We’ve got you covered with our best selling and top 10 favourite paddling pools and garden pools for this year.
After all, in the sizzling heat what better way is there to enjoy your outdoor space than dipping your toes in a paddling pool or taking a lap around your very own above ground swimming pool before wrangling the kids off to bed!
In This Guide
Last Update – 19th February 2024
Remember, not all pools are built alike and if you’re looking for something a bit special you’ve come to the right place.
PatioMate has been hunting out the best deals paddling and swimming pools to bring you the best the market has to offer.
Oh and don’t forget to buy your tap adaptor if you need one!
10 Best Selling Paddling Pools
Due to stock shortages our personal favourites are frequently out of stock. We recommend looking at the best sellers so you stand a chance at purchasing a pool that’s actually in stock!
It’s cheapest to buy your pool during winter or spring as demand is at its lowest – prices tend to spike roughly 50-150% during the summer months, so buy early and get it cheap!
Intex Swim Centre Family Pool With Seats
Don’t be fooled by the name, many users are purchasing this bargain pool with no intention of filling it with little people. With 4 integrated seats and 2 built in cupholders this pool is perfect for any family parties, friend gatherings or simply for you to relax in at leisure.
At an impressive 229cm x 229cm x 66 cm, this pool is incredible value for money. There is space enough for several fully grown adults or mum, dad and all the kids. For price, design and functionality this is PatioMates number one pool this summer.
Bestway Pool Frame Splash Jr. Steel Pro
Amazon.co.uk
- STEEL PRO POOL: the 7.3FT above ground swimming pool made from a durable steel frame and liner, The mosaic pattern prints on inner lining, sides, and bottom will give your garden pool an authentic look
- DUBABLE: is made from heavy duty three ply TriTech material for increased rigidity and strength to last for long term use
- COMPLETE SET: the Steel Pro pool comes with everything needed for a garden pool; the built-in flow control drain valve connects to the garden hose to easily drain away water for storage in the off seasons
This Jr pool is perfect for the kids this summer. At 221cm x 150cm x 43cm there is plenty of space for a birthday pool party out in the garden.
Setting up and filling this pool is described as fast and simple by users so it is ideal if you’re short on time before your guests arrive. Equally this pool would make a fabulous gift for large breed dogs who love a good paddle.
Intex Rectangular Frame Pool
Free shipping
Amazon.co.uk
- rectangular frame pool
- Robust and strong film, high stability
- Quick and easy installation
- Galvanised and powder-coated pool construction; extremely tear-resistant PVC fabric
- Box contents: Intex Frame Pool Family 220 x 150 x 60 cm, without filter pump
The battle seems well and truly on between the two top pool manufacturers this season, with the Intex Frame Pool just taking the lead by offering a deeper alternative to Bestways Jr pool.
With fantastic reviews this pool is suitable for adults and children alike and the extra 17cm goes a long way in ensuring your inflatables remain inside the pool.
Bestway Steel Pro Frame Pool & Pump
Amazon.co.uk
- wilton Bradley 10ft Steel Frame Pool
- Steel Frame,rust resistant galvanized metal frame
- Dimensions 10ft x 30(305cm x 76cm)
- Pvc and polyester heavt duty 3-ply wall support
- Inc: flow clear filter pump
At an incredible10 feet in diameter and 30 inches deep this goliath pool is great for a large party or family reunion, or if you just want more space to swim solo this is the pool for you.
With a sturdy steel frame and a useful filtration pump included Bestway have pulled out all the stops to enable everyone to enjoy swimming at their own leisure.
Peradix Sprinkler & Splash Play Mat Pad
Amazon.co.uk
- 【2 in 1 Unique Design, Higher Water Spray 】：This water sprinklers pad adopts the independent design of the inflatable layer and the water spray layer. After the bottom is inflated, it can be used as a shallow pool or a ball pool. When you connect the faucet, it can be used as a water spray pad. At the same time, this design can make the pressure of the water spray layer higher and make the water spray height higher to 2m. Perfect summer gift toy for kids.
The Peradix Sprinkler & Splash Play Mat Pad is great if you’ve got little adventurers at home, this pool inspires creative play with it’s many features. At a rather impressive 170cm this pool has been designed to keep the squabbles at bay.
Great for little ones and the older ones too. Just inflate and go!
Bestway Power Steel Rectangular Swimming Pool
Amazon.co.uk
- Power Steel Frame Rectangular Pool Set with filter pump - easy set up with no tools required (18 feet x 9 feet x 48 Inch/5.49 m x 2.74 m x 1.22 m)
- Strong and corrosion resistant steel structure with heavy duty PVC and polyester three ply walls - makes for a durable and reliable pool
- Comes with a complete pool set - pool, filter pump, safety ladder and ground cloth
- The ideal garden pool - room for all the family to enjoy splashing around in your own backgarden
The Bestway Power Steel Rectangular Swimming Pool is a fantastic pool, centred around family fun. Set up is simple and the rust resistant steel frame is sure to endure the test of time.
At 5.5m long and 2.74m wide this pool is comfortable for a family to play together in. Designed with children at the heart of their interests Bestway have delivered a fantastic pool sure to be a firm favourite for adults and children alike.
Intex Small Family Frame Pool
1 used from £58.86
Amazon.co.uk
- DESIGN: Easy to assemble, ready for water in 30 minutes and supported by strong, durable steel frames which are powdercoated for rust resistance and beauty Rustresistant frame to keep the pool sturdy though many afternoons of splashing
- Technology Super-Tough wall of the pool gives triple strength
- 2 Outer layers of heavy-gauge PVC are laminated to an inner layer of polyester
- Length With Outriggers: 122" (310cm)
Intex up again with this budget friendly small family frame paddling pool. Perfect for younger children and smaller families. We do recommend spending the extra £12 and getting the family bundle that comes with a cover to help heat the water and protect from the bugs!
Intex Dinosaur Play Centre
Amazon.co.uk
- Approximate inflated size 249cm x 191cm x 109cm
- Pool includes slide, water sprayer and waterfall
- Water sprayer and water fall attach to garden hose
- Landing mat for extra padding
- Suitable for ages 3+
With the summer holidays in full swing, the Intex DinoSaur Play Centre comes with a slide, water sprayer and waterfall.
Great for children aged 3 and up and it comes supplied with 6 colourful balls for the hungry dino!
Lots of fun and we had this two summers ago before a bee decided to puncture the volcano!
Hillington Jumbo Deluxe Rectangular Inflatable Family Swimming Pool
Amazon.co.uk
- HILLINGTON INFLATABLE RECTANGULAR POOL - Built to last in sturdy, pre-tested vinyl, these large and fun inflatable garden pools will provide fun for the family year after year
- SAFETY FEATURES - Using multiple L-beam chambers, and a huge, toughened ring to form the outer walls, the construction and design of the pool ensures it can support the weight of the water without deflating, and an in-built safety valve allows for easy and fast inflation and deflation
This easy to inflate and classic rectangular paddling pool from Hillington is a great no frills and pool. If you’re looking for something simple that is well rated and will survive more than one summer then this is the pool for you!
All Seasons Gazebos and Hot Tubs Premium 4-6 Person Inflatable Hot Tub + 3x3m Heavy Duty Pop up Gazebo + Side Panels
Amazon.co.uk
- Superb Premium Package consisting of 1 x 4-6 person Inflatable Hot Tub and 1 x 3x3m Heavy Duty Gazebo + 4 Side Panels
- A Fantastic Saving by purchasing these items as a package rather than separately
- Heavy Duty Gazebo has 24 support struts in the roof - No need for windbars unlike many "Budget" type gazebos on the market
- The inflatable hot tub has a built in generator, no outside materials, with 130 Soothing air jets which create thousands of bubbles around you
If you’ve got older kids like me then maybe this heated and fully kitted hot tub is more your flavour. Suitable for ages 5+ although we recommend younger children take a break every 5 to 20 minutes.
Child Safety
Never let your children play unsupervised in bodies of water. Young children are at particular risk of drowning in as little as 5cm of water.
Always wear sunscreen or protective UV wet suits and put a sun-hat on the smaller kids too!
How to Clean Your Pool
Cleaning your pool can be a chore, but preventing algae and bacteria growth and the inevitable slips and tumbles that result is an absolute must!
How Often Should I Change The Water?
We recommend changing the water every day, however this can be quite costly and wasteful for larger pools. The alternative is to use an algaecide treatment to inhibit algae growth and the bacteria and germs that feed off of it.
You can also try using a solar cover to keep the heat in and the germs out.
When it’s time to refill the pool, try to recycle the water – use it to wash the car, water your plants or get a slip and slide out and use the pool water with a few drops of fairy liquid!
Looking for ways to make that water last longer? Treat it instead, to make sure it lasts as long as possible!
Storing Your Paddling Pool & PVC Toys
After you’ve drained your pool and cleaned it thoroughly, we recommend that you dry it with a microfibre towel or cloth and leave it in the sun to fully dry out.
If you’ve got a dehumidifer then use that to ensure you’ve got all of the moisture off of the pool and this will prevent mould growth.
Once you’ve completely dried your pool then fold it up and store it in a cool dry area whenever possible.
Some pools can be quite cumbersome so we recommend buying a garden storage box to keep them in. Most of them are waterproof and they have kept our pools dry and safe for 2 years now!
Our Favourite Pools by Size or Purpose
We’ve also picked a few of our favourite pools by subcategory to help you find the best pools in each subgenre!
Large Paddling Pools
Here’s our top 3 favourite large paddling pools. If you’ve got multiple children or are looking for adult friendly pools, or mayble you want to get the animals in on the fun, then these larger paddling pools might be just what you’re looking for.
Dimensions (Length x Width x Depth cm)
| Pool | Pro’s | Dimensions |
|---|---|---|
| Sable Paddling Pool | Great for gardens up to 3m | 300x183x50 |
| Bestway Large Family Pool | Slightly larger and usually the cheapest of the three | 305x183x56 |
| Bestway Rectangle Swimming Pool | Largest of the three and is great for swimming in too | 400x211x81 |
Heated Paddling Pools & Paddling Pool Heaters
Let’s be honest, when you and I were kids our parents would fill the pool up from the hose and we’d splash around for hours no matter how bloody cold that water was.
Times have changed and as technology has progressed there are now a number of ways to heat your paddling pool or swimming pool without breaking the bank. I also love swimming with the kids, but can’t stand it when the water is just so cold!
When looking to heat your pool, you’ve got one of three options.
Solar Covers
Solar covers are bar far the cheapest option and come in two variants. You can get a fitted sheet for your pool, or a generic insulating plastic that is effectively just bubble wrap.
These covers keep the bugs out of the pool and will offer a modest 2-5c boost to your water temperature depending on whether the sun decides to grace us with its presence!
- Eco-friendly Solar technology.
- Increases pool temperature by 3-5 degrees
- Suitable for AGP's up to 8,000 gal (30,280L)
Solar Heaters
Solar Heaters are great when used in combination with solar covers. The combined effect can increase your water temperature by 5-7 celcius compared to uncovered and unheated pools.
They do require a pump, so these are only really suitable for larger pools.
- 12ft pool cover for above ground pools, perfect fit for Bestway Power Steel Frame Pools
- Prevents dirt and debris accumulating in your pool
- Cover floats on water surface to provide heat insulation
Electric Heaters & Heat Pumps
Electric heaters are also suitable for small to medium pools – most small electric heaters run at 2-2.2kW and cost roughly 19p an hour to run (based on 14p per kw).
They are for the most part cheaper to purchase than pumps but running costs are much higher. However they are better equipped at dealing with smaller pools than heat pumps.
Ideal for 6-12ft pools
Heat Pumps are a much more efficient alternative to standard electric heaters as they offer up to 400-800% more efficiency per kW consumed when compared to standard electric heaters.
They’re more suited to larger (12ft+) pools
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Last update on 2024-04-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
