The best bath towels of 2026, tried and tested

The best bath towel could make your lavatory really feel like a private spa, and the best half is you don’t must spend all that a lot to attain a high-quality, luxurious post-shower expertise both.

To discover the best bath towels value shopping for (and to improve the rag-adjacent choices I at the moment personal), I compiled a pool of seven widespread bath towels and bath towel units from manufacturers comparable to West Elm, Pottery Barn and Quince, and whereas it’s straightforward to imagine that each one towels are the identical, my expertise testing these confirmed that the distinction in high quality can really fluctuate broadly. I even discovered that units costing upwards of $100 paled compared to some that have been priced beneath $40.

After taking numerous showers, I stored reaching for 2 favorites: the Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel from Pottery Barn and the Turkish Bath Towel Set from Quince. Here’s why.

Best bath towel

This is the plush bath towel of my desires. It’s absorbent and delicate, air-dry after air-dry, and there are 16 colours to select from, all of which supply the identical degree of consolation.

Best bath towel set

This set affords two absorbent towels at an excellent value ($10 lower than buying two Pottery Barn towels individually). If you’re in search of dependable, comfy towels to hold in your lavatory, contemplate these.

It took me simply two showers to comprehend the Pottery Barn Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel was the best in my product pool. It’s extraordinarily absorbent and felt simply as delicate after an evening air-drying because it did after my first use.

Looks-wise, the Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel is pretty typical. It measures 28 by 55 inches, which is greater than sufficient floor space to totally wrap it round my physique or hair. While not the most important of the bunch, I nonetheless had additional snuggle room. There are 16 colours to select from, and Pottery Barn additionally affords matching hand towels, washcloths and bath sheets to finish the set.

The woven cotton has a delicate texture, and it retains its high quality nicely after a machine wash. When it got here to truly drying myself, I went from damp to dry in simply seconds. The towel wasn’t soaked both. I may wrap it round me and not really feel as if I have been carrying a moist rag however as an alternative like I had added a luxurious layer to my pores and skin.

This towel additionally carried out nicely in my varied management exams. For instance, once I poured a cup of water onto it whereas it was folded, no water seeped down into the underside layer. In reality, the underside remained fully dry, whereas another towels in my product pool grew to become fully soaked from high to backside layer. Of course, this isn’t a deal-breaker, as bath towels are supposed to get moist, however it’s a good signal of absorption in addition to an indicator of a towel’s total longevity. Sure, a much less absorbent bath towel is appropriate, but it surely may go away you feeling somewhat damp and a lot much less comfy.

The value of the Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel begins at $35, which I contemplate a stable total worth, particularly given its qualitfy. It’s additionally $10 much less per towel than Brooklinen’s Plush Towel, which was its closest rival for this high spot.

I’m regularly impressed by the standard of Quince’s merchandise, from its carry-on luggage to its Lululemon-like bike shorts, so I used to be not in the slightest degree stunned to search out that its bath towels, particularly this Turkish Bath Towel Set, are equally spectacular. They’re extremely absorbent, a pleasant size and price simply $60 for a set of two. You can’t beat that in case you’re trying to purchase a couple of towel in your lavatory.

What principally distinguishes this Quince bath towel from the Pottery Barn Quick-Dry Towel is its dimension. It’s barely bigger than my high decide above, although the distinction wasn’t instantly noticeable throughout my testing. When folded over a towel rack, nevertheless, the added size grew to become extra apparent.

Admittedly, these aren’t as delicate as Pottery Barn’s towels, however they’re not to date off that they felt tough to the contact or uncomfortable to make use of. The material’s consistency remained unchanged after washing, however I felt as if the fibers took a while to calm down after a tumble within the dryer. They weren’t essentially tough, however they weren’t extraordinarily fluffy both. If you’re extra involved with how nicely a towel dries you than how plush it’s, chances are you’ll discover that this material is simply best for you.

Drying my hair and physique with this towel made its absorption efficacy clear, however I nonetheless needed to put its fibers to the take a look at by performing a management experiment. During this take a look at, I didn’t discover any soaking or water seeping by way of the layers of the folded towel, which scored it extremely for absorption.

What really makes this set a winner, although, is its total worth. For comparability, it’s priced $30 cheaper than the plush set from Brooklinen. If you’re on the hunt for comfy and inexpensive towels, you’ll get the best of each with this Quince set.

Finding the best bath towel required taking a number of showers. I began by doing easy exams of simply drying off my physique and hair, however I additionally famous how soaked the towels felt after I dried off, how comfy and plush they have been and how nicely they air-dried in a single day. Additionally, I carried out a water soaking take a look at to judge each’s total absorbency.

Here’s all the pieces I thought-about whereas testing:

Design and sturdiness

Initial really feel: I unfolded every bath towel and ran my hand over it to judge texture, contemplating the general design and fibers’ softness.

Post-wash really feel: I paid particular consideration to the softness and texture of materials of every towel after washing it. Most held up nicely, however some felt rougher and appeared duller after only a single wash.

Drying: I used every towel after a number of showers to dry my physique and hair. I famous which felt quick-drying and which felt soggy after being hung as much as dry. The towels that scored highest have been absorbent and delicate earlier than, throughout and after my bathe.

Absorption: I carried out a management take a look at by folding every towel and pouring half a cup of water on high. I then lifted the highest fold of the towel to see if any water had seeped by way of.

Price: Some bath towels could be expensive, however a luxurious really feel doesn’t need to break the bank. I factored in the fee of every bath towel when assessing the general worth. This, mixed with the above metrics, helped me finalize the winners.

Buying a brand new bath towel could appear to be a fundamental course of, but it surely’s necessary to contemplate a couple of key components earlier than making a purchase order. The most important issues embody the towel’s dimension and form, whether or not you need a set that comes with hand towels, sure shade choices and its supplies. Here’s all the pieces to remember as you store:

Size and form

While a towel’s size and width could fluctuate, its form is constantly rectangular. All seven choices I tested ranged in dimension from 28 by 54 inches to 30 by 58 inches.

But dimension is a vital consideration, relying by yourself peak. For occasion, I’m 5 foot 1 on day, so I’m capable of go for shorter towels, as they’ll nonetheless cowl most of my physique. If you’re nearer to six ft tall, nevertheless, a bigger towel will present extra protection, as a high quality bath towel ought to comfortably wrap round you.

Buying bath towels in a set could be a cost-effective technique to replenish. This is particularly useful for households in search of matching towel units or anybody fascinated with upgrading their complete towel choice. A pair of the units I tested even allow you to purchase simply two towels, which, for somebody who lives alone (like me) is a pleasant possibility, as I don’t require a set of 4 or extra.

If you’re fascinated with shopping for a set since you additionally need matching washcloths or hand towels, know that many manufacturers additionally provide these choices as separate add-ons, which means you don’t have to purchase a complete set simply to get them. Double-check the product web page everytime you’re researching a towel to see if there’s the choice so as to add further towels.

By no means is that this an important issue to contemplate when searching for the best bath towel, however let’s face it: You’re going to like your bath towel a complete lot extra if it matches your vibe. Color selection from manufacturers ensures you’re spending cash on one thing purposeful and complementary to your house’s aesthetics.

There are many sorts of towel supplies, and selecting one over one other typically comes down to non-public desire. For occasion, I’m extra of a fan of plush cotton towels versus microfiber or waffle-weave ones.

That’s to not say these different supplies aren’t value shopping for, although; microfiber is an efficient possibility for a quick-drying gymnasium towel, whereas a waffle weave typically has a bigger floor space that may enable you to really feel drier extra rapidly. There’s nothing inherently dangerous about both of these supplies; I simply favor the softness and absorbency of a cotton towel.

True to its identify, the Plush Towel from Brooklinen has a delicate and bouncy texture. It’s the proper improve for anybody trying to splurge on a brand new set of two, and it is also out there in 10 totally different colours. It’s bigger than my profitable decide, so possibility for these fascinated with additional size.

The Brooklinen Plush Towel was one of my favorites all through testing. From texture to absorption, its efficiency is stellar. The towel’s texture is ethereal but plush, and it feels constantly clean wash after wash.

The cause it’s not a winner merely comes right down to its affordability. While I loved utilizing the Plush Towel, Pottery Barn’s Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Towel was barely softer and felt extra plush after it air-dried — plus, it’s cheaper. If you’re fascinated with matching units, nevertheless, this Brooklinen decide continues to be an honest possibility.

The waffle texture of the Dreamweave Bath Towel is a novel departure from the standard towel aesthetic. It’s a lighter, thinner materials that appears good on the wall, however I want it have been extra absorbent.

A set of the Brooklinen Dreamweave Waffle Bath Towels begins at $89, which is on the pricier finish of the towels in my testing pool. The waffle sample’s pocket-like texture felt soothing towards my pores and skin, but it surely’s additionally a lot thinner than the extra plush choices I tested. It was a bit much less absorbent in comparison with others as nicely.

These West Elm Plush Fibrosoft Towels are extremely absorbent, however I discovered them to be not as quick-drying as some of the others I tested. They’re out there in 16 totally different colours in case you’re trying to match a particular aesthetic in your lavatory.

At $30 per bath towel, the Fibrosoft from West Elm was a powerful contender in my exams. I favored that it was one of the bigger towel choices in my testing pool, and it additionally proved to be among the many most absorbent.

However, a couple of of its smaller drawbacks added up, finally knocking it out of competition. Its preliminary softness and shade light fairly rapidly, for instance, and whereas it’s nonetheless delicate, I simply observed a distinction in the way it felt once I first used it in comparison with the way it felt after a number of showers. Also, once I seemed carefully, I noticed the beginnings of pilling after only one cycle.

The Company Store Turkish Cotton Towel is one of the extra absorbent choices I tested, but it surely maintained a barely tough texture, even after a number of washes. It has essentially the most shade choices of the seven bath towels I tested, however I simply want it felt barely softer.

The Company Store Turkish Cotton Towel is a stable bath towel, providing essentially the most shade choices of any towel in my testing pool, with a whopping 19 to select from. I appreciated the absorbent cotton when drying my hair and physique after a bathe, however I wasn’t the most important fan of its texture, which is in no way sandpaper tough however not extremely delicate both.

I’ll say its thick cotton fibers make it an efficient towel, particularly in terms of drying thick hair, however in case you’re in search of one thing comfortable, this probably isn’t the towel for you.

Two bath towels for beneath $20 is a superb deal … as long as the towels really operate nicely, which sadly is not the case with these. They’re loads thinner than the opposite towels in my testing pool, and additionally they shed loads in the course of the first couple of makes use of.

These Amazon Basics towels have been extra absorbent than I anticipated, particularly contemplating their cheaper price level and the truth that they’re the thinnest towels I tested. That mentioned, they carried out adequately in each my managed and sensible testing, proving to carry extra water than I anticipated.

Where issues went dangerous, although, was the fuzz. So a lot fuzz. I stored discovering speckles of blue material on my pores and skin whereas patting myself dry after my first few showers with it, and I’m nonetheless discovering blue remnants every time I exploit it. While two massive bath towels for beneath $20 is undoubtedly an excellent worth, the rampant shedding makes me doubt how lengthy these towels will final in the long run.

The following questions have been answered by Sarah McAllister, founder and CEO of GoCleanCo and House Work.

NCS Underscored editors completely take a look at all of the merchandise we cowl and present full transparency about how we take a look at them. We have an skilled crew of writers and editors who’ve a few years of testing expertise and guarantee every article is rigorously edited and merchandise are correctly vetted. We discuss to high consultants when it is sensible to make sure we take a look at every product precisely and talk about the professionals and cons of every merchandise.

Somewhat controversially, NCS Underscored affiliate testing author Gareen Puglia loves taking extra-long, boiling-hot showers, so naturally she was as much as the duty of evaluating the best bath towels. She put the bunch to the take a look at whereas drying her hair and physique, and she additionally threw a cup of water on every to check its absorbency. It’s this sort of inventive method that Puglia takes throughout totally different product evaluations. Whether testing espresso makers outside or inserting sardines in kitchen trash cans, she’s at all times up for the problem.