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You’ll want these picks by your side for pool or beach time.

Whether you’re taking a dip in the pool or a trip to your nearest sandy shore, there are some essentials you can’t go without: sunscreen, sunglasses, swimsuits, and of course, beach towels.

A beach towel can serve many purposes, including a comfortable spot to enjoy on the sand or to dry you off when you come out of the water. If you’re an avid swimmer, you probably want a towel that is quick-drying. On the other hand, if you prefer to lounge in the sand but don’t want to take the beach home with you, there are also some great “sand-free” options available too.

We conducted our own research of online reviews to determine the best beach towels for every beach occasion and budget, and consulted our sister site, Good Housekeeping, for recommendations from the Textiles Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute.

This towel was crowned the best beach towel overall by our the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles Lab for a reason. This towel comes in more than 30 different color and print options, offers two different size options, and it’s sand-resistant. Additionally, Amazon reviewers loved it too, one sharing, “It did SO WELL on our recent beach trip - dried quickly between dips, hung up easily, sand shook off immediately, and it folded up compactly for carrying. We loved this so much my husband asked for more of them and to forgo our blanket all together!”

If you’re looking for a great deal for great value, this set of four towels for under $40 is a great option! The sets come in various colors and are 100% cotton. One satisfied customer on Amazon says “I was pleasantly surprised at the thickness of the towels, much better than some thinner cheap beach towels I had bought in the past. I have used them several times at the pool since taking them to the beach and I am still very happy with my purchase.”

This towel lets the sand shake off easily before you pack up your beach bag. It’s filled with small gaps that allow sand sitting on the top layer of the towel to easily pass through, keeping its surface sand-free. One pleased Amazon reviewer says “this towel is awesome! If sand gets on it at the beach you can just push it right through to the bottom. It also is great for wiping sand off your feet or dog’s paws after a day at the beach.”

Although this option may be on the pricier side, one Nordstrom reviewer says “Gah, it's the kind of towel I only thought could be in my dreams!” This towel comes in 5 soft and neutral hues, and you’ll never have to worry about taking home a damp towel. The 100% zero-twist cotton material is highly absorbent and dries in a flash.

This option is also not the most inexpensive, but its aesthetically pleasing style and light-weight design is the perfect choice for a luxurious lounge on the beach. It’s also ideal if you want to opt for a thinner towel on a scorching hot day.

This compact option from RainLeaf is one of the few choices on the market that come with its own travel bag, making it the ideal choice for weekend adventures. This towel also claims to absorb water 5 times more than its weight but still dry fast. “So lightweight. Dries ridiculously quick. This is perfect for camping/backpacking,” says one happy Amazon customer.

If you’re heading to the beach with friends this summer, try this oversized towel. The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Textiles Lab touted that this was one of the largest they tested—58 by 68-inches—so it’s ideal for seating two people. Additionally, on Amazon, one satisfied reviewer noted that these towels “are very tall, and wrap around even the largest of us, with enough spare material to get bundled up inside for those breezier days out at the pool.”

Circle towels and blankets have become increasingly popular in recent years, and we can see the appeal. Not only is the round design easy to spot on the beach, with a five-foot diameter, it can also fit you and a friend! Plus, no need to rotate your towel’s direction if the sun is unpredictable. One pleased Amazon customer writes “this towel is the softest, PLUSHEST towel I ever touched. I even washed it twice and the colors and durability held up. I highly recommend this towel to anyone who enjoys comfort and softness.”

If you’re looking for an extra-long beach towel to lay on the beach without getting sand in your hair or in your toes, or if you want a towel that will cover your pool lounger, this is the one for you. This towel is the longest we could find at 82’’, or just under seven feet. Additionally, one satisfied reviewer from Amazon says this is a “pretty nice product that is soft to the touch. It’s pleasantly long to go over the lounge chair I have. It’s very comfortable and I like the two corners that you tuck around the top of the chair to prevent it from falling down the back of the chair.”

If you’re looking for the best quality, no matter the price, you can’t go wrong with this beach towel from Brooklinen. The reliable towel comes in four different groovy color prints and has velour softness on the front and absorbent terry on the back. One top Brooklinen reviewer claims, “these are high quality, well woven towels with flat finished edges. They wash beautifully and last without pilling.”

✓ Size. Based on how tall you are, you may want to opt for an extra-long towel so you can lay on the beach without getting sand in your hair or in your toes. But if you’re not much of a beach lounger or you’re not taller than average, the general size towel should be just fine.

✓ Budget. No matter what your budget, there’s a towel that will get the job done. Decide how much you want to spend and then determine what choice will get you the most bang for your buck.

✓ Purpose. Will you be primarily using your beach towels at the pool or in the sand? Assess your beach towel needs before purchasing to get the right towel for you, whether that’s sand-free, water-proof, quick-drying, or soft enough to lay on all day.