A new trend has swept over the process of drying off babies after their baths; really, the trend has swept right over the babies themselves.
More and more people are using hooded baby towels to dry off their babies, and even their toddlers.
Hooded towels are popular because they provide more comfort for babies, who enjoy the feeling of being wrapped up inside a soft towel as they dry off. The towels also look cute draped over a baby and have undoubtedly already been featured in countless baby pictures (see below).
Perhaps the most important function, though, of a hooded baby towel is that it can help dry a baby off more quickly and keep them warm by covering more of their body.
Drying off quickly, especially around their hair, makes a baby more comfortable—just one of the many benefits of hooded towels.
Before you buy
So, what should parents look for when shopping for the best hooded baby towels?
- Material: The material of a hooded baby towel can contribute to a baby's comfort in a number of ways. The material used in manufacturing the towel largely determines how soft it will be. The average hooded towel will be made of 100% cotton, just like the average regular towel. Some hooded towels, though, will incorporate some synthetic material as well. Others will be made of materials like bamboo (or organic bamboo), which are considered by many to be of a higher quality than cotton. Bamboo is also naturally hypoallergenic and may thus be good for babies with skin that is sensitive to rashes.
- Absorbency: The absorbency of the towel also has multiple effects. Primarily, absorbency determines how quickly your baby dries off (of course, this also has a lot to do with your drying technique!). Not only is a dry baby a comfortable baby, but they may be a healthier baby, too. Absorbency is sometimes measured by something called a GSM rating (the higher the rating, the more absorbent).
- Size: The sizes of the hooded towels listed below range from 26x30 inches to 36x30 inches. Size will be a factor depending on how long you want the towel to last as your baby grows, and if you intend to use the hooded towel as a primary or supplemental towel.
- Design: Some babies and little kids (and parents) love animals or have stumbled onto an animal theme with their baby products. If animal designs are popular in your family, there will definitely be some hooded towels that fit in perfectly with your collection.
- Warranty/Satisfaction Guarantee: Some hooded towels offer different kinds of money-back guarantees, which is helpful for parents buying them for the first time.
Quick comparison: Best hooded baby towels
Hooded | Features we love | Rating | Buy it now |
|---|---|---|---|
Mother Panda Ultra Soft | - Fabric is luxurious and ultra-soft | ||
Natemia Extra Soft Baby Bamboo Hooded Towel | - Made from organic bamboo | ||
Luvable Friends Animal Face Hooded Baby Towel | - 100% terry cotton | ||
Spasilk 3 Pack Soft Terry Hooded Towel Set | - 3 pack with appliques | ||
Little Tinkers World Elephant Hooded | - Durable and very absorbent |
Keep reading for the full details on the very best towels.
Mother Panda Ultra Soft Bamboo Hooded Baby Bath Towel
This hooded baby towel is designed to make a baby as comfortable as possible. The towel incorporates a special ultra-soft, bamboo material into two layers of thickness. Absorbency is also a focus of this hooded towel, and it carries a 680 GSM rating—a measure of a material’s absorbency often used by hotels in evaluating towels.
Mother Panda also took measures to make it as convenient a purchase as possible, including a gift box with each towel for easy gifting at baby showers and a full refund within 90 days.
The relatively large size of the towel means it can keep babies comfortable and dry until well after their baby careers are over.
Pros
- Double-layered thickness
- 30 x 35 inches
- Super absorbent
- Gift box included
- Full refund within 90 days
- Panda design
Cons
- Panda head (hood) may be difficult to dry
How is this towel different from the others?
Parents using this towel are amazed at just how comfortable it is. Comfort might seem like a simple feature, but it is really the main purpose of a quality hooded baby towel—especially for the baby!
This towel is unanimously described as much more comfortable than a traditional terry cloth towel. The soft fabric and double-layered thickness combine to produce impressive comfort, with the absorbency undoubtedly contributing to the baby’s comfort as well.
The panda head on the hood and gift box may be nice and cute for parents, but from a baby’s perspective, the best hooded baby towels are the softest hooded baby towels.
Natemia Extra Soft Baby Bamboo Hooded Towel
This hooded towel is manufactured with the quality material necessary to keep babies comfortable, dry and healthy.
The soft towel is made with organic bamboo, a material that is consistently incorporated into quality baby towels for the comfort and softness it provides. In addition to the soft, plush feeling associated with bamboo, the material also brings a baby some potential health benefits. Bamboo is hypoallergenic. Not only is the material easy to wash, but it's also naturally resistant to both bacteria and odors.
The absorbency level of this hooded towel, three times more absorbent than a regular cotton towel, helps make sure the baby under the hood stays nice and warm.
Pros
- Made from organic bamboo
- Hypoallergenic
- Bacteria and odor resistant
- 3x more absorbent than cotton
- 30 x 30 inches
- Machine washable
Cons
- Thinner than expected
How is this towel different from the others?
The quality of the material used in this towel makes it one of the best hooded towels for babies. The use of organic bamboo material, with its naturally hypoallergenic, bacteria-resistant and odor-resistant properties, makes this a great option for any parent looking to take no chances with the quality of their baby’s towel.
Parents of babies with allergies, skin conditions or simply sensitive skin will particularly take notice of the fabric’s quality.
Luvable Friends Animal Face Hooded Baby Towel
This 100% terry cotton hooded baby towel definitely makes the best hooded baby towels list for any baby (or parent, of course) who loves animals.
This towel comes in four different colorful animal designs: a green frog, a brown monkey, a yellow duck and a pink bunny.
A relatively large 30 x 36 inches and machine washability mean that in addition to looking cute, the towel has the potential to last a long time.
Pros
- Four styles available
- Colorful animal design
- Affordable
- 30 x 36 inches
- 100% terry cotton
- Machine washable
Cons
- Plastic staples in packaging
How is this towel different from the others?
Perhaps what sticks out the most about this towel is its affordability. If you combine the great price point of this towel with its unique animal designs that parents tend to fall in love with, you can’t help but consider this hooded towel to be a great value.
Spasilk 3 Pack Soft Terry Hooded Towel Set
For parents with more than one baby or parents who simply can’t wash their baby’s favorite hooded towel as fast as the baby can take a bath, these 80% cotton hooded towels come in packs of three.
They are 26 x30 inches, which means they run a little bit smaller than the average hooded baby towel.
While the small size means your baby probably won’t be able to keep the towel until he is a toddler (if he/she wants to stay dry!), they are the perfect size for a newborn.
Pros
- Comes in packs of 3 towels
- 80% cotton/20% poly material
- Bright, colorful design
- Machine washable
- 26 x 30 inches
Cons
- Relatively small
How is this towel different from the others?
Three towels in one affordable pack make this product a great value and versatile option for many scenarios. For example, parents with multiple little ones or those giving gifts at baby showers may find this three pack of towels to be a convenient option. Though the 80% cotton material may not be quite as soft as the material of some other hooded baby towels, most parents have found that the absorbency and softness of these towels still gets the job done. Overall, parents and others needing to buy baby supplies in bulk may find these to be the best hooded baby towels for their situation.
Little Tinkers World Elephant Hooded Baby Towel
As if babies needed to be any cuter, they can now be dried off and covered with an elephant-shaped hooded towel. This towel is almost a complete elephant costume—ears, eyes and even a stuffed trunk are all included on the hood of this gray towel.
In addition to the creative design, this 100% natural cotton, product is thick and absorbent enough to quickly dry babies off.
For added peace of mind, the product comes with a 60-day full refund guarantee.
Pros
- Non-twist 100% cotton
- 30 x 30 inches
- 60-day full refund guarantee
- Machine washable
- Creative elephant design
Cons
- Small plastic parts within fabric
How is this towel different from the others?
For many shopping parents, it's their first time looking up hooded towels for kids; as a result, most product complaints from parents are simply the result of never experiencing a hooded towel before and thus being unsure about what their baby needed. For this reason, the 60-day full refund guarantee that comes with this product—the longest such period on this list— is a significant advantage. The elephant design is also a plus, and your baby will love having a stuffed animal and towel all rolled into one.
For the perfect bath time with your baby, you need several ingredients: the right thermometer, the right bath wash, and the right hooded towel.
Overall, the best hooded baby towels are the ones that best fit your particular situation. If your baby has sensitive skin, you may want to focus your search on towels that people find to have an especially soft, comfortable and luxurious feel. Often, parents report wishing their towels were as luxurious as their baby’s high quality hooded towel.
If your baby has a particularly sensitive immune system, you want to focus in on hooded towels that have a proven track-record of absorbency. Many find that the GSM rating (the higher the rating, the more absorbent the material) is a good indicator of this. After all, the ability to dry off more quickly is one of the major benefits of hooded towels, and what drives many parents to buy them in the first place.
Many parents have found that babies just appreciate the whole hooded towel concept. The towel over the head seems to make them feel more comfortable. Knowing this, don’t hesitate to focus on finding a hooded towel at a great value or with a great design—especially as a gift for a baby shower.
Many options come with a money-back guarantee and most customers are very satisfied covering up their babies after a bath with any kind of hooded towel.
Featured image: David D.
