The best toilet paper in the world, tried and tested

We’re here to solve the mystery of the best toilet roll in the world – don’t worry, this isn’t a rip off!

Who Gives A Crap toilet paper stacked and The Cheeky Panda box with toilet rolls and plants - best toilet paper

by Lily Anderson |
Updated on

Are you down to your last toilet roll? No need to dash off to the shops, we've found the best toilet paper that you can get delivered straight to your door.

But of course, you don't want just any toilet paper, right? That's why we've made it our mission to round up the best toilet paper in the world. You're welcome!

To save you from trying out scratchy and crumbly toilet rolls, we’ve taken on the challenge to bring you the very best of the best. This should help you have a great experience in the bathroom - even if you have a bit of a dodgy tummy. Enough of this bum note, on to the reviews!

How we chose the best toilet paper:

All of these toilet rolls have been hand-selected by What's The Best shopping experts. Our team has spent hours investigating and researching toilet paper, so you can choose the best one. Plus, we'd never recommend a product we don't believe in. Find out why you should trust us here.

The main criteria we looked at for rating the best toilet paper in the world was how it feels, strength, ply, environmentally conscious and value for money. No sheet... Here’s what we found:

Woman touching The Cheeky Panda Toilet Paper on toilet roll holder
©Photo: What's The Best

How it feels: When wiping sensitive areas, it's essential that you choose a product that is soft to the touch. There's nothing worse than scratchy toilet paper, and that's why we've got hands-on in the testing process. Thankfully, you'll never have to use a harsh roll again if you select one on this list.

Strength: How strong should the toilet roll be? It shouldn't disintegrate in your hand, that's for sure. Although you don't want your bathroom staple to be tough as nails, you also don't want to be able to put your finger through the paper easily.

Ply: Ply is the number of layers per sheet in a toilet roll. The more sheets the more luxurious the toilet roll will feel. We'd recommend picking toilet rolls that have two-ply and above.

Environmentally conscious: From bamboo toilet rolls to recycled products, there are lots of brands doing more to ensure that our essentials are responsibly sourced and sustainably made. Help minimise your carbon footprint with some of the best eco-friendly toilet paper.

Value for money: We want to save you time and money, that's why we've only gone for the toilet paper that is good value. That doesn't mean cheap either, we're talking top quality stuff here.

Testing: The Cheeky Panda vs. Who Gives A Crap

The Cheeky Panda toilet rolls (left) and Who Gives A Crap toilet paper (right)
©Photo: What's The Best

Best bamboo toilet paper

The Cheeky PandaPhoto: What's The Best

Super absorbent doesn't usually come to mind when you think of bamboo, but these toilet rolls are a game-changer. If you're searching for a kind, naturally skin-friendly paper, you've found it.

Tried and tested review May 2021:

Senior Commercial Content Writer Lily Anderson said, "I never thought I'd be analysing toilet paper, but here I am."

"The Cheeky Panda bamboo toilet tissue arrives completely plastic-free and in a box. Inside, I was met with 24 identical-looking rolls. At first sight, I wasn't convinced that these were going to be the softest options, but I was proven wrong."

"Not only did this paper feel delicate on my skin, but I also only needed a few sheets to get the job done. The only thing I would say is that you can easily pull the three-ply sheets apart, which are individually pretty thin. But as long as you aren't messing around with it, this shouldn't be a problem."

Feel: Bamboo looks so coarse, but this tissue is silky soft and will feel great on your skin.

Strength: Doesn't break up in your hand like other paper, which is perfect for the wipe.

Ply: Three

Verdict: Overall, we were impressed with these bamboo rolls. They felt great and were strong. The only downside was that they attract a lot of dust, but this easily comes off when you wipe it. The most important thing to us is that this product came with no plastic wrapping at all, unlike most high street staples.

Pros

  • Soft yet strong
  • Made from 100% bamboo
  • 200 sheets per roll

Cons

  • Not the thickest option on this list

Best recycled toilet paper

Who Gives A CrapPhoto: What's The Best

This is by far the most expensive option on the list, but for good reason. Not only does this toilet paper feel soft yet strong, but it's also great for the planet.

Tried and tested review May 2021:

Senior Commercial Content Writer, Lily Anderson, said, "Wow. This is the Instagrammable toilet paper that I didn't know was missing from my life."

"Fun, colourful packaging aside, Who Gives A Crap is an all round showstopper of a product."

"Not only does it tick all of the boxes when it comes to strength and feel, but it's made from 100 per cent recycled paper, lasts twice as long as supermarket buys and the company donates 50 per cent of their profits to charities."

"Totally worth the extra price."

Feel: Who Gives A Crap makes a bold statement by claiming to be the softest loo roll ever, and compares using these rolls to wiping with clouds.

Strength: Not only are they soft, but they're also made from bamboo, so as you can imagine, they're pretty strong.

Verdict: For the more environmentally conscientious, this is a smart choice. We love that it allows for carbon-neutral shopping as well as being made from sustainably sourced bamboo. It just keeps getting better and better!

Pros

  • Three-ply roll
  • Biodegradable
  • Interesting packaging

Cons

  • Box of 24 rolls

Best toilet roll for families

 Andrex Gentle Clean Toilet TissueAmazon
Price: £30.55

We're starting strong with the Andrex Gentle Clean Toilet Tissue. If you or anyone in your family has sensitive skin, this is a good choice.

Feel: Each of the 72 rolls are gentle to wipe with and soft to touch. With an average of 170 sheets per roll, you'll certainly get your money's worth.

Strength: Not the strongest strength, we'd recommend using four to five sheets.

Verdict: So look, if you're a family who gets through a lot of rolls this is perfect. But if you want a luxurious option, this isn't right for you.

Pros

  • 72 rolls included
  • Fragrance-free
  • Good value for money

Cons

  • Only two-ply
  • Small rolls

With three different toilet rolls available (100% Bamboo Toilet Paper, 100% Unbleached Bamboo Toilet Paper or 100% White Bamboo Toilet Paper), you're sure to find the right option for you. Do you care about the planet but want a luxury toilet paper? If the answer is yes, then Bazoo is for you. Not only does this toilet paper look great, but it feels good too. Plus, we love the fact that even with a naked toilet roll box, you still get one wrapped roll to display in your bathroom.

Verdict: This gets a big thumbs up from us! The fact that these toilet rolls are beautifully wrapped designs, naturally hypoallergenic and have no inks or dyes, all contribute to why this brand has won us over. Claiming to be the first and only carbon-negative toilet paper, we're more than happy to use this in our bathroom.

Pros

  • Scent-free and recyclable packaging
  • Choose from 24 or 48 rolls in your order
  • Price comparison available on the website

Cons

  • More expensive than some high street brands

Best supermarket toilet paper

Instead of dashing to your local supermarket, get at-home delivery for your Morrisons shop. We can't get enough of these toilet rolls.

Feel: For a budget toilet roll, we're impressed with the way that this feels. It's not scratchy at all.

Strength: Although this is only two-ply, it's still a good quality option. You might need more sheets to do your business, but that's fine by us.

Verdict: Is it going to win any awards? Probably not. That doesn't take away from it being a good value option for your home. If you don't mind thinner paper, then this will do the job.

Pros

  • Cheap and cheerful
  • Good two-ply tissue
  • Average of 220 sheets per roll

Cons

  • Plastic packaging is only 30% recyclable

Best quilted toilet paper

Believe it or not, but the best thing about ordering your toilet paper online is the convenience. If you're a big fan of the Cushelle brand, you can buy it now.

Feel: Did you know that every roll of Cushelle is made with micro air pockets? Well, now you know the secret to how it gets its paper so soft.

Strength: We think that these rolls have the best balance between being soft and strong.

Verdict: You'll get the clean you deserve with this lot. If this is the toilet paper you'd usually pick up from the shops, save yourself from carrying it and get it delivered instead.

Pros

  • Soft and strong
  • 185 sheets per roll
  • Good brand

Cons

  • Small roll

Best toilet paper for a soft touch

Andrex Supreme Quilts Toilet Tissue
Price: £99.99
Alternative retailers
Waitrose$7.10View offer

If Andrex is your go-to toilet brand, then we guarantee the Supreme Quilts option is a firm favourite. Its texture and softness are unrivalled.

Feel: Another toilet paper from the Andrex family is all about comfort. Each of the 54 rolls are made from plush layers of tissues for deep, quilted softness.

Strength: Each toilet roll is four-ply, which means you should only need three to four sheets per wipe.

Verdict: It's clear that this toilet paper would go straight in to our shopping basket. Not only does it have the most layers, but it also has a cushioned quality.

Pros

  • Four-ply
  • Flushes easily
  • Luxury feel

Cons

  • Feel like a regular quilted paper

Best 3-ply toilet paper

OK, so this isn't the only three-ply number on this list, but it's the cheapest. The best thing about this option is that it's made from 100 per cent virgin cellulose - virgin fibres create paper with higher absorbency rates and support the environment.

Feel: This feels like most other toilet rolls. It's super soft and does the job.

Strength: Not only is this paper absorbent, but you can wipe with confidence.

Verdict: To be honest, we're surprised how brilliant this toilet paper was. It's nice and thick while remaining soft, and it's good for the environment. What's not to like?

Pros

  • Three-layer sheets
  • Quilted
  • Good value for money

Cons

  • Not biodegradable

Want to know more about toilet paper than what to buy? We've pulled together some helpful FAQs to help answer some burning questions that you might have.

Toilet paper FAQs:

Where can I buy toilet paper online?

It seems like you can buy household items almost anywhere on your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you're looking for the best toilet paper in the UK, here are some of the top online retailers to secure them from.

Amazon

Tesco

Wilko

Morrisons

Ocado

The Range

Wowcher

eBay

Staples

Can toilet paper be recycled?

According to Eco Sustainable Solutions, "A lot of tissue paper is made from already recycled paper. This...means that it can't be recycled again, the fibres are too short and will result in poor pulp in the recycling process."

Read their full article on things you didn't know you could recycle here.

Can toilet paper cause irritation?

From just a quick Google search, anyone can find the best toilet paper for sensitive skin and it's no wonder that hypoallergenic toilet paper is highly sought after when anyone can be allergic to toilet paper dyes, fragrances and additives.

According to Dr. Victor Marchione, "Pruritus (itching of the skin) is a common problem that many people experience at some point in their lives."

Dr. Marchione goes onto explain, "Unscented, thinner, cheaper and more greyish looking toilet papers are less likely to contain additives, so look for these if you find that you have skin irritation after using toilet paper."

Discover more about the truth about skin irritation and toilet paper here.

Can toilet paper go out of date?

As long as toilet paper is stored in the right condition and isn't damaged, it can last for a very long time. However, if the toilet paper gets wet, it will then become unusable.

Which toilet paper is safe for septic systems?

You'll know that toilet paper is safe to use in a septic system if it is listed as septic system safe or biodegradable.

Discover more bathroom essentials here:

The best hand washes and soaps to look after your skin

The best water flossers to buy now

The best eco-friendly cleaners

Lily Anderson is a Senior Commercial Writer at Bauer Media, where she tests products for titles such as Heat, Closer, What’s the Best and Mother&Baby.

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