Consumer Reports tests nearly 2 dozen kinds of paper towels to find out which is best

CLEVELAND - Bounty is the top-selling paper towel in the U.S. But does that make it the best? Consumer Reports evaluated three Bounty towels, along with 20 other kinds.

There were ones from Brawny and Viva, and store brands including Kirkland, from Costco, and Great Value, from Walmart. Consumer Reports also tested several green paper towels. None of the green paper towels did particularly well in the tests.

Consumer Reports measured how strong the towels are, and how well they hold up to scrubbing. Testers also dunked the paper towels in water, and then weighed them to see how much liquid they can hold.

The “regular” Bounty paper towels came out on top in the ratings. They scored excellent for strength and for scrubbing power, and they were also very good at absorbing liquids, so you won’t need to use as many.

As for the two other Bounty towels tested, the Bounty Extra Soft rated very good. But the Bounty Basic towels don’t absorb as well as the two others. So make sure to look for the “regular” or “Extra Soft” Bounty.

A money-saver—Walmart’s Great Value Paper Towels. Though they’re not quite as good as the two Bounty towels, they did perform very well in Consumer Reports tests and cost about 25 percent less.