Best Towels: How to Choose Soft, Absorbent Towels That Last

It’s easy to take towels for granted. From a purely utilitarian viewpoint, their only job is to soak up water. But if you’ve ever experienced the joy of a plush, luxury towel, you know that’s only part of the story. “The right towel does more than just dry your body,” says interior designer Alexis Vitale, founder of Vitale Design Group. “It makes you feel comfortable. And the best towels create the perfect atmosphere in a bathroom—the way a towel drapes, the texture and the color all contribute to the overall experience.”

We asked Vitale to guide us on shopping for the best towel sets, including how to find the softest towels, quick-dry towels, luxury bath towels, affordable towels, the most absorbent towels and the best towels for sensitive skin.

Best Towels At a Glance

What to Look for In the Best Towels

When we’re looking to purchase towels, most of us intuitively think of softness, absorbency and price. But, Vitale says, “When you evaluate towels, consider how the towel is going to perform, how it will age and how it will complement a space.”

The material and size of the towel are also important but will depend on your needs. In the dead of winter, stepping out of the shower into a massive, heavy, fluffy towel can feel like heaven, but that’s the last thing you’ll want after a summer workout.

Best Towel Materials

Turkish cotton

“Turkish cotton towels are most designers’ favorites because they provide an exceptional balance of softness, durability and elegance,” Vitale says. Grown in Turkey, this cotton is a long-staple cotton (with individual fibers between one-and-an-eighth and one-and-a-quarter inch long). It’s highly durable and gets softer over time.

Egyptian cotton

As the name suggests, this cotton is grown in Egypt and is known for its extra-long staples (fibers exceed one-and-three-eighths inches). Egyptian cotton towels are extremely soft and absorbent but take longer to dry after use.

Supima cotton

“Supima” is a brand-certified type of extra-long-staple cotton grown only in the US. Its name is a contraction of “superior Pima,” with Pima being a type of cotton grown in the southwestern US. This material approaches Egyptian cotton in quality.

Bamboo

This material is made from bamboo pulp processed into rayon. It is soft, silky and cool to the touch. Bamboo towels can dry relatively quickly, especially when the bamboo is blended with cotton, but they are not always as absorbent or durable as high-quality cotton towels. The fabric can lose softness over time with repeated washing. That said, bamboo blend towels can be a good choice for someone who prefers a lightweight, smooth, cool-to-the-touch towel…and they may appeal to people with sensitive skin because they feel less textured than traditional terry cloth.

Modal

Modal is a semi-synthetic fiber made from the pulp of the beech tree. It’s soft and smooth, less bulky than cotton towels, but not nearly as plush as Egyptian cotton. Modal towels are not my first choice for an everyday bath towel, says Vitale. Modal is exceptionally smooth, lightweight, colorfast and resistant to shrinking. It also absorbs moisture well and tends to dry faster than a thick, plush cotton towel. But it is less widely available and typically lacks the substantial, luxurious feel and long-term durability of high-quality cotton. Many modal towels are blends, so their performance depends heavily on the percentage and quality of cotton used.

Blends

Some towels consist of combinations of different materials, including cotton, bamboo, polyester and modal. They are less luxurious than other types but also less expensive and faster-drying after use.

Best Towels for Different Needs

Frontgate Resort Collection

“This is more of a luxury bath towel, hotel-grade,” says Vitale. Featuring extremely plush Turkish cotton, it has a very elegant appearance. “But it does have a little bit longer drying time,” she says, meaning that it takes longer for it to dry your body. Set of six, $149. 

Brooklinen Super-Plush

The Turkish-cotton loops in this luxury bath towel make it extremely soft. “It keeps its color well and offers a more sophisticated color palette,” Vitale says. Potential downside: It is heavier than the average towel. $90 for two bath towels. 

Boll & Branch Plush Bath Towel

This towel is made from 100% certified organic cotton woven into terry loops. “It’s very plush and absorbent and great for people interested in sustainability,” says Vitale. “But think of it as an eco-friendly luxury line…it’s a bit higher of an investment.” $49 for one bath towel. 

Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towels

This is a good everyday, medium-to-lightweight towel with less plush and a more minimalist, understated aesthetic. “It isn’t something that screams out to you, but it’s a reasonable towel that’s versatile and very durable,” Vitale says. $49 for a bath towel, $79 for a bath sheet. 

Lands’ End Supima Cotton Towels

Long-lasting workhorse bath towels that retain their softness over the long haul. “This towel is a little bit less luxurious-looking,” says Vitale, “but it’s great as an everyday towel for busy families.” Six-piece set for $120.

Riley Spa Towels

This is the towel to get if you truly want to make your home bathroom look and feel like a spa. Its thick cotton loops offer great absorbency, but it comes at premium pricing. $60 for one bath towel. 

Utopia Premium Bath Towels

“This is more of a budget-friendly towel,” Vitale explains. “It’s 100% cotton, and while it’s certainly comfortable, you’ll find it has a shorter life span.” Still, she says, it’s great for guest bathrooms, rentals, starter homes or a family on a budget. $112 for 16 bath sheets. 

Onsen Waffle Bath Towel

These are made of Supima cotton so they offer comfort. And, Vitale says, “The distinctive waffle weave makes it light weight, so it dries faster and takes up less space.” The trade-off, however, is that these towels are not as plush as some of their more luxurious competitors. “This is a good choice for somebody with more of a minimalist lifestyle,” she adds. $118 for two bath towels. 

Coyuchi Temescal Organic Bath Towel

Made of long-staple organic Turkish cotton, this towel offers exceptional softness and absorbency at a light weight. “This is another one for people who keep sustainability top of mind, and good for people with sensitive skin,” Vitale says. But it’s not as thick as traditional luxury towels. $78 for one bath towel. 

Rainleaf Microfiber Towel

This ultralightweight, stylish, compact, quick-drying travel towel is perfect for the gym, swimming, camping, backpacking and other aspects of an active lifestyle. “Of course, it doesn’t have that luxury feeling,” Vitale says, “but that’s not what you’re looking for in a travel towel.” $9.99 to $21.99. 

How to Choose the Right Towel Size and Set

Towels come in multiple types and sizes…

A bath towel is what you typically think of as the standard item with which you dry your body after you shower. It typically measures 52 to 58 inches long.

A bath sheet is essentially an oversized bath towel, wider and longer than a regular towel, with a length of 60 to 70 inches.

A hand towel is what you dry your hands on in a bathroom or kitchen. It’s usually 25 to 30 inches long.

A face towel, often called a washcloth, is what you use to wash your face or sometimes your body in the tub or shower. Most face towels are about 12 inches by 12 inches.

The material from which a towel is made is crucial to how well it performs and endures. Today’s towels come in a few common materials, the most popular of which is cotton. Cotton quality is largely driven by “staple length”—the length of the fibers. The longer the fibers, the smoother the yarn that can be created from them and thus the softer and more durable the towel.

How to Care for Towels So They Last Longer

To extend the useful life of your towels, rotate them often. Wash new towels before using them. Don’t use fabric softener on your towels, and always go easy on the detergent. If a towel is starting to feel stiff or less absorbent: Add one-half cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle. Avoid excessive heat and overdrying of your towels. Store them in such a way that they aren’t compressed and have access to airflow to keep them fresh.