Best-Rated Bath Towels

Fact Checked

How we rate bath towels

Our review compares bath towels on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which bath towel brand they think is best!

Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.

1. Adairs

Rating results

Adairs rated five stars in overall satisfaction, absorbency, durability, design and variety & range. It received four star ratings for softness and three stars for value for money.

Editor’s notes

Adairs is a leading retailer for bedroom and bathroom linen, homewares and furniture. For the bathroom, have a look through the somewhat small but elegant selection of mats, hand towels, bath sheets, face washers, hair wraps and bath towels, in different cotton and bamboo blends. The most affordable towels are from Adairs’ own Gingham line, made from low twist combed cotton. There are also plenty of other options from the Home Republic and Mark Tuckey collections. Bath towels from Adairs can set you back between $25 and $50, but you can score 10% off full-price items (or 5% off sale items) if you’re a Linen Lovers member, which requires a $19.95 fee for a two-year membership.

2. Sheridan

Rating results

Sheridan earned five-star reviews for durability, softness, absorbency, design and variety & range. It achieved four stars for overall satisfaction and a three star rating in value for money.

Editor’s notes

Sheridan has been a renowned luxury brand for all things bedding, bath, homewares and loungewear for over 50 years. The brand offers a wide selection of premium bath towels made of quality weaves and textures, at various price points to suit all budgets. Prices start from around $19.95 for Sheridan’s Luxury Egyptian Towel Collection, featuring ring-spun Egyptian cotton yarns, and go up to just under $160 for its Stanford Towel Set, although most bath towels are under the $40 mark.

3. Spotlight

Rating results

Spotlight was rated five stars for value for money and landed on four stars for durability, absorbency, softness, design and variety & range and overall satisfaction.

Editor’s notes

If you love to have matching linen, Spotlight offers towels in various sizes so you can snap the same design and prints in a face washer, hand towel, bath mat, bath sheet and bath towel. The retailer has several collections to pick from, such as KOO, Esque, Brampton House, Hotel Savoy, Linen & Co, Mode, Platinum, Emerald Hill, Logan & Mason, Dri Glo and Linen House. You can expect cotton towels for the most part, although some products are made with a mix of cotton and bamboo. These come in a wide variety of designs, such as jacquard, leopard print, ribbed and fringing.

4. Target

Rating results

Target achieved four stars in the majority of research areas such as durability, softness, absorbency, design, value for money and overall satisfaction. It scored three stars for variety & range.

Editor’s notes

Target stocks a growing range of bath linen, including face washers, hand towels, bath towels, bath sheets and other accessories. Prices start from around $5 for an Egyptian cotton face washer and reach up to $30 for organic cotton towels. Similar to other brands, the retailer stocks Supima towels made with combed cotton. These are claimed to provide better durability than some other types of material, as well as maintain their colour for longer. Target also has a range of Egyptian cotton bath towels, bath sheets and bath mats in neutral colours.

5. Bed Bath N’ Table

Rating results

Bed Bath N’ Table was rated four stars for overall satisfaction, absorbency, durability, softness and design. It scored three stars for value for money and variety & range.

Editor’s notes

Bed Bath N’ Table is your destination for all things bedding, homewares and bathroom, including apparel and tableware. For the bathroom, you can find bath sheets, washers, hand towels and bath towels in a variety of different textures and fibres, including Egyptian cotton, bamboo blends, plus pure cotton. Bed Bath N’ Table also stocks several labels including Morgan & Finch, Cotton House and Harlequin. Many of the bath towels available are made with combed cotton and are claimed to maintain their shape and texture after washing and tumble drying. Expect a mix of classic and contemporary designs featuring fringing, jacquard, ribbing and quirky animal prints.

6. Big W

Rating results

Big W was rated four stars for absorbency, softness and value for money. It achieved three star ratings for overall satisfaction, durability, design and variety & range.

Editor’s notes

Big W offers a huge range of towels, including its flagship House & Home range and its Brilliant Basics line. The retailer has more than 100 options to choose from, mainly offering towels made from combed Egyptian cotton and pure cotton. Big W also has bath mats, wraps and face washers available. Aside from its own labels, you can also find towels featuring popular characters from Peppa Pig, Paw Patrol, Minions and Marvel, making bath time more fun for the little ones.

7. Kmart

Rating results

Kmart was rated four stars for value for money, with three stars for overall satisfaction, absorbency, durability, softness, design and variety & range.

Editor’s notes

Kmart has a large selection of coordinated bath sheets, towels, face washers, mats, bath and hand towels to score on the cheap. Prices for face washers start from as little as $1.75, while both hand towels and bath towels cost under $2.50. The most expensive towels from the department store will set you back around $15 for the Australian Cotton bath sheet range. Kmart’s range of bath towels includes cotton and polyester options, available in neutral and seasonal colours and funky prints. There are also a number of bath towels with fringe detailing for an extra luxe feel.

Bath sheet vs bath towel

Bath towels are the more commonly known and used type of bathroom linen, measuring around 69cm by 139cm. Bath sheets on the other hand are larger and measure around 82cm to 170cm. For people who are maybe a bit taller or like to feel more secure with their towel wrapped around them a bath sheet may be the better option. Between the two there aren’t really any other differences other than size.  

What is GSM in bath towels?

‘GSM’ is to towels what thread count is to bed sheets. It stands for Grams Per Square Meter (GSM) and is simply a standard measure of the density of a towel. In a nutshell, the higher the GSM, the heavier and more absorbent the towel will be, and by extension the more it’s likely to cost, too. The GSM scale ranges from 300 up to 900. Anything over 400 GSM is considered medium-weight and anything above 620 GSM is usually heavier and the sort of towels you’ll find at day spas or luxury hotels.

Which towel material is best?

You’ll want to find towels that are soft to touch and feel, with the right texture, colour, and style to complement your bathroom aesthetics. However, fabric type is probably the most important of all considerations, as an indication of how well it will absorb moisture on the body. Most bath towels are made of different types of cotton, which will vary in softness, absorbency, durability. 

Here are the main fabrics you’ll find in stores:

• Bamboo: These types of towels are made from a blend of bamboo and cotton. These are typically super absorbent and tend to keep their colour for longer. Bamboo is claimed to be naturally antibacterial and mildew-resistant.
• Egyptian or Turkish cotton: This is deemed to be the highest-quality cotton due to its extra-long and highly absorbent fibres. Egyptian and Turkish cotton bath towels are said to be softer and more durable than regular cotton options. They’re usually a go-to, although typically cost more.
• Supima cotton: This cotton makes for high-quality bath towels, supposedly thanks to its long fibres which are soft and absorbent.
• Organic cotton: These towels are woven from cotton produced without chemical fertilisers, or pesticides.

About our consumer experts

Kate King: Home & Lifestyle Content Producer

This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Producer Kate King. Kate holds a Bachelor of Creative Industries from QUT majoring in Journalism and Media and Communications, and has written for a number of publications over the past five years.

Meet the Editorial Team

Samantha Howse: Consumer Research Specialist

Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.

Meet the Research Team