10 Best Above-Ground Pools for Backyards & Fun

The time has come to set up a pool in the garden.

However, before buying there are a lot of questions that are unanswered and if you do not want to make a bad purchase, you should inform yourself extensively about the different pools before buying.

On the Internet and also in the stores, different installation pools are offered. They differ from each other not only in size and design, but also in price, quality and workmanship. For example, frame pools are often preferred to inflatable swimming pools, because they require less effort to assemble. Furthermore, not every pool is suitable for the desired purpose.

Before buying, should not forget about the necessary pool accessories. After all, it can quickly happen that at hot outdoor temperatures, the water becomes cloudy or milky. For this reason, a pool pump with filter or pool cleaner (eg, pool landing net, pool vacuum or pool robot) should be considered.

In addition, the place of installation should be chosen carefully, so that the water is not unnecessarily much contaminated by foreign bodies. In this article, we have looked at the different swimming pools for installation and present the best pools from different categories and from different manufacturers.

• If the desire for a small swimming pool for home has arisen, a suitable qick-up pool comes into question, as such products integrate perfectly into the home garden, do not take up much space and can be dismantled at any time!
• To build a quick-up pool in the garden, no building permit is required. Such products are purchased, unpacked and simply set up!
• The swimming pool will become a real oasis of well-being, if it is placed in a proper place, the necessary accessories are purchased and the most important rules are followed!

The Best Round and Oval Above Ground Pool 

The Best Rectangular Above Ground Pools 

The Best Swimming Pools for Children

The Best Swimming Pools Sets

Guide: Buying the right above ground pool

Many different swimming pools are offered for sale both on the Internet and in stores. In order not to get lost in this confusing world of swimming pools, it is advisable to know the differences between the individual types of swimming pools. In addition, you should familiarize yourself with the purchase criteria.

However, the first step is to get acquainted with the types of swimming pools. Therefore, in the following we will go into more detail about the types and then clarify which purchase criteria should definitely be considered before buying. In this way, we make the choice easier for interested parties and provide clarity in the field of different pools.

The different types of swimming pools

Inflatable swimming pools

With the inflatable swimming pool, not many demands are placed on the pool owner. This is simply placed in the garden on the lawn or on a smooth concrete floor. To protect the pool floor, many pool owners use a tarp.

Most manufacturers promise that the product can be inflated within a maximum of 30 minutes. This is not too much of a promise either, as most inflatable pools are ready to use in just a few minutes. The top ring is filled with the air and the water is filled in.

Now you don’t have to do much as a pool owner, because the inflatable pool sets up by itself. Of course, it takes some time until the pool is completely filled with water. However, at this point, most pool manufacturers recommend that the pool is filled to a maximum of 80 to 90 percent with the water.

No tools are needed for assembly either, and usually one man is enough to set up the inflatable pool. As a rule, there is also not much that needs to be taken into account. After the ground sheet is laid out, you can set up the pool.

Frame Pools

If you want a larger pool that will last at least the whole season and in the best case several seasons, you need a frame pool. This product is an erectable pool, which has a steel tube construction on the outer sides. This ensures additional stability.

In addition, a frame pool does not need to be inflated with air. The tubular steel structure is simply erected and the pool material is stretched over it. Then comes the exciting part, because now the water may finally be let in. Once the water is in the pool, all bathers can start swimming.

Accordingly, a frame pool is only worthwhile if it is left in the garden for a long time and many bathers want to swim.

In-ground pools

If you want to build a pool embedded in the ground, you must first get a building permit. Then comes the most important part, and that is the construction itself. To build a pool in the backyard, you should hire a professional company.

After all, without the knowledge of construction, it is not so easy to build a pool embedded in the ground. Consequently, the construction process incurs high costs, as a construction company must be paid for it. However, such pools are more suitable for year-round use.

In such swimming pools also fit significantly more people and if necessary, can be built a large sports pool, which can be used for sports activities. Accordingly, an in-ground one is useful only if it is used frequently.

It should also be remembered that such a pool requires very frequent cleaning. Consequently, not only high electricity costs are incurred, but the extra accessories also cost a lot of money to purchase.

Swimming Pool Comparison: what criteria are tested?

Material

In the case of a swimming pool for installation, the material used is very important. After all, the material keeps the water in the pool and ensures that all bathers can sit comfortably in the pool. For this reason, a swimming pool comparison always pays attention to the thickness of the material.

This should be about 0.64 millimeters for the pool bottom and about 0.55 millimeters for the pool walls. If the material is too thin, you run the risk that the pool is quickly damaged and is no longer usable. Accordingly, it is better to go for a thicker, rather than a thinner material.

In addition, the material should be able to withstand UV light. After all, the swimming pool is mostly used in the summer, and therefore it is constantly exposed to sunlight.

Size and volume

The size of the swimming pool is always measured by how many people want to bathe in it. Furthermore, it also depends on the size of the garden. Certainly, hardly anyone wants the quick-up pool to occupy the entire garden. The ratio of the size of the quick-up pool and one’s own garden should definitely be taken into account when conducting one’s own personal swimming pool comparison.

For this reason, before buying it is recommended to properly measure the garden and based on the measurement to buy a pool that corresponds to the size. The volume or pool capacity provides information about how many liters of water can be let into the pool. Here you need to decide whether you want to swim in the pool or use it only for splashing.

Scope of delivery

The scope of delivery is always different. Here it depends not so much on the manufacturer, but on the individual model. The cheap pools come with no accessories, and usually there is in the scope of delivery only the pool itself.

The more expensive pool models come with a bit more accessories such as repair patches or a water pump. The expensive models come with a pump, filtration system, repair patches and even safety ladder. Accordingly, it always depends on the particular model and, of course, the price, how many accessories are included in the scope of delivery.

Price

The price range is very large and ranges from 30 – 40 euros to several thousand euros. Thus, there are small swimming pools for installation, which are rather paddling pools and such cost between 30 to 100 euros. There are the medium-sized quick-up pools, which cost between 100 and 1,000 euros.

Last but not least, there are the expensive quick-up pools for the garden, which cost between 1,000 and 4,000 euros. However, it is hardly worth buying a quick-up pool for several thousand euros, because if you want to have a professional pool, it can be embedded directly into the ground. Prices for in-ground pools range well into the 5-digit range.

Thus, the price range is kept quite broad and there is something to discover for every wallet.

Useful pool accessories

Pool nets / pool vacuums / pool robots

When the purchase of a pool is pending, it is essential to think about the purchase of the necessary accessories. Here a pool cleaner, pool vacuum cleaner or pool robot comes into question. But which of the three pool cleaning methods is the most efficient?

This is a question that every pool owner should ask himself. Of course, the choice depends on the size of the pool. For a larger pool, the pool vacuum or even the pool robot makes sense. The three types of cleaning for pools are therefore divided into their own categories.

• Pool cleaner: The classic pool cleaner is operated manually by hand. This is usually a net with a telescopic rod. The net is used to remove or collect coarse and smaller debris from the water surface.
• Pool vacuum cleaner: The pool vacuum cleaner represents a kind of vacuum cleaner, which sucks up the dirt. This is also operated manually by hand. However, a power connection is needed for the pool vacuum to do its job.
• Pool robot: The pool robot is a fully automatic device, which, for example, in a large pool drives on the ground and automatically frees the pool floor from dirt and grime. Most of such devices are equipped with a battery. Consequently, you don’t have to do anything except put the pool robot in the water, and it cleans the bottom.

Overall, it always makes sense to have a pool scraper available so that the water surface is cleared of debris. The pool robot is only worth it if you have a large pool. Pool vacuums are also a very useful purchase for most swimming pools, as they are a good compromise between labor, cleaning power and price.

Pool pump

The pool pump is responsible for the circulation of the water. It ensures that the water from the pool is transported to the pool heating or filtration system, for example. Thus, the pool pump is indispensable as an accessory if the pool water is to be kept clean or warm.

There are pool heaters as well as pool filters that are equipped with an integrated pump. But sometimes the pool pump must be purchased in addition. In such cases, it is recommended to pay attention to the power of the pump, because it should correspond to the water capacity of the pool.

The power is always given in kilowatts and should correspond to one third of the water capacity. That is, if the pool contains 30 cubic meters of water, the pump power should be 10 kilowatts.

Pool Heater

The pool heater is especially important in the cool seasons when the pool is used frequently. For example, you want to swim in autumn or spring and the pool water is not warm enough. In this case, a pool heater is connected to the pool and this will bring the water to the comfortable temperature.

Pool heaters also differ from each other. There are expensive heat pumps that are equipped with an integrated LCD display and this allows you to set the water temperature exactly. Such devices cost a lot of money and you should expect a price between 600 and 3,500 euros.

For smaller pools, a good alternative is a solar pool heater. This is supplied with solar energy via a solar panel and thus the water is gradually heated. Consequently, there are no electricity costs, but the heating time is significantly longer than with a heat pump.

The last alternative for small paddling pools is a solar mat. This is simply placed on the water surface and provides a greenhouse effect. In the process, the heat from the sun is retained under the solar mat and thus the water in a paddling pool is warmed up.

Pool Skimmer

A pool skimmer is nothing more than a surface suction device. The opening of the skimmer is at the same level as the surface of the water. The water is sucked from the pool and is transported to the filtration system.

The skimmer flap automatically adjusts to the current water level. Normally, skimmers are equipped with a filter that can collect coarse debris such as leaves. Consequently, a pool skimmer is an additional filtration system that is especially common in larger pools.

Pool cover

A pool cover is very important because it brings many good features. For example, the pool can be covered in the evening to prevent additional dirt such as leaves from entering the pool. This saves additional cleaning of the pool.

Furthermore, a pool cover tarp is used when the pool is heated overnight with a pool heater. The tarp prevents there from being any heat loss and thus the water is warmed up faster, more power efficient and overall more efficient. In addition, the use of a pool cover is worthwhile when the pool is dismantled and stored outside, for example.

In addition, a pool cover can be used to warm up the water a bit in the summer. Accordingly, the cover is placed on the water surface and the direct sunlight creates a greenhouse effect that gradually warms up the water.

Thus, as a pool owner, it is never wrong to have a pool cover tarp.

Pool slide

Pool slide is very important when there are children playing in the pool. The kids can’t just sit still in one spot and always need to keep moving. The pool slide ensures that the children have a lot of fun in the pool and slide down from the slide, just like in a children’s playground, into the cool water.

Should it be a children’s pool, which is a little larger and thus has enough space for a slide, the purchase of a pool slide is quite possible. The children will certainly be happy and the pool turns into a real pleasure. Consequently, you save on the cost of admission to amusement parks or outdoor pools, if you have your own pool with a slide at home.

Pool carpet pad

The modern quick-up pools are mostly made of a robust PVC material. Despite the certain thickness of the material, it can easily happen that a hole is made, for example, in the bottom of the pool, if the pool is placed on a hard or pointed object. After all, a swimming pool for installation presses on the garden floor with several hundred kilograms.

For this reason, there are pool pads. These are designed to prevent the PVC pool bottom from coming into direct contact with the garden floor. Consequently, the pool bottom is less likely to be damaged by another sharp object.

The pool carpet pad is usually made of a thicker rubber. Before setting up the pool, the pool carpet pad is placed under the pool. Then the pool is placed on the pad and filled with water.

To prevent damage to the pool, it is strongly recommended to buy a pool carpet pad.

Pool lighting / pool light / pool lamp

Pool lighting is not one of the most important accessories. However, it is bought because of its beautiful appearance and is mostly used for the larger pools that are not dismantled after some use. Nowadays, the pool lighting is sold as LED.

For this reason, the lighting is energy efficient and very efficient, because the LED light shines much brighter. In addition, LEDs are much more durable and have a lighting life of approximately 20,000 to 30,000 hours. It is especially useful to install pool lighting if you often swim in the evening when it is already dark.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

There are many different types of pools and it is important to decide which type of pool is suitable for your own backyard before you buy. Most often, it is worth buying inflatable or frame pools. These are very easy to assemble and disassemble and relatively do not cost much money.

Furthermore, there are swimming pools with accessories to buy. When buying accessories, always make sure that at least a water pump and a filter system are included. Otherwise, a pool heater could still be interesting, if the water in the pool should be warmed up.

If you keep a cool head before buying and take into account all the purchase criteria, nothing can go wrong and nothing will stand in the way of buying a swimming pool!

Recommended read: How to Start Up a Swimming Pool: 7 simple Steps (Guide)