We researched various types of pool covers, based on features including installation, effectiveness, and durability. Our winner is the Happybuy Pool Safety Cover, which is not only easy to install but also easy to remove when it’s time to open up your pool. Here are our picks for the best pool covers for in-ground and above-ground pools. The product comes in three sizes—20 x 40 feet, 18 x 36 feet, and 16 x 32 feet. Every size is designed to overlap 2 feet past your pool’s perimeter, ensuring a taut cover without over tightening, which could cause tearing. The cover installs into concrete with brass ground bolts and stainless steel tension springs, and the kit includes all the hardware you need. You will also need a power drill and a quality concrete drill bit, which are not included. Installation is far from a one-person job, since the cover weighs a daunting near-70 pounds. Price at time of publish: $410 As with most other in-ground pool covers, the Blue Wave installs through a drill-and-tamp-style anchoring system. The kit includes all the necessary hardware such as brass anchors, which recess flush with your pool deck; stainless steel springs; and buckles. A quality concrete bit and a power drill (not included) are needed as well. There’s also a storage bag to stow the cover until it’s time to reinstall it at the close of pool season. Price at time of publish: $808 This versatile solar cover uses the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays to warm your pool and lock in heat, with the added benefit of limiting debris and minimizing water evaporation. The cover’s tiny bubbles, which face the water, are designed to collect and retain heat at night and during the day. The appealing blue color doubles as an aide to increase the sun’s heating effectiveness. We like that this cover can be trimmed with sharp scissors, making it versatile for pools that are not circular or rectangular. (The manufacturer says that trimming the fabric doesn’t affect the warranty.) It is easy to install and remove, getting you into the habit of using it constantly. Since you’ll be taking your solar pool cover on and off your pool daily, you may want to consider a solar cover blanket reel roller to make the process easier. Price at time of publish: $195 We like that this cover comes in 12 sizes, which should fit most standard-size in-ground pools. Each size extends 4 feet past your pool’s perimeter to ensure a better fit. We have noted that the first time the product is unpackaged, the net may seem overly small, but it does roll out to full size, given a little elbow grease. The manufacturer produces two models: deluxe and economy. We prefer the deluxe alternative, which is designed with increased reinforcement in the binding, as well as an ultraviolet (UV) inhibitor, and comes with a two-year warranty. Price at time of publish: $34 Price at time of publish: $90
Type
Safety pool covers, which are designed to prevent small animals and people from accidentally falling into your pool, are intended to be installed when you close it down for the season. Made of polypropylene, polyethylene, or vinyl, some allow sunlight to permeate the fabric, as well as rainwater, which avoids having to clear out water collecting on the cover. Others are solid covers that don’t allow water or snow to permeate, so heavy snows need to be cleared off, and any accumulated water needs to be pumped off throughout the winter. Both types are installed permanently into your pool’s concrete deck with special bolts and cables, which are often included in the package. Since they require power drills and quality concrete drill bits, the task may be more suited for a professional than a DIY homeowner. Covers designed for above-ground pools are designed with the same purpose in mind but install with a series of cables, anchors, and grommets. They are generally easier to install, although the job may take more than one person at a time. Mesh pool covers are intended for in-ground pools, as well. Intended mostly for seasonal use, they are designed to keep leaves and other debris from falling into pools. This is why they are produced in lightweight fabrics that are easy to throw over a pool surface and take off. They also allow rain and sun to penetrate the pool water, they are not designed for post-season use and cannot be relied upon to keep small animals and small people out of the water. However, they can be laid across a safety pool cover in the off-season to make removal of nature’s detritus easier.
Material
Pool covers generally are made of several types of plastic, including polyethylene, polypropylene, and vinyl. The three are virtually identical, although we’ve noted that polyethylene seems to be more durable of the trio. You can choose a solid winter pool cover or a mesh cover. Solid covers don’t allow water or snow to permeate, so heavy snows need to be cleared off the cover, and any accumulated water needs to be pumped off throughout the winter.
Size
Some pool covers are meant to be the same size as your pool. Others, such as safety covers, are meant to be wider on each side than your pool to accommodate the anchor system holding the cover in place. Be sure to order the cover size recommended by the manufacturer for your pool size. To prevent undue stretching and possible fabric tearing, you may wish to order a size one step larger than your pool’s actual size.
Why Trust the Spruce?
Missy Keenan is a freelance writer with more than two decades’ experience as a journalist and communications professional, with a special interest in all things home, garden, safety, and sustainability. She has written hundreds of articles for publications, including Do It Yourself magazine, Glamour magazine, USA Today, The Des Moines Register, DSM magazine, and Iowa Gardening. For this article, Missy consulted with Mark Landry, Certified Pool Operator and owner of The Pool Loop, a pool maintenance company in Des Moines, Iowa, and spent hours researching products and dreaming of pool season. (Missy doesn’t want the work of maintaining a backyard pool, but she’s always looking for more friends with pools!)
