Introduction: Why Pool Tech Has Evolved
Pools are hard. Anyone who owns one knows the inordinate amount of daily labor and chores behind that clear, sparkling, perfectly chlorinated (or salted) water. Luckily, pool technology has come a long way in the past decade—gone are the hours spent scooping leaves and dead bugs 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 find a local one.) WIRED’s team—including a colleague with a 12- by 36-foot, L-shaped in-ground pool lined with PebbleTec, and the author with a 20- by 12-foot above-ground pool lined with vinyl—has tested nearly everything. Whether you’ve got a custom-built in-ground complex or an above-ground pool, these time- and life-tested swimming pool accessories are sure to level up your backyard pool game.
Updated July 2026: I’ve added a new pool-cleaning robot; resort-style towels; floating sunglasses; and safety gear, including a pool alarm and security camera.
Safety First: Pool Alarms and Security Cameras
The Best Pool Alarm
Lifebuoy Bcone Floating Pool Alarm: 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. 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 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.
For Keeping an Eye on Things
Arlo Pro 6: This is WIRED reviewer Simon Hill’s pick for best outdoor security camera. Though the author has an older Arlo model, the brand makes the most consistently user-friendly security cameras on the market. 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 spot potential issues while away from home, such as water level, cleaning-equipment functionality, and cover positioning.
Automated Cleaning: Skimmers and Robots
Stop Skimming Leaves
Beatbot iSkim Ultra Robotic Pool Skimmer: As someone who manually fished leaves and dead bees out of their pool with a net for years, the author attests 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. This is the model Christopher Null likes best. It’s solar-powered, so you never have to take it out to charge, and it has sensors that help it avoid damaging itself by running into pool walls.
Never Vacuum Again
Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra: 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 is the best he’s tried. It not only excels at its prescribed cleaning tasks, but its battery charge is 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 because it’s quite heavy).
A More Affordable Robot
Beatbot Sora 30: If your pool-robot budget is more pool noodle than Portofino, consider this model. 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.
Water Quality Monitoring and Fun Accessories
Outsource Your Water-Quality Chores
Iopool Eco Start Smart Water Monitor: Cleaning out debris is only one part of regular pool maintenance. Equally important is keeping chemicals in balance. If things get out of whack for even a few days, you can be left with a green, algae-filled pool that is a major challenge to remedy. Test strips and kits are a hassle and only give a snapshot. Smart technology offers a more elegant solution, letting you keep tabs on chemistry in real time and alerting you if something’s amiss. Of the handful of smart-pool chemistry monitors tested, the author likes Iopool’s Eco Start the best. This floating gadget monitors temperature, pH, and ORP (a stand-in for free chlorine), together giving a solid picture of disinfection capabilities. It automatically updates every 15 minutes. While many chemistry monitors require replaceable supplies and regular battery replacements, Iopool’s solution is solid-state, needing no maintenance except for storing it out of the pool in winter months. The author used one for two full swimming seasons until it died (at which point it must be replaced) and liked it so much they just dropped its successor into the water for the summer.
For Floating Around With a Drink
Funboy Vintage Stripe Floating Cabana Bar and Tube Floats: When the first 90-degree-Fahrenheit day appeared, the author searched for an affordable floating cabana for drinks with a sun-blocking canopy and bought 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). The author later added its companion matching inflatable pool float rings, which come in 16 colors on Funboy’s site or six on Amazon. The rings have been in the pool for over a month in direct sun and held up great. The 48-inch size is big enough for most adult butts and comes with a cupholder, though the cupholder design is very small and shallow, so you may want to use the more forgiving holders on the cabana bar.
For Cannonball Soundtracks
JBL Flip 7: No pool party is complete without tunes. This is WIRED’s pick for best portable Bluetooth speaker, which JBL touts as being “life-proof.” The author’s family’s Flip 7 has been rained on, splashed with water, strapped to a mountain bike, and survived falls and misadventures. It’s fully waterproof and floats, so you don’t even need to worry if it falls into the pool. JBL says it can survive being submerged in about 5 feet of water for 30 minutes (though the author has not tested this).
Win Your Water Fights
SpyraFour Electric Water Blaster: Not exactly a pool toy, but if your household or neighborhood engages in water fights, you need a top-of-the-line water weapon. The SpyraFour is strong enough to dent cans. The author’s son received an earlier Spyra as a gift and found it fun for target practice even when no water fight was happening. The SpyraFour offers a more detailed screen and special gameplay modes like Ultra Rapid Fire and Scattershot. Former WIRED commerce director Martin Cizmar deemed it the best water blaster ever.
The Best Resort Towels
Cozy Earth Seaside Resort Towel: Any respectable pool day begins and ends with a quality towel, and Cozy Earth’s are the best the author has ever tried. The Seaside Resort Towel is made from OEKO-TEX–certified 100 percent cotton, perfectly thick and plush, and large enough to drape over a chaise. One side has a low pile, which works well for the beach as it traps less sand. The Classic Stripe Resort Towel is also solid but slightly less plush, with a cotton-viscose blend and more color options (six, compared with the Seaside’s two).
For Peak Margarita Szn
Ninja Slushi Machine: 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—it will probably slush in one of our tested machines. High-sugar drinks work best, but you can even slush diet drinks by adjusting. If you want to keep two drinks going at a time, Ninja has you covered with its just-released dual-brew model, which WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage crowned as the best slushie maker. It can auto-adjust temperatures to ensure drinks with different consistencies are ready at the same time.
Sunglasses That Float
Goodr Tidal G Sunglasses: Drop your sunglasses in the pool (or lake, river, or ocean)? Typically that’s the last you’ll see of them. But not now. These lightweight, inexpensive frames from 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) and are great for all kinds of athletic pursuits, from running to paddleboarding and beyond.