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Last updated: February 15, 2023
Reviews of five of the best inflatable kiddie pools for outdoor backyard family fun, based on durability, materials, size, safety, and price.
A kiddie pool is a great way to keep the young ones cool and entertained during those hot summer months. If you don’t have an in-ground pool or enough space to add a more permanent fixture, then an inflatable kiddie pool is an excellent solution.
But finding a quality inflatable pool that will last you through those hot months and many more summers to come, can be a challenge. To help you out, we have reviewed five of the best inflatable kiddie pools for endless backyard fun.
Ready to beat the heat? Let’s dive into the reviews!
Top 5 Inflatable Kiddie Pools:
Top 5 Inflatable Kiddie Pools
Here we go, five of the best inflatable kiddie pools, ranked from big to small.
We selected each of our choices based on their durability, easy maintenance, and capacity to provide hot weather relief for the entire family. We even found one option that is so large and durable, your four-legged family members can join in the fun!
1. Hesung Inflatable Family Pool
For those with smaller backyards and less space to spare, the Hesung Inflatable Family Pool is a great option. It provides enough room for everyone to cool off without taking up a ton of real estate.
This pool is about 8 feet long by 4.5 feet wide. It is big enough for two adults to take a relaxing dip or a handful of kids to splash around in. But you probably won’t have enough room for both at the same time.
The pool is just under 2 feet deep. The walls feature three separate air chambers, each with its own valve. As with other options featured here, you will need your own electric pump for quick inflation. While this pool is on the smaller side for a family pool, you still won’t want to pump it up manually.
While it may be small, it is quite mighty. The Hesung has the thickest walls of any inflatable pool we found, at 0.42 millimeters. The narrower air chambers and thicker PVC mean this pool can handle a lot of weight and impact.
The outer walls have a neat blue bubbly design, while the top is plain white. That white helps prevent the plastic from getting too hot, while the UV-resistant poly keeps the pool looking its best throughout the summer.
This pool is rated for children three and up, but it would work well for younger kids assuming it wasn’t filled up all the way and that they were being closely supervised.
2. Brurkim Inflatable Backyard Pool
If you have younger kiddos but are still looking for a large pool the whole family can enjoy, the Brurkim Inflatable Backyard Pool is worth considering.
This pool is well sized at 10 feet by 6 feet. But it isn’t quite as deep as some of the other kiddie pools on this list, which makes it easier for younger kids to get in and out of.
The 20-inch walls are composed of two separate air chambers that must be inflated separately. The floor of this pool is also inflatable. This provides a super-cushy experience perfect for lounging and wrestling around on top of.
The kit does not include any adapters or a pump, but the pool can be filled in less than five minutes using a standard air mattress pump.
One of the things we like the most about this pool is the transparent blue walls. Not only does this feature provide some fun ambiance inside the pool, but it also provides for easy visualization of the kids while they play.
The sidewalls, base chamber, and top are made of highly durable PVC, which makes the pool light, waterproof and moisture-proof. All the surfaces hold up well to normal wear and tear and resist heating up too much under the scorching summer sun.
Like other large inflatable pools, it takes some time to fill and drain the Brurkim pool. But it is worth taking the time to do so in order to keep the surfaces slime-free and looking their best. Those clear side panels are only worth having if you can actually see through them, after all.
3. Akaso Inflatable Kids Pool
For those who truly are only thinking about the kids when shopping for an inflatable pool, then the Akaso Inflatable Kids Pool is your best choice.
This round pool will not take up much space, whether you are using it in the living room as a ball pit or the yard as a splash zone to beat the summer heat.
It is only about 5 feet across but has thinner walls than others and feels surprisingly roomy on the inside.
It has three separate air chambers making up the walls, which adds extra durability. But it is only about a foot deep, which is perfect for toddlers and younger kiddos. Most youngsters should have no problem getting in and out of this pool.
Another great kid-friendly feature is the inflatable floor. The bottom of this pool blows up to help cushion any accidental falls. But it does so in a unique bubble pattern that makes the floor less slippery than your standard flat pool bottom.
The PVC material for this pool is thinner than that on the other pools we featured. But, considering it is sized for smaller children, it should hold up well enough to the abuse of these lighter-weight individuals.
The kit features multiple adaptors to fit a variety of air pumps as well as plenty of patch kits, just in case.
4. Poolpure Inflatable Pool with Sprinkler
This Poolpure inflatable kiddie pool is large and durable enough to hold 6-7 children at once to play and have a good splash around, with a sprinkler as an extra fun factor.
This pool is an impressive 118 inches long and 72 inches wide, with high sides that are perfect for lounging against and containing wayward pool toys.
But most importantly, this midsize inflatable kiddie pool is durable. It is made of high-quality PVC that is twice as thick as your typical blow-up pool. Whether your kids have two feet or four big hairy paws, this pool will be able to stand up to their abuse.
Younger children will always need to be supervised in this pool. Even if you only fill it a few inches deep, the tall walls pose some risk to those still learning how to walk and climb. Luckily, keeping your eyes on the kids won’t be hard as you lounge in the cool water along with them.
5. Googo Inflatable Kiddie Pool
If you are buying a new inflatable kiddie pool for you as much as for the kids, then you will want to take a look at the Googo Inflatable Kiddie Pool.
This perfectly sized round pool is just under 10 feet across. When filled to the brim, it can hold 312 gallons of water, enough for two adults and 3-5 kids and toddlers.
Another brilliant feature this pool has that we would love to see more often is that it has multiple air chambers, which helps to withstand weight and helps to prevent leaks.
Setting up this pool is super easy too, which is a matter of laying out the pool on the ground, inflate with a pump, and attach a garden hose to fill it up with water. Less than 10 minutes is all you need.
Buying Guide
There is no shortage of choices in the inflatable pool market. To help you find the best product to fit your summer chilling needs, we’ve put together this handy buying guide.
These are all the different things you should consider and investigate when looking at the various kiddie pool options out there:
- Recommended age
- Materials used
- Cleaning
- Size
- Safety
1. Recommended Age
Many inflatable pools will list a recommended minimum age for use.
This number is based on multiple factors, including the maximum potential depth of the pool, the height of the walls, and any other fun features like slides or sprinklers that might be included.
Make sure the listed age range will work for your family needs before committing.
2. Materials Used
The vast majority of inflatable pools are made of safe, BPA-free, and durable PVC. These types put off little odor when first opened and are unlikely to cause any skin irritation.
The thickness of the PVC will vary depending on the quality of the pool and whether it is rated for children or adults. A thickness of 0.2mm is standard, while more durable pools will have a thickness of around 0.4mm.
From our list above, the Hesung Inflatable Family Pool had the thickest walls of any we found at 0.42mm.
3. Cleaning
If you think you can fill up your new pool once and be good to go for the summer, think again. To keep your pool and water clean and sanitary for your children, you need to change out the water frequently.
We recommend emptying your pool after each use. Once all the water is out, inflate it and allow it to sit in the direct sunlight until every surface is dry to the touch. This will help kill any bacteria and slime growing on the surface and ensure your pool is clean and ready for the next use.
Read our kiddie pool cleaning guide for more practical tips to keep the pool clean and safe for your children to use.
4. Size
The nice thing about inflatable pools is that they all tend to fold up into a fairly compact package when not in use. But you still need to consider how much room you want your pool to take up when it is inflated. This, of course, must be balanced with who, and how many, will be enjoying that pool.
To fit the entire family at once, look for a pool that is at least 10 feet long. If only the kids are going to be using it, you can look at smaller products since they rarely take the time to spread out and relax.
5. Safety
Safety should always be top of mind when shopping for kids’ pools. Some products have features to increase safety, such as textured or inflatable bottoms. Pools with lower sides are also worth considering for very young users.
But in the end, the safety of any pool comes down to the adults. Children of all ages should be supervised anytime they are playing in the pool. This is especially true for toddlers and babies.
