The Unexpected Home Buy I Always Get at Costco

I’ve always been a fan of Costco. As a kid, I used to love the 12-packs of muffins from their bakery section, and I was always down for a trip there because that meant I’d get ice cream—well, Kirkland-Signature Non-Fat Swirl Frozen Yogurt, but I digress. My favorite FILA sweatshirt and Adidas track pants were from Costco, and had I held onto these pieces, I’d probably be rocking them again right now.

These days, I don’t live nearly as close to Costco as before, but that doesn’t stop me from shopping there when I can, or hitting them up online. And let me tell you, when my bath and hand towels start looking a little ratty or discolored, I know where to go: Costco. I know what you’re thinking—why not just go to Target or Walmart? Well, I’ve found Costco’s prices to be basically on par with those big boxes, but their quality is much closer to department store-level.

Take this Charisma set I just snagged, for example. I’ve actually visited the Charisma showroom in New York City—talk about work perks! Kidding. Point is, I know the brand and their products fairly well. You may or may not remember them for their shirtless Scott Foley and puppies ads a few years back, which were kind of ridiculous but memorable.

You wouldn’t know this from said ads, but Charisma towels are super soft and wash well. And they just happen to be sold at places like Neiman Marcus. There’s something a little extra to their design in a good way. These all-cotton towels in particular, dubbed “Bumpy” by Costco, are dual-sided, with soft woven ridges on the front and terry on the reverse. I think they should be rebranded as a “Ribbed Channel Design,” Yes, I stole that phrase from CB2, which also carries towels that look just like these—for about three times the price.

One can only get so stylish with bath towels. Yes, you can go the Turkish fouta route, if you dig that weight and feel. Or waffled cotton. But if you want more of a “luxe fluffy robe at the spa” kind of a vibe, then you’re going to love the weight and feel of these Charismas. If you choose to hang them on a towel bar or hook, or even stack them on a shelf, there’s actually a bit of visual interest and texture to them. And they dry the body faster than any other $8 towel I’ve ever had.

No one has really disrupted the towel industry as of yet, so I’ll happily keep ordering from Costco until then. These Charisma guys come in blue, blush, and gray, and here’s to hoping that the white gets restocked—because it’s available in the hand towel and washcloth set and looks lovely. I love all-white linens in a bathroom. Makes you feel like you’re at a hotel, and in my book, that’s never a bad thing. If you have a Costco near you, keep an eye out for these. They might be even cheaper in store, according to the website. And as a bonus, they’d also make a great housewarming gift.