This Paper Towel's Texture Helps Tackle Stuck-On Messes, According To Consumer Reports

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Walking the paper towel aisle of the grocery store can be a bit overwhelming. With an abundance of brands, ply counts, and even the question of bamboo versus paper towels, it can be hard to choose the right brand. But if you're looking for a paper towel roll to beat stuck, tricky debris, Scott paper towels could be a solid option. 

In Consumer Reports' recent review of popular paper towel products, it ranked nine products from a variety of brands based on several factors, including but not limited to specific tests for strength, absorbency, and reusability. Though Scott Choose-a-Sheet paper towels were not a top pick overall, Consumer Reports did note that they "had the roughest texture, which could be helpful if you need a little abrasiveness to remove any stuck-on messes from a kitchen counter."

Sure, Scott paper towels are known to be a bit thin, and they scored quite low (second to last) in terms of absorbency. However, the rough patterned texture on each sheet can come in handy, especially when it comes to scrubbing hard-to-clean debris. While this doesn't quite mean you can remove stuck-on debris from your Blackstone griddle or other heavy-duty appliances, the ridges on the paper towels could be useful to combat difficult, smaller baked-on or sticky messes. 

All in all, the paper towel you choose will come down to personal and use preferences. In addition to feeling noticeably more abrasive and thin in the Consumer Reports review, the 1-ply Scott Choose-a-Sheet paper towel rolls came in at 65 sheets per roll. The overall product price was reasonable (reported around $5 for 6 rolls). Still, many of the other paper towel products reviewed had higher ply counts and significantly more sheets per roll (sometimes around double the quantity), often at lower cost per sheet. 

Though the Scott paper towel ranked third in the segment of the test that assessed performance in picking up chunky oatmeal — despite its thinness — Consumer Reports said the strength "wasn't ideal." So, if you like a softer or thicker paper towel with greater strength or absorbency properties, another product like Bounty Select-A-Size Triple Rolls (Consumer Reports' top pick in the review) may be for you. Or you might even choose to quit paper towels altogether to save money, and use an abrasive reusable cloth or sponge. However, for frustrating household or kitchen messes like sticky baked-on food or sauces, Scott paper towels' comparatively rough texture could be a good option.