Toilet Paper Reviews

Quilton downs the competition in toilet paper ratings

Toilet paper isn’t a very luxurious item on your shopping list but it’s a necessary one, especially if you don’t want to be stuck in that awkward situation where you run out at the time you need it most. There seems to be two options when it comes to toilet paper – the ‘cheap and nasty’, or the ‘lush and pricey’. However, with supermarket private labels now seriously competing with big brands, plus growth in demand for recycled toilet paper, picking up a ‘cheap’ pack doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re buying an inferior product. Likewise, buying the most expensive brand doesn’t always mean you’re getting the best value for money.

So, to help you in your search for the best toilet paper at the right price, we’ve surveyed more than 2,000 Aussie consumers who have bought toilet paper in the last month. They have rated their brand of choice on its strength & quality, feel of toilet paper, value for money, packaging options and overall satisfaction. The idea is to give you a good idea of which brands scrub up best, so you’ll have an easier decision to make when you next stock up. So, which brand came out on top?

The 11 brands in our 2018 toilet paper review were rated in the following order for overall satisfaction:

• 1^st Quilton
• 2^nd ALDI Confidence
• 3^rd Woolworths Select
• 4^th Purex
• 5^th Kleenex
• 6^th Sorbent
• 7^th Coles So Soft
• 8^th Who Gives A Crap
• 9^th Woolworths Essentials
• 10^th Emporia
• 11^th Coles

ALDI Confidence, Woolworths Select, Purex, Kleenex, Sorbent and Coles So Soft all got four stars overall, while Who Gives A Crap, Woolworths Essentials, Emporia and Coles had to settle for three stars. Other results of note included Kleenex and Who Gives A Crap scoring five stars on packaging options, along with this year’s winner, plus ALDI Confidence being the only brand to achieve five stars on value for money. Let’s now consider what each of the 11 brands in this year’s review has to offer.

Best-Rated Toilet Paper

Quilton

Australian-owned and made, Quilton toilet paper is manufactured by ABC Tissue from local and imported materials in mills in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth. All Quilton packaging is recyclable in Australia as part of the REDcycle program – take your soft plastic wrappings to a participating Woolworths or Coles store with REDcycle collection bins. Quilton is also Forest Stewardship Council certified, and the brand’s Ecoply toilet paper is said to be manufactured in Brisbane from high quality waste paper involving a de-inking process that doesn’t use bleach so that all wastewater can be recycled.

The original 3-ply comes in rolls of 180 sheets, but if you really hate changing the roll regularly then you can also buy double length (360 sheets) and even triple length (540 sheets) rolls. The Quilton King Size variety has sheets 25% larger than the standard size, in rolls of 175. For extra luxury, the Quilton Gold range is a 4-ply toilet paper available in original and shea butter. Finally, the eco-conscious can choose Quilton Ecoply, a 3-ply toilet paper with a 100% recycled middle layer in rolls of 190 sheets.

• Quilton received five stars for overall satisfaction, strength & quality, feel of toilet paper and packaging options. It was also a reputable four-star review on value for money.

ALDI Confidence 

From the home of hidden supermarket bargains, ALDI Confidence toilet paper comes in three different varieties. The standard 3-ply toilet tissue comes in packs of 4 or 24. ALDI Confidence Hypoallergenic is a 2-ply toilet tissue sold in packs of 12 rolls of 260 sheets. For a little extra comfort, the 4-ply Hypoallergenic Quilted Softness toilet tissue comes in packs of eight rolls of 140 sheets. All are FSC Mix certified and Australian made.

• In 2018, ALDI Confidence got four stars across the board, except for a standout five stars on value for money.

Woolworths Select

The higher tier of Woolworths’ private labels, Woolworths Select Luxury Soft is a 3-ply toilet paper, offered in standard rolls of 190 sheets in packs of 4, 8 or 24 rolls. For those who want to reduce the hassle of changing rolls, Woolworths Select offers double length rolls (380 sheets) in packs of four. Luxury Soft is FSC Mix certified, meaning the wood used is from FSC-certified material, recycled material, or controlled wood.

• In our ratings, Woolworths Select got four stars for overall satisfaction as well as for all other categories, making it a solid performer.

Purex

The toilet paper prominently featuring precious puppies, Purex can be recognised from its packaging with a brown Shar-Pei puppy resting its rolls on a roll of toilet paper. Made in New Zealand, Purex is FSC Mix as well as Environmental Choice NZ certified. The manufacturing process uses steam collected from a geothermal bore, rather than using gas fired boilers, and utilises NZ Hydro power. The packaging is recyclable with participating soft plastic recycling programs.

The 2-ply extra thick toilet paper is available in standard (200 sheet) and Mega Long (450 sheet) rolls. Both varieties come in a choice of Soft White or Décor patterned appearance. The standard length Soft White rolls come in packs of 4, 12, 18 or 24, with carry handles attached to the 18 and 24 packs. Standard length Décor toilet paper is available only in packs of 4 and 12. Mega Long rolls are available in packs of 4, 6 or 12 rolls of Soft White, and packs of 4 or 6 rolls of Décor.

• Purex received a four-star rating for overall satisfaction, strength and quality, value for money, feel of toilet paper and packaging options.

Kleenex

Another brand famous for its packaging and advertisement featuring cuddly Labrador puppies, Kleenex has a few different toilet paper products. Kleenex Complete Clean – designed with a unique CleanRipple texture – is available in packs of 4, 9, 16, 18, 24 or 32, with 180 sheets. The packaging for packs of more than 18 include carry handles. There is also a long roll version of the Complete Clean toilet paper, with 270 sheets per roll (50% more than the standard rolls), available in pack of 12.

For a ‘luxurious’ experience, Kleenex Softest offers embossed toilet paper infused with a choice of shea butter or aloe vera. These lightly scented rolls come in packs of six rolls of 150 sheets.

• In this year’s ratings, Kleenex was a bit all over the shop, achieving four stars for overall satisfaction, strength & quality, plus feel of toilet paper. It got five stars for packaging but just three stars on value for money.

Sorbent

An Australian brand owned by Asaleo Care, Sorbent produces two types of toilet paper, both 2-ply. Sorbent Silky White comes in a choice of a regular roll, with 180 sheets in packs of 4, 12, 20 or 24, or King Size with 33% larger sheets than its regular toilet paper in packs of four. Sorbent Hypo-Allergenic contains no inks, dyes or fragrances and is dermatologically tested to be safe for sensitive skin. This variety comes in rolls of 180 sheets, in packs of 12 or 20 rolls. It’s also stated to be made from sustainably sourced materials.

• Sorbent received a solid four stars all round, except for value for money where it got three stars.

Coles So Soft 

Coles So Soft is the more premium of the supermarket giant’s private labels – still cheap but a bit more comfortable than the very budget 2-ply. Coles So Soft is a 3-ply toilet paper (with each roll containing 190 sheets) and 4-ply for additional thickness. So Soft is sold in packs of 4, 8 or 24 rolls. The sheets are the traditional white colour, but with embossed patterns.

• Coles So Soft got a solid four stars for overall satisfaction, strength & quality, plus value for money, but just three stars on feel of toilet paper and packaging options.

Who Gives A Crap

Who Gives A Crap sells recycled toilet paper through its website, plus a handful of selected stores across Australia. The brand’s flagship double length 3-ply toilet paper (with 400 sheets per roll) is made from 100% recycled material (including books and office paper), with each roll wrapped in colourful recycled packaging. For more luxurious loo paper, Who Gives A Crap also makes a premium 3-ply paper made from bamboo, with 370 sheets per roll. Both types of toilet paper contain no inks, dyes or scents (making it safe and comfy for every bum) plus have a few “emergency rolls” in fun red packaging in each box.

Instead of plastic packaging, Who Gives A Crap sells its rolls in boxes of 24 or 48. Customers can order as they go, or sign up for the subscription service. What makes this toilet paper stand out is that not only does it wipe your bum, it also builds toilets for those who don’t have any – 50% of profits are donated to fund water, hygiene and sanitation projects in the developing world.

• Who Gives A Crap was last year’s winner for overall satisfaction. But this year, it had to settle for three stars across the board, except for a standout five stars when it comes to packaging.

Woolworths Essentials

As Woolworths’ budget brand, Woolworths Essentials toilet paper keeps things simple to save you money. Woolworths Essentials toilet paper includes two options – a 2-ply roll of 260 sheets, sold in packs of 12, or a 1-ply roll of 1,000 sheets, sold individually. The 2-ply toilet paper is FSC Mix certified while the 1-ply toilet paper is FSC Recycled certified, meaning it’s made entirely from recycled material.

• Woolworths Essentials got three stars for overall satisfaction and most categories, with a stronger four-star performance in value for money.

Emporia 

Emporia toilet paper is manufactured in Australia by Solaris Paper. It offers 3-ply roll of 180 sheets and 4-ply of 140 sheets, coming in packs of 6, 8, 9, 18, 24 and going up to a 34 value pack. There are four different types available including Skin Sense with a touch of lotion claimed to be dermatologically tested on sensitive skin, White Unscented, Soft and Silky, plus Ultra Soft and Silky. The full range is unscented with some of the packs also stated to be hypoallergenic – free of ink, dyes and fragrances.

• Emporia got three stars overall, as well as for strength & quality, value for money and feel of toilet paper. It was four stars on packaging options.

Coles

For tight budgets, Coles 2-ply toilet paper offers an affordable toilet paper with FSC certification. Coles 2-ply comes in rolls of 260 sheets, available in packs of 6 or 18 rolls. There’s also a 12 pack of 100% recycled toilet tissue. It’s simple stuff designed to get the job done without costly extra frills and padding.

• In this year’s ratings, Coles received three stars for overall satisfaction and across all other ratings categories.

What to consider when buying toilet paper?

Apart from finding out which brands are keeping Aussies happy, our research also identified the following drivers of customer satisfaction when it comes to toilet paper:

• Strength and quality: 35%
• Value for money: 31%
• Feel of toilet paper: 28%
• Packaging options: 7%

It makes sense for strength and quality to be the main factor. You want toilet paper to do its job right and that’s perhaps why 47% of survey respondents said they buy the thickest ply of toilet paper possible. Moreover, with 55% using toilet paper for other uses such as cleaning or as a bandage, it’s a fairly versatile product and you’d hope it can withstand any mess you throw at it.

Value for money is also important to consumers, which makes sense considering you really can’t go without toilet paper. Almost half (45%) buy whichever brand is cheapest or on special. In addition, 70% buy their toilet paper in bulk, which may help cut down on cost.

Here’s what else our review revealed:

Aussie toilet habits

To conclude our 2018 review, here are some of the light-hearted outcomes from our survey.

Scrunchers vs folders 

The age-old debate – should you scrunch up your toilet paper or fold it up before wiping? Scrunchers argue that their method gives better grip and keeps your hand further away from the ‘danger zone’, while proponents of folding claim that they are more efficient and can cover more ground… Both sides have good arguments, but which way is best? According to our survey, the answer is clear – fold it. 68% said that they fold their toilet paper, while only 25% scrunch (and 7% were unsure).

Roll over or under?

Another toilet paper debate – and one that can cause some ‘serious tension’ in households – is toilet paper roll orientation. When you put a new roll on the holder, do you position it so that it rolls over the top, or underneath from the bottom? We found that most roll their toilet paper over the top (63%), but a good chunk of respondents didn’t have a preference (21%). Only 12% are dedicated under side rollers.

Texting on the toilet

Going to the bathroom is not anyone’s favourite pastime. That explains why 36% of adults said they usually take their phone with them to the toilet – it’s reasonable to prefer to play games or browse Facebook rather than stare blankly at the back of the door. Unfortunately though, taking your phone into the bathroom is risky business; 15% have accidentally dropped their phone in the toilet bowl. If this happens to you, your precious phone may still be salvageable if you’re extremely quick (and lucky). Dunk your phone into a bowl full of rice to draw out the moisture – hopefully before it does any damage.

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