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Toilet Papers: Ratings of Sources
Total of 14 Sources

For an explanation of how we rank reviews, see our ratings criteria page.

1. ConsumerReports.org
May 2009
Toilet Paper
by Editors of ConsumerReports.org
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentConsumerReports.org tests 19 brands of toilet paper and flushable wipes for strength, softness and disintegration. A video explains the testing procedures, which include pouring lead pellets onto wet sheets to test strength. Editors also consider cost as they rate the products from best to worst.
2. Natural Resources Defense Council
As of Feb. 2010
A Shopper's Guide to Home Tissue Products
by Editors of Natural Resources Defense Council
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThe Natural Resources Defense Council rates 50 toilet paper brands, including store brands. Recycled brands that aren't bleached with chlorine dioxide get a green leaf icon; less environmentally friendly brands such as Charmin, Cottonelle, Quilted Northern and popular store brands are marked "avoid."
3. National Sanitation Foundation
As of Feb. 2010
Search for NSF Certified Products -- Toilet Tissue
by Editors of National Sanitation Foundation
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis independent, nonprofit organization tests several brands of toilet paper manufactured by Georgia Pacific to make sure they are safe and sanitary for consumers. It lists a handful of toilet papers as safe for septic systems, including Quilted Northern and store brands from Target and Wegman's.
4. Grist.org
Nov. 6, 2007
A Review of Recycled Toilet-Paper Brands
by Sarah Van Schagen
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentStaffers and volunteers test several brands of toilet paper the old-fashioned way for this environmental news site. Among recycled brands, Seventh Generation feels softer and stronger than Green Forest or Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value. Non-recycled Cottonelle feels soft, but not quite as absorbent as Seventh Generation.
5. Canada.com
Sept. 20, 2008
Battle of the Bathroom Tissues
by Jane Dunbar
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentVolunteers try six brands of toilet paper for The Edmonton Journal, reprinted at this website. Each is evaluated for strength, softness and absorbency. Tests are subjective -- for example, in the strength test, the reviewer simply tugs on a sheet. Charmin beats the other brands, including Cottonelle.
6. Choice magazine
Sept. 4, 2008
Toilet Paper Review and Compare
by Editors of Choice magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentChoice magazine is an Australian publication similar to ConsumerReports.org. It asks more than 300 home testers to try 27 toilet paper varieties from 18 brands. Each type gets an overall score, based on softness and absorbency. Editors recommend six products, including one that uses recycled paper, but none of the top-rated brands are available in the United States.
7. Which? magazine
Not Dated
Toilet Rolls
by Editors of Which? magazine
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentWhich? is the U.K.'s answer to Consumer Reports. It enlists 53 testers to evaluate 20 toilet papers, including recycled, economy, quilted and cotton types. Editors pick three best buys based on softness, strength and price, but none of them are available in the United States.
8. Amazon.com
As of Feb. 2010
Toilet Paper
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentUsers rate most major brands of toilet paper at this retail website. Some of the reviews are unintentionally hilarious. Ultra-soft lotion toilet papers get the best ratings. Charmin Plus was the reigning champion until it changed its formula in late 2009. Now, Cottonelle Aloe & E gets better ratings. Environmentally friendly toilet paper from Seventh Generation also gets high marks from more than 100 users.
9. Drugstore.com
As of Feb. 2010
Toilet Paper
by Contributors to Drugstore.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis retail site attracts fewer toilet paper reviews than Amazon.com, but it does a better job filtering out discontinued products. Charmin Ultra Soft and Quilted Northern Soft & Strong outperform other toilet papers here, and moist wipes from Scott and Charmin also earn high praise from users.
10. EcoHuddle.com
As of Feb. 2010
Recycled Paper Products
by Contributors to EcoHuddle.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis website collects user reviews of eco-friendly products. In the toilet paper category, Seventh Generation gets more positive reviews than toilet papers from Trader Joe's, Nature's Balance, Green Forest, Marcal Small Steps and Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value. Reviews tend to be well-informed on the products' environmental friendliness, but they're also concerned with softness and absorbency.
11. AnnaAndKristina.com
Not Dated
Toilet Paper
by Anna Wallner and Kristina Matisic
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentCanadian shopping mavens Anna and Kristina test four brands of toilet paper, including a generic roll, Purex, Charmin and recycled Seventh Generation. Tests are fairly rigorous -- a machine is used to test tensile strength, while an independent lab tests absorption -- but the reviewers simply point out the benefits of each brand rather than picking a favorite.
12. Andrew Taylor Recommends
Sept. 21, 2009
Wipe Out: The Battle for TP Supremacy
by Andrew Taylor
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis blogger reviews all kinds of consumer products, including this head-to-head test of Quilted Northern Soft & Strong versus Charmin Ultra Soft. Based on personal use, Andrew Taylor recommends the Charmin; he finds that it doesn't shred as much as the Quilted Northern, and he winds up using less.
13. RVForum.net
Not Dated
Toilet Paper Test Results
by George Mullen
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentRVers test various toilet papers to see which ones break up most readily in a glass of water -- and therefore will be least likely to clog their RVs' septic systems. Quilted Northern wins, beating competitors from Charmin, Cottonelle, Kirkland and others, including some special RV toilet papers.
14. PoopReport.com
March 14, 2001
The World's Most Comprehensive Survey of Toilet Paper Brands
by Contributors to PoopReport.com
Credibility Rating
Our AssessmentThis website invites users to review toilet paper performance. Some reviewers get carried away with rough language and graphic details, but others are quite helpful, trying brand after brand on a quest for the softest possible wipe. Quilted Northern gets the highest score, with cheap and recycled brands rating lowest. However, these reviews are all at least 6 years old. They don't include newer brands on the market, including improved recycled toilet papers.
     
 

This is our assessment of the review’s relevance, clarity of testing and thoroughness.

Read more about our Ratings Criteria by clicking the link at the top of the page.
 
 
 
  
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