The 10 Best Paper Towels of 2023

Best Overall

Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels

4.9

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Our top pick for best paper towels is the Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels. Not only are these paper towels one of the most affordable picks on the market, but they also have a unique feature that sets them apart from the rest on this list. They are the only paper towels with horizontal perforations as well as vertical ones, allowing you to tear off a full, half, or even a quarter of a sheet, depending on the size of the mess. Offering exceptional strength and absorbency, these paper towels are great at picking up liquid spills of all kinds, from a small coffee overflow to a dropped dish of spaghetti. 

These paper towels aren’t limited to everyday cleanups, either, which adds to their versatility. The 5.5-inch square shape can be used as a coaster, and the half sheet works great as a napkin. They have a soft and cloth-like texture, which feels pleasant on the skin. With more than double the number of sheets per roll compared to other brands, these paper towels are an excellent value.

Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels are pricier than some similar styles, but we like that they're widely available, so you can order ahead from your retailer of choice or take a look in the aisle of your favorite IRL store.

Price at time of publish: $53 for 12 rolls

_{Amount: 128 sheets per roll | Material: Paper | Dimensions: 11 x 11 inches (full sheet size) | Color: White} 

Best Budget

Sparkle Paper Towels

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With Sparkle Paper Towels, you don’t have to sacrifice effectiveness for an affordable clean. Thanks to pocketed crevices within the design, these two-ply paper towels are strong and absorbent. The pick-a-size rolls let you tear off a full or half sheet, depending on your cleaning needs. They also come in a plus-size version; each sheet is over 1 inch wider than regular sheets. This pack has classic white paper towels, but if you want to add some pizzazz to your cleaning routine, Sparkle towels are available in more colorful prints, too.

These paper towels might not be quite as absorbent as some of the name-brand options, but that’s to be expected considering the price difference. When compared to other brands, Sparkle doesn’t give you as many sheets per roll. However, the half-size sheets make it easier to use less (as long as access is limited for any young kids that may unroll freely).

Price at time of publish: $7 for six rolls

_{Amount: 116 sheets per roll | Material: Paper | Dimensions: 11 x 6 inches (half sheet size) | Color: White} 

Best Bamboo

Kitchen + Home Bamboo Towels

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For those looking to maintain a more eco-friendly household, bamboo paper towels are a great alternative to traditional options. These towels are reusable up to 120 times (no, this is not a typo!), which will significantly reduce waste and likely prove more cost-effective in the long run. Some reusable paper towels are on the flimsy side, but the Kitchen + Home brand's version is surprisingly thick, soft, and sturdy. In fact, some people use these towels as replacement pads for their flat mops, too—a testament to how strong they are. Since they’re highly absorbent, you can tackle just about any spill in your home. 

The sheets are machine washable, so they’re effortless to clean and reuse. You can pop them in the dryer on low heat, but air-drying is best if you want to preserve their quality and shape. The only hitch is finding a place to store the towels once you’ve torn them off the roll. But there are plenty of workarounds for that issue: Try tucking them into a basket or stacking them in an empty, clean wipes container.

Price at time of publish: $10 for one roll

_{Amount: 20 sheets per roll | Material: Bamboo and rayon | Dimensions: 11 x 12 inches | Color: White}

Best for Absorbency

Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels

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Bounty Paper Towels are two-ply, which makes them thick, soft to the touch, and super absorbent. A single sheet can mop up large spills in one swipe. Bounty towels also have small crevices in their design, which help to scrub away sticky messes and pick up loose dirt and debris. Even when they take on a lot of liquid, such as a spilled beverage, they don’t crumble or disintegrate when wet. And since they're so durable, you could consider the advice of sustainability expert Darby Hoover and get the most out of individual sheets by drying and reusing ones that have only been used for absorbing water.

The select-a-size feature is very convenient since you can tear off the exact amount you need while reducing unnecessary waste. Bounty paper towels are also available in double and triple-sized rolls, so you won’t have to replace them nearly as often. Although they are a bit pricier than most of our other picks, we see them as well worth it given their absorbency and reliability.

Price at time of publish: $39 for 12

_{Amount: 128 sheets per roll | Material: Paper | Dimensions: 11 x 6 inches (half sheet size) | Color: White}

Best Reusable

Swedish Wholesale Dishcloth Cellulose Sponge Cloths

4.2

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You might recognize these trendy Swedish towels from their viral moment on social media. Made from cellulose and natural cotton, these Swedish dishcloths can hold up to 20 times their weight in liquid. In addition to their impressive absorbency, each dishcloth can be washed and reused more than 50 times. On average, one pack lasts for about a year, which is enough to replace 150 standard paper towel rolls. What’s more, you can toss these cloths into the compost bin when they lose their verve. They come in a variety of colors and are sold in packs of 10, so you can match them to your home's decor. You might also consider opting for multiple sets (or a multi-color set) to differentiate between their uses—for example, you could reserve one for kitchen, one for bathroom, one for deep cleaning, and so on.

These dishcloths are machine washable, and they're safe to use on wood, marble, stainless steel, tile, and a variety of other surfaces. They are incredibly soft when wet and gritty enough to be used for scouring when dry, further adding to their versatility. Measuring 8 by 7 inches, they are smaller than standard paper towels, but we think their overall versatility more than makes up for the slightly smaller size.

Price at time of publish: $25 for 10 cloths

_{Amount: 10 dishcloths per pack | Material: Cellulose and natural cotton | Dimensions: 8 x 7 inches | Color: Blue, gray, lime green, purple, red, seafoam green, yellow, assorted}

Best Aesthetic

Papaya Reusables Paper Towels

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These reusable paper towels are equal parts form and function. Not only are they super absorbent, but they come in an array of colors and patterns, so there's almost surely a favorite waiting for you. We're also impressed by the smart design—these towels are crafted with a corner hole that allows you to hang them for drying and display, and they come with matching hooks (one hook for every two towels). They're sturdy enough to scrub counters yet gentle enough for use on skin, too.

As cute as these cloths are, we wish there was a bit more size variety in their selections. And, while the cellulose and cotton material is washable and reusable (we love the idea of popping them in the dishwasher and then letting them hang dry), they won't last forever. They're also a bit pricier than other reusable styles, but the brand predicts that each cloth will replace up to 17 rolls of traditional paper towels, so you can still count on them for long-term usage.

Price at time of publish: $36 for four sheets and two hooks

_{Amount: Sets of 2, 4, or 6 | Material: Cellulose & cotton | Dimensions: Not listed | Color: Various} 

Best Recycled

Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Paper Towels (Unbleached)

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Made from 100 percent recycled content, Seventh Generation Unbleached Paper Towels rival traditional paper towels, but they skip out on fragrances, dyes, and inks. So, not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they can also be a good choice for people with sensitive skin. While these recycled paper towels aren't as strong or absorbent as the Bounty or Brawny paper towels we featured above, they still get the job done.  

One drawback to these paper towels is that they lack half-perforations, so you might find yourself using a bit more than you need (unless you're really good at precise tearing). This slightly contrasts their eco-friendly purpose, and it's something to consider before you purchase them if you think it'll annoy you. They can be found in both brown or natural hues, which could also prove a pleasant addition to kitchens decorated in classically neutral tones.

Price at time of publish: $56 for 24 rolls

_{Amount: 120 sheets per roll | Material: Paper | Dimensions: 11 x 9 inches | Color: Brown or natural}

Best for Windows

Scott Shop Towels

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Getting a streak-free finish when cleaning glass can seem like an impossible task, but Scott's Shop Towels are up for the challenge. They are untreated and don’t contain any binders, so they won’t leave streaks or lint behind. Their smooth, cloth-like texture makes them ideal for delicate surfaces like windows, mirrors, and electric stovetops. They don’t have the quilting that you’ll find on other brands, which can make some paper towels feel rough.

These paper towels are often used in auto body shops to mop up grease and oil, which attests to their impressive absorbency. They’re also equipped to handle more substantial household messes, too. Compared to other brands, you do get fewer towels per roll (55, to be exact), but if you limit your usage to glass and the other surfaces you want to be especially careful with, you won’t run through them as quickly. They're also a light blue color, so you can easily tell them apart from traditional rolls—or look for the packages sold in pop-up boxes for convenience.

Price at time of publish: $55 for 12 rolls

_{Amount: 55 rolls per sheet | Material: Not listed | Dimensions: 11 x 10.4 inches | Color: Blue} 

Best for Hands

Kleenex Expressions Disposable Paper Hand Towels

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Most of the time, we reach for regular cloth towels to dry our hands, but sometimes a disposable towel might be the cleaner, more hygienic choice since studies show that they can cause less contamination in a bathroom or washroom than other drying methods. So if a family member or housemate is sick, or you're hosting a gathering and want to limit the spread of germs as much as possible, single-use options might be preferred to shared towels. In that case, we'd recommend these paper hand towels from Kleenex.

These paper towels are extremely soft and absorbent, so they're comfortable to use. (Users have reported that they've even used them as facial tissues in a pinch—something you might not consider doing with rougher paper towels.) While they aren't made with dyes, inks, or fragrances that could potentially irritate sensitive skin, they come in pleasantly designed boxes that are ready for display.

Now, if you come to rely on these regularly, the costs would quickly add up—at 60 sheets a box, a busy household could go through a package quite quickly. However, for a clean and convenient addition to your kitchen counter or guest bathroom, we think they can make a lot of sense for certain situations.

Price at time of publish: $22 for six boxes

_{Amount: 60 sheets per box | Material: Paper | Dimensions: 9.1 x 8 inches | Color: White}