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23 soft and fluffy bath towels to elevate your bathroom
There is nothing better than stepping out of a bath, pulling a warm towel off a towel rack and wrapping yourself in the comfort of its plush fabric. That delightful moment is one of our favourite parts of going to a luxury hotel, but why reserve that moment just for a weekend away? We think that investing in a high-quality set of bath towels is just the indulgence you deserve to get through the winter.
What are the best bath towels to buy?
Our pick of the best towels to buy would be between Christy's Luxe Towel and Marks & Spencer's Luxury Egyptian Cotton Towel, along with high-quality offerings from The White Company, Hampton & Ashley and Dusk. Read on for more about our top picks and the particular qualities that make them stand out. Beyond our top five towels, we then have a selection of more excellent choices, with colourful, patterned options and eco-friendly towels in the mix, covering all price points.
Best bath towels for 2024, at a glance:
- Best towel overall: Christy Luxe Towel
- Best affordable towel: M&S Collection Luxury Egyptian Cotton Towel
- Best luxury towel: Hampton & Astley Egyptian Cotton 7 Piece Luxury Bath Towel
- Best quick-drying towel: The White Company Rib Hydrocotton Towels
- Best for everyday use: Dusk Monaco Plush Ribbed Cotton Towel
Best towel overall: Christy Luxe Towel
| Luxe Towel | |
|---|---|
| GSM: | 730 |
| Size: | 76 x 137cm |
| Fabric: | 100% Turkish cotton |
| Care: | Machine wash at 60º |
Made with 100% Turkish cotton at a whopping 730GSM, these indulgent Luxe towels from historic British brand Christy are pure bathroom bliss. Christy have been making towels by Royal Appointment for many years (Queen Victoria was the first to show an interest in 1851!), so with that seal of approval, you can't go far wrong with this exceptional British craftsmanship. And for the quality you get, these towels still sit at a reasonable price point. This particular towel is their most deluxe option, is available in seven different colours, and five different sizes: face cloth, guest towel, hand towel, bath towel and bath sheet.
Best affordable towel: M&S Collection Luxury Egyptian Cotton Towel
| Luxury Egyptian Cotton Towel | |
|---|---|
| GSM: | 600 |
| Size: | 70 x 125cm |
| Fabric: | 100% Egyptian cotton |
| Care: | Machine wash at 40º |
Available in forty different colours, including white, teal, sage green and vibrant orange, you'll have no trouble finding the right shade of these M&S towels to suit your bathroom decor. They've incorporated their StayNew™ technology to ensure that the towels survive every wash and use, with great colour retention as well as keeping their fluffiness and absorbency. The highly affordable price tag belies their luxurious 600GSM, and makes it easy to treat yourself to sets in a couple of colours to rotate between.
Best luxury towel: Hampton & Astley Egyptian Cotton 7 Piece Luxury Bath Towel Set
| Egyptian Cotton 7 Piece Luxury Bath Towel Set | |
|---|---|
| GSM: | 650 |
| Size: | Multiple sizes in set, bath towel is 70 x 125cm |
| Fabric: | 100% Egyptian Cotton |
| Care: | Wash on their own in a cool or warm cycle |
British home specialists Hampton & Astley’s best-selling Egyptian Cotton bath towels are some of the softest in our selection, and give off a truly luxurious feel. As well as the two bath towels, this seven-piece set also comes complete with two hand towels, two face towels and one large bath sheet. The super-plush, fluffy towels are woven from the finest Egyptian cotton fibres, resulting in wonderfully indulgent, incredibly soft and surprisingly lightweight towels in which to enrobe yourself after you step out of the bath or shower.
Best quick-drying towel: The White Company Rib Hydrocotton Towels
| Rib Hydrocotton Towels | |
|---|---|
| GSM: | 500 |
| Size: | Multiple sizes in set, bath towel is 70 x 125cm |
| Fabric: | 100% Egyptian Cotton |
| Care: | Machine wash |
Quick-drying without sacrificing a comforting fluffiness – what’s not to love? The White Company never fails to impress with its selection of luxury towels and their Hydrocotton range is no exception. While quick-drying towels usually leave a lot to be desired, these fast-drying towels certainly don’t scrimp on texture and comfort. The White Company offers a full bath towel set for its Hydrocotton range, so you can invest in the full set.
Best for everyday use: Dusk Monaco Plush Ribbed Cotton Towel
| Monaco Plush Ribbed Cotton Towel | |
|---|---|
| GSM: | 500 |
| Size: | 70 x 130cm |
| Fabric: | 100% Cotton |
| Care: | Machine wash at 30-40º |
This best-selling towel from Dusk is one of our top picks thanks to its super soft texture and luxurious feel. It's available in charcoal and pale grey, as well as the classic white shown here. With matching face cloths, hand towels and bath sheets available, it's easy to complete the set, and at fairly low prices compared with some of the other towels on our list (especially when in the sale), we think they are very affordable for the quality that you get. They have been designed with ‘zero-twist’ technique, meaning they stay soft and fluffy, while drying faster.
Where to buy towels?
The UK is rife with online home retailers who offer everything from bedding, linens, duvets to bath towels. We especially like The White Company, Dusk, John Lewis & Partners, Selfridges and M&S who all offer high-quality, long-lasting luxury bath towels at reasonable prices. Mega online retailers like Amazon and Wayfair are also great for choosing more affordable bath towels in terry, supima cotton or long-staple cotton fabrics.
What is GSM?
GSM refers to grams per square metre and is the standard measurement for a bath towel's thread count. The higher the GSM number, the better quality and more luxurious your bath towel will feel. We recommend anything between 500-700GSM for super-plush soft towels.
What is the difference between a bath towel and a bath sheet?
The difference between the two is quite simply the size. A bath sheet is larger (and typically thinner) than a bath towel.
How often should you replace your bath towels?
As a general rule, the advice is to replace your bath towels once every two years. However, there are ways to test if you need new ones, as high-quality towels will last longer than cheap ones. If your once fast-drying, fluffy towels are now raggedy, thin pieces of cotton that no longer dry your body properly, it's probably time to purchase a new plush bath towel. On a surface level, if the hems of your towel are fraying and showing signs of wear and tear, then a new towel will be just the ticket.
How to pick the best bath towel
For really soft, super absorbent towels, the key is the material. 100 percent cotton bath towels will be a lot more effective at absorbing water than hybrid ones. On the flip side, cotton-poly blend towels are more durable and take longer to show wear and tear.
One way to tell the quality of a towel on sight, is to look at whether the surface is covered with loops of yarn. Luxury bath towels will have these, and the denser the loops, the better. Fabric weight is also a key consideration. Measured in GSM, anything over 600 GSM would fall in the category of heavy and plush. Light weight towels like waffle weave and ribbed material ones typically aren't as soft but are lovely in the summer and very quick drying.
Scroll on to see our edit of the best bath towels to buy now, from Egyptian cotton to Turkish cotton and organic cotton, we have all the best below.
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