It's not a great feeling when you buy something that doesn't work right. When you go to the beach or pool, you want to be able to lie down on or dry off with a soft, effective towel, one that doesn't fall apart. You want to know that you spent your money on something worth it. So how do you find a good, quality beach towel?

There are a few things the top-rated beach towels have in common across nearly every site: they're all oversized and 100% cotton. These are the most important things to look for in a quality beach towel, but there are a few other things that help, too.

Size: For the best beach towel, choose one that is at least 35 inches by 70 inches. This lets most people fit comfortably on their beach towels.

Material: 100% cotton. There really aren't other options that work quite as well. Synthetic fibers just don't work as well or feel as soft, at least for now. Cotton is where it's at, whether it's regular cotton or a specific type, like Turkish cotton.

Absorbency: One of the reasons cotton is so great is that it'll let you get a towel with great absorbency. Cotton can soak up way more water than seems possible, so most cotton towels will get you the absorbency you need.

Weight: The best beach towels are lightweight. This makes them more portable, and it generally means that the material is thin enough to dry quickly, which is a huge bonus, especially if you don't want to have to go home and wash or dry your towel the second you're done swimming. Even better are towels you can dry off with more than once if you're spending the whole day at the beach.

Design: Most people want a beach towel they like the look of. It's a normal, human thing! The best quality towel companies will generally have several designs for you to choose from.