Two ply or three? Double length or triple? Patterned or embossed? Recycled or bamboo? Since when did toilet paper become so complicated?
If you choose toilet paper that’s rough, tears at the worst moment, or clogs up your pipes, you’re basically flushing money down the toilet.
Stats show that each Aussie rolls through about 10kg of toilet paper per year, so this is a purchase you want to get right.
To help you get the best dunny roll for your dollar, here’s a handy round-up of the best and worst performers in our latest toilet paper review.
How we test to find the best
Our experts selected 42 of the most popular products and tested them to see which is the tip-top TP.
They score each product on four key areas:
Softness (Is it gentle?)
Separation (Does it tear off easily?)
Strength (Will it rip when you wipe?)
Sewer-friendliness (Will it clog your bog?)
We use these scores to give each product an overall score. We call it a CHOICE Expert Rating.
For a loo roll to be recommended by our experts, it needs a CHOICE Expert Rating of at least 70%, plus scores of 65% and higher on all four tests.
To misquote Meatloaf, three out of four ain’t bad – but when it comes to toilet paper, you really want an all-rounder.
Compromising on even one of these elements can land you in a sticky situation, but if you choose a toilet paper recommended by our experts, it’ll deliver on all fronts (and backsides).
On a roll: The best toilet paper
Here are the products that our experts recommend as being best for your bottom.
Quilton 4 Ply Softness Gold
CHOICE Expert Rating: 78% (Recommended)
Softness score: 90%
Price: 69c per 100 sheets
Quilton Shea Butter in Gold 4 Ply
CHOICE Expert Rating: 77% (Recommended)
Softness score: 90%
Price: 69c per 100 sheets
The top for your tush: The top recommended rolls from the CHOICE toilet paper review.
When every dollar matters, it’s hard to justify spending extra on something that literally ends up going down the gurgler.
Some of the top scoring TPs in our test are also at the top end of the price range, costing up to 69 cents per 100 sheets, which can really add up when you’re literally buying kilos of the stuff every year.
But if you’re on a budget, do you have to settle for bog-standard bog roll? Not necessarily.
To be classified by our experts as a Best Buy, the product must score at least 70% in our performance tests but also cost 30c or less per sheet
Look out for our Best Buy products: they offer great value for money but don’t quite meet the criteria to be recommended. To be classified by our experts as a Best Buy, the product must score at least 70% in our performance tests but also cost 30c or less per sheet.
This means that they all scored well across most tests, but fell short in others. Many didn’t fare well in our puncture test – which measures how likely your finger is to burst through the paper mid-wipe. That’s a real bummer.
If you don’t mind rolling the dice on the dunny, though, they’re great toilet papers in other respects.
At a budget-friendly 18 to 30 cents per 100 sheets, they’re a good buy on face value, but not so much on the, er, other end.
Soft on bottoms and on budgets: Coles So Soft & Strong 3 Ply Embossed White Double Length
Saving money on essentials feels good, but you just can’t put a price on knowing that your toilet paper isn’t going to give way mid-wipe.
Our highest scoring Best Buy is the Coles So Soft & Strong 3 Ply Embossed White Double Length with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 78% and a cost of 30 cents per sheet. It received solid scores in most of our tests, just falling short of a recommendation due to its performance in the puncture test.
Next up is another supermarket own-brand buy, the Vevelle White Toilet Tissue 1 Ply with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 78%. It scored highly in the softness stakes and is very kind to your budget (it’s the cheapest roll in our review at just 18 cents per sheet), but it let the team down in the puncture test with a nerve-wracking score of 45% (not surprising given its 1-ply status).
If you’re petrified of a puncture in your paper but you’re still on a budget, a cent extra per sheet gets you an extra ply (and another Best Buy) with Woolworths’ own-label Vevelle White Toilet Tissue 2 ply. It scores high on softness and a slightly more respectable 65% in our puncture test.
(Bear in mind that toilet paper prices can change frequently; these prices were correct at the time of testing.)
Gentle on the planet and on your behind: Naturale 100% Recycled 3 Ply Softness.
Best eco-friendly toilet paper
CHOICE has been reviewing toilet paper for close to 25 years, and in the past, recycled, eco-friendly toilet paper hasn’t traditionally had a great reputation for softness or quality.
“Toilet paper that’s kind to the planet may not always be kind to your behind,” says CHOICE expert Chris Barnes.
This year, however, we’re able to recommend two 100% recycled toilet papers that hit the sweet spot on softness, price and performance (both Australian owned).
Naturale 100% Recycled 3 Ply Softness scores 80% for softness, 74% for sewer-friendliness, 65% for strength and 78% for ease of sheet separation.
The Yarn’n 100% Recycled Aussie Manufactured Deadly Dunny Paper comes recommended by our experts with a score of 74% (and scoring well on sewer-friendliness and softness). It’s one of the high rollers when it comes to price though, at 43 cents per sheet.
If you’re willing to put your money where your eco-credentials are, the next-highest scoring 100% recycled paper in our review Who Gives A Crap 100% Recycled Classic Soft Double Length scored a respectable 71% but also comes in at a pricey 36 cents per sheet.
Don’t take the plunge on these bog-clogging toilet papers.
If you have a sensitive sewage system at home, you’ll want to give these a miss. They’re all quite soft (scoring between 70% and 80%), but all of them scored poorly on our disintegration test.
That means they take far longer to break up after flushing than most other toilet papers.
With the current cost of living, every little saving counts. And since toilet paper is a staple that you’ll use every single day, it makes sense to get the best deal possible so you’re not just flushing money down the toilet.
Toilet paper prices change frequently. And between sale prices, double-length rolls and bulk packs, it can be tricky to know whether you’re getting the best price. The best way to tell is to check the unit price so you can compare how much you’re paying per 100 sheets.
If you have the storage space, buying in bulk is usually (but not always) cheaper, so check those unit prices before you settle on a pack that’s cheaper overall.
We have a conclusive answer to the controversial question of whether to hang your toilet paper over or under the roll. At risk of permanently losing members, we’re here to answer it once and for all: over is the correct method.
Perforated toilet paper was invented in 1871 by US inventor Seth Wheeler. He subsequently re-patented his invention in roll form in 1891.
His patent application includes detailed diagrams that clearly show the paper going up and over the roll, not under.
So placing your toilet paper overhand is using this wonder product precisely as its creator intended.
Don’t agree? Join the conversation in our CHOICE Community and tell us why.
Know the products to avoid before you shop. Get our free guide and buy smarter.
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
Alice Richard is a Content creator and marketer. Alice writes on a range of topics, from health insurance to heaters and BBQs to bargain-hunting, always with the aim to help consumers find the best products to buy, and which to avoid.
Alice can take vast amounts of data from CHOICE product tests and turn it into content that is easily digestible and fun for readers.
Alice has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland. LinkedIn
For more than 60 years, we've been making a difference for Australian consumers. In that time, we've never taken ads or sponsorship.
Instead we're funded by members who value expert reviews and independent product testing.
With no self-interest behind our advice, you don't just buy smarter, you get the answers that you need.
You know without hesitation what's safe for you and your family. And our recent sunscreens test showed just how important it is to keep business claims in check.
So you'll never be alone when something goes wrong or a business treats you unfairly.
