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5 Best Above Ground Pool Lights of 2024 – Reviews & Buying Guide

an above ground pool light

above ground pool lights

Lighting up your pool doesn’t have to be a drag. While shopping online is supposed to fun, it’s easy to get bogged down in the details. There are a lot of products out there, and it can be hard to tell which ones are right for your pool, and even harder to tell if you’re getting a good deal.

If you’re ready to break free of bad shopping experiences, you’ve come to the right place. We believe that well-informed customers can make great decisions, which is why we’ve assembled these reviews of the best above ground pool lights on the market. We cover both the good and the bad on each model, so that you can figure out which models best suit your pool. After reading our reviews, you’ll be able to get a great deal on the model that’s right for you.

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A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

Rating Image Product Details
Best Overall
Winner
Pentair Pool Lights Pentair Pool Lights
  • Fits into water return hole
  • Includes colored light discs
  • Easy installation
  • Second place
    Ocean Blue JetLight Pool Lights Ocean Blue JetLight Pool Lights
  • Includes remote
  • Fits in water return hole
  • 4 light modes
  • Best Value
    Third place
    Intex LED 110-120V Pool Wall Light Intex LED 110-120V Pool Wall Light
  • Magnetic
  • Floats
  • Bright
  • Smartpool NiteLighter Underwater Pool Light Smartpool NiteLighter Underwater Pool Light
  • Halogen bulb
  • Hangs from pool rail
  • Bright light
  • ZOTO Submersible LED Lights ZOTO Submersible LED Lights
  • 16 colors
  • Includes 4 lights
  • Inexpensive
  • The 5 Best Above-Ground Pool Lights

    1. Pentair 98600000 Pool Lights – Best Overall

    Pentair 98600000 2010-Convertible

    The Pentair 98600000 2010-Convertible above-ground pool light is easily the best model on the market today. The best thing about this model is that it will fit into the standard-sized water return hole used on most above-ground pools. That means you won’t void the warranty by using this light; it also makes installation very easy. Most people can get this model installed in less than twenty minutes, making it a good choice for people who don’t consider themselves very handy. This model also comes with green and blue light-changing discs, so you can shine those colors into your pool (instead of white) if you so desire.

    This light is so bright that users report that it can light most or all of a larger pool, making this model a great choice for people who want their light for more than just aesthetic appeal. The Pentair is the most expensive model on our list, so you’re paying a premium for a great product. That’s not going to be the right choice for all people. Still, if you’re looking for an easy-to-install pool light above ground that won’t let you down, you can’t go wrong with this model.

    Pros
    • Fits into water return hole
    • Includes colored light discs
    • Easy installation
    • Very bright
    Cons
    • Expensive

    2. Ocean Blue JetLight Pool Lights

    Ocean Blue Water Products JetLight

    The Ocean Blue Water Products JetLight is the model you want to get if you want to turn your plain pool into a party pool. This model can display 16 different colors, so you can always choose the one that’s right for the situation at hand. It also comes with 4 light modes, so you can set it to flash, strobe, fade, or smooth transition, allowing you to optimize the lighting effect for partying or serene relaxation. Plus, this model fits in the standard water return hole on an above-ground pool, which makes installing it a quick and easy task that won’t void your warranty.

    This model also comes with a remote that allows you to change the colors and the light mode. However, the remote isn’t that powerful, and if your light ends up submerged, it’s not going to be able to communicate with the remote. That’s something of a pain, and while users have developed a variety of workarounds, it would be better if the remote was re-engineered to be more powerful. Overall, this is still a great light with excellent color options. With a better remote, it could easily become the top model on our list.

    Pros
    • 16 colors
    • Includes remote
    • Fits in water return hole
    • 4 light modes
    Cons
    • Remote is limited in range

    3. Intex LED 110-120V Pool Wall Light – Best Value

    Intex LED Pool Wall Light, 110-120V

    The Intex LED Pool Wall Light, 110-120V is a model that utilizes an entirely different method to attach to your above ground pool. It uses a magnetic light to connect to a powerful magnet on the outside of the pool, which carries power to the light from an electric outlet. What does that mean? You don’t have to use batteries to power this model, raising its convenience even further. It also floats, so if it disconnects, it will rise to the surface of the pool. It’s also very bright relative to other models, making it a great light for use at night.

    You can also get this model for less than half of what you’d pay for the top two models on our list. That makes it the best overall choice for the money. If you’re looking for a great pool light available at a fantastic price, look no further than this model. However, this model doesn’t work with metal pools, since the pool surface blocks the transfer of electricity. Still, if you have a vinyl pool or a pool made from another thin, non-metal material, you should get plenty of great use out of this light.

    Pros
    • Magnetic
    • Floats
    • Bright
    • Great price
    Cons
    • Doesn’t work with metal pools

    4. Smartpool NiteLighter Underwater Pool Light

    Smartpool NL35 NiteLighter Underwater Light

    The Smartpool NL35 NiteLighter Underwater Light is a model with some potential, but unfortunately, it doesn’t provide enough value to justify its price. It does come with a high-quality, long-lasting halogen bulb, which makes it a good investment in terms of durability. Plus, it comes with a mount which requires it to be hung from a pool rail, so you won’t have to spend any time messing with your water return valve, or with magnets. It also comes with a very bright light, capable of illuminating pools that are more than 30 feet in diameter, which may just make it the champion on this list when it comes to brightness.

    However, this model doesn’t work with Intex pools. The mount isn’t compatible with their system, and there’s no other way to set up this light. This model also doesn’t come with an on/off switch, which means you’ll have to leave the pool and physically pull the plug in order to turn it off. That’s a big pain relative to the convenience offered by other lighting systems. Overall, this light isn’t as convenient as other lights, so most will be able to get better value with a different model.

    Pros
    • Halogen bulb
    • Hangs from pool rail
    • Bright light
    Cons
    • Doesn’t work with Intex pools
    • No on/off switch

    5. ZOTO Submersible LED Lights

    ZOTO Underwater Light, Submersible LED Lights

    The ZOTO Underwater Light, Submersible LED Lights has a price that’s so low that many people will be willing to take a gamble on them. Unfortunately, that’s a gamble that won’t pay off for most buyers. This model is actually a four-pack, yet it costs about a third of the next most expensive model on our list, which should raise some eyebrows. You can change each light to shine one of 16 different colors, which makes this set as versatile as the best model on our list.

    However, this set comes with some significant problems. For one, it rusts. Products that you’re going to place underwater shouldn’t rust. This means that they’re not waterproof, which says terrible things about the design and quality control. If that’s not enough of a reason to avoid using this set, the remotes that come with it don’t have a very good range. It’s about three feet on dry land and should be even less when water is added to the equation. While the price on this set is very low, it provides awful value; nearly everyone will be better off spending more on a better pool light.

    Pros
    • 16 colors
    • Includes 4 lights
    • Inexpensive
    Cons
    • Rust easily
    • Poor remote range

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    Conclusion

    The Pentair 98600000 2010-Convertible above-ground pool light is the best overall model due to its inclusion of color-changing discs, easy installation, and great brightness. The Ocean Blue Water Products JetLight is the more party-oriented model, as it can change to any of 16 colors, can fit in the water return hole, and also comes with a remote for easy color changing, though the limited range on the remote keeps it out of first place. The Intex LED Pool Wall Light attaches to the side of your pool with magnetism and also provides very bright light at a great price. In fact, the price is so good that this model is the best overall value for the money on our list. The Smartpool NL35 NiteLighter Underwater Light comes with a long-lasting halogen bulb that produces a bright light, but it drops to fourth place because of its lack of an on/off switch. In fifth is the ZOTO Underwater Light, Submersible LED Lights, which is inexpensive, but easily rusts and has bad remotes.

    We hope that our reviews have helped you find the above-ground pool light that is right for you at a price your wallet will love.

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