This is a slightly more refined version of the bar towel that you'll find in professional kitchens and well, behind the bars, at many of the restaurants in America. "The right towel is so useful, and I always have a few on hand.". However, don't stop with just one towel. Our best overall pick is the Sur La Table Striped Kitchen Towel Set because it's functional and stylish. If youre on the hunt for a hardworking towel that will hold up to rigorous daily use, this bestseller is exactly what youre looking for. Lesley Stockton is a senior staff writer reporting on all things cooking and entertaining for Wirecutter. When it comes to quickly drying dishes, hands, and produce, or even handling hot pans and casseroles, nothing is as versatile as a thick cotton towel. Because of their proximity to bacteria, kitchen towels need frequent laundering to prevent cross-contamination. For this piece, our team consulted Carey Morey, founder of Callie's Hot Little Biscuit, an iconic Southern brand with national retail exposure, four grab-and-go eateries in Charleston, Atlanta, and Charlotte, and a food truck. The terry cloth loops are small and tightly packedunlike bathroom hand towelsand waffle weave has a smooth and hygienic look thats befitting for the kitchen. The only downside is they cost $35 for two towelsmore than twice the price of the Crate & Barrel towels. What's the difference between a dish towel and a kitchen towel? While towels can be as personal as the hands that use them, these coastal-colored, waffle-textured cotton towels will appeal to those who value form as well as function. Translation: Itll take minimal effort to keep your dinnerware and glasses crystal clean. If you have these towels on hand, you can tuck your paper towels away for special cases only, because these are a perfectly suitableand much greener and more cost-effectivereplacement. The other side is a looped terry cloth weave that is ready and able to tackle spills and messes. It is also very absorbent and has been used for centuries in various clothing and household (even medical) applications, so its durability and usefulness are highly tested. This served two purposes: to test the towels durability through multiple launderings and to remove the industrial coating (called sizing) that protects the fabric during shipping and storage (but also inhibits absorption). For all-white towels, we use chlorine bleach in the wash to keep them bright. All cotton towels will shrink after washing and drying. A good dish towel should be absorbent, long-lasting, and able to tackle big messes. The Williams Sonoma All Purpose Pantry Towels are our favorite because theyre big, thirsty, long-lasting, and reasonably priced. And since theyre so thin, you can use the edges to get into hard-to-reach crevices of ornate furniture.. A slow cooker can can take your comfort food to the next level. Most all-purpose cotton kitchen towels seem to hover around 20 by 30 inches, give or take. We tapped into their own experience before scouring the market and considering recommendations from competitor sites. Whether it's finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we'll help you get it right (the first time). Brigitt Earley is a product reviewer for The Spruce who specializes in home hacks, products, and parenting. Having a thick stack on hand will ensure youre always ready to sop up messes, wipe down counters, and dry hands, dishes, and produce. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission. Their practicality doesnt end in the kitchen. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. If you use them frequently for drying dishes, you probably want ones that have a high absorbency. After all, you work to make your kitchen look lovely, so there's no reason your dish towels can't add to your overall aesthetic. While color and print are definitely important, there are considerations beyond just the aesthetic. Attractiveness Instead, why not try a washed linen that has the perfect amount of distressed charm to blend with the aesthetic, but doesnt feature a specific pattern you might tire of. Experts agree that an absorbent towel that dries fast and is easily laundered is ideal, so the Coyuchi Organic Waffle Kitchen Towels are our overall pick. Everyone needs absorbent kitchen towels. They also arent the most attractive towelssome may even argue that they resemble bathroom hand towels. Because theyre lint-free, these cloths are great for drying glassware as well as food prep. The hem of the KitchenSmart Kitchen Towel (pictured above) from Bed Bath & Beyond completely unraveled after the fifth wash cycle. I'm not a fancy chef, and I need something with a lot of absorption. When it comes to picking dish towels, stick with cotton. We also talked to Wirecutter deputy editor Christine Cyr Clisset, who has covered home textiles, and Tux Loerzel, store manager at Whisk, a kitchenwares store in Brooklyn, New York. The Utopia Towels Kitchen Bar Mops are an inexpensive way to get the job done. Unlike the Now Designs, the Sur la Table towels held up through multiple washings. Theyre less absorbent per square inch, but make up for this deficiency with more surface area. "When it comes to towels, my clear favorite is terry cloth," says Morey. This is the key factor in determining the usefulness of a towel. Left to right: Williams Sonoma All Purpose Pantry Towel and Aunt Marthas Premium Flour Sack Dish Towel. What is the most absorbent material for dish towels? We've updated our Privacy Policy, which will go in to effect on September 1, 2022. Well update the guide as were able to. Both the palette and the texture will complement any aesthetic, and since they are yarn-dyed, those colors will stay true for much longer than a printed towel. Again, think about how youll be using the dish towels. These are a great choice if you want a smooth, lint-free cloth thats not only great for drying dishes, hands, and delicate produce, but is also helpful for food prep tasks like straining stocks. And finally, although some might like microfiber, Morey does not. (though they have picked up some stains). Some are even a great way to add a pop of color or style to your kitchen. Gryeer Microfiber Kitchen Towels, Best Flour Sack: Cotton is durable, affordable, and absorbent, which is why Tux Loerzel, of the kitchenwares store Whisk in Brooklyn, told us that he recommends cotton to most people. We used to recommend the Now Designs Ribbed Towel. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Utopia Towels Kitchen Bar Mops Towels, Utopia Towels Kitchen Bar Mop Towels Review, We Tested the Best Dish Racks to Make Drying Dishes a Breeze, Best Patterned: Her expertise builds on a lifelong career in the culinary worldfrom a restaurant cook and caterer to a food editor at Martha Stewart. From drying dishes and polishing glassware to wiping up melted chocolate and covering a saucepan's hot handle, the right towel for the job can make the practice of cooking easier. Even though theyre thinner than the Williams Sonoma or Crate and Barrel towels, the biggest Aunt Marthas towels are 50 percent larger (measuring 33 by 38 inches to their 20 by 30 inches). She has experience in both professional kitchens and front of house and is an avid home cook who also likes to sew, so she knows a good bit about fabric and the messes you can make in a kitchen. Bar towels are my go-to.". In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude." "We go through five to ten a day, so at the end of the night, they all go into the laundry room. Its funny how something as simple as a dish towel can make you happyespecially if they are as cute as the ones in this patterned set available at Anthropologie. They soaked up cup of water consistently, as well as cleaned up a sticky smoothie effectively. It is low-lint, quick-drying, and stylish enough to use on the regular. In our tests, they still deposited lint on glasses after multiple runs through the wash. Best Overall: Coyuchi Organic Waffle Kitchen Towels, Best for Big Messes: William-Sonoma Bar Mop Towels, Best Value: Utopia Towels Cotton Dish Towels, Best Flour Sack: Zeppoli 12-Pack Flour Sack Towels, Best Two-Sided: All-Clad Textiles Kitchen Towel, Best Linen: Weston Table Laguna Linen Kitchen Towel, Best Mix of Fun and Function: Blue Q Printed Dish Towels. Williams Sonoma Super Absorbent Towels, Multi Pack Holiday Set, Best Farmhouse-Style: Wipe up spills? But they do come in several colors besides white, which isnt the case with many other bar mops. Yes, youll have to make an initial investment, but considering the average family spends up to $300 per year on paper towels, youll definitely come out ahead in the long run. Flour sack towels became popularized during the Great Depression when homemakers upcycled the soft, durable cotton for various household uses, from towels to play dresses for children, and the flour companies soon caught on, creating sacks out of calico fabric. That way, there's always one within reach. If, however, you just grab them once in a while for a quick swipe of your counter, then you can probably go with something thinner and less absorbent. In a professional kitchen, towels such as these are employed in a variety of usesfrom padding a plastic cutting board to keep it from slipping, to wrapping a bunch of just-washed herbs to keep them fresh. That's why this towel, with a faded stripe inspired by Laguna Beach, seems like a logical choice for the star linen in your kitchen. But theyll produce less lint after four or five wash and dry cycles. If you live near a Williams Sonoma store, you could simply purchase the towels there. Weve used and abused the Williams Sonoma towels in our test kitchen since 2016, and the seams and stitching are still completely intact with no signs of wear. Size and shrinkage The rate of shrinkage with the towels we tested ranged from 11 to 25 percent, and our picks fell in the 11 to 18 percent range. She loves French bulldogs, French tucks, and french fries. New terry cloth towels will deposit some lint on glassware, depending on quality. The smooth texture has a clean look, and lends itself to decorative printing or patterns. Weve seen some reviews on Williams Sonomas website suggesting that the Pantry Towels are slightly different than the ones from years past. Subscribe now for unlimited access. No matter your preference, choose towels that are hemmed around the edges, as this will significantly increase its lifespan, especially with continued laundering. She keeps a towel at various stations in her kitchen: by the stove, next to the cutting board, and at the sink. Or if you can wait, these towels regularly go on sale, sometimes with free shipping. It includes three durable, absorbent cotton towels, and there are many colors to choose from. The construction is top-notch, too, so you won't have to worry about replacing these anytime soon. Cotton is generally very durable and will hold up against the rigors of your washer and dryer.