Supplies are hard to come by during coronavirus (covid-19) quarantine. Some of the hardest things to purchase, either online or in person, has been paper goods. Given all the hand washing we’re doing, paper towels have been a particularly important purchase for us.
Paper towels are normally quite easy to buy at a grocery store or your local Target (that’s our preference). You can also normally get them from Amazon.com, Boxed, and other places, but they are hard to come by right now. So what’s the solution?
Amazon.com
If you search for “paper towels” on Amazon you will likely come up with nothing, but if you start to dig you can still find things. One smart thing to do is to find workplace or business-focused paper products, like extra large rolls or multi-fold paper towels, both of which have been much easier to find than normal household rolls.
I’ve been able to purchase boxes of Genuine Joe Multifold paper towels for a very reasonable price and seen them in stock on multiple occasions. They are a lie-flat design (like you’d get from a dispenser in a bathroom) so you’ll need to put them in a stack or basket in your kitchen, but they are quite effective.
Other multifold and bulk paper towels have been available as well, and they don’t tend to sell out like consumer paper towels. With so many offices, hotels, and businesses closed, it makes sense the products like these are in lower-than-normal demand right now. You’ll generally have to spend more upfront, but you’ll be set on paper towels for some time.
If you take this option really seriously you can even buy a dispenser for your home or bathroom.
Home Depot
You might associate Home Depot more with plywood and screwdrivers than paper towels, but they actually have them in stock. You won’t be getting your normal Bounty, Target, or Kirkland paper towels, but you will find high quality paper products made for offices and small business. Like with Amazon’s bulk offerings, the upfront price might be a little high, but the low price per paper towel usually means you’ll be saving money.
Home Depot will ship to your or will offer in-store pickup.
NewEgg.com
NewEgg is famous for being a computer hardware store, but they also sell office cleaning products and paper towels online. NewEgg’s paper towel supply is limited, but they will suffice right now, plus it’s a solid company with a long track record in online retail so you don’t have to worry about getting scammed in your time of need.
Staples and Office Depot
These office superstores might not seem like an obvious place for home paper goods, but many small business rely on them for stocking up pantries and bathrooms. Given they these stores remain open while most business locations are home, the stores and online portals can have pretty stock inventories of paper towels and other goods you might need.
Office Depot has Highmark paper towels as well as a few others and Staples has a good selection available now as well.
WB Mason
Home Depot and Lowes
Depending on your area, Home Depot and Lowes superstores might have paper towel inventory as well. Home Depot has an excellent selection online, as does Lowes, but availability is spotty as these are more obvious stores than some of the rest.
Other Paper Towel Options
Some other places where you might be able to find paper towels are:
- A local bodega or convenience store (this has been an top option for me)
- WB Mason – this online office supply store is expensive but it’s an option
Any tips? Send in an email and let us know!