The best bath towels you can buy
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The best towel overall
If you’re looking for a 100% cotton towel that absorbs water without feeling heavy or “soaked” against your skin, has a plush texture, comes in lots of great colors, and holds up well after years of use, you’ve met your match with the Fieldcrest Spa Towel. You get all of that quality at a budget price.
You’ll find three sizes of towel available at Target: bath sheet (measures 65 x 33 inches), bath towel (measures 56 x 30 inches), and hand towel (30 x 16 inches). All sizes are available in a choice of 11 lovely neutral shades, including a deep brown, cream, mint green, and several soft blue shades.
The Fieldcrest towel is a Target exclusive. A similar towel from Fieldcrest (that's currently out of stock) is The Wirecutter’s number-one pick for the bath towel category. In fact, it’s been the review team's top choice for two years in a row. They love its durability, medium-plush thickness, and the way it absorbs water thoroughly yet dries out quickly. The Spa towel we recommend is similar.
Target buyers seem to agree: The Fieldcrest towel has 24 reviews and a nearly five-star rating. Happy buyers rave about the towel’s luxurious feel, plushness, and excellent absorbing capabilities. With so many reviews, however, there are bound to be some negatives. A few buyers complained that the towel didn't absorb water as well as they'd hoped.
Pros: Great price, nice selection of colors, plush and soft, 100% cotton terrycloth
Cons: A few complaints of reduced quality and fading
Buy Fieldcrest Spa Bath Towels at Target for $10+The best towel that's sheet sized
If you like wrapping your bath towel around your entire body, you’ll be able to do so and have towel to spare with the Utopia Bath Sheet. This towel is huge at 35 inches wide by 70 inches long.
But the huge size isn't the only great thing about it. It’s also made from 100% ring spun cotton for super-softness along with excellent durability. The hems are double-stitched, so they won’t unravel or fray, even after many trips through the wash.
A lot of Amazon shoppers are clearly happy when they step out of the bath and into this towel. The Utopia Bath Sheet has more than 3,100 reviews and an average of 4.3 stars.
While some buyers do comment that the towels are not as thick as they expected, most echo the comment of shopper L.Hale, who wrote: “These towels are HUGE! And so fluffy! They shed in the dryer a good bit the first 5 or 6 times you dry them, but after that, they tend to slack off. I bought one just to see how I liked them, then ended up buying 5 more!”
There are plenty of colors to choose from, including pure black, plum, and dark brown, so you can add comfort and style to your bathroom.
Pros: Huge size, good quality, soft cotton
Cons: Not super-thick
Buy the Utopia Bath Sheet on Amazon for $17.99 to $22.99The best lightweight towel
During those hot, humid months when nothing seems to dry, having a lightweight towel is a must. We tried Crane & Canopy's Yellow Striper Fouta Towel during the stickest summer months, and we loved it.
Not only does the 100% Turkish cotton towel dry quickly, it also feels lightweight and soft on your skin. The light terry cloth interior is highly absorbent and picks up any water or moisture so you dry off quickly. You can machine wash these towels on the gentle cycle, but you should avoid using liquid fabric softner.
On the ends of the towel, there's a cute light fringe that adds some flair to the towel's design. You can get the Fouta towel in a variety of colors, including coral, yellow, and blue. Crane & Canopy has striped and polka dotted patterns for you to choose from, too.
You can get the Fouta towel in a variety of sizes, including washcloth, hand towel, bath towel, and bath sheet. We found the bath towel to be just the right size, but if you like larger towels, the bath sheet is the one for you. Crane & Canopy also sells sets so your entire bathroom can match.
The only real downside to these towels is the price tag of $22 for a bath towel and $34 for a bath sheet. Also, if you want a plush, fluffy towel, these lightweight Turkish cotton ones aren't it, but Crane & Canopy has fluffy towels that are also great. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Absorbent, dries quickly, lightweight, soft, 100% Turkish cotton, cute colors and patterns
Cons: Pricey
Buy the Fouta Towels from Crane & Canopy for $22 (bath towel) or $34 (bath sheet)The best waffle-weave towel
Waffle weave towels tend to be lightweight, so this Parachute towel isn’t the choice if you like very thick, plush towels, but it absorbs better than a flat weave and dries quickly, so you’re less likely to find funky smelling, mildewed towels waiting for you after your shower. If you prefer this blanket-like weave, you can’t go wrong with Parachute’s Waffle Towels.
Made of 100% long-staple Turkish cotton, the Parachute towels are oh-so-soft but don’t feel as heavy as a solid weave towel. They have sturdy self-hems, so they won’t come unraveled or fray, even after lots of use. Plus, the waffled fabric looks clean and contemporary, adding a nice touch of style to your bathroom.
Good Housekeeping chose the Parachute Waffle Towel as the “Best Bath Towel,” praising the lightweight and quick-drying fabric.
Parachute sells both a waffle-weave bath towel, measuring 56 x 30 inches and a waffle-weave hand towel, which is 30 x 20 inches. Both are available in white or dark gray.
Pros: Dry quickly, soft, quality construction
Cons: Expensive, only available in two colors
Buy the Waffle Bath Towel at Parachute for $39The best organic cotton towel
Want a towel that feels as pampering as a day at the spa? Love to wrap yourself in the thickest, most absorbent, softest cotton? And prefer all of the above in organic form? Well then, check out Boll & Branch’s Organic Bath Towel, because you’re going to love it.
Made from 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, and dyed with non-toxic, eco-friendly dyes, the Boll & Branch towels are also Fair Trade Certified. These towels are as luxurious, soft, and plush as you could hope for, and they are very absorbent.
These are Good Housekeeping’s pick for best organic cotton towels. The reviewer says, “Though it’s pricey, this towel was the top performer among the organic cotton options.” The writer comments that the heavy cotton does take a while to dry, but the towel is soft, durable, absorbent, and holds up well in the wash.
At 58 x 30 inches, these towels are quite large and are available in white, natural, and stone gray.
Pros: Organic cotton is super soft and thick
Cons: Expensive
Buy the Organic Bath Towel at Boll & Branch for $45The best towel for a wide choice of colors
Sometimes, you crave a little more color in your towel selection than white or sedate neutrals. You’re looking for a pop of color to light up your bathroom and make your morning a little cheerier. The Wamsutta Hygro Duet Bath Towels are perfect for those of you who love colorful towels.
With 28 colors to choose from, you might not be able to settle on just one. Or let each family member pick a towel color — That way, no one can pass the blame for that crumpled, wet towel that was left on the bathroom floor.
But a great selection of colors isn’t all the Wamsutta Hygro Duet Bath Towels have to offer. These 100% cotton towels are dual-sided. One side is looped for softness, while the other side is 2-ply terry for absorbency. Put it all together, and you have a towel that feels great and dries you off quickly and effectively. Plus, it gets softer with every wash.
The bath towel measures 30 x 54 inches. The hand towel is 16 x 28 inches.
Pros: Huge color selection, soft and absorbent, great price
Cons: A few customers said the towels didn’t hold up well in the wash
Buy the Wamsutta Hygro Duet Bath Towel at Bed, Bath & Beyond for $9.99The best textured towels with a fun pattern
West Elm's new bath collection is all made from organic Turkish cotton that's soft and super absorbent, and its Dashed Lines towels are among the best ones in the collection.
The raised dashes are more than just a fun pattern — they also provide a great texture that feels lovely on your skin and helps you dry off quickly. You can get these towels in classic colors like a deep golden yellow, light gray, pink blush, and white.
The golden yellow towels make the biggest visual statement, while the other color choices are more subtle and muted. Whichever color you choose, these towels will look unique and quirky in your bathroom.
West Elm uses 100% organic Oeko-Tek certified cotton in its towels, so they're extra soft and absorbent. The bath towels measure 28 by 54 inches, and they sit right in the middle in terms of weight, coming in at 500 grams, so they're neither too heavy nor too light.
I was impressed by how well the towel dried my skin off post-shower and I liked how quickly it dried afterward. Many heavier towels don't dry fast enough for my liking and end up smelling a bit musty after a few showers. That wasn't the case with West Elm's towels.
The only real downside here is the $24 price tag, but for organic cotton towels with great texture and fast drying abilities, it's worth paying the extra money. Additionally, West Elm frequently discounts its items, so you may be able to get a deal on these towels if you keep an eye out. — Malarie Gokey
Pros: Organic cotton, absorbent, soft, stylish, nice texture, 500-gram weight
Cons: A bit expensive
Buy the Organic Dashed Lines Sculpted Towel at West Elm for $24
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