Today's consumers have a plethora of toilet paper choices: super-soft, super-strong, quilted and recycled -- the list goes on and on. Each type has its pros and cons, reviews say.

For instance, super-soft premium toilet paper costs the most, but it's the least environmentally friendly: It's manufactured from virgin wood fibers -- materials harvested from freshly cut trees, which the Natural Resources Defense Council says can deplete forests -- and it's bleached with chlorine dioxide, which can pollute water. Budget brands cost less -- manufacturers spend less money advertising them -- but most have the same environmental drawbacks as premium toilet paper, and reviews say they're not as soft.

Eco-friendly toilet paper, on the other hand, is made from recycled paper and bleached without chlorine. Some brands cost as much as premium toilet paper, but others are budget-priced. The trade-off is softness, reviews say: Although the best brands are adequately soft, they can't compete with the plushness of a premium toilet paper made from long, fluffed-up virgin wood fibers.

Flushable moist wipes offer an alternative (or supplement) to regular toilet paper. Some users like the cleaner feeling they get with these wipes, but experts caution that flushable wipes shouldn't really be flushed: They don't disintegrate well in water, and they may clog plumbing. They're also more expensive than toilet paper and some perfumed varieties may be problematic for those with sensitive skin.

Experts offer a few tips to make sure you're getting the best deal for your toilet paper dollar:

  • Smooth vs. quilted. Smooth toilet papers usually provide more sheets per roll, but many users say quilted toilet papers are heftier so individuals tend to use fewer sheets at a time.
  • If you have sensitive skin, experts recommend sticking with undyed, unscented toilet paper.
  • Expect to pay a premium for softness. Super-premium toilet paper is made from longer virgin wood fibers that are fluffed for maximum softness. These toilet papers can cost twice as much per sheet as less expensive brands.
  • Forget eco-friendly stereotypes. Recycled toilet paper has come a long way, reviews say. The best brands, such as Seventh Generation (*Est. $4 for four rolls) and the inexpensive Marcal Small Steps (*Est. $7 for 12 rolls), are judged pleasant to use in reviews. Both are made entirely of recycled paper and bleached without water-polluting chlorine dioxide. Today's products are softer than years past, so if you're interested don't be afraid to give them a try.

Which toilet paper clogs the least?

"Contrary to popular belief, it's not necessary to sacrifice personal comfort to protect your septic tank," concludes the National Small Flows Clearinghouse, a federally funded agency that helps small and rural communities with wastewater issues.

Still, many consumers want to know which toilet papers are least likely to plug up their plumbing, and plenty of users offer their advice in current reviews. One product that keeps coming up: Scott 1000 (*Est. $4 for four rolls) -- a thin, one-ply toilet paper with 1,000 sheets per roll. Many are satisfied with this product, based on reviews at Amazon.com, Drugstore.com, Motor Home Magazine and RVTravel.com. Several users even say their plumber or septic tank pumper specifically recommends Scott 1000 as the only paper that won't cause problems.

However, Scott 1000 ranks dead last in one professional comparison, where testers find most other toilet papers softer and easier to tear off the roll. Though some users prefer it -- they say it's cheap, gets the job done and a roll lasts a long time -- others find it scratchy and perilously thin. Most importantly, tests show that many softer toilet papers are just as good -- or better -- for plumbing.

A few toilet papers are certified safe for septic systems by the nonprofit National Sanitation Foundation. One of these, Quilted Northern Soft & Strong (*Est. $5 for six rolls), is also the top-rated toilet paper overall (see our Best Toilet Paper section). In 27 reviews at Drugstore.com, we found no complaints of clogs with this toilet paper.

However, experts note that plenty of other toilet papers disintegrate just as easily in water, and are therefore probably just as good for plumbing. A top consumer organization and city sewage officials in cities such as Raleigh, N.C., and Portland, Maine, have tested this in labs, and RV enthusiasts at RVForum.net run their own tests by stirring squares of toilet paper in glasses of water. In one such test, special, expensive "quick-dissolve" toilet papers designed for RVs and boats don't dissolve any faster than some major-brand toilet papers. Experienced RVers on several forums say they've used regular toilet paper for years with no plumbing problems.

Charmin is one brand that reviews call into question. It disintegrates more slowly than other brands in one professional test, and we found several anecdotes scattered around the Internet on user-forum sites, including GardenWeb.com, ThriftyFun.com and PoopReport.com, where consumers say their plumbing professionals advise them to steer clear of Charmin to avoid clogs. However, Charmin has questioned whether such reports are planted by its competitors, according to a 2000 article in The Cincinnati Enquirer. The Charmin website devotes a seven-part video and half of its Frequently Asked Questions section to reassuring customers that Charmin is safe for both sewers and septic systems.

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