Absorbent Kitchen Towels That Are Also Easy on the Eyes

There are a lot of big purchases to be made for your kitchen—cookware, dinner plates, wine glasses, and more. But there are just as many smaller items that are worthy of the same brain power—namely, kitchen towels.

Though this item may seem like more of an aesthetic choice, the right kitchen towel can make your life so much easier in so many ways. From drying dishes and glasses without leaving lint behind, to wiping hands clean, to sopping up the milk your toddler spilled again, we expect a lot from our kitchen towels. Not to mention, they're a great, eco-friendly alternative to the paper towels you might otherwise use to accomplish those tasks.

And because tea towels are so useful, but also relatively inexpensive, they also make for great gifts, whether you're plucking a pretty one from the store shelf to make your own kitchen shine or you're making your own personalized linens using your embroidery skills or heat transfer vinyl to give as a housewarming gift.

Here's the thing, though: Kitchen towels don't all perform the same—especially if you're relying on them as a permanent substitution for single-use paper towels. While cute is always nice, you'll need something just as functional to get the job done—think a highly-absorbent cotton or microfiber that's sizable enough to give dishes and counters a thorough wipe-down.

Lucky for you, we're taking care of the heavy lifting. Though some are more utilitarian and some more decorative, these are the best kitchen towels out there.