Above ground pools have allowed WAY more people to join in on the fun. And these above ground pool accessories can take your pool to a whole other level. Enjoy splashing in your pool this summer.
The list of above ground pool accessories contains ideas to:
- have a cleaner above ground pool (with less effort)
- help your pool liner last longer
- accessories to change the vibe of your pool
- and some accessories so you can have even more fun!
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19 awesome Above Ground Pool Accessories
Below is a variety of above ground pool accessories.
Pool Covers for Above Ground Pools
Do you want to spend your time swimming, or pulling leaves out of your pool?
The first accessory we bought for our above ground pool this year is a pool cover.
Our backyard has deciduous trees which are nice for shade, but they drop a lot of stuff into the yard (pollen, seeds, leaves, etc…)
Getting a pool cover will help keep this debris out of the pool.
Since there are a variety of sizes of above ground pools out there, you’ll have to find a cover to fit your size and shape of pool.
They make summer pool covers and winter pool covers. The winter pool covers are intended for keeping your pool covered for months at a time. They usually attach to your pool using cables and winch.
Whereas a debris cover or summer cover is an easier on/off option.
Upgrade your Pool’s Water Pump and Filter System
Most above ground pools are sold with small pumps and under-sized cartridge-style filters to help keep down costs.
These usually do not do a good job at filtering and cleaning your pool water.
You can buy better filter systems that will be an improvement over the stock system that came with your pool.
- You can buy more powerful aftermarket water pumps to circulate your pool water faster
- And you can buy larger cartridge filters, or sand filters or filters filled with diatomaceous earth.
The pump and sand filter shown above is the 14-inch INTEX Model 26647EG SX2800 Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump for Above Ground Pools. Instead of using cartridge filters, the pool water flows down through the sand filter and the pool debris gets left behind in between the particles of sand.
Intex lists the maximum pool size for this particular pump and filter system to be 17,200 gallons. (According to this pool volume calculator that would be 27-foot round pool with 48-inch tall walls.)
And a more powerful pump will allow other above ground pool accessories – like skimmers and cleaners – to work better.
(Need help finding a better filter and pump for your pool? Here is a good article I found on selecting pool filters.)
Automatic Pool Cleaners
![Dolphin E10 Robotic Pool [Vacuum] Cleaner - Ideal for Above Ground Swimming Pools up to 30 Feet - Powerful Suction to Pick up Small Debris - Easy to Clean Top Load Filter Basket](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51s8ZhiVyZL._SL500_.jpg "Dolphin E10 Robotic Pool [Vacuum] Cleaner - Ideal for Above Ground Swimming Pools up to 30 Feet - Powerful Suction to Pick up Small Debris - Easy to Clean Top Load Filter Basket")
Above ground pool owners want to enjoy their pools. They don’t want pool cleaning to become their full-time job.
Yet they don’t want their swimming pool water to turn into a swamp. An Intex pool and other above ground pools usually come with a filter and pump system. (Which you may want to upgrade.)
Plus, if you want some additional help cleaning your pool, you can invest in an automatic pool cleaner like the E10 Robotic Pool Cleaner
This submersible cleaner rolls like a little tank along the bottom of your pool scrubbing and vacuuming up debris from the pool liner.
Then you hoist the cleaner out of the pool, empty its filter basket and get it ready for another cleaning session.
RELATED ARTICLE: Check out these awesome Pool Float Storage Ideas (great poolside organization products)
Pool Vacuum Cleaner
Another option to help clean your pool is a handheld pool vacuum like this one. What’s cool about this one, is that it doesn’t run on electricity.
You attach a garden hose to the vacuum and the spraying water creates a vacuum effect to suck debris from the bottom of your pool. (Works by the Venturi effect like old carburetors worked on engines.)
If you want control over cleaning your pool bottom, check this out.
Get a Pool Skimmer
To help clean the surface of the pool water you can get a pool skimmer like this Intex Deluxe Wall Mount Surface Skimmer.
It is designed for use with Intex Easy Set pools and metal-walled pools. (Plus, some reviewers claim it works with some different brands too….but it isn’t universal so be careful.)
This hooks up to the intake valve on your pool’s filter and pump system. So instead of the pump sucking in water from the mid-point of your pool wall, it’ll suck the water down through this skimmer basket.
It will help clear the debris that accumulates at the water surface like little bugs and floating plant material.
Then you periodically remove the basket and toss out the junk that it has collected.
(Because it hooks up to the pool’s pump, this is another reason to buy a more powerful pool pump.)
Pool Heaters and Solar Covers
Most of us have an above ground swimming pool so we can get in it and enjoy it…we don’t want a polar bear dip.
To increase the water temperature in your pool, you may need a pool heater of some kind – at least during part of the year.
Having a way to warm up the water can extend the swimming season for places that can only have a pool during the summer.
(I realize some readers are lucky enough to be able to have their pool set up all year long. Lucky ducks.)
A solar cover, which is like a layer of bubble wrap has two benefits: it’ll prevent leaves and debris from getting into your pool, and it’ll help warm up the water.
This particular solar cover is for a 12-foot round above ground pool. But you can get them in lots of sizes and even trim to fit your needs.
Protect your Pool Liner with Pool Wall Foam Padding
The company Blue Wave makes a foam padding wall liner that goes between the metal wall of an above ground pool and the pool liner.
The closed-cell foam helps to protect the liner from the metal walls.
They are a popular and well-rated above ground pool accessory to help extend the life of your pool liner.
Above Ground Pool Cove
You stick these angled foam pads along the bottom of your above ground pool between the walls of your pool and your pool liner. They have an easy to use peel and stick adhesive.
It is another way to help protect your vinyl pool liner and prevent it from getting overstretched.
If you want to protect your investment (the pool liner), check this out.
Above Ground Pool Ladder Step Pad
Placing a pad under the legs of your pool ladder means your ladder won’t be resting directly on your pool liner.
It is an extra layer of protection.
So it another pool accessory intended to help protect your pool liner.
Pool Leaf Rake with Telescopic Pole
Instead of reaching over the edge of your pool trying to pick up leaves with a short-handled scooper, get one with a longer, telescopic handle.
This one by Mainstays and available at Walmart.com extends 4-feet. This should work for smaller above ground pools.
If you have a larger above ground swimming pool you may need a pool rake longer than 4 feet. You can get well-rated pool leaf skimmer nets with poles that have removable sections. So they aren’t true telescopic poles, but you screw extra lengths onto the pole if needed.
Shade for your Above Ground Pool
We love warmth, but if your above ground pool is directly in the sunshine all day long that may be a little too much sun for you.
You can get a sun shade to block some of those rays. These triangular sun shades are really popular. Some people call them shade sails.
Check out this article related to pool shade ideas.
Pool Lighting
Getting some pool lighting can add some great vibes to your pool. Below are a variety of pool lighting you can get to add some great vibes to your above ground swimming pool.
Floating Pool Lights (Inflatable and Solar Powered)
These are a cool idea. They have a solar powered LED light inside the inflatable ball.
If you want a floating solar-powered pool light, check this out.
Floating Battery-powered LED lights
These are another cool floating pool lighting option, but these are battery powered.
You can buy a single light, or up to a 6-pack of these LED color-changing lights.
Click here to see current price.
Underwater LED Pool Lights (submersible pool lights)
These remote controlled underwater LED pool lights have an IP68 underwater rating. According to this article this rating means they are rated to be continuously submerged in water 1m or deeper
They come with suction cups but these don’t work with most above ground pools and they won’t work for soft-sided above ground pools. They also have a magnet so they may stick to metal-walled pools.
I haven’t tried these, but if I got these, I think I’d just toss them into my above ground pool and let these light “pucks” sink to the bottom. (Our pool is only 30-inches deep.)
RELATED ARTICLE: Check out these awesome examples of other Above Ground Pool Lights
Above Ground Pool Fountain with Lights
The company “Bestway” makes this above ground pool fountain with lights that clamps onto the edge of hard-rimmed above ground swimming pools.
You attach the fountain to the outlet hose of your swimming pool pump to create the waterfall effect.
The LED lights are powered by 3 AA batteries. There are 7 different colors and 8 light modes to create a variety of moods and effects in your pool.
This will totally change the vibe of your pool when it gets dark.
Cup Holders for your Above Ground Pool
You can buy cup holders designed to fit over the rim of above ground pools.
These particular cup holders come in a pack of 4 from Guaguanco and will fit on most above ground swimming pools where the ’round’ top bar is less than 2.5-inches in diameter.
RELATED ARTICLE:
If you’re having a backyard party, Don’t Miss our article on Backyard Party Accessories.
Inflatable Floating Lounge Chair
Imagine leaning back in these loungers and just floating your stress away.
Relax and enjoy the fun in an inflatable lounge chair like these ones from Intex.
What’s cool about these inflatables is they have a headrest and arm rests. Plus, they have cup holders built in.
We have a some of these and they’ve been working well for years.
Waterproof Speaker
There’s nothing quite like hanging out by the pool listening to your favorite tunes.
And now with a waterproof Bluetooth speaker you can have your music poolside, and not to have to blast the music from your house or garage.
I recently got a JBL Flip 5 waterproof speaker. (Mine is grey, but you can get it in a lot of colors.)
This is going to by my pool speaker this summer. It can withstand being in 3-feet of water so if it falls into my pool it won’t be a problem.
It is Bluetooth only with no auxiliary jacks and it has one speaker (not 2 for stereo), but I’ve been happy with it. Audiophiles may want something more complex or advanced, but for poolside music, it’ll work well.
Outdoor Pool Towel Rack
You’re sure to have lots of wet towels and bathing suits this summer.
An outdoor towel rack like this provides a convenient place to hang and dry your towels right next to your pool.
This particular towel rack is a popular and well-rated 7-bar towel stand made by TowelMaid.
Want more Outdoor Towel Rack ideas… check our article showing more great options.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of above ground pool accessories.
Before researching and writing this article I didn’t know about most of these accessories. They’ll definitely take your above ground pool to the next level of enjoyment and fun.
Up Next:
Light up the night with these 7 great options for Above Ground Pool Lights
8 Above Ground Pool Pad Ideas (what to put under an inexpensive above ground pool)
13 refreshing Pool Shade Ideas and Pool Canopies
Pool Float Storage Ideas to help you organize your pool deck and poolside area
15 excellent Outdoor Towel Rack ideas
Backyard Party Accessories to check out before your next backyard gathering.
