The Best Bath Towels to Take You From the Shower to a Spa-Like Oasis

While you can easily dress up a bathroom with a statement shower curtain or bath mat for visual effect, we’d put the best bath towels in the same category.

Sure, they are the textiles we 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. After all, these accessories are always on display and you use them every single day.

Our Top Picks for the Best Bath Towels

Best Overall

Brooklinen Classic Bath Towels (Set of 2)

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$99 $84 (15% off)

Brooklinen

A Spa-Inspired Set

Quince Turkish Classic Bath Towel Bundle

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$90

Quince

For a Plush Feel

Boll & Branch Plush Bath Towel

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$49

Boll & Branch

To find the best bath towels out there, we also kept a close eye on the material makeup. We’re fans of organic fabrics like long-staple Turkish cotton that’s designed to feel soft to the touch, as well as blends made with bamboo that are lightweight yet absorbent. Whatever your preference, we’ve found some of the most highly coveted bath towels from brands we use in our own bathrooms—including some high-end options on Amazon. Scroll below to transform shower time to a spa-inspired retreat, according to design experts (aka: our editors).

Tester: Katherine McLaughlin, digital features editor

How do they feel and look? These are made from 100% Turkish cotton and feel very soft but not heavy. I’d describe their plushness as overall average, but Brooklinen does have an extra plush option. I have the towels in white, so it really feels and looks like a towel you might find in a hotel.

How’s their absorbency? The first thing I noticed when using the towels is how quickly they absorb water and dry you off. It takes less than a minute to dry myself completely and only one “towel pass” per body area. This is definitely the best towel I’ve used for drying my hair. After I take the towel off of my head, my hair feels damp, but there’s no additional drips or water to wring out. (I do have shorter, finer hair, so it doesn’t hold as much moisture as other hair types.)

How quickly do the towels dry off? I was genuinely surprised to find the towels don’t feel all that damp even after using them to dry my showered self off. You can tell it’s been used, but it’s not overwhelmingly wet. If for some reason I had to get back in the shower soon after, I would still be able to dry myself without problems. It takes at least four hours to dry completely, sometimes up to six. This doesn’t personally bother me much as I usually only shower once a day, but it might not dry fast enough for someone who showers more often. I think this is one of the drawbacks of cotton, as it does tend to dry slower in my experience.

A Spa-Inspired Set

Tester: Nashia Baker, senior commerce editor

How do they feel and look? 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 the most luxurious towels I've had. After taking too many trips through the washing machine to count, these high-quality bath towels have only gotten softer over time.

How’s their absorbency? These towels stand out from the crowd for me because of how soft and non-abrasive they are in comparison to others in my linen closet. Some towels feel a bit rough, but this 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.

How quickly do the towels dry off? 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. You can get a full set (two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths) for a little over $80.

Editor’s note: The standard size bath sheets Baker tested are out of stock, but this bath sheet bundle—which is made of the same material and comes in a larger size—is a great alternative.

For a Plush Feel

Tester: Charlotte Collins, digital features editor

How do they feel and look? This towel is 100% organic cotton and it is sooo fluffy—really just heavenly soft. 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. Unfortunately now I hate my other towels.

I did experience the towel shedding just a little bit, but the material has maintained fine through several washes, no pulls or changes in quality. With some towels and blankets I’ve experienced them losing some of that initial softness after the first washer/dryer runs, but this one stays soft as ever after every cycle.

How’s their absorbency? The towels have a sponge-like, very absorbent material. It’s a quicker drying process than with any non-hotel towel I’ve ever used.

How quickly do the towels dry off? It dries pretty quickly after a shower and is so plush it never really gets that soaked to begin with. After using it to wash my hands for a day, it is nearly bone-dry after an hour.

Best Luxury Bath Towels

Tester: Audrey Lee, commerce editor

How do they feel and look? These are some seriously soft towels. It’s such a treat to use them after a shower. 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. Nothing major, but I’m curious to see how sumptuous they’ll stay and how the color might change after many washes. I did also notice quite a bit of blue lint in the dryer after the first wash, but I’m hoping to see less in the future.

How’s their absorbency? 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. So far, they’ve stayed ultra soft and the fibers haven’t matted or gotten stuck together.

How quickly do the towels dry off? With all that plushness you’d think the towels take forever to dry, but they’re surprisingly quick-drying as well—after using the towel post shower and to put my wet hair up, the towel was moderately damp but was able to fully dry in about an hour and a half.

Best Color Variety

Onsen Waffle Towel

$59 $41 (31% off)

Onsen

Tester: Audrey Lee, commerce editor

How do they feel and look? I’ve used these towels for almost two years and they still look and feel amazing. Onsen’s waffle towels are made of 100% extra long-staple Supima cotton. The textured material feels slightly rougher and they’re not plush whatsoever, but also not scratchy. 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. With several vibrant colors available, you can also skip white towels to add a pop of color to your bathroom.

How’s their absorbency? These towels are lightweight but great at absorption. You can dry your whole body in under a minute or two, even if you’re soaking wet. They also dry your hair pretty well. The bath towel is a little long to wrap up your hair, so it’s just a smidge heavy, but it definitely gets the job done. 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.

How quickly do the towels dry off? I’m impressed by how quick-drying the Onsen towels are—I’ve even taken them to the beach and pool in the summer. The towel was pretty damp after using it post-shower and putting my wet hair up, but the cotton was able to fully dry in about two hours with no mildew odor or smells leftover.

The Most Absorbent Towels

Tester: Rachel Fletcher, commerce director

How do they feel and look? These honeycomb weave, 100% long-staple Turkish cotton towels are really exceptional in terms of craftsmanship, which is immediately evident in the feel. I have very sensitive skin and a rough towel never does me well, but the Parachute towels feel great against the skin. They don’t cause any redness or irritation. I have tried many waffle towels in the past and these ones are by far the softest.

How’s their absorbency? Parachute claims these towels are fast drying and I can back that up in my experience! It takes under five minutes to thoroughly dry myself off. These towels soak up water quickly and efficiently. They’re quite airy and light, so I don’t tend to worry about them having any lingering mildewy smells.

How quickly do the towels dry off? I don’t tend to take more than one shower in a day so this isn’t a factor I’m generally too concerned about—but having tested the towel with multiple hand washes in a day, it was perfectly pleasant in terms of drying speed.

Best Quick-Dry Towel

Tester: Yelena Moroz Alpert, contributor

How do they feel and look? The organic texture of the PLNTbouclé yarns is unlike any towel I’ve seen. The towels are hand-loomed by Peruvian artisans and kind of look like a tapestry, but for bathing. I have it in the Fern & Forest colorway, a delicate pale green with a deep, almost charcoal green trim. The texture is somewhat bumpy, but that’s not a bad thing because it is still soft and gives these towels an exfoliating feature—especially useful in a face towel. At a closer look, the fibers are slightly lustrous, which give it the elevated look.

So far, I have not noticed any snagging, but even if any of the yarns are pulled, its boucle design will make this imperceptible. I have a hunch that these towels will look like new ones for years to come.

How’s their absorbency? I was not expecting these to be as thin as they are, but surprisingly, they are still pretty absorbent. Since the body towel is more on the petite side (I am 5’4” and it wraps around my body just right), I can also use it as a hair towel without feeling like I have a giant turban on my head.

How quickly do the towels dry off? When you hold up the towels against a window you can actually see the light peek through, a sign that these are virtually ventilating. I have not had issues with any dampness and these are ready for re-use within an hour, or so.

Best Waffle Weave Towels

Tester: Megan Wahn, contributor

How do they feel and look? These towels aren’t just waffle weave. They’re dual-sided mini waffle weave and a soft ribbed terry. This is meant to give you the best of both worlds—a towel that’s soft and absorbent like a terry but also lightweight and quick-drying like pure waffle weave. Having only used terry cloth bath towels before, I liked the idea of something reversible and both sides that felt nice.

How’s their absorbency? My one gripe was that it was a little confusing figuring out which side I needed to use to dry off. The dual terry side of the Cozy Earth towel is meant to make it more absorbent than your average waffle weave, so the terry side is the one you’re meant to dry off with. I preferred the waffle side and found it dried me off in a few seconds less than the terry side.

The absorbency of the towel honestly felt abstract to me until I dunked a corner of it in a bowl of water to test how well it soaked up water. I could literally see as the parts of the towel that were not submerged soaked up the water, and it made me realize just how well this cotton could mop up liquid.

How quickly do the towels dry off? I left one hanging out to dry post-shower and found it took about an hour to get mostly dry. I’d say total drying time is about two and a half hours, which seems to be the average for most waffle weave towels. So, yeah, these really are the best of both worlds for your everyday use.

The Most Detailed Design

Tester: Yelena Moroz Alpert, contributor

How do they feel and look? Cottagecore has entered the bathroom! These GreenRow towels look straight out of something your favorite grandmother’s vintage bathroom. The crocheted lace inset looks like it was crafted by granny herself. 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 terrycloth towel. As a result of this unique weave, the towel actually feels more exfoliating.

How’s their absorbency? These are not overly thick or large—the bath towel is 25-by-58-inches—which is just fine for someone with my 5’4” frame. My go-to strategy is to wick moisture from my shoulders before wrapping myself in the towel and these do the job without leaving any streaky droplets.

How quickly do the towels dry off? Because these are on the lighter side, I have not had any issues with them retaining moisture, even when I dry them on a hook instead of a towel bar.

Our editors lived with and used the towels in typical fashion 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 especially important when assessing waffle towels, since this specific type of weave is meant to make the towel dry quicker.

Everyone timed how long the towels took to dry off their hands or their body, also noting how wet each towel seemed to get after using. We paid special attention to how well the towels dried off hair. Everyone put a corner of their towels in a bowl of water for 30 seconds, noting how much water the towel absorbed. We then timed how quickly the soaked corner dried off. We also considered the feel and look of the towels, and we factored in any unique features that set them apart from others.

While the bath towels of your choosing are largely 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 common:

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 because of their long fibers.

Hybrid Towels: Hybrid towels are usually made up of a terry and cotton blend. The Cozy Earth 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.