The Best Dish Towel

Buying Guide

Dish towels are a great tool for any kitchen, and in addition to drying dishes, cups and pots and pans, they can also be used for a variety of other tasks. They double as dust rags, hot pads, picnic basket liners and baby burp cloths. You can even place them over a bowl of dough while it proofs or a batch of cookies while they cool. When you’re ready to shop for a set of dish towels, look for the following qualities:

Make sure the dishtowels are made of all-natural cotton. You don’t want any chemical additives or synthetic fibers. Cotton is known for being able to stand up to repeated washings without shrinking in size or pilling. It’s also highly durable, so you won’t have to replace them very often.

Check the absorbency of the dish towels. Look for a pack that is not only absorbent but also dries quickly. This is important because moisture is what causes bacteria to grow and a quick-drying towel will prevent bacterial growth.

Review the size and shape of the dishtowels to make sure they match your needs. You’ll find some are square in shape, while others are rectangular. Smaller dish towels fit better inside drinking glasses and coffee mugs. Towels made using as an extra-large design measure 28 by 20 inches. This is ideal for covering hot dishes or cleaning up large messes.

Take patterns into consideration if you’re looking to add a decorative touch to your kitchen or if you’re searching for a dish towel set to give as a gift. There are dish towel packs that come in a popcorn terry material with half of the towels in the pack a solid color and the other half white with a colored stripe pattern.

Look for any extras that set the dishtowel apart from other models. For example, some dish towels feature an attached hanging loop that allows you to organize your towels on a set of hooks. Others may come with matching dishcloths.

• While most dish towels can be washed and dried normally, some require drying on low heat. Others recommend washing the dish towels by themselves the first time to keep lint to a minimum.
• Depending on the type of food you’re using in your kitchen, your dish towels may pick up an unpleasant odor or two. To remove the odor, simply toss 1/2 cup of baking soda in the washing machine during the rinse cycle when cleaning the towels.
• In addition to being able to be used as salad spinners, dust cloths and bread bowl liners, dish towels can be utilized in a host of craft projects. You can turn them into an apron, make a dress for a doll, create a scarf, design a tote bag and even make a cute kitchen towel angel.
• There are a few factors that go into the pricing of dish towels. You’ll need to take into consideration the number of towels in each set, the thickness of the towels and any designs that make the towel set stand out. Some dish towel packs are more basic and on the lower end of the pricing scale, while other sets commands a slightly higher price due to their design. Towels that are durable and made using high-quality construction will be able to command the highest price tag.