Which Paper Towel Brand Is The Strongest? According to Cleaning Experts

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
16 min read

A strong indicator of a product’s short shelf life can be found in recent news reports about people stockpiling food items at supermarkets. Tissue rolls or paper towels, it turns out, are one of them. As a matter of fact, you can demonstrate this at home because it never misses your grocery list. Additionally, this post will offer you an idea of which paper towel brand is the most durable! Choosing the best brand of paper towels can be easier if you know which one is the strongest.

The Moment of Truth

The more resin and ply a paper towel has, the more durable it is, as we’ve already stated. Using this as a guide, you may determine which paper towel manufacturer offers the best value. You can find it difficult to choose on a brand because there are so many around the world, not just in your country. Experts, on the other hand, will undoubtedly track out the strongest. To figure out which is which, head to your local grocery shop and look for the Bounty label.

How we test paper towels | CHOICE

Why is it the Strongest

How strong it really is can be seen by conducting tests and experiments. Stretch it first, and others will break up fast, but this will require you to exert more power in order to tear it apart. Afterwards, you’ll take a water test to confirm your results. Pull it apart after soaking it for a few seconds. The opposition is still there. As a result, you can tell which paper towel brand has the best resin and the strongest pulp because of this.

6 Best Paper Towels, According to Cleaning Experts

Whether cleaning up messes or faces, you want a paper towel that is strong, absorbent, and soft to the touch. The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles, Paper & Plastics Lab put paper towel brands to the test to find the overall best buys. We tested absorption by evaluating how much liquid each sheet absorbs and how quickly. We then measured the strength of each paper towel when wet, because no one wants a paper towel that crumbles under pressure. Lastly, since a huge consumer complaint is that some brands leave behind bits of paper, we evaluated shedding.

You need a paper towel that is robust, absorbent, and soft to the touch, whether you’re cleaning up messes or wiping your face. In order to discover the finest paper towel brands, the Textiles, Paper, and Plastics Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute conducted extensive testing. In order to determine how quickly and how much liquid each sheet can absorb, we performed absorption tests. Then we tested each paper towel’s wet strength, because no one likes a crumbly paper towel. Last but not least, we looked at the shedding issue, which is a common complaint from consumers.

What makes a good paper towel?

Towels are formed of cellulose, a ground-up plant material that can be created from wood, cotton, or any other plant material. Water molecules are drawn to the cellulose molecules because they are sugar molecules, but not the kind we consume. Because of this, paper towels are excellent at removing liquids off surfaces. Actually, the microscopic fissures found in the surface of paper towels are what give them their superior grip.

Remember that each brand has a different number of sheets per roll, and that the size of a whole sheet varies from one to the next; therefore, comparing prices can be a challenge. You’ll get a smaller amount of stuff for your money even if the sheets are smaller in size. These paper towels are ready for any mess. Find the top-quality paper towels at the best prices:

Select-A-Size Paper Towels

As far as GH lab pros are concerned, Bounty paper towels are their top choice. Using these paper towels will ensure that your counter tops are always spotless because they absorb fluids rapidly and leave no lint behind. We appreciate how thick and cushy they are, as well as how soft they feel in our hands. For every size mess, the select-a-size feature allows you to tear out only what you need.

Price per 100 sheets: $1.51

100 sheets cost $1.51.

Flex-a-Size Paper Towels

Paper towels from Amazon’s Presto! brand have received over 3,500 5-star reviews and are among the site’s best-selling items. It’s a big plus for reviewers that the rolls are so big, providing you with more absorbent paper towels for your money. Orders of six, twelve, or twenty-four rolls of these two-ply paper towels are available to ensure that you never run out of supplies. It’s up to you whether you want to use whole sheets or half sheets.

Price per 100 sheets: $1.05

The cost of a hundred sheets is $1.05

Tear-A-Square Paper Towels

$1.05 per 100-sheet package.

$2.09 per hundred sheets

Per roll, there are 64 complete sheets (or 256 quarter sheets)

Signature Cloth Choose-A-Sheet Paper Towels

Viva came out on top in our absorbency testing. The most liquid was absorbed by these cloth-like paper towels, which were also the fastest to clean up messes. In addition, Viva paper towels were found to be the softest by our customer testers. They were one of the strongest and most durable alternatives. There are fewer sheets per roll than comparable brands, according to customers who have written reviews.

6 Best Paper Towels of 2022 – Top-Tested Paper Towel Brands
The cost of a hundred sheets is $1.57 (price for TaskSize sheets)

There are 58 complete sheets on each roll (or 143 TaskSize sheets)

Create-a-Size Paper Towels

It’s common for certain paper towels to leave behind a small lint trail. Use a non-linting paper towel, such as Kirkland Signature paper towels, to avoid making a new mess after cleaning up an old one. We found that they absorbed fluids swiftly and didn’t leave any lint behind in our tests. These paper towels are also quite thick, as we discovered.

$1.04 for one hundred sheets. (Note that Costco membership and delivery are additional fees)

There are 160 complete sheets on each roll.

Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Paper Towels

Try these Seventh Generation paper towels, which are made from 100 percent recycled paper and don’t contain bleach to whiten them. Out of all the recycled paper towels tested, Seventh Generation paper towels performed the best: they quickly absorbed liquid and left no lint behind.

The cost of a hundred sheets is $1.70.

Full-sheet capacity: 140 sheets per roll

How to Test Paper Towel Strength

“Premium Performance” is the tagline for Brawny’s paper towels and “One Sheet Keeps Cleaning” is the promise of Bounty. In order to determine which brand stands up to its name, you can do it yourself.

THINGS YOU WILL NEE

  • Disposable bathroom tissue (various brands)
  • Marbles
  • Dropper for a liquid
  • 2 dining chairs
  • 2 books in hardcover
  • a pair of experimenters (optional)
  1. Two flat-surfaced kitchen chairs can be covered with a single sheet of paper towel, which can be hung across the seats and a section of the towel can be draped between the chairs. Secure the paper towel by placing two hardcover books on either side of it.
  2. It’s also possible to divide the sheet into two sections and have two pals hold each section by its corners. Make your buddies pull the paper towel somewhat taut, but not so much that it tears or sags.
  3. Make sure to put about 10 water droplets on either side of each paper towel. An eyedropper from a pharmacy works great. This is a good way to see how well the paper towel holds up while wet. Wet paper towel strength is more useful than dry paper towel strength since paper towels get wet while cleaning.
  4. One by one, place the marbles on the damp area of the paper towel in the center. Count the number of marbles the paper towel can hold before it tears apart. Prior to testing another brand, keep track of how many marbles each brand can hold
  5. Use a variety of paper towel brands to get the job done again. Drop 20 water droplets onto the paper towel if you can place all of your marbles on the paper towel without any sheets breaking. Regardless of the paper towel brand, use the same number of water droplets at all times.
  6. See which paper towel brand can hold the most marbles while comparing different types. When it comes to paper towel strength, the most marbles retained without breaking was the strongest brand. That particular brand of paper towels was shown to be most brittle when tested with a smaller sample size.
  7. Check out each company’s “marble score” to see which one is the most cost-effective. The price of each brand of paper towel should be divided by the number of marbles it holds. For the lowest dollar per marble score, the strongest paper towel is the one you should buy.

The Drip Cap

  • Finding the best cost on paper towels can be as simple as performing a paper towel strength test.
  • An eyedropper from a pharmacy works great.
  • Wet paper towel strength is more useful than dry paper towel strength since paper towels get wet while cleaning.
  • One by one, place the marbles on the damp area of the paper towel in the center.
  • See which paper towel brand can hold the most marbles while comparing different types.
  • That particular brand of paper towels was shown to be most brittle when tested with a smaller sample size.

FAQs

What makes a paper towel more absorbent?

Paper is formed of cellulose, which attracts water molecules. Consequently, paper is able to absorb water easily. Because the cellulose fibers of paper towels include microscopic air bubbles between them, they are exceptionally absorbent.

What qualities make a good paper towel?

Physical features like as strength, scrub strength, absorbency, weight, softness, water filtering capacity, and thickness are critical for selecting the best paper towels. Accumulative property ranks highest among them.

What makes Bounty paper towels stronger?

When it comes to absorbency, Bounty is king. Bounty Towel’s kitchen paper towels are all quilted or stitched together with a tight stitching or quilting to increase surface area. As a result, there is more paper used, and the paper towel is more absorbent. That’s why Bounty is so water-resistant.

What are paper towels made of?

Towels are formed of cellulose, a ground-up plant material that can be created from wood, cotton, or any other plant material. Water molecules are drawn to the cellulose molecules because they are sugar molecules, but not the kind we consume.

What are the strongest paper towels?

Brawny, Marcal Sparkle and Bounty paper towels were compared to find which was the strongest and absorbent. We found Bounty to be the most durable and effective paper towel we tested.

Are paper towels more absorbent than toilet paper?

Paper towels, napkins, tissues, and toilet paper are all made of paper, which is why they are all called paper products. There are certain differences between the absorbent qualities found in the various types of papers used in the bathroom and in the kitchen, despite the fact that they all come from the same material.

What affects the absorbency of paper towels?

Material qualities, contact time, sheet size, liquid type, liquid temperature, surrounding temperature and humidity, and many other factors influence the absorbency of a material.

Who manufactures Great Value paper towels?

Produced by Procter & Gamble Great Value Paper Towels P&G now has 31 paper mills in the United States.

Which is better Bounty or Brawny?

Brawny – Pick-A-Size is the best overall. In terms of price, we give Brawny the tiniest edge over Bounty for its softness, durability, and absorbency. It’s the greatest in terms of strength, durability, absorbency, and overall usability, making Brawny the best choice.

Does the brand of paper towel affect the absorbency?

The Sparkle brand paper towels were found to be the most absorbent in the tests. When compared to Bounty brand paper towels, it absorbed an average of 50ml of water.

What’s the difference between Bounty and Bounty Essentials paper towels?

Bounty Essentials paper towels are a step up from the original Bounty line. Full-size sheets that are a need. Bounty Essentials is the deal that lasts and picks up compared to low-quality paper towels. The reason for this is that Essentials 2-ply paper towels are 50% stronger* and more affordable than comparable products.

Best Paper Towels of 2022 | Tested by GearLab

Why does kitchen towel let water through but not sand?

Paper towels’ ability to absorb liquids is due to the sugar molecules that make up the tiny molecules that make up cellulose. Take a look at how quickly sugar dissolves in water. As soon as a paper towel is wet, water molecules race into the cellulose strands and stick to them like glue. When it comes to cleaning up messes, paper towels are an excellent choice.

Do paper towels have chemicals in them?

Chlorine and Formaldehyde are the two most common pollutants found in most paper towels. Formaldehyde is a proven carcinogen, as well. Like thermal (receipt) papers, even paper towels made from recycled paper have been shown to have unusually high levels of Bisphenol A (BPA).

How much water can paper towels absorb?

Three times each paper towel was tested. Viva absorbed 15 mL of water on average, Bounty took in 16 mL, Sparkle took in 14 mL, and Bounty took in 16 mL on average.

Conclusion

It takes a long time for us to enjoy the paper towels we use on a daily basis. If you’re looking for a product that will keep you clean, you can’t go wrong with this one. And now that you know which paper towel brand is the strongest, you can get the most out of your money. Plus, you’ll know which brand to turn to when the going gets tough. We have a lot of information on paper towels on this page.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry's standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.