The longer you own a pool, the more you’ll realize that pool maintenance is a lot more extensive than you might have initially thought. Really, no one actually tells you that you’ll need a pool thermometer but you’ll figure out soon enough that it’s more of a necessity than anything else.
Since the old toe-dip just isn’t an accurate water temperature measurement method anymore, a pool thermometer lets you maximize enjoyment by helping you perfect your pool conditions. Needless to say, there are a bunch of picks out there, so we’re going to narrow down the range to help you find the best pool thermometers for your money’s worth.
Why You Need a Pool Thermometer
No, a pool thermometer is more than just a fancy tool for guys who can’t take the cold. There are some serious benefits to owning a pool thermometer to monitor your water’s temperature, and you might be surprised just how extensive the advantages of this tiny accessory might be.
Energy Savings
What’s the point of having a pool heater if you don’t have a thermometer to check how well it works? The problem with using a heater independently of a thermometer is that there’s a lot of guesswork and manual temperature measurement involved which may overwork your heater.
Related: The best above ground pool heaters
Knowing the precise, ideal temperature for your pool means you can dial down your heater’s settings to achieve your desired warmth. This prevents overestimating the supposed temperature and thus helps you save on energy costs associated with pool heater use.
Maintenance Savings
Did you know that bacteria, germs, and microbes thrive better in a warm pool? In fact, a warmer pool burns through its chlorine much faster than a cooler pool. So if your pool water is a little too warm for a little too long, you might find yourself having to toss in more chlorine more often to keep it sanitized.
Something as simple as a pool thermometer can help prolong the chemistry of your pool and keep bacteria at bay. This can be especially beneficial if your pool is often used by children who might be prone to illnesses and infections caused by pathogens that thrive in warm water.
Pool Heater Monitoring
How can you tell if your pool heater is working up to code? A pool thermometer provides significant insight on how well your heater is working. Interestingly, there have been multiple stories of pool owners buying a thermometer out of an inkling that their heater might be busted -- and they were often right.
Even the cheapest thermometer can help you detect whether your heater is doing its job or if it’s falling short of expectations. By staying on top of the problem, you should be able to get the necessary repairs before it graduates into a situation that calls for a replacement all together.
Health and Safety Concerns
Water that’s too hot can cause irritation on the skin, especially since pool water is treated with various chemicals. On the other hand, water that’s too cold can suppress the immunity and trigger a flu or cold. Some studies have even found that immersing yourself in water that’s too cold can be a precursor to a heart attack.
If you’ve got children or elderly people swimming in your pool, then maintaining the proper temperature should be of utmost priority. In general, the ideal water temperature depends on the ambient temperature around your pool. According to experts however, a reading between 26°C and 28°C should be comfortable for most swimmers. But feel free to adjust by a few degrees if you live in a colder or hotter area.
Comfort and Enjoyment
Have you ever found yourself itching just to get in the pool only to find it too hot or too cold for comfort? With a pool thermometer, that ceases to be a problem. A thermometer helps you make sure that your pool water is the perfect temperature for a dip each and every time.
According to experts, water that’s slightly on the warm side can be ideal for soothing sore muscles, while water that’s a little cooler than ambient temperature can be ideal for calming and de-stressing. That said, a pool thermometer should help you fully enjoy your pool and get the most out of every dip depending on what kind of experience you’re looking for.
Different Pool Thermometer Types
Bet you thought you could just grab any old thermometer and be done with it. Well, not exactly. There's quite a range for this simple swimming pool accessory so it’s important to know how each one performs to make sure you’re getting the right one for your pool.
Digital vs Analog
There are two main types of swimming pool thermometers on the market these days, and they’re categorized based on the mechanism by which they work.
Analog
Analog thermometers are your run-of-the-mill, traditional thermometer just supersized for pool use. There’s alcohol or mercury inside that rises against a scale indicating your water’s temp.
They’re definitely long lasting, being far more durable than any other type of thermometer for pools since most of them are designed for shatter resistant performance. However because of the process of getting a reading, they’re not always going to be as accurate as digital. Plus, you’re going to have to pull it out of the water every time if you want to take a reading which is a lot less than convenient.
Digital
Then there are digital thermometers. As the name suggests, these therms use digital technology to give you a temperature reading. They usually come in two parts, the first being a sensor that stays in your swimming pool and the second being a receiver that you carry around poolside, providing numbers that are easy to read. Others have just the sensor with a screen attached that goes into the water to give you the temperature.
Less common are handheld digital thermometers that you point at the pool's surface to get the reading. Although they might be particularly effortless in that you don't even need to get it in the water at all, handheld digital thermometers can be far less accurate than other designs.
Digital thermometers are crazy convenient and provide much more accurate results than analog models. Some of them are also designed to connect to your phone via Bluetooth or WiFi, so your smartphone becomes the receiver through a dedicated mobile app. Of course, they’re also more expensive and in some cases, they’re also more fragile than analog models.
Battery vs Solar
Obviously, analog thermometers don't need an energy source since they operate through simple expansion as the substance inside is exposed to heat. Digital thermometers on the other hand, will require some sort of energy source to properly operate. Today, digital models are powered through one of two ways -- solar or battery power.
Solar power is exactly what it sounds like. On the face of the sensor sits a solar panel that charges the unit to provide power. A solar-powered digital floating pool thermometer is perhaps the most convenient and low-effort model you'll find since you won't ever have to worry about replacing batteries.
Battery power on the other hand requires that your digital pool thermometer is constantly charged to take an accurate reading. Most of those that require batteries use triple or double A batteries for the sensor itself. If the digital thermometer has a handheld remote included, then the remote might also require a set of batteries to properly operate.
Floating vs Hanging vs Handheld
Depending on how you like to take a reading, you may have to consider the different ways that a pool thermometer may need to be used.
Floating thermometers quite literally float on the surface of the water without being held or tied down to any aspect of your swimming pool. If you're interested in a floating thermometer, a wireless digital model would be best since there wouldn't be a need to retrieve it every time you need to take a reading.
Hanging thermometers on the other hand come with a loop, strap, or tether that you tie to a part of your pool -- like the ladder or handrails. Analog therms are usually designed this way so you can easily reach in and grab the unit if you want to know how hot (or cold) your water is.
And then finally there are handheld models. These can be analog designs that you hold, dip into the water, and then retrieve to take a reading, or digital therms that you point at the water's surface to get the temperature without having to make contact with the pool at all.
The 5 Best Swimming Pool Thermometers
1. Ambient Weather WS-50-F007PF WiFi Smart Floating Thermometer
The WS-50-F007PF is designed to provide more than just the temperature. This versatile pool accessory measures temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, and even wind strength and direction, giving you an all-in-one weather monitoring machine that sits on the surface of your pool.
This floating pool thermometer is often considered the best wireless pool thermometer because it's easy to read, accurate, and complete, offering loads of information that should tell you if today truly is a good day for a swim. Coming with its own remote pool thermometer controller, this pick can also connect to your phone or computer through your wireless network.
2. Kingsource Large Floating Pool Thermometer
Built with durable, weatherproof and shatter resistant material, this floating pool thermometer is the best pool thermometer for old fashioned homeowners who want a tool that's stripped of all the fancy bells and whistles. It provides an accurate reading for both Fahrenheit and Celsius, displayed through its large temperature reading display so you don't have to squint too much.
Designed to provide easy temperature readings when you need them, this pool thermometer comes complete with a tether that you can tie to your grab bars or pool ladder to make it easy to retrieve any time you need to take a reading.
3. GAME 14030 Solar Digital Pool Thermometer
While the GAME 14030 is designed for pools, it also works great for spas and hot tubs, especially if you've got one installed outdoors. The solar powered thermometer floats effortlessly along the surface of your water with its sensor submerged several inches below the surface for better accuracy.
Fitted with two large digital displays on either side of the thermometer head to make each reading, the GAME 14030 provides readings that are easy to see even from a distance. The shatter resistant design also comes with a single rubber button that switches readings between Fahrenheit and Celsius.
4. Pentair R141036 Tube Thermometer
Joining the leagues of the best pool thermometers, the Pentair R141036 is a shatter resistant analog thermometer tube that comes with a three-foot cord. This lets you easily secure the tube to different elements around your pool so you can reel it up with ease if you need to take a temperature reading.
Designed for pools, hot tubs, and various other water applications, this thermometer offers accurate readings in both Fahrenheit and Celsius through its extra large facade. The thermometer itself is concealed in a sturdy ABS case that protects the design from all sorts of damage.
5. Etekcity Infrared Thermometer 774
While it wasn't specifically designed for swimming pools, this handheld digital thermometer provides accurate temperature readings that don't require a lot of effort. Simply point at your pool's surface and press the button to get a reading -- it's as simple as that.
With a large, backlit screen that's easy to read, this handheld pick has often been considered one of the best digital pool thermometers for pool owners who want something that's quick and simple. And because it can measure temperatures at a distance of 36cm, there's no need for you to get down into the water to know how warm or cool the water temperature is.
A Poolside Necessity
A thermometer might not seem like such an important pool accessory. But when you think about all of the benefits of keeping track of your pool's temperature, it's easy to see why a thermometer is something you shouldn't be without. True, there are quite a lot of options out there, and all of the tiny details might make them all seem like the best pool thermometers. But just take the time to consider your unique preferences, and you should land a choice that's right on the money.
