American Soft Linen Luxury 6 Piece Towel

Possibly like others, I'm the sort of person who, when looking for something on Amazon, I'll buy the item which has the most reviews, thinking you can't go wrong with something that's clearly pleased thousands of others above a plethora of other options. And, thus, I hardly ever check said reviews. Seeing that the product(s) have more reviews than any other listed item is enough to sell me on it. It's sometimes only after I've placed my order & it's possibly even shipped that I bother to check what people are saying about the item, just out of curiosity. Which is what I did with the towels & washcloths I ordered here. And I panicked when I saw all the negative reviews about the extreme amounts of lint these items produce in washers, dryers, & upon other items, as well as the people using them. It was discerning to read that people were even having to empty their lint traps multiple times during a cycle due to it. Or, that they were having to clean out their washers, because it was stuck everywhere inside. But I couldn't cancel my order because they were already on their way to me by this point. So I said I'd give them a shot. Wash them, dry them, & try them. If I was unhappy, I'd simply return them & start looking elsewhere. I'm glad I didn't just immediately return them as soon as the box arrived. I might be one of few, but these towels & washcloths have caused me 0 issues. I don't know that it matters, but for reference, we have a Maytag 3000 Series matching set of washer & dryer. In terms of water: we have well water without a water softener, but we of course have a filter. So, the water could make a difference. Ours doesn't have a bunch of chemicals like fluoride & chlorine, unlike city water. When I washed them (on their own, I might add, since I was already paranoid about a mess—didn't want to be picking lint off clothing later if I could avoid it; I have enough on my plate), I put in only Tide Original liquid detergent. No fabric softener, no scent beads. Nothing fancy. Once the cycle was done, there was thankfully no lint in the washer. So, I then put everything into the dryer, forgoing including a dryer sheet. (You might wonder why I used only the detergent when washing. I read reviews on here, & in an article that when you get new towels & do your first wash or two, to not use fabric softener or dryer sheets, as it can make the issue of lint worse.) I checked the lint trap three times during the drying cycle, as I was afraid that it'd get full multiple times as the dryer ran. Instead, it was full about three-fourths of the way through, so I emptied it. When I went to retrieve the laundry about 15 minutes later once it was done, the trap was still empty. I did include a picture of how much lint my dryer collected during the cycle, with the base of a wire hanger underneath for reference. In terms of how thick the lint was, I'd say it's about how much our dryer accumulates after perhaps 2 cycles. So not bad at all. And you have to remember that these items are brand new. Something is going to come off. Then came the big test: time to shake out a towel & a washcloth, & see how much of a mess they make. So I opened our back door & stepped out, as I didn't want it all over the laundry room, & I shook a towel first, then a washcloth, as hard as I could. And I was shocked! Only a couple tiny strings came off the towel. That's it. No lint from either. No strings even from the washcloth. So I'm pleased in there being 0 mess. I did, a couple days later, have enough laundry to do another load. So, I put another towel & washcloth in, & used fabric softener this time, as well as a dryer sheet in the dryer. Once again, no problems. No lint. Onto size: I've also seen reviews of people complaining that either in the packaging or after washing & drying, the towels are/become flat. I didn't experience that. I've included pictures of the towels & washcloths both measured & compared to ones we've been using. For the washcloth: the grey one lying next to the white one I bought is one of my favorite washcloths that we have. I actually thought it was large, compared to many of our other ones! Imagine my surprise. Finally, I came to the most important test: how do they hold up when being used for their actual purposes? The washcloth was just fine in the shower. It cleaned me like it was supposed to & suds-upped easily, without any lint getting all over. The towel dried me just as well as our old ones, & no lint ended up all over the floor or shower. All in all, I have no reason to be upset with my purchases. I know they're pricey, but I feel they were worth it. I was actually thinking of—so long as I liked the towels—ordering another set or two. Due to how large they are, however, I don't think they'd even fit where I'd need them to (this is not a complaint)! Same for the washcloths. I ordered 5 packs, which would give me 20, but I then looked & found another color or two that I'd like to have, but due to how fluffy they are, I don't know that they'd all fit in the bin I intend to get from Target to place them all in. I won't say that if you're skeptical to just buy them & that you won't be regretful. You could end up like the others that have dealt with the horrible lint problem. But, remember if you take a chance on them, that Amazon has a good return policy (imo). So you can always send them back & get a refund. I'm just glad I won't have to go through that hassle & that they've worked out how I hoped they would! When I need new towels/washcloths in the future, so long as this listing is still up, it's the first place I'll look to buy from.