Quilted Northern Soft & Strong

*Est. $5 for six rolls

Reviewed

February 2010

Best premium toilet paper

Pros

Best balance of softness and strength
Certified safe for septic tanks

Cons

Costs more than store brands
Not eco-friendly

Where to Buy

for $9.99

See All Stores

Our Analysis

Users say they like Quilted Northern Soft & Strong better than rival premium toilet papers from Cottonelle and Charmin: It's two-ply, absorbent and soft, but not so fluffy that it sheds lint or clogs pipes. In fact, Quilted Northern Soft & Strong is the most plumbing-safe toilet paper in reviews, acing disintegration tests by two nonprofit organizations and an RV-enthusiast group. However, like other premium toilet papers, Quilted Northern Soft & Strong is fairly expensive. It's made from virgin wood fibers, harvested from freshly cut trees, and bleached with chlorine dioxide, which can contribute to water pollution. Recycled toilet papers aren't as plush, but reviews say the best ones are surprisingly soft and much more environmentally friendly, including Seventh Generation 100% Recycled Bathroom Tissue (*Est. $4 for four rolls) and the less expensive Marcal Small Steps Bath Tissue (*Est. $7 for 12 rolls).

ConsumerReports.org performs the definitive toilet paper test, using lab tests to figure out which top brands are the softest, strongest, etc. Quilted Northern gets the highest praise from the National Sanitation Foundation and RVForum.net -- both of which set out to find the least-likely-to-clog toilet paper -- and from users at Drugstore.com. However, the Natural Resources Defense Council finds Quilted Northern one of the least eco-friendly toilet papers in its ratings.

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

Quilted Northern Soft & Strong is one of 19 brands of toilet paper tested by ConsumerReports.org. Brands are ranked from best to worst based on lab tests of strength, softness, disintegration and tearability.

Review: Toilet Paper, Editors of ConsumerReports.org, May 2009

2. Natural Resources Defense Council

Quilted Northern is one of the worst toilet paper brands for the environment, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Unlike higher-ranked brands in this chart, Quilted Northern uses no recycled paper.

Review: A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products, Editors of Natural Resources Defense Council, Aug. 5, 2009

3. National Sanitation Foundation

This nonprofit organization tests toilet papers manufactured by Georgia Pacific and gives a few brands its "safe for septic" seal of approval, including Quilted Northern.

Review: Search for NSF Certified Products -- Toilet Tissue, Editors of National Sanitation Foundation

4. RVForum.net

Quilted Northern breaks up more readily in water than toilet papers from Charmin, Cottonelle, Kirkland and even some special RV toilet papers, according to this home test by RV enthusiasts.

Review: Toilet Paper Test Results, George Mullen

5. Drugstore.com

Customers who post reviews here like Quilted Northern better than all other toilet papers, awarding it an average of 4 stars (out of 5) in nearly 30 reviews. They like that it's strong, absorbent and soft without leaving lint, but some complain that Quilted Northern recently made its rolls narrower to cut costs.

Review: Quilted Northern Soft & Strong Bathroom Tissue, Contributors to Drugstore.com

Charmin Ultra Soft *Est. $2 for four rolls

3 picks by top review sites.

Scott Flushable Wipes *Est. $3 for 51 wipes

2 picks by top review sites.

Quilted Northern Ultra Plush *Est. $4 for four rolls

2 picks by top review sites.

Quilted Northern Soft & Strong Review

Quilted Northern Soft & Strong

Best premium toilet paper