# Paper towels that are strong and absorbent

Source: HiveTried, https://hivetried.com/home/paper-towels/strong-and-absorbent/
Category: Home > Paper towels. Updated 2026-10-08. Based on 271 counted first-hand reports from Target shopper reviews, Sep 2025 to Oct 2026.

**Question:** Which paper towels are strong and absorbent?

**Short answer:** Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels has the best record: 36 of 36 shoppers said the towels soaked up spills and held together when wet. Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels (53 of 55) and Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels (30 of 31) are close behind, and the other three fall well short.

**What stands out:** Thin sheets are what pull down the lower half: 45% of Bounty Essentials reviews, 41% of Scott reviews and 75% of Reel reviews call them thin.

## Ranking (shoppers who said whether it worked)

| Rank | Product | Holds up | Share | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels | 36 of 36 | 100% | yes |
| 2 | Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels | 53 of 55 | 96% | yes |
| 3 | Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels | 30 of 31 | 97% | yes |
| 4 | Bounty Essentials Paper Towels | 14 of 24 | 58% | no |
| 5 | Scott Paper Towels | 15 of 28 | 54% | no |
| 6 | Reel Bamboo Paper Towels | 7 of 25 | 28% | no |

Ranked by the lower bound of a 90% Wilson confidence interval, so a product needs a high share and enough reports to rank high. An Amazon link is shown only when at least 60% say it works.

## Product notes

### 1. Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels

Every shopper who weighed in said these held up (36 of 36). 69% of reviews say they stay strong when wet, and 62% call them absorbent.

- Praised for: Roll lasts (18%), Good value (15%), Soft (5%)
- Reports counted: 39

### 2. Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels

More shoppers weighed in on these than on any other towel here (55), and 53 of 55 said they soaked up spills and held together. Complaints are rare, with 3% calling them too expensive.

- Praised for: Good value (10%), Roll lasts (10%), Soft (5%)
- Complaints: Too expensive (3%)
- Reports counted: 73

### 3. Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels

Softness sets these apart: 28% of reviews call them soft, and 30 of 31 said they soaked up spills and held together. 5% find them thin.

- Praised for: Soft (28%), Roll lasts (18%), Good value (5%)
- Complaints: Thin (5%), Too expensive (5%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 4. Bounty Essentials Paper Towels

Shoppers call them good value (22%), but 45% say the sheets are thin. 10 of 24 said they fell apart or didn't absorb.

- Praised for: Good value (23%), Roll lasts (5%), Soft (5%)
- Complaints: Thin (45%)
- Reports counted: 40

### 5. Scott Paper Towels

Results are close to a coin flip, with 15 of 28 saying the towels soaked up spills and held together. 41% call them thin, and 23% say they don't absorb well.

- Praised for: Good value (23%), Soft (5%), Roll lasts (5%)
- Complaints: Thin (41%)
- Reports counted: 39

### 6. Reel Bamboo Paper Towels

It has the weakest record here at 7 of 25, and 30% of reviews say the towels tear or fall apart. Reviews copied from Reel's site are far kinder at 7 of 8, which we show but don't count.

- Complaints: Thin (75%), Too expensive (10%)
- Reports counted: 40

## Questions

**Which paper towels are strong and absorbent?**

Brawny Tear-A-Square Paper Towels has the best record (36 of 36), followed by Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels (53 of 55) and Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels (30 of 31).

**Is Bounty Essentials as good as regular Bounty?**

Not by these reviews. Bounty Select-A-Size Paper Towels sits at 53 of 55, while Bounty Essentials Paper Towels is at 14 of 24, and 45% of its reviews call the sheets thin.

**Are bamboo paper towels any good?**

The bamboo towels on this page, Reel Bamboo Paper Towels, struggled with Target shoppers: 7 of 25 said they soaked up spills and held together, and 75% of reviews call them thin.

**Which paper towels feel soft?**

Softness comes up often for Viva Signature Cloth Paper Towels, in 28% of its reviews, and 30 of 31 said they soaked up spills and held together.

## Method

HiveTried counts first-hand reports only, drops reviews written for free products, shows brand-site reviews without counting them, and never accepts payment for placement. Full method: https://hivetried.com/how-we-count/