You can pay less and still get a great paper towel

Spring picnic season is here! You’re going to want to be sure you have a reliable paper towel to pick up after guests who make a mess.

Consumer Reports has a new tally of the best paper towels and the crown goes firmly to name brands, not store brands.

But one caveat before we get into the list: You may want to consider cloth napkins instead of paper towels. Making the switch to using cloth at home instead of disposable paper towels (and napkins) can save you money and help the environment at the same time.

Bounty dominated the list with three individual entries.

Bounty DuraTowel

The brand’s DuraTowel captured the #1 spot and was a recommended buy.

It scored 97 out of 100.

But beware of the price tag. It’s $4.04!

Bounty Extra Soft

The Extra Soft version took the #2 spot on the tally and was also a recommended buy.

It scored 75 out of 100 and is more modestly priced at $2.62.

Meanwhile, Bounty’s third entry was Basic Select-A-Size paper towel. It came in at #6 with a price point of $2.10.

Viva’s Choose-A-Size

Following the bounty of Bounty entries on this tally, Viva’s Choose-A-Size was also named a recommended buy in third place.

The price on this roll is $2.69 and it scored a 71.

Switching away from the name brands, a couple of stores brands made a decent showing…

Great Value Strong & Absorbent

This Walmart product makes the cut at #4 with a score of 68.

The price is $2.09.

Kirland Signature Premium Big Roll

This Costco favorite came in right in the middle of the pack with a score of 61.

It’s the most affordable paper towel on the tally with a price tag of $1.47.

And while we’re on the topic of store brands, some of the other guys didn’t fare as well as Walmart and Costco.

Home Depot’s HDX brand and the CVS brand Just The Basics were both dead last in the Consumer Reports tally. Both scored in the low to mid-30s.

Visit ClarkHoward.com for more info, or get his best-selling books signed with free shipping at GetClarkSmart.com.

About the Author