People sitting by the pool on a hot day.

Best Solar Pool Heaters Reviewed 2018

So you just purchased your first outdoor pool and you want to warm it up a bit. You know solar pool heaters are an eco-friendly avenue to fixing this issue, but you don’t know which products are the best.

Luckily for you we are obsessed with everything solar and have taken the time to review the best solar pool heaters on the market. All of the below devices are the best in the market and will truly warm up your pool. We recommend looking at each and deciphering which is best suited for your outdoor pool.

 

Solar Pool Heater Comparison Guide

Picture:Name:Technical Details:Design:Price:
GAME 4512 Solar Pool Heater- 17 Pounds
- 28 x 11 x 28 Inches
Dome Design$$$$
GAME 4721 Solar Pool Heater- 18.3 Pounds
- 43.3 x 9.4 x 27.2 Inches
Curve Design$$$
Intex Solar Pool Heater- 5.8 Pounds
- 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.5 Inches
Mat Design$
XtremepowerUS Solar Pool Heater- 15 Pounds
- 33 x 14.9 x 14.9 Inches
Mat Design$$
Blue Wave NS6028 Solar Pool Heater- 19 Pounds
- 43.3 x 27.2 x 11.5 Inches
Curve Design$$$$

.

The Best Solar Pool Heaters

1. GAME 4512 Solar Pool Heater

First on the review is the GAME 4512 solar pool heater. This is by far one of the best pool heater on the market. Reason for is because of its unique design and great performance.
 .
This particular pool heater is very small and compact. Its unique dome design creates a maximum solar collecting area. Meaning it is extremely efficient as it creates a green house effect.
 .
GAME states the 4512 pool heater can increase a pools temperature by 5 degrees Fahrenheit in 7 days. Allowing your pool to be considerably warmer without having to pay an arm and a leg on your electricity bill.
 .
Another positive aspect of the GAME 4512 solar heater is that has the least flow restriction possible. This means no bypass is required for pumps up to 1.5 HP.
In regards to quality this is one of the best solar pool heaters on the market. Its durable and quality materials allow it to last years in the outdoors without any damage. This particular heater also comes with foldable legs that allow you to place it at the perfect angle with the sun.
 .
Overall the GAME 4512 solar pool heater is one of the best heater on the market. We enjoyed how small and efficient it was. The only negative aspect of it is that it’s considerably more expensive than most of the heaters on the review.
.
Pros
  • Small and compact.
  • Its green house effect makes the heater very efficient.
  • Built with quality materials.
Cons
  • Expensive compared to other solar pool heaters

Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 28 x 11 x 28 Inches
Weight: 17 Pounds
Design: Dome Design

 

2. GAME 4721 Solar Pool Heater

Second on the review is the GAME 4721 solar pool heater. Yes, this is another GAME product, but it’s one of the most popular pool heaters on the market.

This particular heater is designed much differently from the above pool heater. It’s curved body maximizes the sun’s energy. Causing it to heat the water effectively and quickly.

GAME states that this particular design allows the device to increase your pools temperature 5 degrees in just 5 days. Which is quicker than the above heater.

The GAME 4721 is made from a strong blow-molded plastic frame with a clear cover. This cover allows the device to lock heat in while deflecting cooling winds at the same time. There are also added foldable legs for the best heating angle possible.

One thing that you should keep in mind is that this product is considerably larger than the above pool heater. This might not be an issue for some, but for those who want the least intrusive heater then this isn’t for you. Where this product does shine is in its price. Its a lot cheaper than the above GAME pool heater.

Overall the GAME 4721 is a great solar pool heater. It has a great design that heats up your pool in a very short amount of time. It’s also very cheap which is a big factor for most people. We definitely recommend this product and advise you to check it out.

Pros
  • One of the most efficient solar pool heaters on the market.
  • Has a durable and strong design.
  • Offers a great value at a small price.
Cons
  • Is a little larger than the first pool heater.

Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 43.3 x 9.4 x 27.2 Inches
Weight: 18.3 Pounds
Design: Curve Design

 

3. Intex Solar Pool Heater

Next on the review is the Intex solar pool heater. This is by the cheapest heater on the market. Making it a top contender to choose from.

This particular heater is designed as a mat. Meaning it doesn’t have a strong backing or casing like other solar pool heaters. This can be a pain at times as it can rip or break really easily.

The Intex solar pool heater is also relatively big. This large design makes up for any inefficiency that it has. With that being said it does do a good job at heating up a pool.

Intex states that this mat will increase a pools temperature by 5-9 degrees. Which is pretty impressive except our testing found it to be more like 4-5 degrees.

As we mentioned above this particular pool heater is simply a mat. The materials used to build it are somewhat durable, but can easily be damaged. This was something we didn’t like as nails or sharp sticks can puncture the heater. Another negative is that you have to lay something like a piece of wood behind it since there is no backing.

Overall the Intex solar heater is a decent option. It’s definitely not our top choice, but if you want the cheapest option available then this might be the product for you.

Pros
  • Very affordable pool heating option.
  • Made to work perfectly with Intex pumps.
Cons
  • Lacks quality in the materials.
  • Isn’t as durable as the above solar heaters.

Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 47.2 x 47.2 x 0.5 Inches
Weight: 5.8 Pounds
Design: Mat Design

 

4. XtremepowerUS Solar Pool Heater

Fourth on the review is the XtremepowerUS Solar Pool Heater. This is one of the largest heaters on the market and is thus very powerful. For this reason in landed a spot on the review.

As we mentioned above this is an extremely powerful solar heater. It’s simply so big that heats up a pool very quickly. It’s 20 foot long design captures the most heat possible from the sun.

The company states that the XtremepowerUS is able to heat a pool up 10-15 degrees in around a week. In our testings we found this to be true, minus or plus a few degrees.

One thing we liked about the XtremepowerUS pool heater is that it’s built with quality materials. It’s definitely a lot more durable than the Intex heater and can withstand the wear and tear of the outdoors.

With that being said it’s not as durable as the first two options. It also doesn’t have an outer casing and is basically a mat heater. We found that it worked best when placed on a roof since it needs a strong backing. Placing it anywhere else is simply not reasonable as its such a large heater.

Overall we enjoyed this solar heater a lot. It has great performance and can truly heat up your pool many degrees. Just be aware that it’s extremely large and will take up a lot of space.

Pros
  • Most powerful solar pool heater available.
  • Built with quality materials.
  • Utilizes a unique roll up design.
Cons
  • Doesn’t have a hard outer casing.
  • Too large for many people.

Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 33 x 14.9 x 14.9 Inches
Weight: 15 Pounds
Design: Mat Design

 

5. Blue Wave NS6028 Solar Pool Heater

Last on the review is the Blue wave solar pool heater. This is basically the same heater as the above GAME product. It’s just branded with a different company.

This particular product is built with a unique design. This curve shape design considerable lowers the amount of time it takes to heat your pool. At the same time it increases the heating capacity by 40% per cycle.

On average you’re able to increase your pools temperature 5 degrees in 5 days. This heating time is very good considering how small the product is. If needed, you can hook up multiple Blue Waves to increase the temperature and to shorten the time it takes to heat up the pool.

In regards to durability the Blue Wave is made out of quality materials and can handle anything mother nature throws at it. You simply set it up and can forget about it while you enjoy your pool all season long.

In the end it’s a great product. As we mentioned above it’s basically the same device as the GAME solar heater. Its simply just branded differently and is twice as expensive. So for this reason it landed in last place on the review.

Pros
  • Sim and slender design.
  • Can handle the wear and tear of the outdoors.
Cons
  • Most expensive solar pool heater.

Technical Details:
Product Dimensions: 43.3 x 27.2 x 11.5 Inches
Weight: 19 Pounds
Design: Curve Design

 

Solar Pool Heater Benefits

Solar pool heaters have many benefits that most people don’t know about. First, they are an eco-friendly avenue to heating your pool. They don’t require electricity and simply run off the power from the sun. This eco-friendly nature helps the planet since you’re using a renewable resource that never runs out.

Along with this solar pool heaters save you money. Like most solar products they do require an initial investment, but save you money over the long haul. The few hundred dollars you might spend at first is small compared to the money you save on electricity.

Anyone who has every owned a pool before knows they can be expensive. By purchasing a solar pool heater you are taking one step closer to decreasing a pools maintenance cost.

Along with this solar pool heaters simply bring you joy. There is nothing better than spending time with your family by the pool. Solar pool heaters expand pool season and allow you to have a little more time with your family. This leads to great times and lasting memories.

>