On a recent trip to Huntington Beach, California, I brought along five beach gadgets to see how they performed in a real-world setting. Some of these products are fairly straightforward, so they did not require the kind of extensive testing you might see in some of my other reviews. Still, I had a lot of fun trying them out, and most of them worked as intended right out of the box.
The lineup included a waterproof beach blanket, a mini folding table, a sand cup holder, and two different products designed to remove sand from your skin.
Where to Purchase
Below are Amazon links where I purchased all of the items in this review.
Waterproof and Sandproof Beach Blanket
I paid $13.97 for this beach blanket on Amazon. At the time of my review, it had a 4.4-star rating from more than 1,500 customers.
The manufacturer describes it as a waterproof and sandproof blanket with triple-stitched sides and joints. It is supposed to accommodate four to six people and can also be used on damp grass. It is not machine washable.
Once I unfolded it at the beach, my first impression was that it felt more like a vinyl tablecloth than a traditional beach blanket. That material probably helps with water resistance and makes it easier to wipe clean, but it is not especially soft. It also became warmer in the sun than a typical beach towel.
The blanket was very light, which meant it moved around easily in the afternoon breeze. It also collected sand just like a regular blanket. The sand wiped away fairly easily, but I would not describe the surface as truly sandproof.
Folding it in the wind was a little awkward, although it did eventually pack down to a reasonably compact size. It also had a noticeable vinyl smell that reminded me of a pool float.
I did not perform a dedicated waterproof test during this outing, so I cannot offer a firm conclusion about that particular claim. Based on the material, however, I can see it being useful as a barrier against damp sand or wet grass.
My verdict: This blanket is probably better suited to situations where moisture protection is more important than softness or comfort. It worked well enough during two beach outings, but I found it warmer and less comfortable than a traditional beach blanket. You could probably use a vinyl tablecloth in place of this with similar results.
Mini Folding Beach Table
The mini folding beach table cost $24.99 and had a 4.3-star Amazon rating from more than 330 reviewers when I bought it. It’s made from aluminum and is advertised as supporting up to 88 pounds. It folds into a carrying bag and requires no tools for assembly. The manufacturer suggests using it for food, drinks, and other small accessories at the beach or while camping.
Assembly was quick and easy. The table felt somewhat flimsy when I picked it up, especially because the individual aluminum slats could move around. Once I placed it on the beach and worked its legs into the sand, however, it became surprisingly stable.
I loaded it with drinks, snacks, and other small items. It held a decent amount and kept everything out of the sand. After using it for a couple of hours, I had no problems with it tipping or collapsing.
I also found an unintended use for it later at my hotel. My patio furniture did not have a table, so I placed the folding table at the foot of my lounge chair while eating lunch. It worked quite well in that setting too.
The carrying case is more useful than most product bags because the table tends to unfold when it is not contained.
My verdict: This was probably my favorite item of the group. It was portable, easy to assemble, and stable once secured in the sand. It may be small, but making it much larger would also make it less convenient to carry.
Beach Cup Holder With Storage
I paid $9.88 for a two-pack of these beach cup holders. They had a 4.6-star rating on Amazon at the time of my review.
Each holder consists of a pointed base that pushes into the sand, a circular drink holder, and a small storage area for items such as sunglasses, keys, or a phone. Four colors were available, and I selected teal.
The pieces snapped together easily, and the assembled holder pushed into the sand without much effort. Despite some customer complaints about difficult assembly, I found the process simple.
The storage compartment is not very large. After adding a drink and a pair of reading glasses, I had very little room left. It is best viewed as a cup holder with a little bonus storage rather than a complete organizer.
The manufacturer also claims that the bright color makes it easier to spot your beach setup from the water, but I didn’t find that claim particularly convincing. The teal holder blended in with the rest of my gear and was no more visible than my colorful blanket.
One benefit I had not considered was temperature. The sand became quite hot, while the plastic holder remained relatively cool. Keeping my drink inside the holder prevented it from sitting directly in the warm sand, which helped keep it cooler.
My verdict: There is nothing especially innovative about this product, but it worked. It kept my drink upright, reduced contact with hot sand, and provided enough room for one small additional item. It could be useful for anyone whose beach chair doesn’t already have a cup holder.
Sand Remover Brush vs Sand Remover Mitt
For my final test, I compared two inexpensive products designed to remove sand from skin.
Sand Remover Brush
The small sand brush cost $7.99 and had a 4.0-star rating from more than 200 Amazon reviewers. It’s designed to brush sand from your feet, legs, or even patio furniture. Its small size makes it easy to fit inside a beach bag or pocket.
Sand Remover Mitts
The sand remover mitts cost $8.89 for a pair and included a small carrying bag. They had a 4.4-star rating from more than 140 reviewers. The manufacturer claims that the double-layer design works on both wet and dry sand. The mitts can also be used with baby powder or a similar product for additional sand removal.
The material felt somewhat cheap when I first handled it, so I didn’t have particularly high expectations.
Testing Them on Wet Sand
To compare them, I got my legs wet in the ocean and covered them with sand. The brush removed most of the sand, although it required several passes and felt a little like I was painting my leg. The mitt performed noticeably better. It covered more surface area, removed the sand faster, and didn’t seem to hold onto much of the sand it collected. The mitt removed the majority of sand in a single pass.
Testing Them on Dry Sand
After my legs dried, I repeated the test with dry sand. The brush worked reasonably well, but the mitt was again faster and more thorough. Its larger surface area meant that I could remove more sand with fewer passes. I expected to prefer the brush because it appeared more substantial, but the inexpensive-looking mitt was the clear winner in both tests.
My verdict: Both products removed sand, but the mitt was faster, covered a larger area, and left less behind. Of course, you could also bring some cornstarch baby powder and accomplish something similar, but between these two gadgets, I would choose the mitt.
Final Ranking
- Mini folding beach table: Useful, portable, and more stable than it initially appeared.
- Sand remover mitts: The clear winner for quickly removing wet or dry sand.
- Beach cup holders: Simple but functional, especially for chairs without built-in holders.
- Sand remover brush: It worked, but the mitt worked faster.
- Waterproof beach blanket: Potentially useful on damp surfaces, but warmer and less comfortable than a regular blanket.
None of these gadgets completely transformed my day at the beach, but most of them did what they were supposed to do. The folding table was the product I would be most likely to use again, while the sand remover mitts were the biggest surprise.
Have you tried any of these beach gadgets? Let me know what worked for you in the comments below.
Video Review
Below you can see my review of the items in this video. Underneath that is my 2023 collection of beach gadgets.