Whether your idea of summer fun is spending a day by the pool or on the beach, you'll need a beach towel waiting for when you get out of the water. The perfect beach towel is one that can dry you off in no time and feels soft against your skin — bonus points if you can find one in a breezy, bright print that looks great when you lay it out on the sand or over a chair.

Our PEOPLE Tested team tried out nearly three dozen beach towels, focusing on the quality and texture of the material, absorbency and durability both before and after a wash/dry cycle, and their overall value. The top towel was the Clowood Plush Bamboo Cotton Beach Towel.

These are the best beach towels PEOPLE Tested.

Pros: The Clowood Plush Bamboo Cotton Beach Towel has a very soft texture and good absorbency that holds up well after a wash.

Cons: It's a bit heavy to carry.

If you're looking for a towel that feels soft and luxurious but is also budget-friendly, this is the one. 

This towel is large enough to wrap comfortably around you or serve as a small beach blanket. One of our testers said its size is "perfect" and that it felt "super soft and provided nice cushion" for laying out on the sand. Our testers did say that it was a bit heavy to carry around, however, it's worth making more room in your beach bag because it does shake sand off well. The adorable designs also put our testers in a beachy mood.

The Clowood Plush Bamboo Cotton beach towel is also very absorbent. Its texture remained soft after our wash test, though one tester did it find to be slightly less absorbent after a wash.

Overall, this towel is a good quality for the price and — aside from its weight — likely won't leave you disappointed.

Machine wash cold on delicate cycle, no bleach

Pros: It comes in three different sizes and a variety of bright prints.

Cons: It's thinner than some of the other beach towels tested.

Our testers loved the softness of this beach towel that comes in an assortment of super cute prints you'll love to show off at the beach or pool. This towel comes in three sizes, the largest being 73 inches long. It might take you an extra minute to fold, but it still tucks nicely into a beach bag.

Both sides of the towel have the same soft texture, but it still managed to shake off sand easily. It's on the thinner side, but it's still substantial enough to lay out on the sand or over a beach chair. Our testers found that the NovForth towel dried quickly and easily, thanks to its microfiber construction. Its absorbency held up both before and after washing, plus the colors remained bright. There was no shrinking or loose threads after laundering, making this a durable towel. 

The NovForth Oversized Microfiber Sand-Free Beach Towel is already priced right — in fact, one of our testers said they'd be "willing to pay a bit more" for its quality. But if you can catch it when it's on sale, it's an even sweeter deal.

Machine wash cold, line dry

Pros: It's soft, luxurious, and shakes the sand off easily, too.

Cons: It's expensive if you're looking to buy more than one towel.

The Anthropologie Out to Sea beach towel is the way to go when you feel like splurging on accessories for your next beach or pool outing. This is a thick, soft towel that feels luxurious to the touch, though one of our testers did note that the bottom portion of the design felt a little coarser on both the front and back of the towel. 

Our testers noted that this towel was very absorbent — in fact, when compared to other towels that had a similar look and texture, this Anthropologie option came out on top. One tester noted that "the quality, color, size, and absorbancy are top-notch." Another tester said they were "shocked" at how well this towel absorbed water.

The Anthropologie Out to Sea beach towel was also able to shake off sand easily in our testing. The towel was still looking great after washing, too, with no loose threads or other signs of wear. 

Overall, our testers loved the towel and think it's worth its higher price tag.

Size: Most beach towels are large enough to wrap around little swimmers many times over, but you'll want to make sure they're big enough for adults, too. Choose towels that are long enough not only for drying off but for laying out on the sand or over a beach chair for your lounging comfort.  

Material: Some beach towels are so soft, but after you've used them once, you'll have to wait for them to dry in the sun for hours. Look for quick-dry fabrics like microfiber so that your towel is ready for you no matter how many times you're in and out of the water.

Price: When pool and beach season are in full swing, you can never have too many beach towels around. Some of the high-end towels can be expensive, which is why you want to look for durable towels at a low price so you can load up on them without breaking the bank.

It's always beach and pool weather in some part of the world, so beach towels are readily available year-round. However, in more temperate climates, you'll likely find the best selection before pool and beach season, and you'll score the best sales right after so you can stock up for next season.

We created a beach with real sand inside our PEOPLE Tested lab to get the right vibe for testing beach towels. Each one was rated by two testers — one before the towel was laundered and dried and another right after. We tested the quality of each beach towel including its softness and thickness, not just to the touch, but in terms of comfort and cushioning when laying out on the sand. We also checked out the absorbency of the towel both before and after a wash cycle to see which ones we can count on for quickly drying off after a dip. We looked for the most durable towels to determine which ones would hold up season after season. Lastly, we factored in price to find the towels that offered the most value. 

We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.

But we don't stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we've awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.

In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.

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