Choice reveals Australia’s best (and worst) toilet paper products

When it comes to toilet paper, every Aussie knows you get what you pay for — there’s bog-standard or the ultra-soft stuff that’s fit for only the finest of derrieres.

We all quietly have our personal preferences. Triple ply, scented, extra long, eco-friendly, recycled, bamboo — a trip down the bog roll aisle these days has now turned into a box-ticking exercise!

And even if we did think it was simply flushing money down the toilet, we’d all treat ourselves to only the best if we could afford it, right?

But which brand comes out tops for our bottoms?

The good people at Choice have had a crack and done the dirty work for us, and — after four “tests”, including giving each a “puncture” rating — the results are in.

After putting more than 40 of the biggest products through their paces, the consumer campaign and product review group has revealed the best toilet paper on supermarket shelves is — surprise, surprise — also the most expensive.

If you really want to treat yourself, Choice says Quilton’s 4 Ply Softness Gold is for you, with a so-called “expert rating” of 78 per cent. But it’ll set you back 69¢ per 100 sheets.

A close second was also a Quilton product — Shea Butter in Gold 4 Ply. It received a rating of 77 per cent, and also costs 69¢ per 100 sheets.

Woolworths’ Vevelle Luxury Soft Double Length was equal second with the same rating. But at just 29¢ per 100 sheets, it’s a far cheaper option.

They all wiped the floor with what Choice believes are the two worst products it tested — both from personal care products behemoth Kleenex.

Its Complete Clean Double Length (52¢ per 100 sheets) and Complete Clean (56¢ per 100 sheets) varieties both scored an expert rating of just 53 per cent.

“Toilet paper comes in so many varieties these days it can be overwhelming to know which one is best,” said Choice senior project officer Chris Barnes.

“At Choice, we test toilet paper across four key areas to determine which products offer the best quality. We test for softness, disintegration time, how easily it tears and resistance to puncturing.”

If you’re looking for a budget buy that also performed well in testing, Mr Barnes recommends either Coles So Soft & Strong 3 Ply Embossed White Double Length or Vevelle White Toilet Tissue 1 Ply, both scoring 78 per cent.

“As we always say at Choice, price doesn’t always equal performance – and these supermarket brand products will be gentle on both your wallet and your bum,” he said.