Best Swimming Pool Accessories to Elevate Every Swim

If you’ve just purchased your dream pool and are waiting for installation to begin, now is a great time to think about which pool accessories can further elevate your space, transforming it into your own personal oasis. The best pool accessories make owning a pool a complete experience by balancing fun, safety, maintenance, and comfort.

Whether it’s the colorful inflatable pool toys for a summer party or a reliable pool cover that keeps your backyard safe for kids and pets, we’re here to help you discover the best pool accessories for your backyard, so you have everything you need to enjoy peak swim season as soon as it begins.

When most people think of pool accessories, inflatable floats and basketball hoops often come to mind. While these items can maximize the fun in your pool, accessories also include many of the items that keep your pool clean and safe to use. Accessories like robotic vacuum cleaners, water chemical monitors, safety fences, and covers are just as important as those for fun. For example, according to the American Red Cross, a four-sided isolation fence separating a pool area from the house and yard can reduce child drowning risks by 83% compared to regular fencing. 

Keep reading to learn about some of the best investments for pool accessories that prioritize safety, lower your maintenance commitment, and foster a beautiful, calming space you can enjoy for years to come.

There are several top pool accessories that benefit every pool owner, regardless of the size, style, or material of your space. These items improve safety, maintenance, and overall enjoyment while balancing practical tools with fun add-ons. 

Some accessories are universal must-haves, such as covers and chemical test kits. Not only can these items keep your pool area safe and clean, they can also have year-round benefits. For instance,  a pool cover can act as a thermal barrier that prevents evaporation, extending your season into cooler fall and spring months. 

Some of the top pool accessories include:

• Safety accessories like life jackets, safety covers, and pool fences.
• Maintenance items to keep pools clean, such as chemical test kits and skimmers.
• Fun accessories for poolside play, such as waterproof speakers and slides.
• Backyard upgrades for ultimate relaxation, such as umbrellas, coolers, and lounges.
• High-tech accessories that make pool ownership easier, such as chemical monitors and digital thermometers. 

Safety First: Accessories That Protect Swimmers

Pool safety accessories are essential for maintaining a pool area that all of your loved ones can enjoy. They can give you greater peace of mind, knowing that your backyard is secure – especially for children and furry friends. 

Here are some of our top recommended safety accessories to keep your backyard pool-ready for all your friends and family:

• Life Jackets: A U.S. Coast Guard-approved, properly fitted life jacket is recommended for all children under five, as well as for those who are inexperienced or weak swimmers. Life jackets can be an irreplaceable safety accessory for young children, even if they are in the pool area without planning to enter the water, as they can act as an additional layer of protection in the event of an accidental fall into the pool. 

• Pool Alarms: Pool alarms monitor for surface or pressure changes in your pool, which are usually caused by a person, pet, or object entering the water. These changes trigger the alarm, which can alert homeowners with either a loud siren or a notification on a smart device. These devices, especially when paired with a pool fence or cover, can provide multiple layers of protection for young children who might wander unsupervised into the pool area. 

• Safety Covers: Safety covers stretch across the surface of your pool to create a physical barrier between the water and people or debris outside. There are a variety of different pool cover types, such as mesh nets and automatic covers that let you open and close your pool with a remote. Some areas, such as the state of Florida, have regulations about the type of pool cover that can be used on residential pools. Check with your pool dealer for more information on pool accessory compliance. 

• Pool Fences: Pool fences wrap around the perimeter of your pool and often have self-latching gates that swing away from the pool and automatically latch behind you, leaving fewer opportunities for children to accidentally push them back open. 

• Anti-Slip Mats: These mats are often made of high-friction materials that can provide wet surfaces around your pool with more traction. These accessories can be especially valuable in areas that are at a higher risk of becoming slippery when wet, such as ladders, stairs, and any patio area in the splash zone. 

• Rescue Gear: Gear such as ring buoys, shepherd’s hooks, backboards, and a first aid kit can be essential for quickly pulling swimmers to safety and treating injuries in case of an accident around the pool. 

Keep It Clean: Maintenance & Pool Care Essentials

You may already know that pool cleaning accessories are necessary for keeping your pool’s water clear and sparkling for the entire length of the season. However, they can also aid in making your pool more energy efficient, which can significantly cut down on your overall maintenance expenses. 

Check out some of the best maintenance accessories for keeping your pool clean and sparkling (with less work):

• Robotic Vacuums: These cleaners automate much of the scrubbing that would otherwise need to be manually done by homeowners. They can scrub pool floors and walls while also operating with their own filters, which can reduce wear and tear on your pool’s filtration system.  

• Test Kits: Maintaining your water chemistry is the single most important factor in maintaining your pool and protecting your backyard investment. Test strips can help you quickly diagnose water imbalances that can cause bacteria and algae to form. 

• Skimmers: Skimmers remove contaminants — like insects, debris, sunscreen, and body oils — that fall into your pool before they can begin to decompose. This filtration can help prevent your pool’s surface from unsightly stains. 

• Solar Covers: These insulated covers help raise your water temperature and keep heat from escaping at night. They also prevent evaporation, as well as keep the sun’s powerful UV rays from disrupting chemical balances. This can significantly reduce your need for additional chemicals and maintenance treatments.

Fun & Games: Accessories for Poolside Play

Accessories like speakers, slides, and games are essential touches for any outdoor space, whether you’re creating an intimate personal oasis or hosting poolside for the whole block. Here are a few of our favorite additions for the party side of your pool: 

• Waterproof Bluetooth Speakers: Play your favorite tunes while you swim laps in the morning or enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail poolside, without worrying about your speaker being in the splash zone. 

• Pool Floats: These long floats allow you to be gently rocked by your pool water’s natural rhythm while you read, sip a cold drink, or work on your tan. 

• Slides: For larger pool areas, a slide can transform your backyard into a true, everyday vacation spot. These accessories are especially popular with children of all ages and can add a resort-like quality to your space. 

• Waterfall: Waterfalls add a natural elegance to your backyard, reducing outside noise and filling your space with tranquil, island-like sounds of cascading water.

• Pool Games: Games are excellent entertainment options that have mass appeal to adults and children. Many toys, such as inflatable animals and floats, can double as safety features, where children can have a designated place to rest in the water. 

Comfort & Style: Backyard Relaxation Upgrades

The area surrounding your pool should be just as serene and beautiful as the pool itself. Whether you want to relax in the shade after work or host friends and family outdoors, here are some of our favorite relaxation upgrades:

• Patio Furniture: Patio tables and chairs can provide a comfortable and beautiful place for your guests to sit and relax while you grill or serve drinks poolside. 

• Umbrellas: Umbrellas provide shade that can protect your skin from powerful UV rays. Use them to create a place out of the sun to catch up on your latest book club pick, or comfortably supervise children and pets in the pool. 

• Ledges: Ledges are shallow areas that can serve as an ideal place for getting some sun or act as a more accessible and safe “splash pad” for young children. 

• Loungers: These versatile and durable chaise lounges are designed to be a comfortable place to stretch out and relax. 
• Coolers: Coolers keep cold drinks accessible in your pool area, meaning you no longer have to go in and out of the house when you want a drink. Keeping kids’ drinks handy in a cooler can also keep them from dripping water along entryways and inside, where pooling water can be a slip hazard. 

High-Tech Pool Accessories

Your pool can now go digital with modern upgrades that make maintenance easier and more energy-efficient. 

• Digital Thermometers: Water temperature is an essential factor for maintaining your chemical balance, as higher temperatures can cause chlorine to degrade. These tools can also help you confirm that heating equipment is functioning correctly during colder months.

• Smart LED Lighting: This lighting option uses less energy than incandescent bulbs, lowering your energy costs and extending the life of the bulbs. You can often change their brightness and color through an app on your smartphone, enabling you to change the mood of your pool with the click of a button. 

• Robotic Cleaners: These cleaners automate much of the physical scrubbing and cleaning that would otherwise need to be performed manually. 

• Chemical Monitors: Digital chemical monitors can give you real-time tracking for water quality factors like pH, sanitizer level, and temperature. They can send instant alerts to your smartphone when maintenance is needed, minimizing the guesswork of water balancing and preventing you from overusing chemicals. 

• Solar-Powered Gadgets: Gadgets such as heaters, cleaners, and lights that use solar power can be more sustainable than electricity and can significantly lower your utility bill, especially for heating costs. 

• The Attendant by Latham: This proprietary automation tool is a cloud-based system that gives you complete control over your pool from the convenience of your smartphone. Access settings that help you monitor climate control settings, temperature changes, water chemistry, pool lighting, and more with the click of a button. 

Best Accessories for Inground Pools

Inground fiberglass and vinyl liner pools elevate your space from a backyard that’s identical to your neighbor’s to a luxury hideaway you can enjoy without leaving home. Pool accessories like tanning ledges, built-in lighting, and slides are durable features that meet the unique needs of inground pools while increasing your pool’s functionality and your home’s property value. 

Practical accessories like robotic cleaners, digital thermometers, and chemical monitors can be valuable investments in the health and beauty of your pool. These tools can help you catch maintenance needs in real-time, helping you keep your pool in the best condition possible without strenuous testing and extensive chores. 

Automatic pool covers, which can be fitted to inground pools during or after installation, are also excellent accessories for inground pools. Not only can they prevent evaporation, which can result in higher chemical costs, but they also provide a layer of security for friends, family, and pets in your pool area. 

Best Accessories for Above Ground Pools

Because they aren’t installed fully in the ground, above ground pools need specific accessories to maximize your safety and comfort when enjoying them. These pools often need safe ladders or entry systems that are specially designed to accommodate the high sides of the pool. Because these ladders can become very slippery when wet,  they should be fitted with anti-slip mats that help keep your loved ones safe as they enter and exit the pool area. 

Just like inground pools, above ground pools benefit from covers that help block the water from debris and UV rays. Solar covers are made from strong but lightweight material that prevents evaporation and raises the temperature of your pool by using power from the sun. This helps keep your water warm, especially during chilly nights in the spring and fall. Winter covers are also important for protecting your pool’s water from ice, snow, and rain, especially if you live in a cold climate. 

Because these pools often have less water volume, they need compact filtration tools that are designed to generate less pressure, as well as robotic cleaners designed to operate with less water flow. Smaller or portable pool floats and games can also be excellent additions to ensure that you can enjoy your above ground pool without feeling cramped.

Consider your pool’s unique needs and match them to the right accessories. You’ll also want to balance your budget with long-term value when considering seasonal and safety needs. For instance, an automatic pool cover can have a higher up-front cost than a mesh pool net, but it can also pull double-duty by enhancing the safety of your pool area and helping lower energy costs. You can also add other practical accessories like fencing, pool alarms, and water heaters to create layers of security and usability. This not only gives you a better return on investment by extending the length of your pool season, but it also prioritizes safety and comfort, especially for kids and pets. 

You should also consider lifestyle when you’re thinking about accessories. If you’re dreaming of long summer months spent relaxing in the sun, tanning ledges and pool floats can give you a dedicated place to catch some rays. If you love to entertain poolside, think about investing in patio furniture and umbrellas that can accommodate guests for a small, after-work happy hour, as well as big neighborhood barbeques.