The 4 Finest Paper Towel Holders of 2025, Examined & Reviewed

Easy Was Finest 

Some paper towel holders embody arms that supposedly make tearing off a towel simpler. However, oftentimes, they had been solely an obstacle to placing on a roll. The Yamazaki Tosca One-Handed Tear Paper Towel Holder featured a looped steel piece that you simply thread the towel by way of, which was purported to make it simpler to cleanly rip off a chunk. Nevertheless it didn’t make a giant distinction and it was extra work to arrange than simply plunking a roll on a easy rod-and-base holder. The OXO Good Grips SimplyTear Paper Towel Holder and Simplehuman Paper Towel Holder characteristic arms that spring into place to carry the roll regular whilst you tear, however they didn’t carry out any higher than holders with out arms. 

Thicker Rods Made for Extra Management

Holders with thicker rods, just like the OXO Good Grips Regular Paper Towel Holder, held the paper towel regular as I tugged. The roll match snugly, which made tearing a towel off really feel extra managed, so I might solely rip off what I wanted. Thinner rods, like on the Williams Sonoma x Morris & Co. Paper Towel Holder, prompted the roll to wobble and spin rapidly, and I’d usually unravel an excessive amount of towel in my effort to tear off a single piece. 

Paper Towel High quality Affected Efficiency

Whereas my favourite paper towel holders had qualities that made them higher than others, I discovered the kind of paper towel affected efficiency. For instance, cheaper paper towels unroll far more simply than heavy, thick ones. Once I used the latter in testing, most paper towel holders stayed regular once I pulled. However once I used Viva paper towels, which had been stretchy and had a clingy, felt-like texture, it took extra finagling to unwrap and tear off a chunk. The tear check revealed which towel holders had been vulnerable to skittering throughout the counter or tipping over. The scale of the roll additionally made a distinction: The Williams Sonoma has an inset base that couldn’t accommodate a bigger roll. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Paper Towel Holder 

paper towel holder ought to keep in place and be simple to arrange and use. Light-weight, free-standing ones slid throughout the counter, whereas heavyset, weighty ones stayed rooted with every tug. Arms had been superfluous, and a thick rod was extra environment friendly at maintaining a roll from unraveling excessively. Lastly, holders with inset bases couldn’t accommodate bigger rolls.

When selecting between a freestanding or mounted towel holder, contemplate your area: Most mounted holders must be screwed into the wall however save counter area, whereas freestanding ones are tremendous simple to arrange however take up room. I did discover a terrific in-between: a magnetic-mounted towel holder from Yamazaki, which I caught on my stainless-steel fridge. 

Our Favourite Paper Towel Holders

What we favored: That is actually the proper paper towel holder: It stayed put once I ripped towels off and the thick rod prevented rolls from excessively unraveling with every tug. The stainless-steel base has a basic look that’ll match into any kitchen, and it could actually accommodate rolls of all sizes. It’s additionally lower than $30. 

What we didn’t like: Truthfully, there wasn’t a lot to dislike. It was extra wobbly once I bought right down to the previous few items of paper towel. 

Key Specs

• Peak: 13.75 inches
• Weight: 1.15 kilos
• Width at base: 7.13 inches
• Supplies: Chrome steel

What we favored: I’ve been utilizing this paper towel holder for years, and its sturdy marble development is elegant and sensible. Marble is heavy and prevents the holder from sliding throughout the countertop when a towel is tugged. It additionally appears to be like good. As a result of the underside of the holder is a straightforward disk, it might match normal and jumbo rolls simply. 

What we didn’t like: A roll of paper towels doesn’t match snugly on the rod, so they’re vulnerable to unraveling extra. 

Key Specs

• Peak: 13.25 inches
• Weight: 3.8 kilos
• Width at base: 6.5 inches
• Supplies: Marble

What we favored: That is the mounted model of my favourite paper towel holder, and it’s nice for a similar causes: It has a large rod so a roll of paper towels matches snugly, making certain you solely get what you need and don’t unspool the entire thing. It was additionally simple to put in, with no awkward angling of the drill mandatory, and it hung down far sufficient that I might match a jumbo roll on with out smushing it. 

What we didn’t like: With no roll on it, the grey faceted rod isn’t very enticing.

Key Specs

• Pole size: 11.75 inches
• Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Hanging depth: 5 inches
• Supplies: Chrome steel

What we favored: I used to be skeptical {that a} magnetic paper towel holder would keep put with extra determined tugs. However I used to be pleasantly shocked: It held quick each on my stainless-steel fridge and steel kitchen shelf. This made it tremendous handy, since I might have the space-saving high quality of a mounted holder with out having to interrupt out a drill. Plus, it’s simple to maneuver. It match each slim and jumbo rolls, and it was simple to tear off a chunk with out it ripping wonkily. 

My colleague Rochelle Bilow has been utilizing the Yamazaki for just a few months now and loves it. “I personal a great deal of Yamazaki stuff, so once I noticed Grace was testing this, I purchased it with out ready to learn her outcomes. I instantly beloved the fashionable aesthetic that matched the remainder of my kitchen,” she says. 

What we didn’t like: The o-rings that safe the wood rod to the holder are clear; I dropped one as soon as and it took me some time to seek out it. The rod is skinny, so rolls do wobble and spin greater than on a thicker one. 

Key Specs

• Pole size: 11.5 inches
• Weight: 10.3 ounces
• Hanging depth: 3.5 inches
• Supplies: Wooden, alloy metal

The Competitors

Additionally Good

• OXO Good Grips SimplyTear Paper Towel Holder: This was one other stable contender that held jumbo and smaller rolls, spun tightly, and was simple to tear from. The arm didn’t assist nor hinder its utilization. It was edged out by the OXO Good Grips Regular Paper Towel Holder, which is a smidge cheaper. 
• Simplehuman Paper Towel Holder: This tall paper towel holder was just a little tippy, however aside from that, it carried out high-quality. It’s fairly costly, although, and never any higher than my extra reasonably priced prime picks.  
• Simplehuman Fast-Load Paper Towel Holder: One other stable performer, this was simply edged out by the OXO Mounted Paper Towel Holder, which had a thicker rod and produced much less unraveling. It was additionally just a little harder to put in since a number of the screw holes had been close to or below the rod, which made angling the drill tough. 

Not Really helpful

• Yamazaki Tosca One-Handed Tear Paper Towel Holder: This holder has a built-in steel loop that you simply thread a towel by way of that’s purported to make ripping off a chunk simpler. Nevertheless it didn’t, and it was extra work than simply plopping a roll on a rod. It additionally wasn’t the sturdiest holder and a powerful tug despatched it throughout the counter. 
• Williams Sonoma x Morris & Co. Paper Towel Holder: This gorgeous holder includes a base with a raised lip, so solely smaller paper towel rolls can match. It was additionally wobbly and slid throughout the countertop. 
• Hawkins New York Wooden Paper Towel Holder: A mere 14.1 ounces was approach too mild for a standing towel holder—it stumbled throughout the countertop each time I pulled a towel off. It is at the moment out of inventory.
• IKEA TORKAD Kitchen Roll Holder: One other extremely light-weight towel holder (it’s 7.7 ounces), it fell over once I ripped off a chunk of towel. It does have drill holes on the underside so you possibly can screw it right into a wall, but it surely’s simply so flimsy. 

FAQs

What’s the most effective paper towel holder for giant rolls?

All of our winners, together with picks from OXO, Crate and Barrel, and Yamazaki, labored rather well with jumbo paper towel rolls. 

Is a paper towel holder value it?

If you wish to hold paper towels inside arm’s attain and never have them rolling round if you tear off a chunk, then sure, we predict they’re value it. 

Why We’re the Specialists 

• Grace Kelly is an editor at Critical Eats.
• She’s examined kitchen gear for 4 years and labored in eating places and bars.
• For this assessment, she used 11 paper towel holders, inspecting in the event that they match rolls massive and small, had been regular when tugging a chunk off, and in the event that they had been simple to arrange and use.