A wet dog finds the sofa long before an ordinary bath towel has finished its job. Microfibre changes that arithmetic, because the fibres pull water down into the weave instead of pushing it around the coat, so most of the water comes off in the hall rather than being distributed around the house. For pets who panic at the sound of a hairdryer, that is the difference between a quick rub down and a battle every time.

The plush weave is soft enough for puppies and kittens, and for the thin skin of an older dog, without dragging at the coat. It wrings out and carries on working rather than becoming a wet rag halfway through, and it dries quickly itself, which is why it belongs in the car or the grooming bag rather than the airing cupboard. It goes in the washing machine when it needs it. Three sizes are offered.

• Thick plush microfibre weave
• Small size measures 60x40cm
• Three sizes: S, M and L
• Machine washable
• Wrings out and keeps absorbing
• Shown in yellow and grey

On the two larger sizes. Only the small has a published measurement, so we cannot tell you how much bigger the M and L are without guessing, and we would rather not do that.

Who it's for: Owners of dogs who swim, roll in mud, or find being dried with a hairdryer stressful.