Here at LIY, we take our job of answering life’s biggest questions pretty seriously. You know, questions like “What are the best bath towels?”– it’s a tough job but somebody’s gotta do it. It’s a question we’ve received frequently over the years and quite honestly, don’t have the answer to. Until now. Never fear, Team LIY is here and taking matters into our own hands [errr, bathrooms]. We rounded up seven popular towel brands and put them to the ultimate test [ie. used ’em and reviewed ’em]. The wait is finally over! Allow me to introduce the best bath towels on the market– according to yours truly. Drumroll please…
ps. You can check out all of our product comparison posts here!
How We Tested
Before we dive in, here’s the lowdown on the testing process. It was simple, really. A few ladies from the LIY team volunteered to take each brand of towel for a whirl [don’t worry, we each got our own 😉 ], noting important features like thickness, texture, absorbency, how well they held up in the wash and if they shed an annoying amount of fuzzies. These are our results!
The Lineup:
- Nordstrom Hydrocotton Bath Towel
- Pottery Barn Classic Organic Towels
- Martha Stewart for Macy’s Spa Bath Towel
- Casaluna [Target Brand] Organic Bath Towel
- Norwex Microfiber Bath Towel
- AmazonBasics Quick-Dry Bath Towels [Set of 2]
- Utopia Towels Premium Bath Towels [Set of 4]
Our Top Picks
- Nordstrom Hydrocotton Bath Towel: My love for Nordstrom runs deep, so it’s no surprise that their bath towels [with 600+ positive reviews] did not disappoint. They’re super soft, thick, fluffy, and absorbent– checking all the boxes. While they are slightly on the “spend” side compared to several other towels tested, you can tell from the touch that they’re high quality and well made.
- Pottery Barn Classic Organic Towels: Pottery Barn was another brand that ranked highly in our ratings. Again, no surprise here. While it wasn’t necessarily the softest of the towels tested, it was the thickest, washed up well, and didn’t leave fuzzies behind. When it comes to the price point, it’s very comparable to Nordstrom Brand, and once again, you’ll probably get what you pay for long-term! We likey.
- Martha Stewart for Macy’s Spa Bath Towel [on sale with code GIVE]: Â Martha, you’ve got it going on. And talk about bang for your buck! At full price, this brand is about $10 cheaper than Nordstrom and Pottery Barn, but if you did a blind test, you probably wouldn’t notice a huge difference. Who says you can’t stick to a budget without sacrificing quality? Us [and Martha Stewart], that’s who. ps. It’s currently on sale for $10 with code GIVE! So go ahead and give yourself the gift of new towels.
Best Budget-Friendly Options
- AmazonBasics: Amazon for the win! If you’re familiar with the AmazonBasics brand, then chances are, you might already know how good it is. From bath towels to phone charges, their products are typically reliable and budget friendly. These towels come as a set of two, putting them around ten bucks a pop. They were VERY similar to some of the higher end brands we tested [but not quite as thick], for a fraction of the price. They’re soft, fluffy, and washed well. If you’re looking to save a few pennies [who isn’t?] or need ’em in a jiffy [shoutout Prime!], we’re giving these a thumbs up!
- Casaluna Organic Bath Towel: Here’s the deal. After washing and drying all the towels, lining them up next to each other, and conducting a blind test [AKA feeling them up]; we couldn’t tell much of a difference between the $10 Target Brand and the $30 Nordstrom and Pottery Barn brands. I can’t speak to how well they’ll hold up long term, but so far, so good. After a few uses and washes, I’m a fan. If I were in need of a new set of towels, you better believe I’m saving the extra $20 and going for the Targ brand.
Honorable Mention
- Norwex Microfiber Bath Towel: This was an unexpected win for several of us! While it’s not your standard thick and fluffy towel, it was by-far most absorbent. This is a thin, microfiber towel– so we were at bit skeptical at first. If you’re picky about the texture of fabric on your skin, this might not be the one for you. It was also the most expensive of the towels we tested, so didn’t necessarily steal our hearts for the price. If you’re curious and willing to try something new [and have an extra $50 laying around 😉 ], we don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Bonus: it has a fun loop sewn in for hanging!
Don’t Waste Your Money
- Utopia Towels Premium Bath Towels [Set of 4]: Ladies and gents, allow me to introduce our least favorite overall. Do yourself a favor and don’t waste your dollars. This one had 3,300+ positive reviews on Amazon, so we had high expectations. Unfortunately, it was the roughest, least soft/fluffy, and was fraying after one wash. In hindsight, this was the cheapest set we tested [$32 for a 4-pack], so we got what we paid for. Throw in the towel on that one.
Brands We Tested:
Founder and creator of LIY, Erin turned her dream of a hobby blog into a full-time career which she now runs alongside the LIY team! When not in front of her computer screen [with a La Croix or wine in hand] or in front of a mirror taking mirror selfies, you can find Erin spending time on the water, cuddled up with her two pups and husband most likely watching the latest Shark Tank episode, or getting lost in an easy beach read.
