The paper chase: Finding the top toilet paper

Ah, toilet paper. Think these tidy white rolls are all the same? Think again.

The truth is, there's more to toilet tissue than meets the eye: softest, strongest, cheapest, gentlest to the environment, least likely to clog your plumbing -- the list of current offerings is surprisingly extensive. In our quest to find the best of the best, we researched an array of interesting reviews. Evaluations range from scientific to rude and crude, but together they reveal some surprising truths about this bathroom staple.

A quick paper primer: The are four main types of toilet paper on the market today. 

• Eco-friendly  - These include recycled paper and non-chlorine bleached products)
• Premium - Think super-soft here
• Budget - The cheaper, value-priced stuff -- pretty self-explanatory
• Flushable wipes - These are often marketed as a supplement to regular toilet paper, but can also be used alone to combat "unfresh" feelings).

Surprisingly, people can get quite passionate about their toilet paper. For instance, many environmentalists boycott plushier TP brands, since they're made from virgin wood fibers. Critics say that these materials, taken from freshly cut trees, can cause forest depletion over time. They also say that the softer toilet tissue uses more energy  to create than regular toilet paper.

Want to weigh in on this debate or increase your TP IQ? Take a peek at our new report on toilet paper.