Price doesn’t always equal quality when it comes to paper towels

Our lab tested 19 different paper towels, assessing performance mopping up spills in your kitchen including absorption, tearing and resistance to puncturing.

Tuffy White 3 ply 4 rolls was the top of the pile scoring a recommended 85, followed by Handee MAX white 3 ply 1 rolls scored 74.

Coming in at the bottom of the pile was Earthcare 100% recycled 2 ply 2 rolls, scoring 40, and Pams paper towels white 2 Ply.

Price doesn’t always equal quality, with some pricier paper towels performing poorly. Rolls of paper towels in our test cost between 80¢ and $2.67 a roll. However, they come in different sizes/lengths. This means a per sheet cost is the best way to compare value.

The top paper towels in our test that earnt our recommendation cost between 3 and 4¢ per sheet. They were mostly 3-ply, which drives the cost higher. The cheapest paper towel sheet cost 1.3¢, while the most expensive was 4.4¢ - neither performed particularly well in our test.

The best performing paper towels were 3-ply. In our test, 89% of paper towels were 2-ply with the rest being 3-ply (but you may occasionally find 4-ply paper towels for sale).

Take a look at our free full paper towel results.