Pools Features Comparison

The best cheap backyard pools are semi-permanent framed structures. Most are circular and range in size from about 10 feet to 18 feet across. Larger backyard swimming pools are available in oval, rectangular, and round shapes but at prices out of our range. Cheap pools generally come packaged as a kit that minimally includes a pump, filter, and skimmer; some manufacturers also include a ground cloth, ladder, pool cover, and maintenance kit in the package. Leveling the ground properly before installing a cheap backyard pool is the No. 1 piece of advice from pool manufacturers and consumers. Warranties are short on cheap backyard pools, and consumers do report that pinhole leaks may develop in the pool's lining. Patch kits are available, but the expected life span of these models is about five years. Although inflatable pools are popular -- they're inexpensive and easy to put up and take down -- the smallest cheap inflatable pools pose some safety risks, particularly for young children.