Best Solar Pool Covers 2023 Reviews (Solar Covers and Reels, Solar Rings, Liquid Covers)

Solar covers are the preferred method of heating/retaining heat of many homeowners since the use of solar heating does not require any additional costs compared to other heating options, such as conventional pool heaters (gas-fired heater or an electrical heat pump). Below is our take on the best solar covers and accessories.

Best Solar Pool Cover 2020

To most people, using a pool solar cover (also called a solar blanket) is the most common method. It looks as if you made a blanket of bubble wrap and set it on the very surface of the water. Essentially, that is almost exactly what it is. 

During cooler times of the day, solar blankets also aid in retaining the heat in your pool water, which otherwise would evaporate out until the ambient temperature outside gets warmer.

Conversely, constant exposure to the sun and the harshness of pool chemicals does give various forms of solar blankets a limited lifetime.

Blankets can be ordered in different thicknesses and different colors to suit your personal needs.

Preferred Choice: Sun2Solar 1600 Series Heating Blankets

Features: 

• Available in sizes for above ground pools and below-ground ones
• 2 Different Color Options: Blue and Clear
• 2-3 Year Full Coverage Warranty

For this article, we have selected one of the most popular solar blankets available online, the Sun2Solar 1200 Series. 

The manufacturer offers these solar blankets in various thicknesses, from 8 mil up to 16 mil. 

The 12 mil was specifically selected because of its ability to balance price and longevity. The 1200 Series will get you more of a useful lifetime compared to the cheaper 800 Series, and the warranty on the more expensive 1600 Series only gets you an additional year of full-coverage if you only opt for the clear cover. 

Bottom line

Although the 16 mil cover would be slightly more durable, the 1200 Series is the best bang for your buck.

Best Solar Cover Reels 2020

A solar pool blanket will require some sort of method to store it when it is not on the surface of your pool. Some owners resort to fan-folding their blankets near the pool, but doing so may wear down the blanket faster than the alternative: using a cover reel.

Preferred Choice, Mobile Cover Reel: VINGLI Pool Cover Reel

The Vingli Pool Cover Reel is the best option for those who need their pool cover to be mobile.

The reel comes with a large crank and two solid wheels to allow the unit to be easily moved away and towards your pool.

Preferred Choice, Fixed Cover Reel: Rocky’s Reel Systems In-Ground Reel

For pool owners that do not need to worry about their cover obstructing the use of their pool, the Rocky In-Ground Reel is the best option available.

The unit comes with a threaded screw attached to a spring. When properly installed, the screw will fix the reel into the ground, allowing for a steady roll on and off of your pool.

Intex Aluminum Base Pool Cover Reel

Features

• Adjustable Width: 9ft to 16ft
• Materials: Aluminum shaft with plastic end pieces and crank handle.
• Pool Cover NOT Included.
• Intended for Above-Ground Pools with metal frames.

This adjustable pool cover reel is a great affordable option for rectangular above-ground pools. The ends can be bolted to the sides of the metal frame which in turn holds the entire assembly in place. It includes locking mechanisms to connect any adequate sized pool cover to the reel for easy deployment or storage.

The shaft is made up of several aluminum components which can be connected and locked together at various widths to allow for a broad spectrum of pool sizes to be catered to.

When the hand-crank is engaged, the device reels the pool cover up into a tight fold around the shaft which can then be locked in place to avoid unintentional unrolling.

Because of the design of the ends, this system is unfortunately not suited for in-ground pools as there is no way to bolt or hold the assembly in place. It also is intended for use with rectangular or square-shaped pools, as it cannot be bolted onto circular assemblies.

What are buyers saying?

Bottom Line

A relatively cheap cover reel that works very well with metal-framed rectangular above-ground pools.

Best Solar Rings 2020

Solar Rings are another method owners can use to heat their pool.

The concept is the same as a blanket, but on a smaller scale. Instead of having a one-piece blanket covering your whole pool, instead you have many of these solar rings floating on the surface. 

Installing and removing Solar Rings would be easier than covering and removing a heavy and wet solar blanket. Having a solar blanket reel would not be required.

In addition, Solar Rings provide an advantage in passive safety. If anyone were to fall into the pool while the rings were floating on the surface, they could easily push the rings out of the way to get above the surface of the water.

The initial investment for Solar Rings are greater than a simple blanket. Since the rings don’t cover the surface in a uniform fashion, debris can also find its way through to the bottom of your pool. This means vacuuming or robotic cleaning may be necessary.

Preferred Choice: Solar Sun Rings Pool Water Heater (9-Pack)

Features:

• 5-foot diameter
• 2-year Warranty
• Available in Multiple Packs

Our preferred choice from Solar Sun Rings comes in different package counts, from individual units up to a 12-pack of rings. The 9-Pack we selected is the equivalent to covering a 18’x36’ pool, so size your orders accordingly.

These rings come with a small inflatable outer ring as well as a water-filled anchor to keep them in place on your water surface.

Bottom line

An alternative cover; possibly for smaller, irregular-shaped pools.

Best Liquid Solar Cover 2020

The final option for pool owners involves neither covers nor rings. Liquid Solar Covers are a popular option among pool and spa owners.

In effect, a liquid cover does not necessarily heat the pool but rather minimizes heat loss and evaporation. It works best on calm water surfaces and has to be reapplied intermittently.

On a positive note, no extra storage is needed to store your blanket or rings. Owners would also not need to worry about covering and removing the blankets or rings before use — you simply can get in and out of the water as you please.

Conversely, liquid covers have a very limited life. A certain amount would have to be prescribed every week, depending on the gallonage of your pool or spa. The cost of applying the surface would be recurring, and another source of heating would be required to also increase the temperature of your water.

Preferred Choice: Natural Chemistry Cover Free Liquid Pool Solar Blanket

Features:

• 32 oz bottle
• Promises to reduces evaporation by 85 percent and heat loss by 70 percent
• Not an actual cover

Natural Chemistry’s Cover Free is the standard of Liquid Solar Covers.

Every bottle comes in a 32-ounce size, and every 4 ounces is used to treat every 20,000 gallons of water. This amount is meant to be applied every week, so one bottle should get the average pool owner half a season of use.

As stated earlier, the Cover Free liquid cover has the advantages of requiring next to nothing for storage space. There’s no actual blanket, and the bottle can simply fit in your storage closet. 

The price required for a full season of use amounts to about half of the cost of the cheapest 8 mil solar blanket. Although you prevent heat loss, this product will not heat the water as much as a traditional blanket will.

Bottom line

By far the easiest to use with somewhat limited performance.

Conclusion

Consider your needs and what you want from your heating requirements. 

Should you live in an arid climate and not need to worry about heating but rather heat loss, you could try the the Cover Free liquid solar cover. 

When your pool is an irregular shape and does not have too large of a surface area, solar rings may be your best choice.

If you have a standard shaped pool and also need your cover to heat the water as well as retain what heat the water gains in the process, your best bet would be to use a solar blanket. And if you a blanket is your choice, getting a cover reel is also in your best interest.

That concludes our thoughts about solar heating. If you need a pool chiller to make your water colder, that’s a different story.