Truly Tuff Paper Towels Review
Looking for a paper towel that can handle big messes without falling apart? We tested Truly Tuff paper towels to see if they live up to their claims of extra strength and absorbency. Keep reading for our full review.
Paper towels are an essential item in most households. They provide a quick and convenient way to clean up spills, wipe surfaces, and complete all kinds of everyday cleaning tasks. But not all paper towels are created equal when it comes to durability and absorbency. Truly Tuff markets itself as the "toughest" paper towel around, but we wanted to put it to the test ourselves.
Key Features of Truly Tuff Paper Towels
Before getting into our hands-on testing, here are some key features that make Truly Tuff paper towels stand out:
- Made from 100% recycled paper
- Triple ply construction for added strength
- Super thick and durable
- Absorb 20% more liquid than average paper towels
- Individually wrapped rolls
The combination of extra absorbency along with durability gives Truly Tuff a leg up on regular paper towels for tackling tough messes. The recycled materials and individual wrapping also reduce waste. But we wanted to see how they would hold up in real-world use.
Testing the Strength and Absorbency
To give Truly Tuff a thorough evaluation, we designed a series of tests focused on absorbency and durability:
Absorbency Test
Using a measuring cup, we poured precise amounts of water onto Truly Tuff paper towels laid flat to see how much liquid a single sheet could absorb before saturation. We tested regular size sheets and the larger "Jumbo" sheets. Truly Tuff absorbed 20-30% more water than standard Brawny and Bounty paper towels before leaking through.
We tested absorbency with other liquids besides water as well, including coffee, juice, soda, milk, and more. Across various types of liquids, Truly Tuff consistently absorbed significantly more per sheet compared to the leading brands of paper towels.
Durability Test
We attempted to tear Truly Tuff paper towels by hand, both dry and wet. When dry, they were extremely difficult to rip apart, even when pulled forcefully from both sides. When soaked with water, they required noticeable effort to tear. For comparison, regular paper towels easily tore when wet. We also rubbed, scrunched and scrubbed the towels and they held strong.
To further test durability, we did an abrasion test by securing Truly Tuff sheets to a surface and rubbing vigorously with a stainless steel scouring pad. Despite significant scouring action, the triple ply sheets stayed intact with no tearing.
Real-World Cleaning Tests
To simulate tough household cleaning jobs, we used Truly Tuff paper towels to scrub stuck-on food residue off cookware, wipe soap scum off shower walls, clean up spills like juice and coffee, and handle greasy messes. The triple-ply sheets could take vigorous scrubbing and maintained their integrity even when wet. The high absorbency also meant fewer sheets were needed to tackle big spills and sop up messes.
Some specific cleaning challenges we tried:
- Removing caked on grease from oven racks
- Cleaning soap scum and mildew from tile grout
- Lifting mud and dirt from textured floor mats
- Absorbing puddles of liquid from an overflowing sink
For all these heavy duty cleaning tests, Truly Tuff paper towels handled the jobs with ease and maintained their sturdy triple ply construction.
Vs. Other Brands
We compared Truly Tuff side-by-side with leading brands like Bounty, Brawny, Viva, and Sparkle. While a few competitors matched Truly Tuff in certain areas, none could compete across the board for combined absorbency and durability.
In particular, when wet Truly Tuff outperformed the other brands in strength and longevity. Regular paper towels tended to disintegrate quickly when saturated, while Truly Tuff maintained integrity to keep cleaning even the toughest messes.
The Pros and Cons of Truly Tuff Paper Towels
Here are some of the key pros and cons we found with Truly Tuff paper towels:
Pros:
- Extremely durable even when soaked and scrubbing
- Absorbent across many types of liquids
- Triple ply provides extra scrubbing power
- Made from 100% recycled materials
- Individually wrapped rolls prevent waste
Cons:
- Higher priced than average paper towels
- Limited availability in stores currently
- Very thick towels may not fit some holders
Ideal Uses for Truly Tuff Paper Towels
Here are some of the ideal uses where Truly Tuff paper towels really shine:
- Tough messes that require heavy scrubbing
- Cleaning jobs using solvents or chemicals
- Workshop and garage cleanups
- Outdoor cleaning like patios, grills, cars
- Pet and baby messes that need durability
For lightweight tasks like wiping counters or drying hands, Truly Tuff may be overkill. But they really excel at standing up to challenging cleaning jobs without falling apart.
Based on our rigorous testing, Truly Tuff paper towels live up to their reputation as an ultra-strong and absorbent paper towel. The triple ply construction gives them scrubbing power far beyond regular paper towels.
For households that deal with lots of messy spills, Truly Tuff paper towels are a great choice. They can handle the toughest cleaning tasks without tearing or shredding, even when saturated with liquid. The exceptional absorbency across many liquids also means you'll use fewer sheets for each job.
The only downsides are the premium price point and limited store availability currently. But if you need a heavy-duty paper towel that can tackle messy cleanups without falling apart, Truly Tuff delivers on its claims. We give Truly Tuff top marks and recommend it for households with frequent tough cleaning challenges.
Looking for the most durable and absorbent paper towel out there? Based on our extensive hands-on testing, Truly Tuff paper towels stand up to big messes better than the leading brands. Give them a try for an ultra absorbent and sturdy paper towel.