Kirkland paper towels cost anywhere from a third to nearly two-thirds less than Bounty, depending on who runs the numbers, but the performance gap between Kirkland and Bounty is narrower than the price gap. Bounty still wins on raw strength. I reviewed America's Test Kitchen's 10-brand test, the five-brand showdown on One Good Thing by Jillee, and the sustainability data behind both brands because most Kirkland vs Bounty posts repeat the same claims without sources. If you want to know who builds Costco's private label products in the first place, our guide on who makes Costco toilet paper covers the Kirkland side of the supply chain. Here is what held up.
Strength and Absorbency: Bounty Wins, With a Catch
Bounty is the stronger towel. In America's Test Kitchen's testing, one wet Bounty Select-A-Size sheet held up to 4 pounds before tearing and soaked up nearly half a cup of water within seconds. Kirkland Signature Premium absorbed a little over a quarter cup, which testers still said was better than expected, and one sheet cleaned several surfaces without leaving lint. Bounty was a co-winner. Kirkland took the Best Buy.
| Kirkland Signature Premium | Bounty Select-A-Size | |
| Sheets per roll | 160 | 135 |
| Full sheet (inches) | 11.06 x 14.06 | 11 x 12 |
| Water absorbed (ATK) | Just over 1/4 cup | Nearly 1/2 cup |
| Wet strength (ATK) | Not reported | Up to 4 lb per sheet |
| Cost per sq ft (Jillee) | 2.34 cents | 6.5 cents |
Strength is not the only feature that matters. Jill Nystul of One Good Thing by Jillee found Bounty the most durable of her five contenders and still ranked it last, because the sheets felt like thin cardboard and cleaned no better than softer rolls. She called Kirkland thin but cheap enough to forgive. If you mostly wipe counters and dry hands, you are paying for toughness you will not use. If you scrub baked-on grease or soak up a spilled pitcher, Bounty earns its price.
One Downside of the Kirkland Paper Towel: Some ATK testers found the rolls too bulky for a standard holder.
Cost Per Sheet: Where Kirkland Pulls Ahead
Jillee priced Kirkland at 2.34 cents per square foot versus 6.5 cents for Bounty, making Bounty nearly three times as expensive as Kirkland. ATK's gap was smaller, with Kirkland costing about two-thirds of what the winners did. The two numbers disagree because they were taken at different prices, pack sizes, and sale dates, so do your own math at the shelf before trusting either one. Costco lists the 12-roll pack at 1,026 total square feet, and Kirkland's half sheet is 7 inches tall, so one tear covers most spills.
The tradeoff is real, though. You need a Costco membership, and you are storing 12 rolls. You can buy Bounty in 2-roll packs at any grocery store. If you also wonder whether a thinner towel makes you use more sheets, ATK saw that happen with truly cheap brands, but not with Kirkland, which it described as notably strong for the price.
The Environment Angle and My Pick
Sustainability will not break the tie. The Natural Resources Defense Council's Issue with Tissue report graded both Kirkland and Bounty paper towels an F, since both are 100 percent virgin fiber. That report is from 2019, so formulas and sourcing may have shifted since. Recycled brands like Seventh Generation scored far higher, though ATK called its recycled towels weak and prone to tearing.
My pick for most households is Kirkland. ATK still recommended it; the lint-free cleaning held up, and the savings add up over a year of roll after roll. I would keep one roll of Bounty under the sink for grease, grill grates, and anything you plan to scrub. Buy Bounty as your everyday towel only if you dislike Costco runs, want a sturdier sheet, and don't mind the stiffness.
