The 8 Best Pool Covers to Buy This Summer

This affordable pool cover is made for Intex 18-inch round metal-frame pools. The wind-resistant cover has an eight-inch overhang, with quick-release clamps that wrap around the frame’s poles and a cinch cord around the perimeter for extra security.

It’s made of a fade-resistant polyethylene material and it features drain holes to keep rainwater from accumulating on top. It'll prevent dirt and other debris from landing in the water, but it isn't an all-season cover.

If you want a no-frills cover for your above-ground rectangular pool that costs less than dinner at an inexpensive restaurant, look no further. This option is essentially a tarp with a drawstring, but it gets the job done and will cut down on the number of times you’ll need to skim the pool before diving in. It’s made of weather- and fade-resistant PVC, and it folds up into a neat rectangle for easy storage.

This basic solar pool cover is well-priced at under $100 at the time of this writing.

It’s made by Intex and works with the brand’s 18-inch round inflatable and metal frame pools, said to reduce evaporation by 95 percent, with air bubbles that retain the sun’s heat and keep the water warm. The cover is designed to float on top of the pool, so there’s zero setup required, other than taking it out of the storage bag and unrolling it.

Several customers say that it raises their pool’s temperature by at least 10 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

Made for above-ground and in-ground pools, this solar blanket cover comes in multiple sizes, ranging from 12 to 33 feet wide, plus it can be trimmed to fit irregular-shaped pools. If you have an above-ground pool and prefer to secure the cover to the rim rather than letting it float, you can go up a size or two.

In-ground pool owners can pair it with a cover reel to make rolling it up easy. The cover’s air bubbles trap UV rays to raise the pool’s temperature, and it’s said to cut down on evaporation by 95 percent.

This affordable solar cover from Intex is just like the brand’s round solar cover above, but for rectangular pools that are 18 feet long. It has all the same pros in addition to the reasonable price point. The sheet of air bubbles floats on the surface, capturing heat and transferring it to the water to maintain and raise the pool’s temperature. It’s also said to reduce evaporation by 95 percent, plus it comes with a zippered storage bag.

If you’re in the market for a high-quality rectangular solar pool cover that comes in a slew of sizes, this one is an excellent choice. It’s a sibling to Sun2Solar’s round pool cover above, made for above-ground and in-ground pools, and offers all the same features, including the versatility of customizing its size.

Like other solar bubble blankets we cover, it’s said to reduce evaporation by 95 percent. The cover is available in clear in addition to the blue that’s shown.

This cover fits Intex’s Easy Set 13-foot round pool, though it’s available in other sizes, including 10-foot and 12-foot. It’s an ultra-basic vinyl tarp with a drawstring to secure it to the pool’s rim, which matches its ultra-cheap price point. In addition to keeping debris out of the pool, you can generally expect it to maintain water temperature, and it features drainage holes to keep the rainwater off the top.

A kiddie pool cover will help warm up icy-cold garden-hose water if you leave it on overnight on a warm evening. It also eliminates the hassle of constantly having to refill the pool and is eco-conscious.

This one is made of UV-coated 420-denier oxford fabric, with a drawstring that secures at the base, air vents to prevent condensation underneath, and padded handles. It’s available in two other sizes: 32 and 48 inches.