towel, and face towel to make your linen closet complete.
Colors available: White, oatmeal, forest, sage, cinder grey, twilight blue
Customer review: “I love how quick-drying these towels are, and the fact that they’re on the thinner side (yet still super absorbent) makes them easier to store in my tiny apartment.”
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