Real Simple put 10 leading and generic brands to the test.

To gauge the strength of each towel, testers determined the number of grapes one sheet could hold under running water without ripping (just like on 1980s TV!).

For absorbency, testers counted how many sheets they needed to clean up two-ounce spills of greasy vegetable oil and sticky orange juice.

Pick your paper towels according to how you'll use them. The strong ones can stand in for a sponge, the soft ones for facial tissue. If you're constantly mopping up spills, choose absorbent paper towels. If you want to make your paper towels go further or the earth's trees last longer, try the variable-size and recycled varieties.