10 Best Kitchen Towels 2024 in the US

When you’re looking for a kitchen towel, you’ll notice that several types of towels can function as “kitchen towels”. If you need them primarily for drying your hands or a countertop, then the most important thing that you’re looking for is that they should be absorbent. If you need them for drying glassware, then you’ll want the towel to be lint-free--you don’t want the towel to leave all sorts of lint particles on the glasses. There are essentially four different types of kitchen towel weaves, with different grades of absorbency or being lint-free. You can also distinguish between towels for wiping your hands, washing the countertop, or drying dishes.

We've put together this guide to help you select the best kitchen towel that answers to your needs. It'll help you:

• Choose the right type of kitchen towel,

• See useful tips about that type of kitchen towel,    

• Read reviews of different brands of kitchen towel, and what customers are saying,

• Select the right brand of kitchen towel, and

• Compare prices and find the best deals.

We can distinguish between the types of kitchen towels by their weave and material:

• Waffle weave (honeycomb)--This type has high absorbency, for drying pots and pans. It can also serve as a hand towel. Kay Dee Designs H0583  is an example of a waffle weave towel.

• Terry cloth--This type has tiny loops, like a bath towel, which makes it particularly absorbent. It can be used for drying hands, but you can also use it to dry off the countertop or dishes. The Big One Cotton Everyday Terry Kitchen Dish Towel Set are Terry cloth towels.

• Jacquard--This is a blend that is 50% cotton/50% linen. It is best for drying glassware, because it tends to be lint-free (you don’t want any residue from the towel on your fine crystal).

• Flat weave--This is made from 100% absorbent cotton, which can be used for drying dishes. It is also useful as a pot holder.

• Microfiber--You will see some kitchen towels that are from microfiber--a synthetic fiber from nylon or polyester. It has the advantage of being lint-free. They also are highly absorbent, dry quickly, and do not scratch metal (that’s important when drying cutlery).

We also can distinguish between kitchen towels by their purpose:

• Tea towels: These were used for cleaning tea sets, which had to be sparkling clean--and lint-free. These are traditionally colored with a red-and-white checkered pattern. It is usually made from 100% linen, to dry freshly-washed dishes, so you’ll try to keep these towels clean. It can also be used to cover food, like in a picnic basket.

• Hand towels: These are usually made from cotton, for greater absorbency when drying your hands.

• Dish towels: These are from cotton, and should be highly absorbent, to be able to dry a large number of dishes. They don’t have to be lint-free, however.

• Dish rag: These are meant to wipe down a wet kitchen counter or table. They have to be absorbent, but you will not be so particular about them being clean.

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Advantages to microfiber towels: Royal makes microfiber kitchen towels. Microfiber towels can be absorbent, but it seems that it takes them some time to absorb quantities of water. They are better for drying your hands, cleaning and dusting. They can also be used for spills of liquids, but only if they are already somewhat moist.

• Advantage of having a motif on the towels: Some customers were pleased with the motif on some brands of towels--being either rustic, or tropical, or something similar. See if you prefer this more than a generic white kitchen towel. You can find "vintage" kitchen towels, with an assortment of patterns or classic artwork.

• Dimensions: The Premia Kitchen Towel is 14” by 25”, while the Brooklyn Bamboo Kitchen Dish Hand Towel is 26” by 8”. Some customers said that a towel that is 14” x 25” might be already too big to use for cleaning in the kitchen (a dish cloth is more appropriate).

• Absorbency: Cotton towels are highly absorbent, but the Brooklyn Bamboo Kitchen Dish Hand Towel, made from bamboo, is supposed to be even more absorbent and durable than cotton. Bamboo is also anti-fungal and hypoallergenic.

• Lint-free: Linen is less absorbent than cotton, but it tends to produce less lint.

Premia Kitchen--make 100% cotton, highly-absorbent towels. Their towels are made with a herringbone weave, and have a hem on all four edges, for greater durability.

Royal--are makers of kitchen and office supplies. Besides making kitchen towels, they also sell paper shredders, cash and time management solutions, and office equipment.

Brooklyn Bamboo--is a supplier of baby and family supplies. They make washcloths, handkerchiefs, bed sheets, changing pad liners, disposable diaper liners, and bath and kitchen towel. Their products are manufactured in China, from cloth made from natural and organic bamboo fibers. Their headquarters is in Brooklyn, New York.

DII Design Imports--was founded in 1991, as designers and manufacturers of quality home products. They make kitchen textiles such as aprons and dishtowels, table linens, linen and embroidery blanks, rugs, mats, and gifts and decorative accessories for the home.

Kay Dee Designs--was founded in 1951 in Hope Valley, Rhode Island, as hand printers of linen towels and calendar towels. They expanded over the years to provide all types of aprons and kitchen textiles--oven mitts, pot holders, and more. They strive to make both trendy and traditional textiles for the home.