The best and worst toilet paper rolls

JavaScript is disabled

If possible, please enable JavaScript for an enhanced experience on the CHOICE website.

Royal flush

Last updated: 14 February 2019

Two ply or three? Double length or triple? Patterned or embossed? Recycled or virgin? Since when did toilet paper become so complicated?

If you regularly find yourself caught like a deer in headlights in the toilet paper aisle, you're not alone.

So here's a handy round-up of the best and worst performers in our latest toilet paper review.

In this article:

The best toilet paper
The softest recycled toilet paper
The worst toilet paper
Over vs under: the correct way to hang toilet paper

On a roll: the best toilet paper

The top-scoring toilet paper

Quilton Toilet Tissue Double Length Prints

CHOICE score: 83%
Price: 29c/100 sheets
Ready to buy? Buy now from Amazon (read more about shopping links)

There wasn't much between the top five toilet papers, with all of the products we recommend scoring between 80 and 83%.

However, there is a price difference between these products, so if you're on a budget you can comfortably opt for the cheaper option while still getting excellent performance.

Best budget buy

Coles Toilet Tissue

CHOICE score: 80%
Price: 17c/100 sheets
Ready to buy? Buy now from Coles (read more about shopping links)

Coles' products scored well in our tests, with the Coles So Soft Extra Soft & Strong toilet paper also scoring 80%.

It's a little more expensive at 24c/100 sheets, but it's 3 ply and also comes in double-length packs.

Both received a score of 90% for softness, so if that's your main criteria when buying toilet paper, either is a great option.

Softest recycled toilet paper

Who Gives A Crap 100% recycled toilet paper

CHOICE score: 72%
Softness score: 75%
Price: 31c/100 sheets
Ready to buy? Buy now from WGAC (read more about shopping links)

Recycled toilet paper doesn't traditionally have a great reputation for softness or quality, but this one was the softest of all the recycled products we tested, and also received an excellent disintegration score.

Plus, it's packaged in paper, not plastic – bonus!

A pain in the bum: the worst toilet paper

If softness is your main priority when buying toilet paper, you'll want to give these a miss.

They all scored a scratchy 55% for softness, and none of them fared well in the puncture test.

Toilet paper that punctures easily can let you down mid-wipe, and having your finger burst through the paper pretty much defeats the purpose of using toilet paper altogether.

Recycled toilet paper

Another common theme with these toilet papers is that they're all made from either recycled or sustainable materials like bamboo and sugarcane.

If buying recycled is a priority for you, then you may need to sacrifice a little comfort for the sake of the planet.

"Toilet paper that’s kind to the planet may not be kind to your behind," says Ashley Iredale, CHOICE's resident toilet paper expert.

The four poorest performers

Who Gives a Crap Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper
Pure Planet Club Superhero Large
Safe White Toilet Tissue Soft & Gentle Emboss
Pure Planet Club Everyday Hero Regular

The most expensive poor performer

Pure Planet Club Superhero Large

CHOICE score: 65%
Price: 51c/100 sheets

The age-old question: over or under?

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.

At risk of permanently losing members: over is the correct way to hang toilet paper

Perforated toilet paper was invented in 1871 by 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? Tell us why in the comments section below.

_{Seth Wheeler's diagrams clearly show the correct way to hang toilet paper.}

How we test and calculate our scores

When you hear the words "toilet paper testing", your imagination probably goes to some pretty unsavoury places.

But never fear – we don't feed our testers dodgy vindaloo and ask them to report back from the porcelain throne.

Instead, we conduct a variety of tests to get our scores.

The overall score is made up of:

Disintegration time We time how quickly the toilet paper disintegrates. The faster the better – toilet paper which breaks up quickly in the sewer system is less likely to block your pipes. (30% of overall score).
Softness A subjective assessment of how soft the toilet paper is, conducted by a panel of five people. (30% of overall score).
Separation We measure how easy it is to separate the toilet paper at the perforation. The easier it is to tear, the better. (20% of overall score).
Puncture We measure the strength of the toilet paper by testing its resistance to puncturing. In this test a higher force is the most desirable result – meaning your finger is less likely to burst through the paper mid-wipe. (20% of overall score).

For more information, see how we test toilet paper.

Affiliate links on the CHOICE website

CHOICE is an independent, nonprofit organisation dedicated to helping consumers. Clicking a link will take you to a retailer's website to shop. While we make money if you buy through some retailer links, this doesn't influence any rankings. 100% of the money we make goes straight back into our nonprofit mission. We're currently testing this service and will consider providing more shopping links in the future. Tell us what you think.