Kitchen Basic Printed Damask Kitchen Dishtowel, Set of 2, Mustard

Price: $13
Availability: Usually ships within 24 hours
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Reviewer: Mark Lamendola

My first requirement for any cloth-type material used in the kitchen is that it is made from natural fibers. These towels are made from 100% cotton.

I absolutely will not use polyester in the kitchen (or wear it), because when polyester melts on skin it actually melts into the skin and that can make a very serious burn out of what would otherwise be a very minor burn. Polyester is also prohibited apparel in electrical work for this same reason. The polyester people now call their dangerous product "microfiber" in hopes people won't notice. Do not use microfiber towels in the kitchen.

Not all cotton cloth is the same. In fact, there are wide variations in quality. When I look at a cotton cloth, I test its weight and examine the weave. This is a quality fabric, and surprisingly supple.

My first test was to wash my hands and then dry them with this towel. It seemed to wick the water right off my hands. I also poured about a quarter cup of water onto my plexiglass desk cover. Without wadding, the towel dried the surface with four wipes. So, very absorbent.

Another test of a material is how well it recovers from wadding. All of my dress shirts are 100% cotton, yet resist wrinkling almost as well as the polyester blends that many men wear. Proper ironing and judicious use of sizing helps, but you still need a good material.

I wadded the towel I just wetted, and after pulling it straight I saw it had no wrinkles. Same thing on the dry one.

This is my first encounter with a printed towel. It's printed with that pleasing pattern on one side, and it's white on the other. The towel is also hemmed all the way around (printed side folded over), and I checked out that stitching very closely. It's a "straight stitch," nothing fancy. But it's done very well.

These towels are attractive and do the job they're intended to do. They are also well-made, and should last you a long time if you care for them properly.

A couple of tips on the care for these.

1. Don't use the recommended amount of detergent or soap when washing (holds true for all clothing, linens, etc.); it's way, way too much. Typically, people can cut back to about 20% of the recommended amount and their clothes will come out even cleaner. But use a good product from the organics aisle, not the smelly, chemical-laden stuff in the consumer aisle. And never use "fabric softener" as it's actually quite gross (read the label).
2. Don't dry them completely in the clothes dryer. This is true for all fabrics. That degree of drying actually damages the material. So does high heat. Always dry on the lowest setting and remove while still slightly damp.