Why should you buy above ground pool cover at all?
Before we move to find out what is the best above ground pool cover, let’s see why you should get one in the first place. Well, I was asking this question to myself a couple of years ago when my friend suggested me to buy one of those covers. I was looking at him laughing on his face and wondering why I would spend money on something useless like the cover for my above ground pool.
Table of Contents
ToggleI mean, some ordinary nylon or blanket will do the same job pretty well. It’s surely much easier and much cheaper to use a regular blanket instead of buying some “fancy” cover. In my opinion, covers are just one of those things from which people want to earn money from and you don’t get any return out of it.
But then, my friend called me to stay at his home for a week, as his parents went on vacation somewhere in Italy I guess (really cool place for a vacation if you ask me). After the first day, we decided to have fun in his pool. He removed the cover from the top of the pool and instantly jumped into the water. I was shocked; how someone can swim in dirty and cold water, which is most likely full of insects and small living beings? Therefore, I asked him why he didn’t clean and warm the water first, or even completely change it.
He laughed at me and told me: “Well, that would really take a lot of time, wouldn’t it? Anyway, I poured chlorophyll-a a few weeks ago, so it’s fine.” How is that fine, I asked. He didn’t understand why I was worried so much about water and told me: “Don’t worry man; this is the best above ground pool cover you can get these days.” Then I jumped into the water, too, and saw it’s really clean and the temperature was perfect. After a week spent at my friend’s home, I decided to get one of those covers and didn’t need so much time to notice the benefits of it.
It saves your time
The first thing I noticed is that I need much less time and resources to maintain my pool. First of all, I am using like 50% less chlorophyll and my water is perfectly clean. It never happened to me again that I was looking for swimming in the pool all day, and then realizing it’s all green or dirty because of algae. That can really ruin your day. Now, I use chlorophyll from time to time just to be sure the water is not full of bacteria and stuff. You know, prevention is better than cure.
Also, I remember that whenever it was raining, I had to change the water completely, and you surely know it takes a lot of time of your busy schedule. That also takes all the joy you want from the pool. Of course, one must take care of the pool if he wants to enjoy and have fun, but if it’s too hard, all joy is gone. It’s not the case anymore, as I use a 100% waterproof cover, so I don’t have to think about weather forecast at all. Furthermore, if you use solar covers, you will always have an optimal temperature of water, so it really doesn’t matter if it’s cold outside during the night or not.
No insects and bugs
Do you also hate insects and bugs as much as I do? If you don’t use any pool cover, you probably see many of those almost every day in your pool. I mean, I don’t have anything against swimming together with my pet in the pool, but I don’t cherish the idea of sharing the same water with a couple of spiders and grasshoppers. Still, remember when I was young when I almost swallowed a grasshopper in the pool. Since that day, I always check the water before I jump into it. However, I literally didn’t spot any insect or bug in my pool since I got one of those covers.
You don’t have to dismantle your pool at all
There are another two great things about above ground pool covers. The first thing is that you don’t have to dismantle your above ground pool during the nights, and the other one is that you don’t have to dismantle it during the winter and other cold periods of years. There is no need for an explanation of why is useful and helpful. Can you remember when you thought the pool season is over, so you dismantled your pool? But suddenly, a couple of warm and sunny days came, and you wanted to have fun in your pool so hard, but you didn’t have the time or the will to set your pool up.
Well, above ground pool cover can make this never happen again. So, you can keep your pool maintained a few extra weeks, or even for the entire year. I personally prefer to dismantle it somewhere in November, because it’s very unlikely that I will swim in the pool in the middle of November. However, my friend keeps it maintained during the whole year, and he has no problems with it later. So, it’s completely up to you to decide when you have a pool cover.
It’s an investment
In the end, we can conclude that a pool cover is a wise investment. It saves your time (which is the most important thing), money, nerves, and other resources. I haven’t been recording how much money I was spending before and after buying a cover, but I noted there are few extra bucks in my pocket at the end of each month. Also, most of these covers are very durable, so once you buy it, it will last for a long time, and eventually will save you a little bit of money. Now let’s try to figure out which is the best above ground pool cover, and why.
Types of Above Ground Pool Cover
There are 3 types of pool covers for using above the pool. All the covers are easily affordable at price. The pool covers are differentiated with the material and the disparate functions. You can go for anyone by researching some minimal criteria.
Solid Pool Cover
The solid cover is a multifaceted cover that most users use for their above ground pool. People like it to use in the wintertime as it is made of waterproof material. The whole cover is made of heavy-duty polyethylene that is sturdy enough to bear the burden of heavy rain and snow.
It can come into different shapes like rectangular, circular or oval and the exclusive point is that it would be larger than your pool. You can guess the dimension of the cover so big that it overhangs the pool wall, outside of the pool and seats near the pool. You can use plenty of part of the cover over and outside the pool.
This cover includes the cable and winch at the loops of all edges of the pool cover that helps to tie the cover with the pool wall. The winches are just to support the cable to attach tightly. It will help to keep away the dust and debris, animals, and high winds blowing over the cover.
Along with the best performance, it has some drawbacks too but you don’t have to worry about it as there are options to get rid of these. All the leaves, the falling water which is obstructed to go through the cover will accumulate on the cover and it may be of real pain to dispose of this. For this, you have to keep a cover pump and leaf net that are beneficial options to keep the object out of the cover. The cover pump can pump out the water out of the cover effectively.
Mesh Cover for Pool
People having trouble with the solid cover usually enjoy the mesh cover because it sets aside many of the drawbacks of the solid pool. You have to take lots of effort during removing the solid cover as it accumulates lots of uneven things over the cover.
If you have heavy snow falling in your area then the mesh cover is the practical solution. The woven polyethylene material of the mesh cover is absorptive enough to drain the snow and rainwater into the pool. You would be happy to know that you won’t need any pool cover pump for this benefit.
The mesh is more like a net that covers the whole pool surface. So you will not need any separate leaf net for managing the debris or leaves. The mesh cover can catch the debris, leaves from falling to the above ground pool.
Like the solid cover, the mesh cover is also supported with the cable and winch attached to the edges of the pool. It secures the whole cover from slipping down. The mesh cover is very easy to install and remove. So if your area is porn to snow, heavy rain or much debris, then mesh cover for your pool is better to pick.
Solar Cover for Pool
It is a bit different from the other two previously stated. The function of using this cover is also different. Usually, people don’t use it as the winter cover rather they use the solar cover to retain the heat of the pool.
The other name of this is bubble cover which is different to look at too. It reflects the rays of the sun which helps to amplify the heat to the pool water. The quality of bubble polyethylene creates a barrier for the heat to come out of the pool. It is summer pool covers above ground.
People having a pool heater need the solar pool cover to retain the heat whatever it receives. On the other hand, some users want to retain the sun heat obtained from daylight to use in the evening. The areas porn to frequent temperature changes seek the use of solar cover to retain the heat for a later time.
The installation is very easy. You don’t have to secure the cover with the ends. Just open and throw the cover on the pool so that it will float on the surface of the pool water. You won’t need any leaf net or cover pump too as like previous ones.
Factors to Consider Buying the Best Above Ground Pool Cover
Size and Length
A standard overlap length of the pool cover is 4 feet. It is one of the most important factors to know is the size of the cover whether it is circular, rectangular or square. It should not fall short for the available size of your pool. Make sure that the whole cover is large enough to cover all the walls and edges of the above ground pool. Overlapping can help you to tie the cover with all the edges of the pool without stretching it.
The function of the Pool Cover
Why do you need the pool cover? Will you use it in winter or to retain the heat? Or will you use the cover just for safety acts? For covering in winter if your area is vulnerable for snowfall or more debris then Mesh cover is the best pick. If the aim is to heat-retaining then the solar pool cover is the best use. So, you have to think about the purpose of using the cover.
Sturdiness and longevity
Sturdy covers are thick and high quality that comes with a higher price. There are differences in material depending on the price. The expensive ones are strong enough and made of fiberglass. However, the standard quality is of polyethylene and vinyl that comes at a reduced price but those are good to use for a longer time. The highest quality comes with UV ray protection but very expensive and heavy ones.
Supporting Accessories
You have to make sure that you get all the things to get support with the pool cover. These are the fitting accessories, the secured cable, the winches, grommets, and other fitting materials, etc. Besides this, you have to buy some extra tools if you go with the solid pool cover and these are the leaf net and air pillow.
Easy to use
You may consider the ease of use that is easy to put on and take off. Usually, most of the above-ground pool covers are easy to manage and lightweight. It should take a few minutes to install and remove the cover. The matter that you have to reconsider whether it is messy to take off the pool cover or not when it is time to swim.
Some Tips in maintaining above the Ground Pool Cover
A pool cover is a vulnerable thing and it tears, bends and damages frequently for careless handling. So you have to keep regular maintenance for the cover when it works to protect the pool and is stored to use in the next winter.
- Never stretch the cover to overlap the whole pool, excess tension or pressure may have a bad impact on the cover by tearing it. Attach the cover tightly to the edges of all sides and allow a bit loose in the center.
- When you are going to store the cover, never forget to clean it for the accumulated debris and dust, etc. You can add a roller as part of the pool cover maintenance so that it would not tear or fold or bend.
- If you live in a heavy snowfall area clean the cover from time to time so that the collected snow or debris cannot grow at the place and make the cover heavy to reduce its usability.
- If the cover falls short for overlapping then block the spaces that need to be covered.
- For the solid cover use the supporting accessories so that you can use it for a longer time and reduce the risk of damaging the cover.
It is not very easy to find the best pool covers for above ground pools but after an extensive research done we have it accordingly.
Best Above Ground Pool Covers
When readers of this site buy through our link, we may earn an affiliate commission. Therefore this affiliate commission never biased our product recommendation. Our motto is to promote the best products for consumers, through detail research and market analysis. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases when you buy through our link.
Overview
Intex Solar Cover is made to heat the water in your pool and to stop evaporation up to 95%. It comes with a reusable carry bag for easy storage. It’s made of thin plastic and it’s economical to use
Before I start speaking about the good sides of this cover, you need to note a couple of important things. Firstly, this is not a standard above ground pool cover, so you can’t expect everything you would expect from any ordinary pool cover. It has its own purpose, and it is designed to meet it. As the name suggests, it is Solar Cover for Easy Set and Frame Pools. Therefore, if you have some other pools, this cover is maybe not made for your pool. But it indeed can be useful for anyone.
What “solar” in the name stands for? If you think it’s some cool gadget that uses solar energy to warm water in your pool, you are ‘almost’ wrong. Though it would be cool and would make this cover the best above ground pool cover ever. However, the truth is a bit different. It indeed uses Sun to keep your water warm, but it hardly can warm it to some extent.
The thing is if the water is heated, this cover will keep it like that. So, if you fill the pool with ice-cold water, cover it with Solar Cover and expect from it to become Yellowstone, you’d better think how you would like to spend your time while waiting till the water gets warm because it will take a while. But this cover can indeed be useful; otherwise, it wouldn’t be here.
I don’t know how you heat up the water, but I prefer to add a couple of buckets of hot water. I think it’s the fastest and easiest way. Maybe you rather wait a whole day until Sun does the job, or you use some other slow and not so fun method.
Pros
Cons
A solar cover can really help a lot when it comes to keeping water warm. You just need to heat water once and then cover it with this cover. It will maintain the temperature for a long time. So, next time when you can’t wait to warm water, you will not have to jump into cold water and get sick, but instead, you can enjoy a pleasant water temperature.
Considering this is a very small pool cover, I provided you with a pretty decent alternative which is way bigger. However, Intex Solar Cover for 10ft Diameter Easy Set and Frame Pools is much more cost-effective.
Overview
Intel Deluxe 18-foot Round Pool Cover is made to keep junk from falling into your metal frame pool. It’s made to drain holes and stop water from accumulation. According to words of manufacturers, it comes with a rope that keeps the cover from blowing off. It is safety cover for above ground pool.
First of all, I need to say that I didn’t arrange all these covers strictly according to their qualities, but I gave my best to choose the seven best above ground pool covers. Therefore, it doesn’t mean this pool cover is seventh-best above ground pool cover, but it surely is one of the best according to its quality, features, and price.
One of the most annoying things that happen to you is seeing the water on top of your pool cover. So many things can happen when so much water accumulates on top of the cover. The most horrible thing that can happen is when water causes your cover to rip. You surely don’t want to lose something you paid for so easily. Plus, water on top of the cover makes removing the cover pain in the neck. I remember when my cousin asked me to help him to remove the cover from the pool.
Pros
Cons
There was a lot of accumulated water. Man, I didn’t know that such a simple thing as removing cover can be so complicated and such a hard job. Fortunately, my cover also prevents water from accumulating, so I don’t have such problems. However, Intex Deluxe 18-Foot Round Pool Cover solves this nasty problem. In addition, it’s one of the easier covers so you won’t have a problem with holding it and picking it up.
Anyway, it seems like it is not so reliable when it comes to stability as producer claims. Many users complain about their covers blowing off. It’s not a small drawback, but it can be easily fixed in many different ways. You can always buy additional ropes and weight you can use or add. I know that it means more money spent, but still, this is not so expensive cover. Therefore, you should be able to afford it.
Overview
This Super Winter Pool Cover is a type of round pool covers and designed to protect your pool not only during the winter but during the whole year. It’s made to prevent any potential damage from UV. Robelle Super Winter Pool Cover also guarantees that you will see no algae in your water. It comes with 4 ft overlap in order to make sure your cover stays on top of the pool.One of the best rated above ground pool covers.
In the end, I have to repeat that this has not to be the best above ground pool cover only because it is in the first place. However, it has the best proportion of rating and number of reviews. Also, there are many people who are delighted with the quality of this pool cover. The price is not so high, and it provides you with everything that you’d expect from the best above ground pool cover. Here is one of the satisfied customers who were very pleased with Robelle Super Winter Pool Cover.
One of the most common questions is about whether the water stays on top of this cover or not.Anyway, it seems no one finds it to be the problem, as the ice can’t damage your pool. Moreover, some of the customers say they are living in very cold areas, and this cover handled very heavy ice, so there is no space to worry about that.
Another great thing about this cover, as well as most of the previous covers, is 4 ft Overlap. Have you ever had a problem with setting your cover? Has it ever been so stretched so it got ripped? Well, it happens when you try to set cover of the same size as your pool. Simply, it’s too hard to do so. But 4 ft Overlap makes it much easier.
Pros
Cons
What the customers are saying?
One of the satisfied customers of the product said that they had many a pool cover on their 18′ round pool. This one by far had put those other covers to shame. The scrim was nice and wide, the quality was great and the thickness of the tarp was very thick. Her husband was skeptical when they bought it. But when they pulled it out of the box and bag he was very surprised and not to mention the size of the cover. It was really a 22′ which allows for more than adequate coverage over the side of the pool.
Overview
This Oval Leaf Net Above Ground Pool Cover is primarily designed to help you catch and remove leaves easier. It’s made to save your precious time. According to words of producer, it is recommended to place this leaf net on top of winter cover in order to trap all leaves from dropping into your pool. It is best way to cover above ground pool.
It is questionable if we can consider this to be a candidate for best pool above ground cover, as it cannot stand alone without winter cover. Nonetheless, it’s made to gather all leaves so you can clean leaves in a much easier way.
I know how much time I lose only because I need to clean all the leaves from the top of my cover. And then, I have to clean my yard as well. This leaf net dramatically shortens the time needed for cleaning leaves. As said, the problem is that you can’t use it without winter cover. So, if you don’t already have winter cover, you can consider two things.
Pros
Cons
First – you can buy one of those, and second – you perhaps should pass by this cover. Another thing is that this cover is designed only for Oval pools, so if you have some other type of pool, you should maybe check out an alternative I offered to you. Basically, it’s the same cover, but just a different shape.
Overview
These above ground round pool covers offer more-less whatever other covers offer. So, it has 4 ft overlap which ensures cover not flying away. It is mainly conceptualized to protect your pool during the winter but can be used throughout the whole year. It features UV protection and Algae prevention. Blue Wave Silver Cover also comes with heavy duty cable and winch tightener.
Here is another winter cover. My cousin has one similar cover (actually the same, just smaller), and he told me it’s very practical and it really helps him a lot. However, he complained about its durability. As he claims, it’s very unlikely it will last for 12 years as producer says. If you are lucky, it will last for a couple of years, but in most cases, you need to change it every year.
Anyway, according to his words, he has no problem with buying a new cover, considering they really do the job pretty well. My cousin indeed cares a lot about his pool. He is a generally conscientious person, so he takes care of stuff. He told me that he never experienced anything bad with this above ground pool hard cover.
Pros
Cons
Thanks to its ability to prevent algae, he actually saved a lot of money on chemicals. I know his daughter doesn’t like to swim in the pool so much since she saw green water in an uncovered pool. I remember when he told me a story about it. Namely, she couldn’t wait to get into the pool after a long time, but when they removed the ordinary blanket from the top of the pool, the water was all green. She was disgusted and didn’t swim in the pool for a while.
Up to today, she hasn’t spent so much time swimming. Somehow, it still reminds her of those algae, even though they never appeared again after her family bought this cover. Truly, Algae are really odious and no one wants to have anything to do with them. Seeing algae in your pool can really ruin your day. Fortunately, Blue Wave Silver Round Above Ground Pool Winter Cover can make that never happen in your pool.
Overview
Blue Wave Round Rugged Mesh Cover is made to allow only rainwater and fine silt to get to your pool. As mesh cover, it’s designed to be easily set up and removed. There is 4 ft overlap to ensure cover not being stretched or ripped. Also, it provides protection from wind, sun, snow, and ice.
Having a mesh cover for the above ground pool can be really advantageous. While you need a pool pump to keep other, hardcovers on top of the pool, meshed covers will save you money and time. It’s also the case here.
This Mesh Cover allows water to go through, so there will be no water pressing cover down. Your cover will stay on top of the pool. In addition, this cover is so easy to set and remove, which may be very helpful for people who are not really Arnold Schwarzenegger. Actually, I have been thinking for a while to buy this cover, so my little brother can’t use the same excuses as always. Whenever I ask him to remove our hardcover, he says it’s too heavy and he can’t do it. Well, I’m really eager to find out what excuse he will find once when I buy this or some similar cover.
Pros
Cons
As we already talked, covers can be really beneficial during the winter, and this cover is also available for that purpose. Anyway, it has its drawbacks, too. First of all, the price is not so great. Indeed, quality is high, and these covers are usually very durable. Also, the fact it allows rainwater to get through means it also can make your water dirty. But, according to previous users, it’s nothing special. It’s still better than without using any cover.
Having a mesh cover for above ground pool can be really advantageous. While you need a pump to keep other, hard covers on top of the pool, meshed covers will save you money and time. It’s also the case here. This Mesh Cover allows water to go through, so there will be no water pressing cover down. Your cover will stay on top of the pool.
In addition, this cover is so easy to set and remove, which may be very helpful for people who are not really Arnold Schwarzenegger. Actually, I have been thinking for while to buy this cover, so my little brother can’t use same excuses as always. Whenever I ask him to remove our hard cover, he says it’s too heavy and he can’t do it. Well, I’m really eager to find out what excuse he will find once when I buy this or some similar cover.
As we already talked, covers can be really beneficial during the winter, and this cover is also made for that purpose. Anyway, it has its drawbacks, too. First of all, the price is not so great. Indeed, the quality is high, and these covers are usually very durable, but still $73.96 is not small amount of money. Also, the fact it allows rainwater to get through means it also can make your water dirty. But, according to previous users, it’s nothing special. It’s still better than without using any cover.
Overview
If you want to know how to cover above ground pool for winter then it is good. Blue Wave Gold Oval Above Ground Pool Winter Cover is produced to protect your Oval pool during Winter from all kinds of damaged including UV damage. It also features Algae prevention, as well as 4 ft Overlap. This cover comes with heavy-duty vinyl coated cable and tightener and is made of strong material.
If you have Oval Above Ground Pool, you most likely struggled a lot to find adequate cover for your pool. Well, this is maybe the best above ground pool cover for oval-shaped pools intended for protecting your pool during the winter.
However, it can be used throughout the whole year. But this particular cover is not so practical for everyday usage, as it’s a bit too heavy. Therefore, if you are not so strong and want to use this winter cover during the whole year, don’t. Simply, it is not designed in that way. Anyway, it does a great job when it comes to covering the pool during the winter. I would recommend you to use it during rainy and cold days in spring and autumn. In these periods, you will not have to set and dismantle winter cover every day, and it will do serve you fine.
If you are like me and you don’t like an idea of having mounted pool during winter, you most likely don’t need this cover. But, I personally know how hard it is when you need to dismantle pool, as I am doing it every year. Consequently, I can’t blame those “lazy” people for keeping their pools mounted throughout the whole year.
Pros
Cons
Another problem I have is deciding when it is right time to dismantle my pool. As a result, sometimes I regret because of dismantling pool too early. On the other hand, I sometimes end up dismantling my pool and cleaning snow from the garden simultaneously. This is why I find Blue Wave Gold Oval Above Ground Pool Winter Cover so useful.
Alongside very good quality and reliability, it comes with a 15-Year warranty which is a very good thing. Of course, it is questionable whether you can use the warranty always. But, it still provides you with some kind of security as you can always try to refund cover. Whenever you are buying winter cover, you worry if it can hold out heavy snow. According to words of one of the many positive reviews, this cover does hold out heavy snow.
What the customers are saying?
One of the recent satisfied buyer of this product said that they had this particular cover on for the past 4 months, and They used to live in PA, so they had gotten some pretty heavy snow at times. So far, the cover had held up perfectly. It fit great, it was easy to install, and it was very sturdy. For the price, he was very happy with this cover!
When readers of this site buy through our link, we may earn an affiliate commission. Therefore this affiliate commission never biased our product recommendation. Our motto is to promote the best products for consumers, through detail research and market analysis. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases when you buy through our link.
Comparison Table of Best Above Ground Pool Covers
Cover Name | Size | Purpose | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|---|---|
Blue Wave Gold 15-Year Oval Winter Cover | 16-ft x 32-ft Oval | Winter protection with 4 ft Overlap | Easy setup and dismantling, UV protection, algae prevention | Not practical for year-round use, not suitable for everyday use |
Blue Wave 24-ft Round Rugged Mesh Winter Cover | 24-ft Round | Winter protection with 4 ft Overlap | Easy setup and dismantling, no water on the cover, UV protection, algae prevention | Price, allows silt to get through |
Blue Wave Silver 12-Year Round Winter Cover | 24-ft Round | Winter protection with 4 ft Overlap | 12-Year Warranty, UV protection, algae prevention, easy setup | Heavy, not the cheapest |
Blue Wave Oval Leaf Net Above Ground Pool Cover | Not specified (For Oval Pools) | Leaf protection with winter cover | Keeps leaves on top of the cover, low weight | Only compatible with Oval pools |
Robelle 3524-4 Super Winter Pool Cover | 24-ft Round | Year-round protection with 4 ft Overlap | 10-Year Warranty, UV protection, algae prevention | Keeps water on the pool (intentional), not the cheapest |
Intex Deluxe 18-Foot Round Pool Cover | 18-ft Round | Winter protection with drainage holes | Prevents water accumulation, covers the pool well | Holes allow some debris to fall in, may blow off easily |
Intex Solar Cover for Easy Set and Frame Pools | 10-ft Diameter | Maintains water temperature | Low weight, maintains water temperature | Thin plastic, small size, may require multiple covers |
Final Thought
Last but not least, focus on the purpose of using the best above ground pool cover; it is nothing that exclusive product should be the choice. The matter is that the more price the more functions, it is a matter of thinking that whether you need the extra functions or not. You have to rely on the cover according to the pool size and the area that the pool is situated in. The main goal should be – meeting your purpose with less effort of putting in and taking out the cover over your pool.