Blog: Consumer Reports Rates Best Tissues
By Jim Donovan: When facing common colds and allergies, tissues that provide comfort are best. In Consumer Reports' new tests of facial tissues, Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong and Kleenex Lotion Aloe & E topped the Ratings of 18 products for overall performance.
In its tests, Consumer Reports evaluated 2- and 3-ply facial tissues for their softness (judged by human hands) and strength (tested by a machine). Only five products – all from Kleenex and Puffs – were worth recommending – including top-rated Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong and Kleenex Lotion Aloe & E, which was deemed a CR Best Buy.
When choosing facial tissues, there are several things to consider – more brands now offer lotion, extra plies, and boast about their softness and strength. Here are three things to remember when buying:
- Don't rely solely on a name's claim. Consumer Reports found that Ology Soft & Strong was one of the least soft; Total Home Soft & Strong was among the least strong; Great Value and 365 Everyday Value were not the best values.
- Both lotion and no-lotion products offered softness. Tissues with lotion did well overall, but some without it were also very soft. Kleenex Ultra Soft (no lotion) was even a bit softer than Puffs Plus Lotion and Kleenex Cool Touch (both with lotion).
- The number of plies may not matter. Puffs Ultra Soft & Strong tissues, which are two-ply, bested all three-ply products in Consumer Reports' tests.
The full report and Ratings of facial tissues are available in the August 2013 issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
