You can easily dress up a bathroom with a statement shower curtain or bath mat for visual effect, but I actually put the best bath towels in the same category. Sure, they are the textiles you rely on to dry off after a long soak, but everything from delicate waffle weaves to design details like scalloped edges and vibrant colorways can influence the overall look and feel of your bathroom’s decor. After all, these accessories are always on display and you use them every single day.
Our Top Picks for the Best Bath Towels
To find the best bath towels out there, I asked around the office to see what other editors and contributors really like and also kept a close eye on the material makeup, including grams per square meter (the weight). Organic fabrics like long-staple Turkish-cotton fibers that are made to feel soft to the touch, as well as lightweight and absorbent blends with bamboo were favorites. Whatever your preference, I’ve found some of the most highly coveted bath towels from brands the AD team and I use in our own bathrooms—including some high-end options on Amazon. Scroll below to transform shower time to a spa-inspired retreat.
Best Overall Bath Towels
I admittedly would spend all day any day at the spa if I could, which is actually why I love these towels so much. They have a really cushy texture (100% Aegean Turkish cotton) that’s comforting to wrap myself with post–body scrub. This is my first venture into Brooklinen’s super-plush bath towel collection, but AD contributor Jasmine Desiree actually put them on my radar after she tried the originals last year. “They’re thick, cushiony, and insanely soft—and somehow still manage to look elevated,” she tells me.
The ones I have are a revamp on the classic super-plush towels Desiree has, which are meant to dry faster and feel even softer. You can tell the difference based on the two GSM measurements (the original has 820 GSM, and my upgrade has 770 GSM), so the towel I have still has premium plushness but it’s lighter in weight and dries out quicker.
I usually go the route of neutral, solid-colored bath towels to match my sunset-inspired shower curtain, but the striped abyss option has been a nice switch-up to bring a subtle statement to my bathroom decor. This pattern leans a bit coastal, and the muted tones available are just as nice for a minimal bathroom.
Specs
- Material: 100% Aegean Turkish cotton
- Dimensions: 65"L x 40"W
- Sizes Available: Bath sheets (set of two), Standard bath towels (set of two and four available)
- Colors: White, stone, striped abyss, oak, cloud, pewter, slate, striped forest, storm, abyss, striped botanical green, striped lemon, striped persimmon, striped silver sage, striped stone, aloe, fresh moss
- What’s included: Two bath sheets
- GSM: 770
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Upgrade on Brooklinen’s super-plush bath towel with higher absorbency and softer feel
- Available in bath sheet and standard bath towel size
- A range of patterns and colorways available
Downsides
- Minor snagging (which I think is to be expected with any plush towel like this)
The Luxury Pick
Shopping editor Audrey Lee says these seriously soft towels are a treat to use after a shower. “Since these towels are plush, they’re great at absorption—you can dry your whole body in under a minute or two, even if you’re soaking wet,” she says. “So far, they’ve stayed ultra soft and the fibers haven’t matted or gotten stuck together.”
This hits in the luxury category because of the plush feel, fast-drying time, and custom design offerings. They are made with supersoft long-staple zero-twist cotton yarns but have 550 GSM, so the towels air-dry after just about an hour and a half. “The towels don’t shed when you’re using them, but I did notice after an initial wash a few of the terry cloth strings had pulled loose,” shares Lee. She did see “quite a bit of blue lint in the dryer after the first wash,” so that’s something to keep in mind in those first few uses. So family members don’t confuse whose towel is whose, you can also add a monogram for a personal touch.
Specs
- Material: 100% cotton
- Dimensions: 60"L x 30"W
- Sizes Available: Bath towel, hand towel, washcloth, bath sheet, finger tip
- Colors: Azure, grass, petal, hot pink, platinum, charcoal, night, dune, pool, sterling, navy, ivory, linen, aqua, periwinkle, steel, white, aegean, cerulean, jade, Bahama blue, peacock, canary
- What’s included: One bath towel
- GSM: 550
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Resistant to matting
- Cloudlike softness
- Dries quickly
Downsides
- Some wear like shedding might occur after initial washes
Affordable, Plush Towels
These long-staple cotton towels look and feel like they should be hanging in a high-end hotel bathroom. I can’t get enough of these after stepping out of the shower—they’re some of the most luxurious towels I’ve had. Some towels feel a bit rough, but this set takes in water without getting soggy and feels soothing on my skin. Guests who’ve used these towels say that they are some of the plushest towels they’ve tried, which I imagine is because of the 800 GSM (the highest in this list).
After taking a bath, these towels don’t feel weighed down at all. They feel slightly damp, but I would feel comfortable using the towels again on the same day to dry off. What’s great about these towels is that they have a luxe feel at an approachable price point. After taking too many trips through the washing machine to count, the bundle has only gotten softer over time. The towels have sold out at least three times since I’ve had them in the last year, so the limited stock is something to note.
Specs
- Material: 100% long-staple Turkish cotton
- Dimensions: 56"L x 30"W
- Sizes Available: Standard bath towel
- Colors: White, mist
- What’s included: Two bath towels
- GSM: 800
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Affordable
- Spongy and supersoft feel
- High-end hotel-quality towels
- Heavyweight Turkish cotton bath towels are great for daily use
Downsides
- Slight discoloration over time
Best Organic Option
Boll & Branch is an AD-favorite for plush, organic bedding, but the bath collection is just as good. “This towel is 100% organic cotton and it is sooo fluffy—really just heavenly soft,” says digital features editor Charlotte Collins. “I don’t think it’s just because I’m used to my current towels, which were a quick and thoughtless Bed Bath & Beyond purchase upon move-in—these Boll & Branch ones were in a different league.” These are also Oeko-Tex certified so you can get extra assurance that there aren’t any harsh chemicals. Collins says the softness has lasted after the initial washes and the texture is almost spongelike to absorb water and air-out in just about an hour. The earthy colorways can give your bathroom a serene aesthetic, like the cream hue Collins has or oak and walnut for something a bit more saturated.
Specs
- Material: 100% organic cotton
- Dimensions: 58"L x 30"W
- Sizes Available: Standard bath towel
- Colors: White, pewter, stone, shore, mineral, sage leaf
- What’s included: One bath towel
- GSM: N/A
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Downy feel
- Doesn’t lose softness after washing
- Resistant to waterlogging
Downsides
- Light fabric shedding
Superabsorbent Towels
Lee is a faithful Onsen shopper—she’s had this waffle set, made of 100% extra-long-staple Supima cotton, for almost two years and says they still look and feel amazing. Waffle towels like these have a textured material that isn’t known for being plush, but Lee says these aren’t scratchy at all. This is also a super durable and quick-dry towel. “It’s easy to think that you’d accidentally pull a thread or two but the weave is tight enough that I haven’t seen any snags or areas unravel,” she says. “I leave it on for about 15 to 20 minutes and it gets my medium-length hair from soaking wet to damp in that time.” With several vibrant colors available, you can also skip white towels and easily add some visual interest to your bathroom.
Specs
- Material: 100% USA-grown extra-long-staple Supima cotton
- Dimensions: 67"L x 38"W
- Sizes Available: Oversized design
- Colors: Oatmeal, white, gray, gray mist, arctic blue, denim, twilight blue, forest, sage, red clay, golden ochre
- What’s included: One bath towel
- GSM: N/A
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- A variety of bold and neutral hues to choose from
- Tight waffle weave
- Doesn’t hold smells
Downsides
- A little weighty
More AD-Approved Bath Towels
Cottagecore fans, this one is for you. “These GreenRow towels look straight out of something from your favorite grandmother’s vintage bathroom—the crocheted lace inset looks like it was crafted by granny herself,” says contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert. “Then there is the texture of the towel itself; if you look closely, it’s little pebbles—the loops come in pairs so the overall look is more refined than your typical terry cloth towel.” Alpert says the unique weave actually feels more exfoliating on her skin. These are some of the shorter towels in this guide, so you’ll want to keep this in mind when shopping if you’re usually a bath sheet shopper.
Specs
- Material: 100% cotton with crocheted lace inset
- Dimensions: 58" L x 25"W
- Sizes Available: Standard bath towel
- Colors: Pearl blue, citron, dusty rose, white, seafoam green
- What’s included: One bath towel
- GSM: N/A
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Oeko-Tex certified
- Intricate crochet design
- Several colorways available
- Mid-weight towels
Downsides
- Our tester says the smaller size may not be ideal for anyone very tall
“These Autumn Sonata towels boast an elegant black-and-tan design and a hypnotic patterned print of stripes and crosshatches that looks distinctly Japanese-influenced,” says shopping director Lori Keong. “I have an ultramodern black granite bathroom with a Hinoki bath mat underfoot, and these towels coordinate with the color scheme beautifully.”
When it comes to the material itself, Keong thought the organic cotton fabric felt coarse right out of the box (enough so that she almost wrote them off), but it softened after the first wash. Keong’s a fan of the Super-Plush Brooklinen towels like me and says these don’t feel as thick as those, and aren’t quite as absorbent as her lightweight Parachute waffle ones, but she muses that these are a good mid-weight pick for drying off from head to toe without clinging to moisture. “I own both the full-size towel and the hand towel in one set, and can say that they usually dry within the hour after use,” she says.
Specs
- Material: 100% organic cotton
- Dimensions: 52"L x 27"W
- Sizes Available: Bath sheet and standard bath towel
- Colors: Black and ecru
- What’s included: One towel
- GSM: 600
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Stylish two-tone checkered pattern inspired by traditional Katazome stencil practices
- Resistant to pilling, even after years of everyday use
- Wrinkle-resistant material after the dryer
Downsides
- Not a thick, spa-like towel
If you’re looking for a towel that strays away from your typical Turkish cotton, Alpert points you in the direction of the bamboo PLNTbouclé yarns in this set: “The towels are hand-loomed by Peruvian artisans and kind of look like a tapestry, but for bathing.” She has it in the Fern & Forest colorway, a delicate pale green with a deep, almost charcoal green trim. The texture is a little bumpy, but they’re still soft and gives these towels an exfoliating feature—a nice perk for a face towel. Another good thing about these towels is that if yarns are pulled (which Alpert hasn’t seen in the couple of months she’s had with them), you won’t notice since the bouclé design will help disguise it.
Specs
- Material: CleanBamboo PLNTbouclé bouclé yarn
- Dimensions: N/A
- Sizes Available: Standard bath towel
- Colors: Natural and brass, fern and forest, forest and natural
- What’s included: One face washer, one hand towel, one bath towel
- GSM: N/A
Upsides & Downsides
Upsides
- Made with Oeko-Tex-certified organic bamboo lyocell
- The thin, absorbent material resists water logging
- Tapestry-like design
- Resistant to fraying and pilling
Downsides
- The smaller size makes these less ideal for those used to bath sheets
How We Tested
AD editors and I lived with and used the towels the old-fashioned way by using them after stepping out of the shower. We also ran a few specific tests to measure factors like absorbency, feel, and how quickly the towels would dry after use. This was really important when trying out waffle towels, since this specific type of weave is supposed to make the towel dry quicker.
Everyone timed how long the towels took to dry-off their hands or their body, also sharing how wet each towel seemed to get after using. All of us paid special attention to how well the towels dried our hair. We also considered the feel and look of the towels, and we factored in any unique features that set them apart from others.
Popular Types of Bath Towels
While your bath towel choices are up to your personal preference—especially when it comes to the color and design to match your bathroom—there are several different types on the market. Here are some of the most popular:
Waffle Towels: While they aren’t always as soft as a traditional terry towel, waffle bath towels are known for being incredibly absorbent. These towels typically have a weave with a hexagonal pattern that takes water into the individual pockets. The material can vary, but popular materials are cotton and bamboo.
Cotton Towels: We look for organic towels made from Egyptian cotton or long-staple Turkish cotton, as these materials are usually both absorbent and plush to the touch as a result of their long fibers.
Hybrid Towels: Hybrid towels are usually made up of a terry and cotton blend. Cozy Earth’s towels are a great example of this: they feature a dual-sided mini waffle weave and a soft ribbed terry to offer a soft and absorbent yet lightweight and quick-drying feel like you’d get in a traditional waffle-weave towel.
FAQs
How to Care for Bath Towels
While it’s pretty dependent on the brand’s care instructions, the best ways to keep bath towels in optimal condition is to machine wash on cold with a gentle detergent and tumble dry on low. Keep an eye out for any special instructions, as some brands recommend avoiding fabric softener and bleach since they can be too harsh on fibers over time.
Which Brand Is Best for Bath Towels?
Our favorite brand for bath towels is Brooklinen for a few reasons: the range of towel offerings, affordability, and quality of the materials.
While the “Super-Plush Turkish” bath towels are our favorites, the brand has waffle towels among other towel variations that all get positive reviews for their absorbency and gentle feel on skin. Plus, all of Brooklinen’s towels are organic and backed with top sustainability certifications like Oeko-Tex to assure they are free of harmful chemicals.
What Bath Towels Are Used in Five-Star Hotels?
Most five-star hotels use organic cotton bath towels, with Egyptian cotton towels typically being the most popular. This type of towel is known for being durable while offering spa-like softness from the long fibers.