The best paper towel holders make it easy to store paper towel rolls of all sizes and effortless to rip off sheets in a hurry. Our winner is the Simplehuman Tension Arm Paper Towel Holder. It has a sturdy base that keeps it planted on the counter, a tension arm that firmly keeps big and small rolls in place while you tear, and a stainless-steel finish that’s a breeze to wipe clean.
We could put a roll of paper towels directly on the counter, but a designated paper towel holder aids with tearing and protects the roll from wet spots and spills. There are two main styles of countertop paper towels holders. One style is fairly no-frills, with just a base and a center pole that holds the paper towel roll. The other style adds a helper arm to the basic model. The helper arm feature places pressure against the roll so that you can tear off sheets easily with one hand. In our lineup, we tested two types of helper arms—simple stationary vertical poles that sit parallel to the main center pole and angled/hinged tension arms that press a plate against the roll.
We purchased countertop models in both styles to find a sturdy holder that would make tearing quick, precise, and tidy. After checking that towel rolls of all styles and widths fit on the models, we tore off sheets in small and large increments (using one hand and two) and made note of which models were easy—or not—to handle and move.
What to Look For
- Flexible Tension Arms: Angled, hinged arms automatically adapt to hold rolls of any size. Not only did these arms make one-handed tearing easier and more precise, but they also prevented sheets from drooping and kept rolls looking tidy.
- Tall, Easy-to-Hold Center Poles: Models with tall grippy center poles were easy to hold and carry around while performing tasks.
- Weighty, Sturdy Models: Heavy models remained stable on the countertops. We didn’t have to worry about tipping them over when we tore off sheets in a hurry. Look for models that are at least 1.75 pounds or more.
- Adequate Clearance for Rolls and Spinning: Models with at least 3¼ inches of clearance between the holder’s center pole and any helper or tension arm provided enough room to fit larger rolls comfortably. They also made it easier to spin the rolls.
What to Avoid
- Straight, Stationary Helper Arms: Models with straight, stationary helper arms were useless once a few layers of sheets were pulled off because there wasn’t any resistance once the roll was smaller.
- Removable Knobs: Models with knobs that needed to be removed every time we wanted to change rolls became annoying. Also, if the knobs were not screwed on perfectly, the holder would slip off and fall as we carried it.
- Lightweight Models: Holders that were too light, weighing less than 1.75 pounds, would often tip over when we tore off sheets. They also slid across or even off the counter.
- Models with Less Clearance: It was harder to fit larger rolls on holders with less than 3¼ inches of space between the helper or tension arm.
Minor Flaws
- Center Pole-Only Designs: Although we found a model we liked that didn’t have a tension arm, it didn’t keep the paper towels from drooping and potentially getting wet from countertop spills. We think tension arms offer a better overall design to keep rolls in place and tidy.
- Bases with Suction Cups: Models with suction cups on their bases sometimes stuck too firmly onto countertops and were hard to move.
The Tests
- Place new paper towel roll on holder, tug roll gently, and aggressively to tear off full sheets.
- Place full roll on holder and move holder around counter to see if it tips over.
- Remove and replace rolls of various sizes.
- Tug tension arms aggressively and knock holders off counter to see if they break.
How We Rated
- Tearing: We assessed how easily and evenly we could tear off full and half sheets from the roll while on each paper towel holder.
- Stability: We noted how sturdy the holders were while tearing off sheets in a hurry and whether they slid around on the counter.
- Roll Removal: We evaluated how easily it was to remove and replace rolls from each holder.
