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debrak_2008_gw

Best Towels

debrak_2008
13 years ago

Now that our master bath is almost done I need to start thinking about towels. The last towels I purchased at Kohls are too rough. JCPenneys has a sale right now but I really don't know what to look for. Brazil cotton vs egyptian, etc.???

Any advice?

Comments (43)

  • vampiressrn
    13 years ago

    I love Egyptian cotton myself. I have been happy with towels I got from Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware. I don't think the towels hold up to washing from Stein Mart, BB&B or Kohls. Glad you asked this though as I wonder who else to buy from.

  • kateskouros
    13 years ago

    there isn't a specific brand i like but i found perfect towels at home goods. in fact, i love them so much i hit every home goods store in our area and bought out ALL of the same towel in every size.
    i can't stand so-called "luxury" or "plush" towels as they are usually too heavy and too soft to be absorbent. heavier towels just don't do the job as far as i've experienced. i like them thinner and rough enough to exfoliate and remove moisture after a shower. am i seriously the only one?

  • sabigabatini
    13 years ago

    Hands down, the best towels are from Restoration Hardware. Plush, absorbent and last forever. Worth the price, imo.

  • pepperidge_farm
    13 years ago

    went on a towel hunt. looked and touched RH and PB, but ultimately got from Macy's...

    they were the softest, plushest, and thickest- which was what I really wanted. we have the ivory color. they wash very nicely. i have had not so great absorbent cotton towels, and these are not among that group, imho.

    I think they are similar in weight, but I really liked them much better.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Hotel Collection, Finest Luxury towels from Macy's

  • dianne47
    13 years ago

    I like the Charisma towels that are sold at Costco.

    Kateskouros, no you aren't the only one. I agree that some of the super-plush towels don't seem to dry the body very well. But I don't want my towels to exfoliate, the dead skin stays on the towel and goes on the floor - ewww. I want to exfoliate in the shower and let the skin go down the drain.

  • debrak_2008
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    When I saw restoration hardware I was confused...don't they sell period lighting? lol ...but google enlightened me. No store nearby.

    I don't like the really thick ones either, but towels should be soft, feel good, and be absorbant.

    Macy's is nearby so I will check them out.

    Wish costco would come to this part of New York state. I hear such good things I'm missing out on.

    Thanks for all the good ideas. Anymore suggestions?

  • gwentm
    13 years ago

    My very favorite is Abyss (on sale). Next favorite is Calvin Klein Lush. Both are super soft, very absorbant - and they stay that way.

    http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=42516&CategoryID=3865&LinkType=PDPZ1

    Here is a link that might be useful: Abyss Towels

  • buyorsell888
    13 years ago

    I need new towels too but the one's linked so far in this thread are way out of my price range. I plan to buy at least six bath towels to start, more later. Plus mats, hand towels and washcloths.

    Any recommendations for soft absorbent $10-$20 towels? (This would be double what I've spent in the past, LOL)
    That come in sage green?

    My father has really thick plush towels that leave lint all over me and don't absorb water well at all so I can't ask him....

  • vampiressrn
    13 years ago

    I was wondering about Macys, so thanks for posting those. The Bloomingdale ones look good too. I am heading over to Home Goods today, so will check out the towels there.

  • sevrm
    13 years ago

    Don't forget Tuesday Morning. I bought some really plush towels there for $10 each. They're the best I've ever had. Of course, it's just a matter of lucky timing at Tuesday Morning.

  • cruisedirector
    13 years ago

    I have been very happy with the Laura Ashley Lifestyles towels I got a Kohl's a couple of years ago. They have kept their color and stay fresh. All other towels I've had start to have a bad odor that I can't seem to wash out. These have been great and I have 3 sets I've rotated for the past 3 years.

  • hlove
    13 years ago

    I recently bought some towels for my daughters' bathroom from Garnet Hill. So far, they're great! Not too thick, not too soft, not hard and bristly after going through a few hot washes. The colors are really rich and vibrant (I bought garnet and lavender, to go with my girls' bedroom colors).

    Here is a link that might be useful: Garnet Hill Signature Bath Towels

  • oskiebabu
    13 years ago

    For a soft and absorbent towel the Land End bamboo/cotton towels are fantastic. If you like a coarser towel that is also absorbent the British Christy Renaissance Egyptian cotton towels are excellent.

    Greg

  • hey_starfish
    13 years ago

    Bamboo fiber towels FTW in softness! I had picked up a few for me to tryout at Macy's on a bargain deal but my son claimed all of them for himself. I need to go get some more for sure.

  • User
    13 years ago

    Yep, I keep dropping by Tuesday Morning and checking out the towels too. I only buy white or ivory, and look for interesting textures. It is pot luck with them.

    For bath mats, I usually buy several at a time from Lands End, the cotton small and plain. I have parrots and dogs, and placing a small mat in front of the cages or by the back door catches a lot of accidents and is quickly scooped up, washed, and back fresh in a short while.

  • nbptmomto3
    13 years ago

    I got mine on sale at the Company Store. I looooove them. I wouldn't pay full price though. The ran a 30% off plus free ship.

  • vampiressrn
    13 years ago

    I just bought a set of Lacoste at Home Goods (same brand at Macys) and my Mom likes them as they are thick and soft. I'm not wild about the little alligator on them...but glad to find something she likes...LOL.

  • debrak_2008
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I compiled a list from all the posts and now need to go shopping and look for a sale. Hope this was helpful to others.

    Thank you to all who posted, and keeping posting if you have more suggestions.

  • sabigabatini
    13 years ago

    In addition to the Resto. Hardware towels (which I still find to be the best), I also have a couple of the Costco Charisma ones. They are very soft, but they shed in the wash/dryer... plus, I found after the first wash, that one of them faded and the other didn't, so now they look like different colors. The absorbacy is not bad, but not as good as RH.

    Just my 2 cents! ;)

  • busybee3
    13 years ago

    i bought a couple of frontgate towels-i'm usually prety happy with their quality-...they had(don't know if the sale's still going on tho) towels for 1/2 price, with free monograming and i got free shipping too. they are huge (bathsheets) and seem really thick, but haven't used them yet-waiting to finish bathroom!! they're soft, but not in that really soft way(which is sometimes less absorbant i've found)

  • cupofkindness
    13 years ago

    I got spa towels at Lands End. They have held up with many many washings over the years. I have a couple of bathsheets from Lands End that have been dragged around to pools, bathrooms, campouts, etc for 15 years and they are still great towels.

  • dedtired
    13 years ago

    I'm another who does not like thick towels. I have some now and I find that they take too long to dry. They are also too heavy to wrap around wet hair, turban style. I really prefer a more average weight towel. One thing that really makes me angry is when towels are washed and they shrink along the decorative strip, giving them a gathered look.

  • overmyhead08
    13 years ago

    I have purchased Charisma and Christy's towels from Bloomie's in the past. However, when I was looking for towels for the first of my bathroom renos, I was looking for the right color first and then for softness and absorbancy. I found a great combination in the Simply Vera Wang line from Kohl's. The towels are made from bamboo and cotton, are a great weight, remain silky soft wash after wash and are reasonably absorbent. And, after the fortune I spent for so many years buying towels from Bloomie's, I really appreciate SVW's downscale price.

    While I like the softness and weight of RH towels, when I tried out an RH hand towel in my half bath, I found it to be too bulky and large for the towel ring -- width and length. I guess with RH you get what you pay for, so the towels are really oversized.

    As for the superiority of one type of cotton versus another, I find Egyptian cotton to be greatly overrated where absorbancy is concerned. None of the Christy's Egyptian cotton towels I've ever used have been stellar absorbers and their loops/fibers matted up too easily. I much prefer supima cotton, which is what my Charisma towels were made up of and which were highly absorbent.

    Goodness, I just wrote an entire essay about towels!

  • callieandkarin
    13 years ago

    If money is no object, Matouk Milagro towels are a-maz-ing! Love their feel, absorbency and colors. I treated myself to a set two years ago after someone on this forum conducted an exhaustive test of high end towels and picked them as the winner. They are still as gorgeous as the day I bought them.

    Factoring in price, I agree that Lands End Egyptian cotton towels are great quality for the money.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Matouk Milagro

  • callieandkarin
    13 years ago

    I found the blog/forum post from the person who did the great towel comparison a few years ago. See the link below.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Right on the money

  • jilld17
    13 years ago

    I really like the Thomas O'Brien towels from Target. Surprisingly good and a great price.

  • jamielab
    13 years ago

    I splurged on RH towels a few years ago and they disintegrated. Unfortunately, I bought some for my sister and hers fell apart too. I found some bath sheets on a "spa" endcap at Target a few months ago that are my all-time fav: somewhat thin, but super-soft, oversized and bright white with a very plain edge.

  • nancynj
    13 years ago

    I just bought a set of towels from Sears -- Colormates. And another set at Bed Bath & Beyond - Duet Towels by Royal Velvet. Both reasonably priced and both seem like they'll be functional and long lasting. So far I'm loving them!

  • lee676
    13 years ago

    I have made two towel purchases recently - a luxury-grade Egyptian cotton "Lasting Color" made by Westpoint Home that I bought at The Great Indoors, and an inexpensive "Contemporary Home" towel from Target (the label: RN 17730, VN 1174663, unspecified type of 100% cotton). Although the Target towel is not quite as soft as the TGI set, it's still quite nice, just as absorbent, and certainly a great deal. I too find the luxury towels a bit too thick and heavy for my taste.

    I may have to splurge on a Restoration HW or Matouk Milagro though, just one, for drying off after a shower. I love the feel of a soft, warm towel wrapped around my body....

  • lee676
    13 years ago

    Oh, and I won't be considering the Abyss towels at all, even though I think the rounded corners are kind of neat. Not because of the price, although it's too high. No, because that's absolutely the worst product brand name I've come across in years. Just reading it gave me flashbacks to an unforgettably poignant description a close friend used to describe her horrific childhood and my futile attempts years ago to "try to lift her out of the abyss she was heaved into against her will".

    The first synonym my computer's electronic thesaurus gives for "abyss" is "hell".

    Just awful. What were they thinking?

  • doonie
    13 years ago

    My favorite towel now is Simply Vera Vera Wang. They are a cotton/viscose blend. They retain their softness with laundering. I got mine at Kohl's for a very reasonalbe price.

  • sonepi
    13 years ago

    I'm with you KatesKourus. I like my towels with some type of texture. It seems to give me the best balance of slightly rough, medium thickness and not too plush. I have the plush kind for guest, but I like the ones that sop up the wetness without leaving me covered in lint.

    I have bought towels I like for about $8-12 at Tuesday Morning. I also have gotten some nice ones at HomeGoods. I'll have to check out Costco the next time I am there.

  • ncamy
    13 years ago

    For an inexpensive towel, the Canopy towels found at Walmart have been great for us! They are soft and absorbent. Of course I think the softness factor may have something to do with your laundry detergent. We use Charlie's Soap which doesn't leave a stiff soap residue in the laundered items. We actually sometimes hang dry our towels and they are incredibly soft!

  • jejvtr
    13 years ago

    Another vote for RH towels 4yrs and going strong

  • xine
    13 years ago

    Consumer Reports did this a few years ago (see link).

    Here is a link that might be useful: CR towel story

  • athensmomof3
    13 years ago

    Ditto on the Thomas O'Brien ones from Target. I don't have the bath towels but had to replace my monogrammed powder room towels. They get heavy heavy use by three little boys and are washed at least every other day - still look great.

  • debrak_2008
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    I put together a summary of all the above. It's in no particular order and it lists both stores and brands. The following have all been recommended by at least one person, many more than once. Some can be purchased from more than one store. I'm also going to start a new post with this info just in case people aren't checking back here.

    Pottery Barn
    Restoration Hardware
    Macy's - Hotel Collection
    Costco - Charisma
    Bloomingdales - Abyss, Christys
    Calvin Klein Lush
    Tuesday Morning
    Kohl's - Laura Ashley, Vera Wang
    Garnet Hill
    Lands End - Bamboo/cotton, spa towels
    British Christy Renaissance
    Bamboo fiber towels
    Company Store
    Home Goods - Lacoste
    Frontgate
    Matouk Milagro
    Pinzon
    Yves Delorme Etoile
    Target - Thomas O'brien, contemporary home
    Sears - Colormates
    Bed Bath & Beyond - Duet by Royal Velvet
    Great Indoors - Lasting Color by Westpoint Home
    Walmart - Canopy
    Wamsutta Supima Classic

    I have not made a purchase yet but have looked at Tuesday morning and Steinmark. The search continues...

    Thank you all for posting.

  • beezkneez
    10 years ago

    Has anyone tried the Mills 1888 towels that support the African farmers? I've heard they are pretty comfortable.

    Also has anyone tried a pure bamboo or mix cotton towel? Do you prefer those?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Some Good Luxury Bath Towels

  • lee676
    10 years ago

    I wound up buying two Milouk Milagro bath towels; they're now 3 years old and in good shape. Very soft, dries very quickly, very sturdy, though thicker and heavier than I'd like. All and all, a luxurious-feeling fast-drying towel especially if you pre-warm it. I'm not convinced it has the softest "hand" or feel out there though, but haven't shopped towels extensively.

  • debrak2008
    10 years ago

    BTW I ended up with towels from Bed Bath & Beyond - Duet by Royal Velvet. They are OK. Cost was a major factor in the choice.

  • tonybeig2014
    9 years ago

    if looking for the right place to order sublimation towels based on your requirements? Trust potentially well-known and reputed web stores which have their own units of manufacturing with upgraded and technically advanced machinery that can create or transfer just about any print, design or pattern that is required.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Just Fill the form and get your queries to answer

  • Bunny
    9 years ago

    I love white towels and that's all I buy. I bought some from RH over 8 years ago and they are built to last. Unfortunately they have become dingy and nothing will really bring the bright white back. They are thick and heavy towels if that's what you're looking for, just moderately soft.

    I like the Hotel Collection towels at Macy's. Often on sale, not expensive. Not nearly as thick as RH, but sublimely soft, plenty big and absorbent.

    I also bought some Charisma bath towels at Costco. At $6.99 they're a steal. They're huge but a little coarse and there are pulled threads here and there. If your budget is very tight, you can't beat them.