LoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyPools are hard. This is not news to anyone who owns one, but the uninitiated may not know about the inordinate amount of daily labor and chores that lie behind a pool’s clear, sparkling, perfectly chlorinated (or salted) water.
Luckily, pool tech has come a long way in the past decade—gone are the hours spent scooping leaves and dead bugs out of the water with a long-handled net, laboring over pH strips, and trying to relax on floaties too small for your adult-sized behind. We've now got robots that clean your pool, apps that monitor water quality from your phone, and even a slushie machine for proper pool-party margs.
With gas and plane ticket prices soaring to astronomical levels, there's never been a better time for a staycation at your own pool. (If you don't have a pool of your own, you can always rent one nearby on Swimply.) My colleague Christopher Null has a 12- by 36-foot, L-shaped, in-ground pool lined with PebbleTec, and I have a 20- by 12-foot above-ground pool lined with vinyl. Between the two of us, we have pretty much tried it all, so whether you've got a custom-built in-ground complex or an Intex pop-up from Walmart, these time- and life-tested swimming pool accessories are sure to level up your backyard pool game.
For more yard-tech tips, check out our guides to the Best Pool Cleaning Robots, Best Smart Sprinklers and Irrigation Systems, Best Robot Lawn Mowers, and Best Smart Bird Feeders.
Updated July 2026: I’ve added a sun hat, a wave machine, a pool thermometer, a whimsical speaker, and a water bottle. I also ensured up-to-date links and prices. Love WIRED? Add us as a preferred source on Google to see more of us.
Instant Lap PoolThe Best Pool AlarmFor Keeping an Eye on ThingsStop Skimming LeavesOutsource Your Water-Quality ChoresCritical Sun ProtectionIs It Warm Enough to Go In?For Floating Around With a DrinkNever Vacuum AgainA More Affordable RobotA Water Bottle You Won’t LoseThe Best Resort TowelsFor Peak Margarita SznSunglasses That FloatA Speaker With VibesInstant Lap PoolPhotograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullVideo: Chris NullChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistiGarden
What, you’re still swimming in a still-water pool? Get with the ’20s and add an artificial wave machine that uses jets of water to create a strong current that you can swim against.
iGarden’s Swim Jet X (also available in a few cheaper, lower-power versions) is a massive pump that clips onto the edge of your pool deck, cycling up to 1,100 gallons of water per minute through its 31-pound chassis, creating its powerful stream. At higher settings, this current is downright extreme, able to blast an unprepared swimmer halfway across the pool. The result is a very effective way to exercise without swimming long laps in a traditional lap pool. And if the kids just want to splash around a bit for fun, you can lower the Swim Jet’s intensity level to create a lighter, surface-level disturbance.
The Swim Jet isn’t perfect, though. The workouts are challenging and also adjustable, thanks to the machine’s six power modes. Even so, swimming in place may not provide quite as vigorous an exercise session as traditional laps. Battery life is another consideration: You’ll get 10 hours of running time on the slowest, lowest setting, but its efficiency plummets as you ratchet up the output. On the higher power modes, the system is good for about two hours of wave-blasting operation.
It’s also very expensive, with the top-tier version running $4,320 at some sellers. That’s astronomical in price, but what pool product isn’t? And compared to the cost of a membership at a gym that has a pool, it might make more sense than it seems.
Photograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistLifebuoy
If you (or your neighbors) have small children, investing in a pool alarm may very well be an invaluable insurance policy. Lifebuoy’s Bcone is the blue-chip alarm option on the market right now. It’s a bright red, double-ended cone that floats in your pool (or hot tub) and sounds a siren if something ends up in the water that isn’t supposed to be there.
The system works by detecting disturbances to the water’s surface, analyzing wave patterns to distinguish between the splash of a person (or pet) falling in and ripples caused by the wind. If the Bcone detects an event, it fires off its internal Klaxon and relays the alarm to a Wi-Fi bridge that remains inside the home (plus the Bcone app). The bridge and app both let you easily disable the alarm when people are swimming—and can even turn the system back on automatically when the water is clear, so “I forgot” doesn’t become a deadly excuse. —Christopher Null
Photograph: Simon HillPhotograph: Simon HillChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistArlo
This is WIRED reviewer Simon Hill's pick for best outdoor security camera after testing many models. Though I personally have an older Arlo model, I agree that the brand makes the most consistently user-friendly security cameras on the market right now. Recorded footage of your pool is another important investment in safety and potential liability, especially if you have children or curious animals living nearby. A camera can also function as a tool to help proactively spot potential issues while you're away from home, such as the water level, cleaning-equipment functionality, and cover positioning.
Photograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBeatbot
As someone who manually fished leaves and dead bees out of their pool with a net for years, I can attest to the utility of an automatic skimmer. It's not cheap, but if you have a large pool that doesn't have an in-wall skimming system, a robotic skimmer is a must-have, and this is the pool-cleaning robot reviewer Christopher Null likes best. It's solar-powered, so you never have to take it out to charge, and it's got sensors that help it avoid damaging itself by running into your pool walls. Read the full rundown in our guide to the Best Pool Cleaning Robots.
Photograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistIopool
Cleaning out debris is only one part of regular pool maintenance. Equally important, if not more so, is keeping chemicals in balance. If things get out of whack for even a few days, you can be left with a green, algae-ridden mess that is a major challenge to remedy. Test strips and kits have long been standard, but they're a hassle to use and only give you a snapshot of your pool’s chemistry at a specific moment in time. Smart technology offers a much more elegant solution; it lets you keep tabs on chemistry in real time and alerts you if something’s amiss. Of the handful of smart-pool chemistry monitors I’ve tested, I like Iopool’s Eco Start the best.
This floating gadget monitors temperature, pH, and ORP (a stand-in for free chlorine), together giving you a solid picture of your pool’s disinfection capabilities. It automatically updates every 15 minutes. While many chemistry monitors require replaceable supplies (which is a costly approach) and regular battery replacements to work, Iopool’s solution is solid-state, needing no maintenance at all except for storing it out of the pool in winter months. I used mine for two full swimming seasons until it died (at which point it must be replaced)—and I like it so much I just dropped its successor into the water for the summer. —Christopher Null
Photograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistSolbari
Notice you tend to burn faster when you’re in the pool than hiking or performing activities on land? It’s not your imagination—water acts as a mirror, reflecting a portion of the sun’s UV rays. This means every time you’re in the water or even just hanging out nearby, your UV exposure is compounded from both direct sunlight and the water around you. A wide-brimmed hat can help protect a larger skin surface area, and this one from Solbari sports UPF 50+ nylon-and-cotton fabric as well as a brim that’s larger than typical hats of this style—5 inches in the front and 6 in the back. I tested this hat in the pool on days pushing 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and not only did I not get burned, but I also found the hat itself didn’t feel very hot, especially if I flipped the color side (it comes in navy, pink, ice blue, or green) to the cream side.
Photograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistTempPro
My above-ground pool has a wimpy solar-exchange heater, so a pool thermometer is critical for knowing if the water is, in fact, warm enough to swim in. These TempPro models have been reliable in my tests, and I like that there's a separate display with a magnet on the back, so you don't need to use an app or even bother with a phone at all. The solar model stays charged and can transmit the temperature from about 150 feet away to my house and through its walls. (The range is supposedly 500 feet.) Note that I compared the TempPro temperature readings with those of a pricier pool thermometer and a probe thermometer—the actual temperature consistently ran a few degrees cooler than all of those readings. But this was easy to keep in mind.
Photograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistFunboy
When our first 90-degree-Fahrenheit day popped up on the forecast last month, I immediately started searching for an affordable floating cooler for drinks with a sun-blocking canopy, and I ended up buying this Funboy model off Amazon. It can easily handle a six-pack of cans on a raft of ice, the canopy is removable, and there's a drink holder on either side so you and your buddy can push it back and forth between your floats. The striped design with the fringe is very St. Tropez (or ’80s-era pool umbrella, depending on your age and station), and I ended up liking the vibe so much that I have since added its companion matching inflatable pool float rings, which come in 16 colors on Funboy's site or six on Amazon. I've had the rings in my pool for over a month now, in direct sun, and while I wish they had handles for easier on-and-off movement, they have held up great. The 48-inch size is big enough for most adult butts, and also comes with the requisite cupholder. However, note that the cupholder design is very small and very shallow, so you may want to stick with the more forgiving holders on the cabana bar.
Photograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBeatbot
Manual pool vacuums are so last century. WIRED reviewer Christopher Null has been testing pool-cleaning robots for four years, and this one from Beatbot, he says, is the best he's tried. It not only excels at its prescribed cleaning tasks, but its battery charge is also phenomenal at six hours, it has AI-powered debris detection, and its companion app is great. It can also skim your pool's surface if needed. Best of all, it floats when it's done, so you don't have to retrieve it from the bottom of the pool. (Which is good, he says, because it's quite heavy.)
Photograph: Chris NullPhotograph: Chris NullVideo: Chris NullChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistBeatbot
If your pool-robot budget is more pool noodle than Portofino, you may want to take a look at Beatbot's Sora 30. WIRED reviewer Christopher Null found it had outstanding performance for the price and excellent battery life, and, just like its pricier sibling above, floats when it's done. It doesn't have a whole lot of smart features, but you'll still have the option of multiple modes through Beatbot's app.
Photograph: Kat MerckCourtesy of DometicChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistDometic
I always have a water bottle at the pool, but it often doesn't stay cold all day, hold enough liquid, or stand out enough for me to avoid forgetting it when I leave. This one from Dometic, though, hits all three notes. I filled it with ice and water and left the bottle in direct sun during a stretch of 80-degree-Fahrenheit temperatures, and the water stayed cold for three days. You can add your preferred lid and collar (the strap collar shown comes standard, and the sip lid is an extra $15), or go with the standard flip-up lid. I like the yellow for visibility—and to match the brand's excellent Recon coolers, which I'm always hauling somewhere—but it comes in six other colors if that's not your thing.
Photograph: Kat MerckSave to wishlistSave to wishlistCozy Earth
Any respectable pool day begins and ends with a quality towel, and Cozy Earth’s are the best I’ve ever tried. My favorite from the brand’s lineup is the Seaside Resort Towel. Made from OEKO-TEX–certified 100 percent cotton, it’s perfectly thick and plush and large enough to drape over a chaise. It will lose some fluffiness after about three washes, but most towels do. The Classic Stripe Resort Towel is also solid but slightly less plush, with a cotton-viscose blend but more color options (six, compared with the Seaside's two). One side also has a low pile, which works well for the beach, as it will trap less sand.
Photograph: Matthew KorfhagePhotograph: Matthew KorfhageChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistNinja
You haven't properly pool-partied until you've languished on your pool float on a hot day with a frozen margarita in hand. Or a cup of frosé, frozen lemonade, or just about anything else you can think of—it will probably slush in one of our favorite slushie machines. High-sugar drinks work best, but you can even slush diet drinks by adding allulose. If you want to keep two drinks going at a time, Ninja has you covered with its just-released dual-reservoir version, which WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage crowned as the best for parties. It can auto-adjust temperatures to ensure drinks with different consistencies are ready at the same time.
Photograph: Kat MerckPhotograph: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistGoodr
Drop your sunglasses in the pool? (Or lake? Or river? Or ocean?) Typically, that's the last you'll see of that pair. But not now! These lightweight, inexpensive frames from no-slip, no-bounce sunglasses giant Goodr will float, so you can easily grab them next time you pass them on your inflatable lounge. They come in five colors (including Seafoam Party Favor, shown) and are great for all kinds of athletic pursuits, from running to paddleboarding and beyond.
Photograph: Kat MerckVideo: Kat MerckChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistLimitless Innovations
These Bluetooth speakers are designed to look like tiki torches, with a faux flickering amber flame. You can screw them onto yard stakes (not included), or just set them right next to the pool for ambient effect. They’re cute, festive, and more fun than a typical Bluetooth speaker, but note that they are slightly tinny, novelty-quality speakers, so don’t expect to be bumping any kind of bass. You’ll also likely need two for surround sound. (I have only one, which did not do a great job with multichannel recordings.) Still, one or two make a fun gift or an addition to a summer-themed gift basket.
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