If your tired-looking towels aren’t soaking up moisture like they used to, the time to upgrade is now. When it comes to the most absorbent bath towels, there are a few qualities that are non-negotiables for us. High quality materials are number one—we’re talking all the most luxurious cottons, from Turkish to Supima—as well as a focus on designs that don’t unravel and discolor after a single wash. Towels are one of those household staples that we’ve dipped our toes in once or twice (read: we have no less than four dedicated articles on the subject), so we’re experts when it comes to weeding out the best of the bunch. And just know that all of the designs we tested for top absorbency were also impressive in other areas like quick-drying ability, softness, and color range. So don’t expect any one-trick-pony purchases here.

Our Top Picks

Stripes, But Not Boring

Brooklinen Plush Turkish Cotton Bath Towels

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$99 $84 (15% off)

Brooklinen

Super Affordable, Super Absorbent

Quince Turkish Ultra Plush Bath Towel (Set of 2)

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$60

Quince

For A Spongey Texture

Boll & Branch Plush Bath Towel

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$49

Boll & Branch

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Brooklinen Plush Turkish Cotton Bath Towels

$99 $84 (15% off)

Brooklinen

Brooklinen’s Turkish cotton towels made a great first impression on digital features editor Kate McLaughlin, who was immediately drawn to the soft and lightweight material. “The first thing I noticed when using the towels is how quickly they absorb water and dry you off,” she says. It took McLaughlin less than a minute “and only one ‘towel pass’” to dry off completely post-shower. “This is definitely the best towel I’ve used for drying my hair,” she notes. “After I take the towel off of my head, my hair feels damp, but there’s no additional drips or water to wring out.” McLaughlin also reported that the towels themselves didn’t feel heavy after use, though the drying period may take up to four to six hours—something noteworthy for anyone who might be reaching for their towel multiple times a day.

Senior shopping editor Nashia Baker suggests that equipping your bathroom with a set of Quince’s cotton towels is the key to recreating the look and feel of a high-end hotel stay. “They’re the most luxurious towels I've had,” says Baker. “Some towels feel a bit rough, but this takes in water without getting soggy and feels soothing on my skin.” Guests who have visited Baker feel similarly, denoting them as some of the plushest towels they’ve tried as well. And, despite their inherent plushness, the towels don’t feel weighed down after use. “They feel slightly damp, but I would feel comfortable using the towels again on the same day to dry off,” says Baker.

Digital features editor Charlotte Collins says Boll & Branch’s plush bath towels are “in a different league.” Collins told us that the 100% organic cotton has a “sponge-like” quality that makes them ultra absorbent. “It’s a quicker drying process than with any non-hotel towel I’ve ever used,” she says. “It’s so plush it never really gets that soaked to begin with. Unfortunately now I hate my other towels.” While testing, Collins noted she initially experienced minor shedding, but after several washes she’s noticed no pulls or changes in quality.

Buffy’s organic cotton bath towels felt like “pure decadence” to contributor Yelena Alpert. “These are the thickest towels I own, and I am sorry to say that a bunch of old towels are now put to shame,” she says. In her review, Alpert also declared these the most absorbent towels that she owns, and that the maximized 820 GSM (the highest of any towel on this list), lives up to the expected hype. “It is incredibly absorbent—I don’t have to rub to get the water off, just wrap and go,” she says. “They don’t soak up water and moisture like a sponge, and they actually dry off pretty quickly. I think it’s because the loops of terry cloth are densely packed, creating an extra plush feel.”

Both shopping writer Julia Harrison and contributor Megan Wahn stand by these bath towels from Cozy Earth, specifically for their absorbency and versatility. “The absorbency of the towel honestly felt abstract to me until I dunked a corner of it in a bowl of water to test how well it soaked up water,” Wahn says. “I could literally see as the parts of the towel that were not submerged soaked up the water, and it made me realize just how well this cotton could mop up liquid.” Harrison confirms that “the double-sided towel really is the best of both worlds—I use the plush side for toweling off (it’s particularly great for drying off my face—soft, absorbent, and gentle) and flip to the waffle side for a cooling post-shower lounge.”

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Onsen Supima Waffle Bath Towel

$59

Onsen

Onsen’s waffle towels have been a mainstay in shopping editor Audrey Lee’s bathroom for over three years, and she says she doesn’t see another design topping them anytime soon. “They’re not plush whatsoever, but you can dry your whole body in under a minute or two, even if you’re soaking wet, and it’ll soak up the extra moisture in my hair in the same go,” she says. Besides their superior absorbency, the waffle weave towels stand out for their quick-drying ability. “My towels are usually pretty damp post-shower, especially after I wrap up my hair,” says Lee. “This cotton material is incredible because it’s able to fully dry in under two hours with no mildew odor or smells leftover. I’ve even taken them to the beach and pool in the summer.”

These towels from Italic feel like a hybrid between a cotton towel and cashmere sweater according to Baker. Unlike some of the cheaper towels she’s come across, the “blanket-like” Australian cotton is no joke when it comes to absorption. “One pass gets me dry, whether I’m hopping out of the shower or just need to dry off my hands,” she says. Baker notes that they’ll likely need a full day to feel completely dry after intense use, but it’s not a deal-breaker by any means. “If anything, they have a slightly moist feel that you’ll likely experience with any towel, no matter the absorbency.”