The 7 Best Bath Towels After Months of Testing

Almost any towel will do the job, but the best bath towels are absorbent, soft to the touch, and dry quickly, which makes all the difference between a routine and luxurious shower experience. Bath towels come in different materials, weights, and styles—and browsing through the various options online can be challenging. Luckily, we did the legwork for you. Read on to discover how to spot a high-quality towel, as well as our picks of some of the most spa-worthy bath towels on the market today.

Best bath towels, at a glance:

• Best plush: Brooklinen, Super-Plush Bath Towel Bundle, $128
• Best budget: Frontgate, Resort Collection Bath Towel, $42
• Best luxury textile: Cultiver, Pure Linen Bath Towel, $90
• Best quick-drying: Parachute, Waffle Towel, $49
• Best Supima cotton: Onsen, Bath Towel, $50
• Best organic: Coyuchi, Temescal Organic Bath Towel, $78
• Best organic towel set: Homebird, Plush Bath Towel Complete Set, $183
• Best Turkish cotton set: Parachute, Classic Turkish Cotton Towels, $184

How we picked

To help narrow down your choices, the Well+Good team tried and tested some of the most popular bath towels on the market, reviewing them in terms of absorbency, texture, and overall quality. Bonus points if they’re sustainably manufactured or made from eco-friendly materials. From luxuriously plush to quick-drying bath towels, these seven picks are the best options for upgrading your shower routine.

7 of the best bath towels, tested by our team

Best plush

Brooklinen, Super-Plush Bath Towel Bundle — $128.00

• Material: 100% Turkish cotton
• Weight: 820 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 58 x 30 inches

Brooklinen’s Super-Plush bath towels live up to their name: At 820 GSM, they offer maximum plushness. Made from 100 percent Turkish cotton that’s Oeko-Tex certified, it feels soft, if a little slick, on the skin—ideal if you’re looking for something that is gentle on the face and body. As a bonus, the bath towels are sold as a set, and they come in a selection of classic and seasonal colors.

What our reviewer says: Our reviewer noted the bath towel is “heavy and warm,” making it akin to cocooning yourself in a weighted blanket after a shower. She adds, “The towel is absorbent too, so you can expect it to quickly soak up water. What’s more, it made the process of drying sopping wet hair much faster.” A trade-off to using this plush towel is that it takes longer to dry, though our reviewer mentioned that it didn’t develop a musty odor between washes.

Pros:

• Plushest option on the list
• Highly absorbent
• Comes in a four-piece set

Cons:

• Bulky
• Slower drying time

Best budget

Frontgate, Resort Collection Bath Towel — $42.00

• Material: 100% Turkish cotton
• Weight: 700 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 58 x 30 inches

If you’re looking for luxury at a reasonable price, look no further than Frontgate’s plush bath towels. They’re woven from Oeko-Tex-certified Turkish cotton that is combed to reduce shedding, making them incredibly soft and smooth as a result. They have a memory-foam like feel, which might be largely in part to its weight of 700 GSM. There are also a ton of color options, allowing you to mix and match to your specific style. Choose from over 20 options, ranging from neutral to bright pops of color.

What our reviewer says: “These are perhaps the plushest, dreamiest towels I’ve ever used in my life,” raved our reviewer. “However, while luxuriously plush, these towels can get heavy when damp and can take a while to dry,” she noted.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• Highly absorbent
• Comes in over 20 color options

Cons:

• Slower drying time
• Comes with only one towel

Best luxury textile

Cultiver, Pure Linen Bath Towel — $90.00

• Material: 100% European flax
• Weight: 550 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 55 x 28 inches

If you’re interested in purchasing a bath towel made from an alternative luxury textile, this option from Cultiver is what you’ve been looking for.  It’s made from 100 percent flax, which is grown in Europe, and it has an Oeko-Tex certification. The material is known to be lightweight but absorbent, which is ideal for anyone that wants the best of both worlds. At 550 GSM, it’s quite substantial too—but it isn’t so thick that it stays damp for an extended period of time.

What our reviewer says: “If you love linen sheets, you’ll love this linen bath towel,” says our reviewer. “It’s not soft and fluffy, but it feels incredibly luxe. It’s perhaps the most beautiful bath towel I’ve ever owned,” she adds, noting the fringed edges as a nice touch. “This is a high-end bath towel, no doubt.”

Pros:

• Lightweight
• Absorbent
• Attractive design

Cons:

• Pricey
• Limited color options

Best quick-drying

Parachute, Waffle Towel — $49.00

• Material: 100% Turkish cotton
• Weight: 240 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 56 x 30 inches

If you favor quick-drying bath towels over fluffy ones, Parachute’s waffle towels are a great option. At 240 GSM, you will lose some fluff, but this doesn’t mean the towels skimp on softness. Made of 100 percent Turkish cotton, they are soft, breezy, and feel like they weigh next to nothing.

What our reviewer says: “These towels wick away moisture quickly, but because of their soft, thin texture and slight stretch, they dry faster than thicker towels,” our reviewer says. “I was expecting the waffle texture to be more rigid, like hotel waffle towels, but I was wrong.” She adds that they’re attractive, too: “These light, airy towels look and feel more like expensive throw blankets than bath towels.”

Pros:

• Dries quickly
• Lightweight
• Attractive design

Cons:

• Thinner than the other options on the list
• Some reviewers say they stretch over time

Best Supima cotton

Onsen, Bath Towel — $50.00

• Material: 100% Supima cotton
• Weight: 470 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 57 x 31 inches

Another pick with a waffle weave, this bath towel from Onsen is lightweight at 470 GSM but it can wick water away from the body with little to no effort. Its textured style offers a pleasantly invigorating sensation against the skin, but it isn’t at all scratchy. Onsen’s bath towel is made of 100 percent American-grown Supima cotton, which is known for its soft and incredibly smooth skin-feel (our reviewer confirmed this), and it’s Oeko-Tex certified.

What our reviewer says: “It’s not bulky, so it hangs really nicely, which really elevates the look of my bathroom,” says our reviewer. “You can shop it in several options, ranging from classic neutrals to visually appealing colors, like denim blue and a sunny yellow ochre. Plus, it doesn’t take long to dry after use.”

Pros:

• Made of 100 percent America-grown Supima cotton
• Lightweight
• Attractive design

Cons:

• Waffle fabric may snag, according to some reviewers
• Some reviewers say it isn’t very absorbent

Best organic

Coyuchi, Temescal Organic Bath Towel — $75.00

• Material: 100% Turkish cotton
• Weight: 600 GSM
• Certifications: GOTS certification
• Size: 58 x 25 inches

At 600 GSM, they are neither too thick nor too thin but fall within the Goldilocks category of “just right.” In addition to being gorgeous, one of the best features of these bath towels is the fact that they’re made with 100% Turkish cotton that is GOTS certified, meaning they adhere to specific global sustainability standards for cloth textile production—a big bonus for those who want to shop sustainably. While only available in a handful of neutral colors, they’re versatile enough to fit right into any bathroom.

What our reviewer says: “Coyuchi’s bath towels are where fluffiness meets function,” our reviewer proclaimed. “These have a soft, ribbed texture that makes them great at absorbing the little droplets that a typical towel might otherwise miss.”

Pros:

• GOTS and MADE SAFE certified
• Absorbent
• Comes in various options

Cons:

• Pricey
• Some reviewers say it becomes less soft post-wash

Best organic towel set

Homebird, Plush Bath Towel Complete Set — $183.00

• Material: 100% organic cotton
• Weight: 700 GSM
• Certifications: GOTS certification
• Size: 58 x 30 inches (bath towel); 30 x 20 inches (hand towel); 13 x 13 inches (washcloth)

If you want to switch to sustainable bath linens, the Homebird towel set comes with everything you need. Included in the set are two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths, all made of GOTS-certified long-staple organic cotton. At 700 GSM, they’re thick and absorbent, and stay fluffy and soft after use. While on the plusher side, they don’t stay damp for long. However, you may want to opt for the brand’s Classic line if you want a super quick-drying towel.

What our reviewer says: “When I step out of the shower, I want to step into a fluffy towel—the thicker, the better,” our reviewer says. “These towels fit the bill. When left hanging in my bathroom with the exhaust fan running, they don’t take long to dry. All in all, if you want your towel to feel like it’s giving you a hug, the plush towels from Homebird will do just that.”

Pros:

• GOTS-certified
• Highly absorbent
• Comes in a six-piece set

Cons:

• Expensive
• Limited color options

Best Turkish cotton set

Parachute, Classic Turkish Cotton Towels — $184.00

• Material: 100% Turkish cotton
• Weight: 700 GSM
• Certifications: Oeko-Tex certification
• Size: 56 x 30 inches (bath towel); 30 x 20 inches (hand towel); 12 x 12 inches (washcloth)

Another pick from Parachute, these Turkish cotton towels have a real hotel-quality look and feel. They feature a ribbed design and have a plush, 700 GSM weight you’ll want to wrap yourself up in. Best of all, they’re available in a handful of solid colors and come either as a set or as individual bath, hand, or washcloth towels. We also appreciate that Parachute offers carbon neutral shipping and returns.

What our reviewer says: “My husband and I put these on our wedding registry and have been using them for over a year now,” says our reviewer. “They’re consistently fluffy and soft, wash after wash, and have held up really well. They dry normally, so nothing remarkable to report there, but feel high-quality, like we’ll have them for years to come.”

Pros: 

• Durable Turkish cotton
• Soft and plush with normal dry time
• Carbon neutral shipping and returns

Cons: 

• Not as fast-drying as the waffle pick from Parachute, above

What to look for when shopping for bath towels

Parima Ijaz, the founder of bedlinen brand Pure Parima who draws knowledge from years in the textile industry, told Well+Good that there are three things to consider when shopping for bath towels: material, weight, and style.

Material

First, you’ll want to think about the material of the bath towel. Here are a few key things to consider:

• Cotton: Bath towels are typically made from cotton or a cotton blend. If you’re after a pure cotton bath towel, look for options made from long-staple cotton, like pima and Turkish cotton, which produce soft and strong yarns that, as a bonus, are gentle on the skin.
• Cotton blends: Budget-minded shoppers might want to opt for cotton-blend bath towels. They’re soft as well, though according to Ijaz, they aren’t as absorbent as options made from pure cotton.
• Organic materials and certifications: If you’re particular about purchasing bath towels made from eco-friendly materials, opt for varieties made from organic cotton, which typically requires less water and no synthetic fertilizers and pesticides to cultivate, or alternative textiles, like flax. Those who are shopping with sustainability in mind might also want to choose options with environmental certifications that involve third-party verification to check whether a company adheres to sustainability practices. Reputable certifications include the Oeko-Tex certification, which ensures textiles are free of substances that are potentially harmful to humans and the environment, or the Global Organic Textile Standard (or GOTS) certification, which verifies that at least 70 percent of the fibers in a textile are organic and meet environmentally responsible processing standards.

Weight

A bath towel’s weight, measured in grams per square meter (GSM), is another consideration. Typically, a higher GSM corresponds to a thicker bath towel, with a trade-off being that it may take longer to dry. Those who prefer quick-drying options might want to opt for one with a lower GSM—or, alternatively, a loose-weave bath towel, which thanks to its breathable design, won’t stay damp for a long time and risk developing a musty odor between washes.

Style

Function aside, you might want to select a bath towel that matches your aesthetic sensibilities and matches your bathroom accessories. Luckily, there are plenty of options on the market, from neutrals to bright pops of color, so you’re bound to find one that will make you look forward to showering and the moment that follows, aka “towel time.”

How to care for your bath towels

A quality bath towel will stand up to frequent use, says Ijaz, lasting you from five to 10 years. If you want to ensure they last a long time, proper care is essential. Follow the specific care instructions on your bath towel’s label as they can vary widely from brand to brand. Many bath towels, for instance, can be safely machine washed while others require air-drying—or at least the manufacturer recommends it. Not sure if you’re washing correctly? Check out our handy towel-washing guide.