There’s no bigger joy in the summer than jumping into a refreshing, clean pool. That is, of course, unless you count the joy of wrapping up in a fluffy, fresh towel afterward.
Unfortunately, though, most of the time we pile our towels by the pool and they get almost as wet as the swimmers. And hanging them on the furniture is not always ideal either since they take up space and tend to get equally as soaked.
The solution is a dedicated poolside towel rack. This will keep towels dry, warm, and out of the way. And in case you haven’t done your research on this handy product, we went ahead and did it for you.
Following is my list of the best outdoor towel racks on the market.
1. Swimline Poolside Towel Rack
- FREESTANDING POOLSIDE CONTROL: Poolside rack keeps towels organized, dry, and always in reach; Modern pearl white design, adding an added touch to your pool aesthetic.
- BUILT FOR STABILITY: Features a water weighted table base to ensure that your towel rack stays where you want it; this effectively minimizes tossing turning and wobbling to secure your stuff.
One of my favorite pool accessory manufacturers makes this cool little towel rack you can set up anywhere. It has a weighted base to keep it stable anywhere around your pool and doesn’t require installation.
It assembles in minutes and is constructed from durable PVC plastic to keep it waterproof and durable. It’s not only great for keeping towels dry, but it’s also an ideal place to hang goggles and swimsuit coverups.
2. TowelMaid Curved 7 Bar Freestanding Outdoor Poolside Towel Rack
- Sleek Rack Made to Last: Crafted from high-quality furniture-grade PVC (polyvinyl chloride) with a glossy white finish, this rack resists UV damage, won't yellow, and is a breeze to clean. A perfect poolside accessory, it works beautifully for drying towels and garments, hanging swim floats, and more. The curved design offers an elegant, modern look for your patio, blending in tastefully with any outdoor decor.
- Designed To Tame Clutter: Organize towels, toys, floats, and swimwear conveniently by your pool, reducing laundry and adding helpful flair to your space. Feel great knowing the durable weather-resistant bars provide a flawless structure to organize your belongings, without risk of cracking, warping, or wobbling from heat and sun. A wide, sturdy base ensures your rack remains stable without adding sand or weights.
Unlike most freestanding poolside towel racks, this one is less of a towel tree and more of an actual rack. It will hold a lot more towels than most and it allows you to spread them out more so they dry faster.
This rack is made of glossy furniture-grade PVC that will not rust and is easy to clean. It’s also easy to put together and take apart whenever you’d like.
It has a wide, heavy base for maximum stability and doesn’t require weights or sand to hold it down.
3. Outdoor Lamp Company Portable Outdoor 5 Bar Towel Rack
- Large base provides excellent stability.
- Packed 1 per box / 4 per master carton.
This attractive bronze-colored towel rack can be adjusted up to 50 inches tall for more space to hang your towels, suits, and other accessories. It has 5 individual bars that can be adjusted to be straight or at an angle. And its base is extremely solid and stable.
This is a nice-looking and efficient rack for keeping stuff dry and it weighs just around 3 lbs when it’s not filled so it’s easy to move.
4. Outdoor Lamp Company Patio Towel Holder
- (3) Fully adjustable 17" arms
- Made of high-quality, furniture grade PVC
When you need something a little more out of the way, this towel rack is for you. The 3 bar rack mounts to your wall or fence and folds away when not in use.
It’s made of high-quality furniture-grade PVC so it won’t rust or crack. And it’s designed sturdily enough to hold full-size pool and beach towels.
This rack comes with its own mounting hardware for easy installation.
5. Southern Enterprises Mission Towel Rack
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For a bit more rustic look than some of the plastic towel racks, you might like this dark brown oil-finished model from Southern Enterprises.
It has 4 rungs and a sturdy, wide, flat base. And it’s made from weather-resistant hardwood. It will support up to 5 lbs per rung so it should be able to handle the wettest towels you’ve got.
This company is all about quality and craftsmanship so you can be sure that this accessory will only accentuate the aesthetics around your pool.
6. O2COOL Pool and Spa Valet
- THREE 24 INCH ADJUSTABLE TOWEL BARS - Enjoy an easy, accessible place to store your beach and pool towels with this outdoor towel storage for your summer fun needs
- EASY CLIPS TO SECURE THE TOWELS - Clips are located on the ends of each of the towel drying rack to keep towels securely in place. Evenly place towels for best balance
This bronze valet is not only attractive, but it’s multi-functional as well. It has 3 24-inch adjustable towel bars and a swivel accessory table on top. Never lose your watch by the pool again!
The towel arms also have clips at the end so that you can easily secure your towels in place.
The product is solid and durable with a heavy fillable base, and it’s easy to assemble without any tools.
7. HydroTools by Swimline Pool Side Organizer
- {EFFICIENT POOLSIDE STORAGE} Organizes and stores essential pool items like rafts, towels, and toys, keeping everything easily accessible and tidy.
- {REMOVABLE MESH HAMPER} Features a detachable mesh hamper, ideal for wet towels and gear, allowing airflow and preventing mildew buildup.
This organizer is way more than a towel rack. It’s a whole system. You can use it to store and dry rafts, floaties, towels, toys, and balls.
One side has a mesh hamper where you can toss dirty towels and suits. And the other side has a towel bar for drying them out. Behind each of these is a row of racks suitable for holding up even large pool toys and accessories.
The frame is constructed from water-resistant PVC plastic and it’s super easy to assemble.
8. Lonffery Outdoor Towel Rack
- 【180 Degree Rotating Rods】-Four 180°rotating poles are convenient for you to dry the towels in different layers, so that the towels can be kept away from moisture and easy to use, which is more healthy.
- 【Simple Installation & No Noise】-Accessories with plastic expansion tube, screw and decorative cap,easy to install. The towel rod joint has a mute damping design, anti-wear and no noise when used.
This is another mountable rack, which is great if you have a place to hang one. It has 4 rotating poles so you can really spread your towels out for faster drying. And it has a double hook for hanging things like keys or bags.
The Lonffrey Outdoor Towel Rack is made from high-quality aviation matte black aluminum and adorned with attractive end caps to give it a touch of sophistication.
It’s very easy to install with just a screwdriver.
9. Poolmaster Poolside Towel Tree
- Outdoor, patio and poolside towel holder for hanging towels and accessories
- Towel tree is portable and convenient for drying beach towels, bathing suits or swimming gear by the pool
This poolside towel tree from Poolmaster is made specifically to resist the elements and the damaging effects of chlorine. It’s constructed from PVC plastic so it is also rust-resistant and weatherproof, even against salty air by the ocean.
The heavy base is made to be filled with sand so it stays put. And you can empty it out for easy portability.
It’s also a fun, colorful design so kids won’t mind hanging their towels on it at all.
10. SmartSome Foldable Clothes Drying Rack
This is the granddaddy of all outdoor towel racks. Granted, it’s designed more for laundry, but because it’s suitable for outdoor use, too, we had to include it.
This rack will take up some space so it’s probably not ideally a permanent fixture by your pool. However, can you imagine how handy it would be for a big pool party? Everyone could hang their coverups, towels, and shirts on it without any overlap. They’ll stay nice and dry the whole time.
It’s made out of stainless steel and is rust-proof and durable. It also folds up very thin for easy storage.
How to Choose an Outdoor Towel Rack
Deciding which towel rack to buy might require a little thought on your part since there are so many on the market. And there are several qualities I look for.
- Drying Area
If you’re the only one who uses your pool, you might not care how many bars or hangers your towel rack has. In fact, you may just want to drape your towel over the fence rather than invest in a rack.
But aside from that scenario, it’s best to consider how many people will be using it and what they’ll be drying. For example, if you have a large brood or plan on having a lot of parties, a rack like the Smartsome Folding Clothes Rack we listed would be ideal.
Just remember, the more space on the rack, the more you can spread your towels out and the faster the drying time.
- Construction
Most outdoor towel racks are made to be water-resistant so you shouldn’t have to worry too much about that. But what you do want to consider is how frequently it will be used.
If it’s going to be heavily used, a sturdy PVC or stainless steel rack might be preferable to a wooden one. While the wooden ones are sealed well and made for outdoor use, they will wear down faster than the other materials.
- Portability
You probably don’t need your towel rack to be portable unless you plan on toting it with you to the beach or when you go camping. However, you do need to consider whether you would prefer to have one that’s installed more permanently on a fence or wall or whether you want to be able to move it to different locations by the pool.
- Stability
The weather where you live might play a part in the type of towel rack you need by your pool. If you live in a particularly windy area, you’ll either need one you can attach or one that has a heavy base.
Many of these are constructed with a base that you can fill with water or sand to keep it from tipping or blowing over.
Conclusion
The moral of this story is that you can pile your towels up by the pool or hang them on your lounge chairs. But who would want to when you could set up an easy-to-assemble towel rack to keep them dry?
Hi, I’m Matt Harper, the founder of poolcareguy.com, a site I started with one simple mission: to help people around the world clean and take care of their pools and hot tubs on their own, without the hassle.
I’m not a professional pool cleaner and don’t have any formal training, I’m just an average guy who loves hanging out by his pool and hot tub and taking care of it. After many years on the job, I’ve become quite good at it.
On this website I will be teaching you absolutely everything I know about pools and hot tubs.