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Best kitchen roll holders to add to your kitchen
Need a kitchen roll holder to keep a tight grip on your paper towels? Here’s our pick of the best options for kitchens of all kinds.
By Annabel Ross | Last updated Apr 17, 2024
Whether it’s a milk spillage or a window in need of a quick buff, kitchen roll can come to the rescue and it's something that many of us use on a daily basis. If your rolls tend to end up on top of the microwave or behind the bread bin, it's time to invest in a kitchen roll holder.
Whether you’re after a space-saving holder to mount on the wall, or a super stylish countertop showpiece, we’ve done the groundwork to roll out a selection of products to suit your needs and budget.
Here are the best kitchen roll holders to buy.
1. Best overall kitchen roll holder: Morphy Richards Dune Towel Pole with Weighted Base
Price: £16 | Buy now from Amazon
If you’re looking for a good all-rounder, then this practical but stylish design from Morphy Richards is a great choice as it ticks so many boxes. It’s incredibly simple to attach your roll to the holder and thanks to the weighted, non-slip sturdy base, it's really easy to rip a piece of kitchen towel off as needed, without the holder tipping over.
A handy ‘loop’ design at the top if the pole allows you to conveniently grab the holder and move it quickly, which is especially helpful when wiping down countertop surfaces with wet hands, as you can quickly pick up the holder top wipe underneath, without getting the delicate paper towel wet in the process!
It's easy to wipe clean as it's made from stainless steel and it comes in a range of colours, so you’ll be sure to find an option to match your decor.
Key specs
Size: 35 x 13.5cm
Material: Alloy steel and stainless steel
2. Best budget kitchen roll holder: IKEA Torkad Kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £2 | Buy now from IKEA
It's hard to beat Ikea when it comes to kitchen accessories and this handy holder is just £2. Its galvanised steel design gives it a modern look and it should suit most kitchen styles.
The interesting thing about this holder is that it can be placed on a kitchen counter or mounted on the wall, which is great if you're pushed for space.
It’s easy to place the roll on the holder, but if you do place it on a countertop, be careful to stabilise it with one hand, as the base is not weighted, and can easily be tipped over when ripping off a piece of sheet.
It's perfect if you're on a tight budget, or if you're looking to kit out a room for a uni student.
Key specs
Size: 28cm (H)
Material: Galvanised Steel
3. Best eco-friendly kitchen roll holder set: Practicool Bamboo Kitchen Towel Roll with bonus holder
Price: £10 | Buy now from Amazon
A bit of a ‘topsy-turvy’ offer here: buy the eco-friendly kitchen towels and bag yourself a complimentary holder at the same time! The eco-friendly towels are reusable and machine washable. Each towel can be used 85-100 times on average, so with 30 towels on the roll, you could potentially be buying a roll that will give you around 3000 uses - perfect for messy mealtimes.
Paracticool state the towels can also be used for dusting and general house cleaning, as well as more intense chores like car cleaning. The towels are said to absorb up to 10 times more than a traditional paper towel, staying strong and sturdy even when wet. And each time they're washed, they reportedly become softer and more absorbent.
It’s a big claim, but certainly worth a try if you're keen to find an eco-friendly paper towel option. You can help the planet and potentially save yourself some cash in the process.
The fact that the holder is included is a nice bonus, although you shouldn’t have high expectations about the quality of it - it's very simple in its design. However, for just over a tenner, it's a great deal worth experimenting with.
Key specs
Size: 28 x 30cm (paper towel size)
Material: Chrome (holder), bamboo (kitchen towels)
4. Best wall-mounted kitchen roll holder: Simplehuman Long Wall Mount Kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £22 | Buy now from Wayfair
"This [Simplehuman kitchen roll holder from Wayfair] looks good" - recommended by Mumsnet user, MikeUniformMike
Mounting your holder on the wall is a great way of saving space, and this one from trusted kitchen brand, Simplehuman has the option of being placed both horizontally and vertically, dependent on your wall space availability.
A tension spring provides just the right amount of resistance to allow you to tear your desired length of kitchen towel off the dispenser, and the ‘quick release knob’ makes it easy to change the roll.
The holder is suitable for kitchen rolls between 27-28cm long, and its stylish stainless steel design is not only very easy to wipe clean, but it also looks sleek and modern.
Key specs
Size: 12.5 x 33.3 x 7.6cm
Material: Stainless steel
5. Best under-cupboard kitchen roll holder: Nolyth Under Cabinet Kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £10 | Buy now from Amazon
If you're really tight on space, then think about a kitchen roll holder that’ll stay tucked away under an overhead shelf, or even inside a kitchen cabinet. This option from Nolyth is self-adhesive, so just simply decide where you want the holder to go and stick it on!
Self-adhesive products can damage delicate surfaces like painted or varnished wood so it's worth having a think about placement before you commit to adding it to your kitchen, and it’s also worth bearing in mind that you'll need two hands to rip each paper towel off.
However, it's a really clever invention and made from stainless steel, so it won’t rust. And it's very reasonably priced too at under £10.
Key specs
Size: 33 x 8 x 6cm
Material: Stainless steel
6. Best wooden kitchen roll holder: John Lewis & Partners Modern Country Beech Paper Towel Holder
Price: £18 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners
If you’re looking for a traditional holder, then this beech wood option from John Lewis & Partners is really beautiful. It's classic and simple in its design, but sturdy and fantastic quality.
At £18 it's a mid-range buy, but it’s a holder that’s very much built to last, and you’ll be sure to be using it for years to come.
It’s also very straightforward to replace the roll, as it’s simple design means you can simply pull off the finished roll and pop a new one onto the poll without needing to remove any handles or safety clasps.
A really lovely choice for a traditional kitchen.
Key specs
Size: 29 x 15cm
Material: Beech wood
7. Best stainless steel kitchen roll holder: Simplehuman Kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £23 | Buy now from Lakeland
If you never seem to be able to rip just one sheet of kitchen roll at a time, it's worth considering this holder from Simplehuman. A pressure clamp on the side of the holder not only helps to keep the roll stable and neat, but the pressure it places on the roll is strong enough that when you pull and tug with a bit of force, the paper towels separate from each other with ease.
Now you can deal with a saucepan on the hob with one hand, and can happily reach for some kitchen towels with the other, grabbing exactly the amount you want! The holder itself is also weighted with a non-slip base, so it’s very stable. Although it is free-standing, so you’ll need some kitchen countertop space to put it out on display.
Key specs
Size: 30cm (H)
Material: Stainless steel
8. Best novelty kitchen roll holder: Alessi Bunny and Carrot Kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £46 | Buy now from Amazon
If you’ve got a great sense of humour and like to be a little playful with your kitchen accessories, then this is definitely the kitchen roll holder for you!
Made by Alessi, a brand well-known for stylish and quirky products, this fun holder features a carrot and a bunny. Pop the kitchen roll down over the carrot-shaped pole and use the bunny character as a ‘grip’ to help apply some pressure as you rip off the desired amount of kitchen towels you’re after.
This option is very much at the luxury and of the market, priced at a pretty hefty £46, so it’s not an option for everyone. But it’s pretty durable, made from strong thermoplastic resin, and the funky design would very much complement cool kitchens. It would certainly make a fun wedding gift or moving in present.
Key specs
Size: 34cm x 16 x 20cm
Material: Thermoplastic resin
9. Best kitchen roll combi-holder: Leifheit Parat Kitchen Roll Dispenser
Price: £18 | Buy now from Amazon
This combi-holder from Leifheit Parat is very practical. Not only is there room for a kitchen roll, but above this, there are two other dispensers for cling film and tin foil. These extra dispensers feature easy-to-use sliding cutters that swiftly slice through the material of your choice after you first select the length you desire.
The kitchen roll dispenser is very easy to replace using a plastic pole that sits inside grooves on each end. All you need to do is pull the pole out, slip on the new roll and push the pole back into place within the grooves. The whole process takes seconds.
It’s a wall-mounted design, so you’ll need ample space to hang it, and it’s fairly large in size, so for small kitchens this might be a bit of an eye-sore, but it’s made from plastic so it's pretty lightweight. If you a have a deep kitchen cabinet you could also attach this holder to the inside of a door.
If you have the space, this is a nifty accessory to create an organised kitchen.
Key specs
Size: 27 x 42 x 10cm
Material: Plastic
10. Best designer kitchen roll holder: Joseph Joseph Push & Tear kitchen Roll Holder
Price: £16 | Buy now from Amazon
Joseph Joseph has a great reputation for stylish and reliable products and this kitchen roll holder definitely lives up to the name. The spring top cap can be pushed downwards to ‘lock’ the holder in place, allowing you to rip your desired length of kitchen towels quickly and efficiently. If you have messy hands, the cap is wide enough to be operated using your wrist or forearm, making it a really hygienic gadget.
The top cap twists off super easily, so replacing the roll is simple, despite having the added step of having to remove it before swapping the finished roll. The base of the holder has an anti-slip covering, and the rounded base even has a raised edge to keep the outside edges of the kitchen roll neatly contained.
At £16, the price is mid-range, but we feel it’s good value considering the quality and reputation of the brand and the fact that you get a clever design feature to help make life easier in the kitchen.
Key specs
Size: 28cm (H), 16cm (D)
Material: Plastic and stainless steel
Where’s the best place to put kitchen roll in the kitchen?
The answer to this question depends on how big your kitchen is and how you tend to use the space. If you don't have a lot of room, consider a wall-mounted kitchen roll holder to save on countertop space.
You could also hide your kitchen roll holder inside a cupboard or even hang one under a kitchen cabinet. You actually have more options that you think.
However, if you’re looking for a pretty design that’ll make a lovely statement to complement your kitchen decor, then the most stylish designs are found in the shape of a countertop holder. As long as you have the space to have it on display, then there’s a whole world of kitchen roll holders waiting out there for you to discover.
What’s the best material for a kitchen roll holder?
Again this is a personal choice, but for practicality combined with style, a stainless steel option would certainly be a good choice. Stainless steel is great for kitchen gadgets because it doesn’t rust, it’s strong and it’s very easy to wipe clean.
Wood is another popular option, particularly as a natural material. But bear in mind that wood is usually less durable than metal and, being porous by nature, it’s harder to keep really clean, so it’s slightly less hygienic.
Plastic is a practical and cheap option, but if you’re eco-minded then think carefully about purchasing another product that’ll add to the planet’s endless amounts of plastic waste.
What else can you use a kitchen roll holder for?
Depending on the style of kitchen roll holder you choose, many can often have dual-purpose around the house. For example, a traditional round or square-based holder with a vertical pole can equally be used as a smart and practical toilet roll holder in the bathroom to store those excess rolls waiting to be used.
Otherwise, an unused wall-mounted holder could support a hand or dish towel, while a kitchen roll holder attached inside a cabinet, such as under the sink, could be used to hang damp washing up gloves which can be really unsightly in a small kitchen.
In honesty it’s really up to you - see how creative you can be.
What’s the best kitchen roll holder to buy in the UK?
We love the Morphy Richards Dune Towel Kitchen Roll Holder as it ticks so many boxes. It's incredibly simple to attach your roll to the holder and it's sturdy so it's really easy to rip a piece of kitchen towel off as needed, without the holder tipping over. And the handy ‘loop’ design at the top of the pole allows you to conveniently grab the holder and move it quickly around the kitchen.
How we chose our recommendations
We did some research across the wider web, looking at which kitchen roll holders had won accolades or been featured in ‘best buy’ lists across websites and print media, and what customer reviews said about them. We combed the Mumsnet talk forums for recommendations and reviews from real parents, too.
We also consulted independent review sites, as well as scouring the internet for honest reviews from the public, to ensure we were bringing you an authentic summary of the best kitchen roll holders.
Why you should trust us
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We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.
Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.
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