Your kitchen towel may be the most underrated tool in the kitchen. These trusted backup equipment can be used to clean up spills, protect food, and polish the finest porcelain. The best kitchen towels are strong, beautiful and easy to maintain, and can last for many years.

Buying towels in sets is the easiest way to stock up. The KitchenAid Albany kitchen towel set prevents stains and provides durable performance in a variety of kitchen tasks.

The best kitchen towels can be purchased as a set or individually, but no matter how much you plan to buy, the following are things you need to consider.

The type of towel you choose is important. Dish towels, often called side towels by professional chefs, are practical and can handle anything you throw at them. The towel is thicker and can be more decorative.

You may choose to buy a set of kitchen towels that includes dish towels and hand towels, or you may prefer to stick to one towel for all kitchen tasks.

There are many materials to consider when buying kitchen towels.

Linen towels are traditional and very suitable for cleaning and polishing. They can also be used to cover things like rising bread or still pastries.

Ribbed cotton kitchen towels are the traditional workhorse of the kitchen. They are more abrasive and very suitable for kitchen scrubbing tasks. Because they are thicker than some other types of towels, they are also suitable for hot pots and pans.

Compared with other 100% cotton towels, cotton-polyester blended kitchen towels will retain their shape and will not fade. These may take a while to get in and need to be cleaned before the first use.

Cotton terry cloth is usually used to decorate hand towels, pot holders and oven gloves. Although some people find them very absorbent, they can be thinner and it is not recommended to use them in large quantities.

Finally, microfiber kitchen towels are becoming more and more popular in the kitchen world. This synthetic fiber actually consists of thousands of different fibers that work together to trap dust and dirt.

Each chef has his own personal preference for towel materials. Before making a choice, it is best to sample each one first.

Even if you usually hang kitchen towels on the oven door or refrigerator handle, the hanging loop is very convenient.

If your kitchen towel is mainly used for display, this is not so important, but when you are down, dirty and really cooking, you will need an easy-to-clean kitchen towel. Look for kitchen towels that do not require special care.

Although professional chefs don't care what their side towels look like, home chefs prefer to have many choices in the color and style of kitchen towels. Whether you like classic bistro stripes or more decorative seasonal colors and patterns, you can personalize your kitchen towel to your own style.

The cost of the best kitchen towels varies by brand, fabric, and use. The price of a set of high-quality towels ranges between 10 and 25 dollars, and can be both practical and decorative (sometimes both).

A. Kitchen towels are in close contact with food, so regular cleaning is very important. This prevents the formation of bacteria and is generally a good food safety practice.

The washing instructions may vary depending on the material of the kitchen towels, but most towels can be washed in light colors in hot water. If your kitchen towel can use bleach, please follow the manufacturer's instructions to add a small amount of bleach to the laundry. Dry over medium heat.

A. Although paper towels can indeed accomplish many of the same tasks as kitchen towels, there are many reasons why good kitchen towels are better.

Buying reusable kitchen towels is better for the environment. Imagine trying to clean a large pot of boiling jam. You can pass through many rolls of paper towels, but you still cannot clean them. Kitchen towels can solve this problem and rinse repeatedly.

Kitchen towels are also more versatile than paper towels because they do not leave paper scraps or lint on anything you use. High-quality linen kitchen towels are much better for polishing wine glasses and delicate tableware or silverware.

Finally, although the initial cost of kitchen towels is higher than that of paper towels, in the long run, you will actually spend less than paper towels. Buying a set of kitchen towels is a better choice, which is both practical and economical.

KitchenAid Albany Kitchen Towel Set: Available on Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond

Our view: These stylish kitchen towels are suitable for any chef's workload.

What we like: This set of four towels is made of a cotton/polyester blend to remove stains. They are available in 11 colors. Use them as hand towels or for specific kitchen tasks such as polishing.

What we don’t like: These are not up to the heavy kitchen tasks.

Simpli-Magic Herringbone Dishwashing Towel: Available on Amazon

Our view: These affordable colorful towels are the choice of professional and amateur chefs around the world.

What we like: They are 100% cotton and are very absorbent. This 18-piece comes in six different colors and is perfect for various tasks. They are easy to maintain, bleachable, and have a hidden hanging loop at the seam of the towel.

What we don’t like: These towels are designed to look too practical for some people.

SKOY Environmental Cleaning Cloth: Available on Amazon

Our view: For chefs who use too much paper towels, this is an environmentally friendly alternative to the kitchen.

What we like: These four cheap cleaning cloths are made of wood and cotton and are brightly colored. They are biodegradable and are most suitable for drying and cleaning up kitchen garbage.

What we don’t like: Ironically, these towels will not be as durable as other towels. They are used like more durable paper towels and cannot withstand heavy kitchen tasks.

Suzannah Kolbeck is the writer of BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company whose mission is to help simplify your buying decisions and save you time and money.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products, recommending the best choice for most consumers. If you purchase a product through one of our links, BestReviews and its newspaper partners may receive a commission.

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