Leicht boasts over a decade of journalism experience, and beyond her work at The Spruce, also serves as an editor at DGO Mag, a Durango, Colorado-based magazine. The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, or Flipboard for the latest deals, product reviews, and more. For as cheap as my Intex pool was and how easy it was to set up, I was absolutely certain that it was not going to last.
This pool arrived on our doorstep in one large box, which contained everything we needed to get started. The box contained a pump, the laminated sidewalls, a DVD with video instructions, a couple of odds and ends to help hold the frame together, and the pieces to build the hard plastic and metal frame. “Ready for water in just 30 minutes” the Intex website claims and although this seems like a bit of a reach for two novices , once we got a good look at the box’s simple contents the idea didn’t seem that far-fetched. Requiring zero tools, we followed the instructions to snap the pieces together, twist in the two filter pieces, push in the drain plug, and in under 20-minutes we had ourselves an 11-foot pool.
It is important to choose the right place for the pool. The location should be a flat surface cleared of sharp objects, with four feet of space all the way around. And yet, it needs to be within a reasonable distance of an outlet and water source. The manufacturer site warns that sand should not be used to level out the ground, as it could shift, putting pressure on the frame or causing it to become unstable. Would the neighborhood youths flock to our yard like flies on honey for a dip? And, most importantly, how hard would it be to clean after a serious swim session filled with rambunctious kiddos jumping in, out, and back in again while covered in grass and dirt?
Once the ground is leveled, it is wise to lay a weed-preventing cloth over the dirt. This will prevent any grass from growing into the pool liner. Some types of grass (specifically, St. Augustine and Bermuda) have been known to puncture the pool liners of Intex pools. The Easy Set pools come in sizes ranging from 8′ across x 30″ deep to a rather large 18′ across x 48″ deep. These pools require an absolutely level surface prior to set up, or the pool may collapse and cause injury or property damage. The Easy-Set pools may also fail due to a puncture of the top inflatable ring.
Much to my dismay, my budget and financially-responsible husband don’t allow me the liberty of throwing money around as I please. Plus, installing a pool in my yard is definitely out of the question. Which is why, when I discovered above-ground pools and the shopping hysteria surrounding Intex, I became absolutely certain that this was the product I needed to realize my summertime dreams. We used the pool with the pump off the majority of the time and switched it on after heavy use by dirt-covered kids.
The Summer Waves pool is certainly nicer looking, thanks to the woven details on the exterior, but it is slightly more expensive. Overall, the Intex won us over with its quality construction and reasonable price. The filtration system was simple to use, and it proved to be effective at keeping the water clean. We independently research, test, review, and recommend the best products—learn more about our process. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission. Angelica Leicht is a product reviewer for The Spruce who specializes in reviewing home, decor, and family products.
We did drain it, clean it and refill it this year which is the only time we did this after initial setup 8 yrs ago. Oh and did I mention that I bought it used from someone on Craigslist who lived in Philly and used it 1 summer. We will cover it this year since water is somewhat fresh.
Keeping it covered when not in use will help to prevent some of this. Overall, this above ground pool is pretty easy to maintain thanks to the 110- to 120-volt Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter pump system, which, according to the Intex website, has a flow rate of 530 gallons per hour. The filtration system was simple to use , and it proved to be effective at keeping the water clean. After deciding that a 12-foot by 30-inch round Intex Prism pool style was the perfect fit for my family, I couldn’t wait to set it up.
I also cannot stress enough that Intex metal-frame pools must be set-up on ground that is extremely level and that attaining this may require extra work and costs. To test the pool’s resilience, we let a line of rambunctious kids hop in and out and back in again, day after day. A 70-pound child who wasn’t quite tall enough to step over the side to get into the water kept hurling herself up and over, often catching a piece of the frame on intex frame pool her foot. She even bounced while sitting on the side at one point—which, looking back was perhaps not the safest move, and we wouldn’t recommend—but still, she didn’t warp or damage any of the pieces. Intended to be assembled and then maintained in place for extended periods of time, Intex metal-frame pools lend themselves to the concept that you can obtain the benefits of an installed swimming pool without the pricey expense of one.
A pool ring inflated on a hot summer day may also cause the ring to appear deflated in the evening because the air inside the ring is at a lower pressure than the ambient air when the temperature drops. Some customers complain that the Easy Set pools develop a slimy film on the underside of the inflated ring and that the overall diameter of the pool is less than stated on the packaging . A day trip to the water park with a couple of kids in tow can easily top $100, so we love that you can buy the Intex 12ft x 30in Metal Frame Pool Set and get a summer’s worth of entertainment for around the same price. This durable above-ground pool is a solid investment, especially if you’re looking for ways to coax the kids into being active under the summer sun. I agree, Jen- we actually looked at a solar heater , but the cheapest system cost more than the pool…