Tension Arm or Tear Bar? The Best Paper Towel Holder Countertop

On a Mexican kitchen counter the paper towel roll stands next to the stove for a reason. It lines the tray where taquitos drain, blots the oil off a batch of chiles rellenos, wipes masa off the tortilla press and catches the salsa that runs off the cutting board. A countertop holder lets you carry the roll to the mess, and a good one hands you a sheet when your other hand is holding tongs.

This guide covers freestanding holders only: eight countertop models from simplehuman, Spectrum, KitchenAid, blomus, Umbra and Lipper. Our main best paper towel holder guide covers the wall and under-cabinet options and a different set of countertop picks, so none of those listings repeat here. Specifications come from the makers’ Amazon listings, and we quote America’s Test Kitchen’s paper towel holder review where it applies.

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Quick verdict: the countertop holder to buy

If the roll near your stove is mostly for frying, our guide to the best deep fryer covers the rest of that setup.

Five countertop holders side by side

Our five standout picks, one for each kind of counter, with the tear method each maker states. All eight holders are reviewed in full below.

Product images from Amazon. Tear method, roll size and dimensions are as each maker or listing states them; check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best paper towel holder countertop

These eight freestanding holders cover the ways a countertop model can stop the roll from spinning: a tension arm, a side arm, a tear bar, a friction pad, or just a weighted base. Each pick says who it suits and gives one honest reason to skip it.

How to choose a countertop paper towel holder

Something has to stop the roll spinning

On a freestanding holder, the roll wants to spin when you pull. Makers solve that in different ways: a hinged tension arm (simplehuman), a side arm (Spectrum), a friction pad (KitchenAid), a tear bar (KitchenAid and Umbra Squire) or tension molded into the body (Umbra Buddy). America’s Test Kitchen prefers “flexible tension arms, which are angled and hinged so they can automatically adapt” to the roll. A plain post, like the Lipper, usually needs two hands.

Weight matters more on the counter than anywhere else

A countertop holder has nothing holding it down but its own base. ATK’s advice is to “look for models that are at least 1.75 pounds or more,” because lighter holders slid and tipped in its review. Most makers here say “weighted” without giving a number, so treat the lighter-sounding holders as better for a dining table or a pantry than for the fry station.

Measure the roll you actually buy

Jumbo and “mega” rolls are wider than standard ones. ATK found that holders with at least 3¼ inches of clearance between the center pole and the arm fit large rolls more easily. Spectrum says its holder takes jumbo rolls; simplehuman lists standard 11-inch rolls; several others do not say. If you buy by the case, match the holder to the roll.

A handle you can grab with a greasy hand

The advantage of a countertop holder over a mounted one is that it travels. A finger loop, looped rod or top handle lets you carry the roll to a spill or to the plate of draining flautas. ATK also marked down holders whose knobs had to come off for every roll change; most of the picks here slide the roll on and off without removing anything.

Footprint and finish

Measure the gap you have. The compact Umbra Squire is 6½ inches across; the Spectrum Euro is 7.2 inches square. For finish, brushed steel hides fingerprints, matte black suits dark appliances, the Spectrum comes in gold, and the Lipper is wood. Steel and powder-coated holders wipe clean with a damp cloth; wood should be kept dry.

How we chose these eight countertop holders

We started with America’s Test Kitchen’s review of paper towel holders, which named the simplehuman Tension Arm holder its winner. Because our main paper towel holder guide already recommends five countertop holders, we used none of those listings here except one: the simplehuman tension-arm holder in matte black, a separate listing, because the design is the best-supported countertop holder and the finish answers a common request. We then looked at countertop models from established makers (Kamenstein, Spectrum, KitchenAid, blomus, Umbra and Lipper) and read each listing for tear method, roll size, base and warranty. Every pick was in stock on Amazon when we checked, and we searched the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall database for each brand and found no recalls of paper towel holders.

We left out the Umbra Tug and Buddy in black, both showing limited or no stock, Brabantia’s and Joseph Joseph’s countertop holders for the same reason, a YAMAZAKI kitchen paper holder sized for smaller rolls with very little listing detail, and many unbranded listings. We have not used these holders ourselves, and apart from ATK we did not rely on any outside review.

Countertop paper towel holder questions, answered

What is the best countertop paper towel holder?

For most kitchens, a weighted holder with a tension arm, like the simplehuman Tension Arm, which won America’s Test Kitchen’s review. If you buy jumbo rolls, the Spectrum Euro is the alternative, since Spectrum says it fits them.

Is a countertop paper towel holder better than one under the cabinet?

A countertop holder can go wherever the mess is and needs no drilling; a mounted one keeps the counter clear. If you fry often, a countertop holder you can set beside the draining tray is the more useful of the two. Our main guide covers the mounted kind.

How heavy should a countertop paper towel holder be?

America’s Test Kitchen recommends at least 1.75 pounds. Few makers publish a weight, so look for “weighted base” in the listing and a wide footprint.

Do countertop holders fit jumbo rolls?

Some do. Spectrum says its holder takes jumbo rolls; simplehuman lists standard 11-inch rolls for its tension-arm holder; Umbra lists standard rolls for the Buddy. Where a listing is silent, we say “Not stated” in the specifications.

How do I clean a paper towel holder?

Spectrum and Umbra recommend a damp cloth; dry steel finishes afterwards so water spots do not build up. Keep wood holders dry, and for the simplehuman spray model, follow the label of whatever cleaner you put in the pump.

The countertop holder we’d keep by the fryer

Choose the simplehuman Tension Arm Paper Towel Holder in matte black for clean one-handed tears and a heavy base, or the Spectrum Euro if you buy jumbo rolls. If you would rather keep cloth towels for hands and dishes, see our guide to the best dish towels, and for the crock that usually stands beside the paper towels, the best utensil holder.

For the oil those towels soak up, our guide to the best oil dispenser helps you pour less of it. If you would rather we did the frying, see our menu or call to order.