Recruiting little helpers for dish-drying duty will only be effective if the towel works well.
If you have ever grabbed a kitchen towel to wipe up a spill or hand-dry your dishes, you might have noticed that they didn't really seem to do the job. Although it might sound funny to have a nonabsorbent towel, the truth is that many kitchen towels nowadays are more focused on fashion than function. Before you stock up on the cutest towels you can find, find out which towels actually do the job.
Ritz Bar Towels
The Ritz bar towel will not be chosen for its looks, but these little wonders are the dish towel of choice in many restaurant kitchens. It is no secret why: Ritz bar towels are affordable, machine-washable and absorb water extremely well. As of March 2011, Cooking.com sells a pack of five for only $11.95, much cheaper than many other brands.
The Ritz bar towels are made of terrycloth, which is the most absorbent of all towel materials, according to ApartmentTherapy.com, a home-living site, and Crate and Barrel, a housewares company. They are only available in plain white.
Williams-Sonoma Striped Towels
For the more discerning cook or for towels that will be on display, the Williams-Sonoma striped towels are both absorbent and attractive. These striped towels come in many colors, such as blue, khaki, dijon and claret (red), all on a white base. As of March 2011, they are $18 for a set of four.
These towels come with the advantage of a hanging loop so they fit easily on a kitchen hook and they are machine washable and shrink resistant. They are made of cotton with a basketweave texture. Cotton is considered the second-best material for absorbing water, but the basketweave texture improves its performance even more.
Crate and Barrel Flour-Sack Towels
The Crate and Barrel flour-sack towels have the advantage of being extra-large, which is perfect for when you are drying a large load of dishes or have a big spill to clean. The flour-sack towels can also be used for straining liquids and poaching vegetables or fish, giving them an edge over towels that merely dry.
As of March 2011, the flour-sack towels are $9.95 for a set of three and come in white.
Bardwill Popcorn 3-Piece Set
The Bardwill Popcorn set was the highest rated set of kitchen or dish towels on Amazon.com, according to customer preference. These towels were consistently rated as highly absorbent, attractive, easy to care for and comfortable to touch.
The set comes in a few different colors, but each one contains two solid towels and a checkered towel of coordinating patterns and shades. As of March 2011, they cost $10 for a set of three.
DII Coastal Heavyweight Dishcloth
The DII Coastal Heavyweight dishcloth was another popular choice on Amazon.com, with a rating of four and a half stars out of five. These dishcloths come in a pack of eight that includes two of each of the four colors: aqua, lime, coral and yellow. They coordinate with DII's other coastal kitchen accessories, such as placemats and napkins and only cost $9.91 for the set.
These towels are made of cotton, which is more absorbent than linen, and are attractive without any silkscreen prints that can prevent absorbency. They were also described as very durable and long-lasting, so they won't need to be replaced too quickly.
Related posts
The Best Dish TowelsFor those who love to cook and spend a lot of time in the kitchen, a good dish towel ranks up there with a high quality appliance. When looking for a dish towel, you want somet...
Gas StoveKitchen appliances get a lot of use in a typical home and homeowners have a lot of options for selecting the best ones they can afford. Kitchen appliances include refrigerators, freezers,...
Choose the Best Kitchen ApplianceChoosing the best kitchen appliance is often a matter of money and taste. If the sky is the limit on budget, you can run your kitchen with the tools of a four-star...
Planning for a new kitchen floor can be quite exciting, because it offers a superior the chance to personalize your kitchen area exactly that way you would like it. Identifying power grid a kitche...
If you're like most college students, you either have a lot of random hand-me-down kitchen things - or nothing at all. Here's what you need to have a fully functional kitchen.Instructions1. Plan o...
