Kitchen Design

You Have 36,000 Thoughts About Kitchen Towels (& We Do, Too)

A look at what's next for Five Two.

November 14, 2018

We started Five Two with a dream of a cutting board, a cutting board perfect for slicing and dicing and carving and even serving crudités. And 10,000 of you helped design it. But that was just the beginning.

Because tomorrow, we launch the second product in our Five Two family: our essential kitchen towels. And just as with our super smart cutting board, we created them with your feedback.

We debated and discussed the design details for hours. Just-right dimensions were key. But what about a loop for hanging—and where should it go? Which fabric would be best for shining glasses versus wiping up spills? So we gave you a quiz to learn exactly what you were looking for.

Once again, you shared your thoughts, and nearly 36,000 (!) votes later, you helped us choose what we think is the best, most essential kitchen towel. Whether it was a thin, light weave or a thick, doubles-as-an-oven-mitt knit, whether we’d print a pattern or keep our towels simple and fresh, your feedback was invaluable. Not to mention the absolute gold mine of comments:

I want mine to LAST. No holes or pulls after washing!
Jackie, who's in it for the long haul
There are two kinds of kitchen towels: decorative and useful. Flour sack towels are my baseline—my gold standard against which I judge other towels. If you have hand-washed a Dartington Regency crystal goblet, what are you going to use to dry it? I use a flour sack towel. If you are proofing bread what do you cover it with? A flour sack towel.
Jim, #1 Flour Sack Towel Fan
Can you make a towel that washes itself and returns itself to the kitchen? LOL
Donna, a clean comedian
I appreciate a good sturdy fabric, and have some that are still holding up from my grandmother’s collection!
Jennifer, all for hardworking heirlooms
Oh please please please make an absorbent kitchen towel. I've tried SO SO many and they always just shove the water (or whatever) around and don't soak it up so I resort to paper towels, which I hate. I love you now but would love you FOREVER if you could make something that works.
Laura, who is about to be *very* happy

Well, the wait is almost over. Tomorrow, our dynamic duo of kitchen towels will land in our Shop—and your own kitchens soon after! Curious to learn more? Sign up for early access right this way.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:
“A mortar & pestle that: doesn't weigh a ton, is not made in China or Vietnam, compatible with people who have sort of small hands and limited counter space. It would also be nice if it didn't look like a rock.”
— Miss_Karen
Comment

What other products would you be excited to see as part of Five Two? Let us know in the comments below.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

Katie is a food writer and editor who loves cheesy puns and cheesy cheese.

1 Comment

Miss_Karen November 16, 2018
A mortar & pestle that: doesn't weigh a ton, is not made in China or Vietnam, compatible with people who have sort of small hands and limited counter space. It would also be nice if it didn't look like a rock.