3 Things to Know About Kitchen Towels

There are many tools essential to a well run kitchen—good knives, quality ingredients and a solid cutting board are a few. But the unsung hero is the kitchen towel. Here’s what to look for in this must-have.

One of the most important features to look for in a kitchen towel is its absorbency so you can use it to clean your workspace as you go. Every time you finish a part of your meal prep, such as chopping veggies on a cutting board, you can use a kitchen towel to wipe excess skin and seeds right into the garbage. Have something that needs a little more power, like flour or herbs to wipe away? The beauty of a thick towel is you can then wet it to wipe your counter clean in one swipe and avoid waste from paper towels.

Durable natural materials like cotton or linen will hold up in the wash without falling apart, and they’re also strong enough to pull double duty in food prep. You can use a towel as a cheesecloth for ingredients such as chopped up potatoes, apples or spinach where you want to squeeze out moisture. But, be sure to use unscented laundry products or else your food will pick up both the smell and the taste of scented detergents and fabric softeners.

When you’re already multi-tasking in the kitchen with your towel, one of the best alternative uses for it is as a potholder. You want a towel that when folded over is as thick as a potholder so you can easily grab cookie sheets, casserole dishes and more right out of the oven. Clean then grab with just one tool—without missing a beat.