How to Choose the Right Toilet Roll and Dispenser

Choosing a toilet roll is really three decisions, made in this order: how busy the washroom is, which dispenser system suits that traffic, and then the paper itself, including its ply and material. Get the first two right and the third is mostly a matter of taste and budget.

1. Start with how busy the washroom is

Footfall decides how much paper the dispenser needs to hold, and how much it matters that it never runs out.

•         Low footfall: a small office or a washroom with few users. Conventional (domestic) rolls in a standard holder are fine.

•         Medium footfall: a busier office, shop or café. A mini jumbo or system dispenser holds more paper and means fewer refills.

•         High footfall: schools, retail, venues and large workplaces. You need a system that holds a large amount of paper and keeps supplying it while staff refill, so the washroom is never left without.

To estimate your needs, count the daily users, multiply by the paper each person typically uses, and add a 30 to 50% buffer. This is the method set out in the FAQ on our toilet roll page.

2. Domestic (conventional) rolls

Domestic rolls are the familiar household-style roll. They usually look the most prestigious, with soft 2 or 3 ply paper and a simple holder, which is why they are popular where appearance matters. The trade-off is how little paper is on each roll. For example, our Tiboo pure bamboo 3 ply roll has 240 sheets, around 30 metres, and the Cheeky Panda bamboo roll has 200 sheets.

That is a small amount, so the roll empties quickly and needs replacing often. Our own buying advice is that conventional rolls suit low-traffic sites.

Choose domestic rolls when:

•         footfall is low and the washroom is checked regularly;

•         appearance and softness matter more than capacity;

•         you only have a few cubicles to stock.

Browse conventional toilet rolls and the matching household toilet roll dispensers.

3. Jumbo and mini jumbo rolls

Jumbo and mini jumbo rolls hold far more paper than a domestic roll. A mini jumbo is typically 150 to 200 metres, a standard jumbo 300 metres and a maxi jumbo 400 metres. That means fewer refills, less staff time and less chance of the washroom running out, which is why they suit busy washrooms. The chart below shows how much paper each format holds.

The changeover problem

The catch with a single jumbo or mini jumbo dispenser is that it holds only one roll. That leaves you with a decision every time the roll gets low:

•         Change it early: nobody runs out, but you throw away or stockpile part-used rolls, which is wasted paper and money.

•         Change it late: you use every sheet, but a busy washroom can run out before anyone notices.

Either way you pay for it, in wasted paper or in complaints. Some dispensers soften the problem, but do not remove it:

•         Stub roll holders, such as the Mercury mini jumbo dispenser, are listed as reducing waste.

•         Twin dispensers, such as the Dolphin double mini jumbo or the Synergise Microcube twin, hold two rolls at once.

For high footfall, the better answer is a system built to avoid the choice altogether, which is covered next.

Browse jumbo toilet rolls, jumbo dispensers and mini jumbo dispensers.

4. Multi-roll systems: the best option for high footfall

The best answer to the changeover problem is a dispenser that holds more than one roll and moves on to the next one itself. Staff refill when it suits them, the last sheets of each roll get used, and the washroom does not run out.

System	How it works	Dispenser (ex VAT)	Paper
Northshore Orbit	Four-roll carousel that uses each roll fully before switching automatically to the next. Holds 2,500 sheets when full.	£24.99	North Shore system rolls, 625 sheets each
Northshore Side by Side	An "infinity paper system" designed so the washroom does not run out. A two-roll dispenser holding up to 2,500 sheets in total, with a window to check stock.	£21.99	North Shore system rolls
Katrin Inclusive	Holds two Katrin System rolls, and you can refill while the second roll is in use.	£18.50	Katrin System rolls, 92 m each
Tork SmartOne Mini Twin	Holds two rolls and dispenses one sheet at a time.	£34.95	Tork Mini SmartOne, 111.6 m each
Synergise Microcube Twin	Holds two micro mini jumbo rolls.	£69.58	Lucart Mini Micro, 100 m each

The Orbit (four rolls) and Side by Side (two rolls) are designed for high-footfall washrooms, and both are lockable.

Match the paper to the dispenser

System rolls only fit their own dispensers. For example, the North Shore JS616NS roll is made only for North Shore or Baywest dispensers, and Katrin System, Mini Micro and similar rolls need compatible dispensers. Always order the paper and the dispenser as a pair, and check the product page for what fits.

See all system toilet rolls and system toilet roll dispensers.

5. Cutting usage: single sheet, bulk pack and centrefeed

Paper is a running cost, and in an open roll dispenser people tend to pull off more than they need. Some systems deliver one sheet at a time, which controls usage and also keeps the remaining paper enclosed and cleaner. Our dispensing systems page notes they regulate usage so only the required amount is dispensed, and our toilet roll advice says systems suit busier sites and reduce theft and waste.

•         Single sheet centrefeed (Tork SmartOne and Mini SmartOne): the dispenser releases one sheet at a time from the centre of the roll. Tork says this uses up to 40% less paper than a standard 2 ply jumbo roll, though that is Tork's own figure and the method is not published. SmartOne rolls are 207 m, and Mini SmartOne rolls are 111.6 m. A standard SmartOne dispenser holds one roll, so for busy sites choose the Mini SmartOne twin dispenser, which holds two.

•         Bulk pack (interleaved) tissue: folded sheets are dispensed one at a time from a compatible dispenser. This limits overuse and reduces contact with the remaining paper. A Tiboo bulk pack carton holds 9,000 sheets, and the Tork Advanced bulk pack holds 9,072 sheets and needs the Tork T3 dispenser. See bulk pack toilet tissue and bulk pack dispensers.

•         Other centrefeed rolls: Tiboo sugarcane centrefeed comes in a 195 m roll and a 110 m mini roll, and L-One mini centrefeed in a 180 m roll. Like all system rolls, they need a matching dispenser.

Single sheet systems cost more per roll than conventional rolls, so weigh the saving in paper against the dispenser and paper price, and against how much is wasted or stolen at the moment.

6. Ply and material

Once you know the system, choose the paper itself.

2 ply or 3 ply?

2 ply is the common, cost-effective choice. 3 ply is softer and more absorbent, and may mean people use fewer sheets each time. On our site, the Quattro 3 ply Ultra Ultimate Luxury costs £12.99 for 40 rolls, against £9.95 for the 2 ply Soft Premium Luxury. Most jumbo, mini jumbo and system rolls are 2 ply.

Recycled, pure, bamboo or sugarcane?

Material	What to expect	Example on our site (ex VAT)
Recycled	A lower-cost, sustainable choice. Look for FSC or PEFC certification.	Lucart Mini Jumbo Recycled, 12 rolls, £13.95
Pure tissue	Made from virgin pulp, usually the softest and whitest option.	Lucart Mini Micro Pure Tissue, 24 rolls, £16.99
Bamboo	3 ply, positioned as a premium eco option.	Tiboo Pure Bamboo Luxury, 48 rolls, £34.99
Sugarcane	A plant-fibre alternative to wood pulp.	Tiboo Sugarcane Mini Jumbo, 12 rolls, £15.45
Unbleached kraft (EcoNatural)	A natural, unbleached look.	Lucart EcoNatural Mini Jumbo, 12 rolls, £19.95

Pack sizes differ, so compare the price per metre or per sheet rather than the price per case. If sustainability is a priority, ask for the certification details on the product page.

7. Free-on-loan dispensers

You do not always have to buy the dispenser. Free-on-loan dispensers are available from Northshore, Tork, Katrin and Lucart, subject to completing a loan agreement. They are a good way to upgrade a washroom to a system without paying for the hardware up front.

On our site the Northshore Orbit and Side by Side and the Katrin Inclusive are marked as available free on loan. To apply, complete the loan form on the product page and email it to the address given there, or speak to our sales team about Tork and Lucart options.

Questions to ask before you agree

Loan terms vary by supplier, so confirm the details first:

•         Which paper do you need to buy to keep the dispenser on loan?

•         Is there a minimum order, or a minimum term?

•         Who is responsible for damage or replacement?

•         What happens to the dispenser if you change supplier?

A loaned dispenser only works with its matching paper, so choose the system for how well it suits your washroom, not just because the dispenser is free.

Quick decision guide

Find your washroom in the left column to see where to start.

Your washroom	Look at
Low footfall, appearance matters	Domestic rolls in a household holder
Medium footfall, want fewer refills	Mini jumbo rolls with a mini jumbo dispenser
High footfall, must never run out	A multi-roll system: Northshore Orbit or Side by Side, or Katrin Inclusive
Want to cut paper usage	Single sheet: Tork SmartOne or Mini SmartOne twin, or bulk pack tissue
Premium look and feel	3 ply or bamboo domestic rolls
Sustainability matters	Recycled, bamboo, sugarcane or EcoNatural, with FSC or PEFC certification
Don't want to buy the dispenser	A free-on-loan system from Northshore, Tork, Katrin or Lucart

Still unsure? Browse all toilet rolls and paper dispensers, or contact the Click Cleaning team.