Bathroom Products
Best Towel Warmers
Reading thousands of customer reviews can be overwhelming. Before you go off the rails, read our roundup of the top 5 towel warmers and how they're equally luxurious and neccesary.
Updated November 2018
Best Towel Sets
WHY BELIEVE HOUSE METHOD?
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Best Towel Sets Updated November 2018
Conclusion
Pros
Cons
900 GSM means these towels are big, fluffy, and very absorbent. This 6-piece set is the softest on the list. Choose from 18 colors, ranging from neutral tones to vibrant hues.
These towels should be washed with 2 cups of white vinegar before use to remove the factory coating. They also seem a bit smaller than advertised.
This 6-piece towel set is available in 10 rich colors that are all beautiful. They’re machine-washable and don’t attract lint.
This 4-pack of long bath towels are made out of 100% Turkish cotton and are available in 16 muted colors.
Soft but durable. Repeat customers say they’re still soft after years of use and hundreds of washes.
Many customers describe these towels as a starter set for college kids. The set includes 2 washcloths, 2 hand towels, and 2 bath towels.
OUR PROCESS
14,197
Customer Reviews
53
Products
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Hours
Towels are bathroom staples that often go unappreciated. We use them to dry our hands multiple times a day and wrap around our bodies after a long soak in the tub. We also use them to mop up spills—big and small—and wipe Fido’s muddy paws before they reach the rug. Our team reviewed different types of cotton towels and researched important factors that matter most to consumers who are shopping for a new towel set. We found the best towel sets that reign in softness, absorbency, and durability, which you’ll find above.
Towel Set Reviews Guide
A towel’s a towel—to some that may be true. But to others, a towel is a bundle of freshly laundered cotton that must be soft, absorbent, and large enough to make the transition from steaming tub to cold tile a little more bearable.
If a towel is more to you than merely a means to a dry end, you may be interested in learning about the various types of cotton that towels are made of. You may be wondering what GSM stands for and what makes a towel truly hotel-grade.
Our team at House Method believes towels are little luxuries that can make life a bit better when you take the time to choose the right ones. If you already know the type of towel you’re looking for, you can refer to our comparison chart above for the five best towel sets we reviewed. If we’ve piqued your interest and you want to learn more about towels, continue reading our shopping guide below.
What’s included in a towel set?
Bath towel sets
- What’s included: Two washcloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels are most common, but sometimes a bath mat and sheet are included.
- Look: Choose from unlimited colors with some trim.
- Feel: Bath towels are available in a range of fabric from 500 to 800 GSM.
Hotel towel sets
- What’s included: Four washcloths, two hand towels, two bath towels, one bath sheet, one bath mat, and sometimes a bathrobe.
- Look: Hotel towels are almost always white and may be embroidered.
- Feel: These are very plush. Some manufacturers dub their home-use towel sets as hotel-grade towels if they meet a certain standard of softness.
Kitchen towel sets
- What’s included: You can buy a bundle of two or more dish towels. These are often all the same size but include a variety of corresponding colors or complementary patterns.
- Look: Kitchen towels are even more decorative than bath towels. You’ll find them in countless color combinations and patterns.
- Feel: Kitchen towels are not as soft as bath towels. They’re more absorbent and dry quickly. They should withstand multiple laundry cycles and be able to soak up spills.
Hotel towel sets are ultra plush and often include more linens, like a bathrobe and bath mat.”
Bath towels vs. bath sheets
Sometimes, the terms bath towels and bath sheets are used interchangeably, but they are actually two separate items. Both are used to dry off, but a bath sheet is larger than a bath towel. A standard size bath towel is between 27×52 inches and 30×58 inches. Bath sheets are at least 35×60 inches.
So, how do you know which one you need? Bath towels are better for drying wet hair and displaying on a towel rack. Bath sheets provide more coverage to your body and allow you to stay wrapped up while you do your hair and makeup or brush your teeth. You can also use bath sheets as pool or beach towels.
Bath sheets are bigger than bath towels. The extra length is similar to a beach towel, so some folks like to bring their bath sheet to the pool.”
Types of cotton
In the table below, we review the look, feel, and care of different types of cotton.
| Type of cotton | Best characteristic | Look and feel | Care |
| Pima (grown in America) | Luxuriously soft | Extra fluffy, warm, and absorbent | Durable |
| Egyptian | Luxuriously soft | Extra fluffy, warm, and absorbent | Durable |
| Turkish | Hotel-grade | Soft, warm, and absorbent with a natural sheen | Extra durable but it takes longer to dry because it’s heavy |
| Zero twist | Quick-drying | Soft, fluffy, and lightweight | Quick to dry, durable, and easy to pack for travel |
| Microfiber | Quick-drying | Not plush but very absorbent | Dries quickly and it’s easy to store or pack for travel |
| Double ply | Crisp | A tighter weave yields a smoother touch that’s extra absorbent | Stretches and gives so it retains its shape after several washes |
| Ringspun | Soft | Long, soft strands make it silky smooth | Strong and durable |
| Combed | Cozy | Soft and absorbent | Durable, combing process prevents pilling |
5 Major factors to consider
Fabric
We recommend narrowing your search to 100% cotton. It’s natural and hypoallergenic as well as soft and absorbent. You can refer to the table in the section above to find exactly what kind of cotton you need.
GSM
GSM stands for grams per square meter, which measures the density of the fabric and indicates a towel’s weight and quality. The higher the GSM, the better. High GSM means towels are softer and more absorbent. Top-of-the-line towel sets are 700 to 800 GSM while low-tier towels are below 500 GSM.
Size
Towel sets often include towels in an assortment of sizes. Washcloths are the smallest towels—12×12 inches—and are used to wash and dry your face inside or outside of the shower. Hand towels are about 20×30 inches and remain outside of the shower. They can double as décor in powder rooms and full baths. Bath towels range between 27×52 inches and 30×58 inches. They’re absorbent enough to dry your body and light enough to wrap up wet hair.
Color
You can find towels in a wide range of colors and patterns with little or no trim. A white towel set is a popular choice because you can bleach and scald it without worrying about the color fading. However, colored towels can give your powder room the punch of personality it might be missing.
Set
Make sure your towel set includes everything you need. Many bath towel sets include two washcloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels. Some just include bath towels. Others may throw in a bath mat or bath sheet.
GSM stands for grams per square meter and is a measurement of density. The higher the GSM, the softer and more absorbent the towel is.”
Towel care tips
Towels can last a decade if you care for them correctly. Though it’s simple to care for them, there’s still some extra TLC you can show your towel set to keep it looking and feeling softer than ever.
- Always wash new towels in the washing machine before using them with two cups of white vinegar and warm water. Tumble dry low. This will remove the factory coating and fluff them up before use.
- If you reuse towels, wash them every third use.
- Towels are absorbent, so don’t be tempted to use too much detergent. Most manufacturers will tell you to skip fabric softener altogether.
- Wash towels separately in case the color bleeds or if they carry excessive lint. Both issues should stop after the first few washes.
- Give your towels a good shake before tossing them in the dryer.
- Family households rotate between four towel sets on average, so make sure you have enough towels to supply to each family member.
Wash new towels with warm water and white vinegar to remove the factory coating. Tumble dry towels on low heat so they retain their shape and fluffiness.”
Frequently asked questions
What are the best bath towels you can buy?
We believe the Superior Egyptian Cotton 6-Piece towels are the best bath towels you can buy. You get a little bit of everything: two washcloths, two hand towels, and two bath towels. Second, these towels are made of 100% Egyptian cotton with 900 GSM so they’re the softest towels on our list. They’re fluffy, absorbent, and durable. They’ll withstand hundreds of washes.
What are the most absorbent towels?
Pima and Egyptian cotton towels are ultra absorbent. Microfiber and zero twist towels aren’t as plush, but they dry very quickly.
Which is better—Egyptian cotton or Turkish cotton?
This is a matter of preference. Both are luxuriously soft and fluffy. You’ll often find Egyptian cotton towels in homes and Turkish cotton towels in hotels. Turkish cotton is heavier, so it’s warmer, but it also takes longer to dry than Egyptian cotton.
How do you stop towels from shedding?
Use less laundry detergent and mix in a cup or two of white vinegar. This will remove the factory coating and make towels softer, fluffier, and more durable in the long run. You should also avoid using fabric softener, which creates a kind of waxy build-up on towels.
The team that worked on this review
Kelsey Roadruck
Writer
Kealia Reynolds
Editor
Rebekah Sedaca
Product Researcher
John Morgan
Producer
