Best Bath Towels 2025 - Forbes Vetted

Apr 01, 2025

Bath towels are a daily necessity—but that doesn’t mean they can’t double as a daily luxury. After rigorously testing some of the most popular styles for several weeks, the winners were clear. Our pick for the best bath towel overall in 2025 is Frontgate’s Resort Collection Bath Towel, a plush, hotel-worthy option that doesn’t sacrifice absorbency or lose its thickness in the wash. Meanwhile, the mid-weight, quick-drying Everplush Diamond Jacquard Towel, our top pick from Amazon, surprised our tester with its high absorbency. Matouk’s Milagro Bath Towel, which stayed plush and fluffy after multiple washes, was the clear standout in the luxury category.

Our top tested picks for the best towels of 2025 include heavyweight, plush towels, quick-dry ... More options and more.

Below, find the eight winners from our testing process:

Before testing began, we carefully selected contenders that represented a diverse range of sizes, weaves and price points. We put our final list of bath towels to the test for up to three weeks, assessing each one’s plushness, absorbency, drying efficiency, overall quality and durability—the last feature taking into account the towel’s performance after going through a laundering routine. (Several of our testers are continuing to test our top bath towels, and we plan to update this story with their long-term feedback.) Read more about each of the best bath towels, based on our testing, below.

Frontgate

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This Frontgate option is akin to a towel you’d find in a 5-star hotel. Soft, fluffy and luxurious to the touch, it’s more substantial than your average towel, but manages to toe the line perfectly between the “too thick” and “too thin” outliers. Its long-staple Turkish cotton material and overall design gives it a luxurious feel; in fact, it was one of the softest and plushest of the options we tried.

Our tester loved how well made each towel was, noting that they held up well after many rounds of laundering. “What surprised me is that after multiple washes, they look and feel exactly the same as when I first touched them,” one tester raves. “I almost feel like they got fluffier after being washed. I’m used to towels losing their plushness and becoming flatter after multiple washes.”

The Frontgate Resort Collection Towel is thick, plush and luxurious.

That said, these towels aren’t for everyone: Some may not find them as quick-drying as others on our list. One tester noted that there were still some damp spots remaining on the towel a full five hours after showering. (If you’re looking for a towel that dries effortlessly and quickly, you might prefer the lighter-weight Onsen towel below.) In addition, the level of thickness here might not be suitable for some users who prefer a thinner towel. Overall, though, this was an across-the-board favorite, and it comes with a delightful added bonus: 27 colorways to choose from.

The 2025 Forbes Vetted Best Product Awards are here: Explore our 150 top-recommended items across categories after extensive research and testing.

Amazon

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For a value play, it’s hard to beat the wallet-friendly price of these towels—$19 for a pack of two makes Amazon’s towels an easy win in this category. But price isn’t the only draw to these basic towels: Our tester was equally impressed with their overall quality. “The first thing I noticed about these bath towels was their texture and softness,” she says. “For the price, it’s pretty impressive.” The towel itself is on the thinner side, but the cotton material gives it a more plush feel. “When wet, the towel does get softer, which makes it perfect as a wash cloth,” our tester continues. “The rougher side provides a great exfoliant without being too harsh on the skin, while the other side of the wash cloth is soft enough to use on gentler areas, like your face.”

The Amazon Basics 100% Cotton Soft Quick-Dry Bath Towel Set is a great find for the price point.

Of course, it likely comes as no surprise that these towels did not blow us out of the water in the durability department. After the first wash, the towel was unaffected, our tester claims—it was “just as soft and fluffy” as it was out of the box. But after a third wash, the difference was apparent: “It’s a bit rougher and definitely not as soft as before.” That said, some change in feel is to be expected from nearly all of the towels on our list. Overall, it remains a great choice for those in need of a basic, straightforward bath towel, whether for their own bathroom, a guest room or as an extra option to use at the gym.

Amazon

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The Everplush Diamond Jacquard Bath Towels are a great, mid-weight pick that may not be the fluffiest on our list, but are still incredibly soft, thanks to the towels’ patented cotton and microfiber loops. Our tester was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how absorbent these towels turned out to be: “I was not expecting them to dry me after showers as quickly and efficiently as they did, but the Everplush worked better than my old, thicker bath towels,” he says. “The towel feels soft and comfy like cotton, but seems to have an underlying microfiber structure that’s really good at wicking away water.” These towels come in nine colors and feature luxe-looking, contrasting hems. They also have a diamond-shaped jacquard weave that adds a unique design element and allows them to dry faster.

The Everplush Diamond Jacquard towels heated up quickly in our tester's towel warmer.

“An unexpected pleasure I get from the Everplush is that since they’re so much lighter in weight and thickness than my usual towels, they heat much faster in my bathroom towel warmer,” our tester adds. “I can throw one in the warming bucket as I’m stepping into the shower and it’s toasty warm by the time I step out. My older set of towels needed to heat up for a while, given their bulk.”

Brooklinen

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The Brooklinen Super-Plush Turkish Cotton Bath Towel is one of those luxuries that you’ve got to try to believe. Several Forbes Vetted editors count these extra-plush towels among their favorite Brooklinen products, and if “really, really fluffy” is one of your towel non-negotiables, you’ll be delighted with them, too. While they’re certainly not for everyone—these do offer a far thicker texture than other towels on our list—they’re an incredible option for those who are looking for a little extra fluff in their lives. That thickness translates into a heaviness, so just make sure you’re ready to use a little arm strength each time you reach for one fresh out of the shower. Our testers found these towels to be incredibly durable, with each wash leaving them softer somehow.

The Brooklinen Super-Plush Turkish Cotton Bath Towels are thick and fluffy.

One of our testers notes that while the towel feels luxurious and extra-thick on first use, that plushness shrunk “a small amount” after its first run through the washer (from “very plush” to “just plain plush”). She adds, “I didn’t count that as a mark against the product; subsequent washes revealed that it maintained that same post–first-wash feel. It still offers a far thicker texture than the other towels I tried on this list.”

Matouk

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These towels were the most expensive that we tested (by a landslide), and yet they proved to be well worth their heftier price tag. They arrive in beautifully wrapped packaging, but they’re soft and luxurious to the touch—and, most importantly, they’ve stayed that way stayed after multiple rounds of washing and drying. Our tester consistently reaches for these towels when she steps out of the shower now, and post-testing, she continues to be impressed by their luxurious feel.

Matouk's Milagro Towel is our choice for the best luxury towel on the market.

“I typically prefer an overly thick and fluffy towel—hence why I love the Brooklinen Super-Plush Turkish Cotton Bath Towel—but I appreciate and have come to enjoy the midrange pile of this towel,” she says. “It’s mainly just beautiful. I love to display this towel on my towel rack; it looks great draped over the rack with its rich color and detailed edges.” Further, while the Matouk was one of the most absorbent picks we tested (matching the Frontgate towel’s performance), it’s also surprisingly quick drying due to being 5 ounces lighter than the latter. While we recommend the Frontgate as the best overall pick for most people, the midrange pile on the Matouk is a great choice for that in-between plushness range.

Brooklinen

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If you’re seeking a soft but fast-drying towel with high-quality construction, Brooklinen’s Classic Turkish Cotton Bath Towel fits the bill. While you can certainly find plusher, more premium options, these towels are made from 100% long-staple Turkish cotton and they’re incredibly absorbent. It’s worth noting, though, that if you’re someone who likes heavy linens that envelop you, these aren’t the ideal pick for you. “When I first opened the box, I wished the towels were a touch fluffier,” admits one staff tester. “But they’re still nice and soft to the touch. And considering their lighter weight, they’re very good at absorbing water.”

We named Brooklinen's Classic Turkish Cotton Bath Towels the best quick-dry bath towel.

Compared with other towels, Brooklinen’s Classic Turkish Cotton Bath Towels have been consistently quick-drying, even in damp spaces. “Because these aren’t heavyweight towels, they do dry so, so quickly,” our tester says. “I really appreciate this, as my bathroom doesn’t have the best air ventilation, and the longer your towels stay damp, the longer bacteria can grow.” These towels are available in nine different hues, including Brooklinen’s rotating “limited edition” colorways that arrive seasonally. After several weeks of use, our tester found no major signs of wear or loose fibers.

Onsen

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Waffle towels are incredibly breathable and ultra lightweight, making them an increasingly popular option for anyone who appreciates an airier feel. Unlike a terry-weave towel, which features tight loops, this style is woven with raised threads that form small squares or rectangles. The Onsen towel is emblematic of all of the above: It’s impressively lightweight with a GSM of just 470, meaning it absorbs moisture quickly, dries fast and—because of its weight—takes up less space in a closet or on a towel rack than most other towels (a great choice for those with small storage spaces). The waffle-weave texture adds a unique design element for those looking for something different from a traditional terry towel.

The Onsen's airy waffle waffle weave held up after months of washing.

“I’ve only used waffle towels at hotels in the past, but these are really nice ones,” says one of our staff testers. “They are softer and more stretchy, so to speak, than others I’ve used—in a good way.” She also highlights the impressive absorbency factor: “I can dry off quickly with them or stay wrapped up in them for a while comfortably.” Although they are inherently thinner and less plush than other towels we tested, they are still soft and feel nice on the skin. Added bonus: The tag on these towels doubles as a hook. (Senior reviews editor Anna Perling also likes these Onsen towels’ aesthetic and quick-drying abilities; read her full review for more details.)

Boll & Branch

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Bath sheets are typically about 860 square inches larger than standard bath towels, so they provide more of a cuddly, blanket-like feel than a traditionally sized towel. These gorgeous Boll & Branch bath sheets are made of high-quality cotton and are unbelievably soft, which comes as no surprise given the brand’s reputation for luxury. Bonus points go to the packaging: Each towel arrived individually wrapped with a white ribbon, making them feel like a special present (this also makes them perfect for gifting).

“Right out of the box, the towels felt incredibly luxurious, soft and fluffy,” says our tester. “I’d describe them as having a medium plushness, medium thickness and medium softness—comfortable and absorbent, but not quite as plush as I expected given their ‘plush bath sheet’ name.”

Boll & Branch towels come individually wrapped with a white ribbon, making them great for gifting.

In terms of drying, they get the job done—and then some. “Even setting the size aside, I found them to be highly effective at absorbing moisture,” our tester notes. “After the first wash, they lost a bit of their initial plushness, but that actually made them more absorbent. Slight reduction in softness added a bit of friction, which helps the towel do its job better.” A slight loss of plushness after a first wash is also to be expected, generally speaking.

Cormier helped us break down textile terms that are helpful to understand as you search for the best bath towel for your needs:

The Forbes Vetted home and kitchen team are invested in in-depth research, accurate reporting and firsthand testing, as exemplified by this guide. Relatedly, our team has published a large collection of content that covers the best bathroom products to upgrade your space.

To make sure our methodology was as streamlined and objective as possible, our testers adhered to the following criteria: Each winning towel needed to be plush but absorbent, not “paper thin” but not overly thick, able to dry relatively quickly and capable of withstanding frequent laundering. Before testing, we took note of each towel’s basic specs, including material, construction, size and weight (in the standard GSM (grams per square meter). Next, we began testing for the following criteria:

GSM is the main indicator of plushness, but the actual real-life feel of the towel is a great indicator, too. We made note of how each of these ranked in terms of softness and fluffiness as we took them out of the box, and after a few turns in the washing machine (three full wash-and-dry cycles, to be exact). Then, we analyzed how the manufacturer’s claims stacked up against our in-person experiences.

First, we hung each of our tested towels on a hook after a shower, then noted how long it took them to feel fully dry again. Second, we purposefully crumpled them up and placed them in a dirty laundry pile after a second shower to see how quickly they dried in a “compromised” position.

We washed each set of towels a minimum of three times according to the manufacturer’s care instructions. After each wash cycle, we ran the towel through the hottest dryer cycle before repeating the process. We noted which of the towel’s fibers had come loose, if any, and how full the dryer vent was after washing. We also marked if there was any change in stiffness or softness after washing, or loss in color vibrancy.

Based on our firsthand testing experiences and after speaking to a group of experts, we recommend considering the following qualifications while shopping for a new set of bath towels.

Nearly all of the towels we tested were made of 100% cotton. Further, there are three types of cotton: short-staple, long-staple and extra-long-staple. When it comes to towels, long-staple cotton (such as Turkish cotton) or extra-long-staple cotton (such as Pima, Supima or Egyptian cotton) are preferable. “Egyptian's softness is better than Turkish towels, so we prefer Egyptian due to its absorbance and overall feel,” says Alexis Vitale of Hermosa Beach-based interior design firm Vitale Design Group.

Sean Cormier, chair of the textile development and marketing department at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, notes that fiber content is one of the most important elements. “Cotton is hydrophilic, which means that it easily absorbs water,” he explains, which is why it’s ideal for towels. Additionally, construction refers to the type of weave showcased by each towel; of course, we exclusively tested waffle weave and terry options.

The key to a great towel is its weight, says Vitale. “Towels are weighted in grams or GSM. We prefer to have a GSM of 500 to 900, as this will feel soft and sumptuous.” If you’re after a towel that’s exceptionally plush, look for one with a higher GSM; just note that it may take longer to dry. When it comes to sourcing towels for clients, Vitale says she first considers who will be using the towels (a young child, a teenager or an adult) in order to choose the proper size and construction. “Remember the four F’s,” she advises. “Fit, feel, function and, of course, fashion.”

It’s important for your purchase to stand the test of time, especially if you’re investing in one of the more expensive brands. Durability is key, and as daily-use products, bath towels should be able to withstand the rigors of regular laundering. (Note that none of our winners showed extreme signs of wear and tear after our laundering tests; they all held onto their color and did not fray or show excessive shrinkage.)

During our in-depth testing, we determined that the Frontgate Resort Collection scored the highest across the board in terms of thickness and softness, drying time and quality after laundering.

You can tell if a bath towel is high-quality by the type of cotton it’s constructed with and the weight of the towel, says Alexis Vitale of Hermosa Beach-based interior design firm Vitale Design Group. “Towels are weighted in grams or GSM. We prefer to have a GSM of 500 to 900 as this will feel soft and sumptuous. Supima, Turkish and Egyptian cottons are recommended only if they are 100% of the product.”

Although it’s a matter of preference, Vitale prefers Egyptian cotton bath towels for their luxury quality and durability. “A staple material is zero-twist Egyptian Cotton. This not only feels nice, but is luxurious,” she says. “Additionally, it’s important that towels feel plush [and] absorbent, and dry quickly, as well as stay soft after a few hundred washes."

We incorporated new testing feedback, refreshed our FAQ section and enhanced our buying guide with more tips.

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