Best Inflatable Pools

For two decades the Intex Sunset Glow has been the classic 34-by-10-inch baby pool in American suburban backyards. Three rainbow-colored inflatable rings stack on a soft inflatable floor, holding 15 gallons of water at a safe-for-toddlers 6-inch depth. Five minutes of mouth-inflating and ten with a garden hose gets it ready. At under $20 and built for ages 1-3, it is functionally consumable: buy one each summer, recycle the punctured one, repeat. Bob Vila's pool roundup named it the best baby pool category-wide.

For families who want real swimming depth without a multi-hour build, the Intex Easy Set 10ft x 30in is the buy-now default. Its inflatable top ring lifts the soft PVC walls into shape as the water rises, which is why setup feels almost effortless next to a metal-frame pool. It holds 1,018 gallons, fits two kids comfortably plus an adult perched on the edge, and ships with the pump, cartridge filter and a repair patch. Level ground is non-negotiable and the top ring needs occasional re-inflation, but those are the price of a pool that sets up in 10 minutes instead of 90.

Every other inflatable pool on this list is a pool first; the Funboy Clear Pink Heart is a design object first. The 99-dollar clear-pink heart-shaped pool inflates in under two minutes, comfortably seats two adults or several kids, and converts to a ball pit when empty. Funboy is the luxury-pool-float brand approved by Khloé Kardashian and Sofia Vergara, and this pool ships from their Venice Beach operation with same-day shipping for orders before noon Pacific. Quality control is the historical concern, since Reviewed.com's separate test of a Funboy chaise found an unfused seam, so inspect carefully on arrival.

The Intex Jungle Adventure Play Center is the kid-magnet inflatable that swallows a Saturday afternoon: a 96 x 78 x 28-inch backyard splash structure with a real water slide, an arched sprayer that runs off the garden hose, an inflatable flamingo, monkey and palm trees, plus a ring-toss game with five balls. The larger pool holds 130 gallons at 8 inches deep, enough for 2-to-6-year-olds to actually sit and splash, and the smaller wading pool has an overflow drain so it never gets too deep. Budget for a separate electric air pump.