Dish towels are an essential kitchen item that most of us don’t think too much about—even though we use them often. We put them to work for a myriad of tasks, from drying to cleaning to mopping up spills. Kitchen towels can fill in for napkins, paper towels, even hot pads. These towels often come in many different styles, sizes, and textures from soft and fluffy to smooth and stiff. If you need something highly absorbent or prefer a towel that is quick-drying—then that’s when the type of fabric, its pile, and weave matters. In this review, we look into the intricacies of what makes a particular dish towel a good kitchen helper—or not. The Utopia Towels Dish Cloth Set offers up “utopia” in the brand name. Read on to find out if this product lives up to its name.
Performance: Solid
The Utopia Towels Dish Cloth Set is a must-have item for any kitchen. These durable, attractive dish towels work well for multiple purposes and look good while on the job. We like their smooth texture and their blue stripes. They do double duty as an impromptu hot pad for transferring pans and dishes from the kitchen to the table. This towel dries dishes quickly and is safe on even the most delicate of glassware. These dishcloths also work as a handy kitchen counter cover when drying produce or for air drying pots and pans after washing. The main drawback of these towels is that the smooth fabric is a bit stiff. We like its sturdy feel but wish it was slightly more giving or drapey. The big plus is that the tightly woven material is strong, absorbent, and durable. We really wish they were a bit softer. However, we have some hope that they may eventually soften more over time. We noticed that they come out of the dryer softer and more pliable with each wash. The Utopia Towels company offers other types of towels. We prefer their larger flour sack style dish rags for drying produce and their terry cloth dish mop towels for cleaning up wet or sticky counter messes. This set of 15-inch by 25-inch dish towels can handle just about anything with ease. They are perfect for wiping off hands during cooking, after washing dishes, or even grabbing a hot dish out of the microwave. We prefer smaller these sized towels for tasks, such as drying dishes, while larger sized towels make more sense for keeping foods warm or wrapping warm bread or rolls.
Design: Classic
This set includes 12 great-looking, smooth, lightweight, 100 percent ring-spun cotton dish towels. They are bright white with classic royal blue stripes on either side of the towel. The style is reminiscent of towels you’d find in a French country kitchen. These towels are also available in a gray stripe option; however, we prefer the vivid blue color to the somewhat dull gray option. Woven with strong, durable but soft fibers, these dishcloths are long-lasting and strong but gentle enough for delicate glassware and dinnerware. They are highly absorbent and quick drying. Made of a “zero-twist construction” weave, the fibers are not twisted and less likely to fray. They use a combing process that removes the shorter fibers and cuts back on shedding, yielding a lightweight but absorbent product. The towels are also shrink-resistant. These versatile Utopia Towels dish towels are nice looking and soft enough to use as napkins, are great for wiping hands, and can be folded over to use as a hot pad to move hot cookware or underneath hot items to protect surfaces from heat damage. We also like that they do not contain harmful chemicals and synthetic fibers, making it a safer material and hypoallergenic for people with sensitivity to non-natural fabrics.
Ease of Cleaning: Simple
These Utopia Towels are machine washable. It’s recommended to wash them separately the first time they’re washed to minimize lint transfer to other laundry items. It is always a good idea to wash washable soft goods before first use to eliminate residue leftover from the manufacturing process. These towels can be spot cleaned with bleach as needed. To dry, tumble dry on low. We haven’t noticed any shrinkage or lint from these towels. They come out of the dryer like new but softer.
Price: Spot on
The Utopia Towels Dish Cloth Set costs just over $1 per towel. This price is right in line with its competitors. Prices range from around $12 to $17 for similar 12-piece kitchen towel sets, making this product a good buy.
Utopia Towels Dish Cloth Set vs. Utopia Kitchen Flour Sack Dish Towels
Both of these dish towel 12-packs will serve you well in the kitchen. They are lightweight, thin, all-cotton dishcloths that excel at the various tasks required of dish rags, namely drying, wiping, and cleaning. The Utopia Kitchen Flour Sack Dish Towels retail for $16 and offer the bonuses of extra softness, larger size, and a more lightweight weave. The flour sack dish towels are versatile, working well for various household jobs, such as drying produce and cleaning windows, or use in embroidery or as a cheesecloth substitute. The Utopia Towels Dish Cloth Set has the bonus of its more dressed up look, with its more refined white and blue smooth cotton design, and it can be used as a washable, fabric napkin set. The flour sack product can also work as napkins but don’t look as nice and have a tendency to wrinkle.
