Best bath towels – the top luxury and quick-dry towels
The best bath towels for transforming your bathroom into a luxurious spa – our edit of the best quality luxury towels and the most affordable buys from John Lewis, M&S, The White Company and more
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Investing in the best bath towels your budget allows can make for a quick and easy bathroom transformation.
In fact, when you're looking to bring your dream bathroom ideas to life, the best bath towels on the market have the ability to transform a boring bathroom into a luxurious spa retreat, all without you having to splash too much cash.
After all, you don’t have to buy any expensive furniture, and you definitely don’t have to start ripping off any tiles or replacing flooring or furniture. All you have to do is swap your old, faded and threadbare towels for some plush and stylish alternatives.
But, place one foot into a high street shop or take one scroll through an online retailer’s bathroom section, and you’ll find yourself inundated with bath towel options.
That’s why we’ve rounded up the best bath towels on the Ideal Home team's radar in this guide, curating the best luxury bath towels from John Lewis, The White Company, Soak & Sleep, and Scooms, as well as affordable and quick-dry towels from high-street favourites H&M, Dunelm, and Marks & Spencer.
Best bath towels 2023
Why you can trust Ideal Home Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best bath towels
Material: 100% Egyptian Cotton
GSM: 700
Sizes: Face Cloth, Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Super Jumbo
Colours: 5
These luxury spa-like towels are made from 700GSM twisted Egyptian cotton terry. The heavyweight design makes you feel reassuringly enveloped in complete comfort. In the brand's signature crisp white, these towels will help to add a posh hotel feel to any bathroom. However, there are four other colourways if you want a lower maintenance option.
Material: 100% Egyptian Cotton
GSM: 675
Sizes: Face Cloth, Guest Towel, Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Bath Mat
Colours: 12
Our e-commerce editor, Molly Cleary, has nothing but good things to say about these bath towels. ‘Christy is such a heritage brand, and after a recent rebrand, they are providing us with towels that are better than ever. These towels are the perfect balance between quality and an affordable price point and are set to last for a long while. These are the fluffiest towels from Christy, but they don't shed and feel properly luxurious. The colour range is great too, so you can match your new towels to whatever colour scheme your bathroom is.'
Material: 100% Egyptian Cotton
GSM: 600
Sizes: Face Towel, Guest Towel, Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet
Colours: 46
One of Marks & Spencers' bestsellers with almost 5,000 reviews, you can be confident in the 4.5-star rating given to these bath towels by happy customers. Made using longer-lasting mature cotton fibres and infused with Marks & Spencer's StayNEW™ technology to keep them looking and feeling fresh after several washes, there are a fantastic 46 colour options to choose from. Perfect for giving a bathroom a new style update.
Material: 100% Egyptian Cotton
GSM: 720
Sizes: Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Bath Mat
Colours: 4
There may only be four colour options to choose from, but all are good neutral shades, and our Decor Editor Amy Lockwood thinks the 720GSM quality is second to none, 'Scooms are thick and soft and wash brilliantly, mine still look like new after a year's use. They're also a little longer than most which means they drape brilliantly on a towel rail for an Instagram-worthy bathroom setup!'. These are the ultimate comfort towels, and they come in pairs and bundles, too, so that you can stock your bathroom with luxury.
Material: 100% Egyptian Cotton
GSM: 700
Sizes: Face Cloth, Guest Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Extra Large Bath Sheet
Colours: 35
These best-selling towels have impressive reviews, with over 2,000 happy customers rating them 4.5 out of 5 stars. And while the 35 colour options certainly help this rating, the luxe feel of the towel is what really sells it. With a Life Natural finish, these towels are treated with antimicrobial protection that not only keeps them cleaner for longer but also keeps them smelling fresher for longer. So you can be sure you’re buying high-quality products.
Material: 100% Supima Cotton
GSM: 750
Sizes: Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet
Colours: 6
You can't beat the 'Cashmere of cotton' for a truly luxurious feeling for bathtime. These 750gsm towels feel indulgent and cosy whilst boasting high-performance absorbency for post-bath heaven. The range is available in 6 colours, meaning you can tie them in perfectly to your bathroom decor, and you can stock up if you use Soak & Sleep discount codes to keep the price budget-friendly. Also, as Supima cotton represents just 1% of the world’s cotton, you know you’re getting something special.
Material: 100% Cotton
GSM: 570
Sizes: Face Cloth, Wash Mitt, Guest Towel, Hand Towel, Bath Towel, XL Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Supersize Bath Sheet
Colours: 48
Dunelm is so confident that its 100% Egyptian cotton bath towels will last that it offers a 5-year guarantee with each towel. Featuring extra-long cotton fibres, these towels boast a natural softness without scrimping on absorbency or durability. But if green credentials are what you’re after, you can rest easy knowing that these towels are verified by OEKO-TEX, meaning they’re free from chemicals and were produced ethically.
Material: 100% Cotton
GSM: 480
Sizes: Flannels, Hand Towel, Guest Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet
Colours: 7
If you’re looking for a slightly different feel to your bath towels, these terry towels from H&M could be the next addition to your bathroom. Featuring a high absorption rate and a loop on the side so you can choose to hang them up, these towels also come in a variety of colours. But the main draw of these towels is the look of them. With the thick rim around the edge, there’s no doubt that these towels look extra stylish, and, although they're thinner than some in our round-up, their affordable price tag is definitely a winner.
Material: 100% Cotton
GSM: 500
Sizes: Face Cloth, Hand Towel, Bath Towel, Bath Sheet, Bath Mat
Colours: 6
The Monaco bath towel range from DUSK with their ribbed design make a super-stylish addition to the bathroom, so much so that we rate them as the best towels for those wanting hotel luxury on a budget. They feel like they could melt in your hands as they are so soft, and as they’re made from 100% cotton and 500GSM, they're both lightweight and quick drying. You can also choose from six stylish colourways and use them to add colour and texture to your bathroom shelves.
Where to shop for the best bath towels
Got a specific colour in mind? If our top picks above haven't sorted your dream bathroom colour scheme then this is our round-up of the best places to shop for bath towels.
- Amazon bath towels
- Christy bath towels
- Dunelm bath towels
- Ethical Superstore bath towels
- John Lewis & Partners bath towels
- M&S bath towels
- Soak & Sleep bath towels
- The White Company bath towels
- The Towel Shop bath towels
- Wayfair bath towels
How to choose the best bath towels
Adding new bath towels to your bathroom is one of the best ways to make your bathroom look more expensive on a budget. But when choosing a bath towel for your bathroom, there are some key things you need to consider before taking the plunge. So, we’ve laid them out below so you can make the right decision for you and your bathroom:
The material: There are so many bath towels out there, made from so many different materials. It’s always a good idea to do your research and figure out what material works best for your needs and which one ticks more of your boxes.
The GSM: You’ll notice that GSM varies drastically when searching for new bathroom towels. On average, though, it’s best for bath towels to have a GSM of at least 500 or more.
The towel construction: Emily and Jonathan Attwood, Founders of bedding and bath brand Scooms, explain, ‘The yarns that make up the pile of your towel can either be woven into loops (zero twist) or they can be twisted. Zero twist towels are softer, feel more luxurious and dry faster. Twisted or low twist yarns use lower quality cotton, are harder and less absorbent.’ So, always check this before you buy, too.
The size: Most retailers will offer the same towel in various different sizes, ranging from a small face cloth to a large bath sheet. Always make sure you know what sizes you need and want before buying.
The colour: While the colour of your bath towels won’t have a big impact on the practicality side of things, they will allow you the chance to match your towels to your chosen colour scheme. You could either opt for neutral colours that blend in or go bold with bright colours that really pop.
FAQs
What is GSM?
You’ll see this abbreviation frequently when sourcing towels – it’s like the thread count associated with bedding. GSM stands for ‘grams per square metre’. Put simply, it’s the way weight is measured for towels. Typically speaking, the higher the GSM the higher the thickness of the towel. Therefore the higher the GSM attributed, the more luxurious a towel is considered.
'The GSM is a good indication of how heavy and dense a towel is. Generally, the higher the GSM, the thicker and more absorbent the towel will be. When deciding on the GSM, think about how you’ll use your towel and how often. Lightweight towels dry quicker, but heavyweight towels have a more luxurious feel', explains Lucy Comer, Partner & Bath Shop Buyer at John Lewis & Partners.
What is the best bath towel material?
'Cotton is the most traditionally used material for bathroom towels, as it is extremely durable and absorbent' says John Lewis & Partners' Lucy Comer. However, not all cotton towels are of the same quality. As well as GSM, which denotes the towels thickness, look out for these terms when shopping to find the softest and longest-lasting pile.
Supima cotton is known as the 'cashmere of cotton' to quote Sarah Smith, Head of Buying at bedding and bathroom retailer Soak & Sleep, and for good reason! Grown only in the USA to exceptionally high standards, the fibres are longer and stronger than any other kind of cotton. They are therefore the most expensive towels, so consider them as a long term investment.
Egyptian cotton towels are a good alternative to costly Supima towels. They are super soft, durable and highly absorbent thanks to the long, thick loops. These towels are only slightly less luxurious and this is reflected in their price.
Turkish cotton is another option. They can be a good choice for those who have less space in their bathroom and prefer a thinner, faster-drying towel. ‘Turkish cotton long staple fibres are thinner than Egyptian cotton, and though still strong and sleek, will produce towels that may be less absorbent but quicker to dry,’ explain Emily and Jonathan of Scooms.
Zero twist is a term you will see when researching towels. It basically means the cotton is spun with an open loop with no twist, giving a softer and more plush feel.
What is the best bath towel colour?
Plain white bath towels will bring a hotel chic look to any bathroom and can complement any scheme, dark or light. But be mindful of keeping your whites bright – especially if you use a lot of beauty products as it can be tricky to remove those mascara and foundation marks! If you want your towels to make a statement, choose a contrasting colour or pattern. For a more subtle look, choose towels that tone with your tiles and flooring.
Which towels do hotels use?
This ultimately depends on the hotel, but you can almost guarantee that all high-end hotels will use 100% Egyptian cotton towels in their bathroom. That’s because this material is not only considered to be the most luxurious but it’s also considered the most practical.
Egyptian cotton is soft and fluffy to the touch, which is a welcome change from the old crunchy-feeling towels many people will have in their homes. Alongside this, it’s also extremely absorbent and durable. This means that they will last longer and withstand multiple washes between check-in and check-out.
How we selected
You'll find full details of the Ideal Home review process on our how we test page.
In order to select the best bath towels for this round-up, we've tried and tested bestselling product ranges, done a deep dive into specifications and technical details, quizzed the Ideal Home team for their expert knowledge and experience, and asked friends and family for their top-rated products.
We also took into account third-party opinions via online reviews and only include products that have a 4-star rating or higher and plenty of positive customer feedback.
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After studying Print Design at Winchester School of Art, Amy spent multiple years working in the interior industry, including styling and visual merchandising for many well-known brands. She’s now Decor Editor at Ideal Home, offering advice on creating your dream interior, whether that's choosing the perfect shade of paint, investing in a new sofa, or sourcing on-trend and sustainable products for the home. She also writes about all things interior for Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, and Real Homes, and brings her design knowledge outdoors at Gardeningetc, where she advises on what to look for when shopping for the best garden furniture and how to create a practical and stylish outdoor living area.
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