Thick or thin? Cotton or rayon? Consumer Reports' experts have the answers.

Visit any store selling bath towels and you’ll see confused consumers. Faced with stacks and stacks of towels, in a wide range of prices and awash in advertising claims, it’s hard to choose. The mission? To buy soft, absorbent towels. Here’s some advice from the experts at Consumer Reports.

 
Absorbency
Thicker, heavier towels are usually more absorbent than thinner, lighter towels, but take longer to dry, of course. Towels made of Egyptian or Pima cotton, premium cotton brands, are super absorbent, and towels made with rayon absorb even a bit more water than cotton.
 
Softness
Towels often feel softer in the store than they do after a few washes. Most manufacturers coat towels with a fabric softening finish that feels soft to your hand, but it wears off after a wash or two, say Consumer Reports' experts. 

Towels made with rayon, including rayon derived from bamboo, are usually very soft. Towels made with Pima or Egyptian cotton are also soft as their yarn is smooth and silky and less prone to fuzzies. Liquid fabric softeners do work, but they leave a film that decreases a towel’s absorbency, and increases flammability. Use dryer sheets instead. Most towels shrink, so use the appropriate heat setting. If your dryer has a moisture sensor then all the better.
 
Durability
Two-ply towels are a bit more durable than one ply. Cotton is stronger than rayon. Cotton/polyester towels are also durable—that’s why hotels and gyms use them—but are less absorbent than all cotton.