The best pool winter floats, compared.
Top pick: NamcheBarwa 4 ft by 15 ft pillow Best value: Robelle 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer – Best value at about £12.88: lowest price among pillows whose 4 ft size the dimension fields agree with. Updated 16.10.2026.
A pool winter float is an inflatable cushion, also called an ice equalizer or air pillow, under a winter debris cover on an above-ground pool. You use one when you close a kit pool or a steel-wall pool so expanding ice has a soft centre and rain can run off a raised cover. It does not stop the water freezing, and it does not replace the cover or winter chemistry. Judge whether the title size agrees with the dimension fields, whether a rope is in the box, and whether reviews say it stayed inflated. No British Standard for this object turned up. Size, fill, and rope are in the [pool winter floats buying guide](/hub/pool-care/pool-winter-floats/sub/pool-winter-floats-buying-guide).
A pool winter float is an inflatable cushion, also called an ice equalizer or air pillow, under a winter debris cover on an above-ground pool.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What size is the above-ground pool?
The NamcheBarwa listing is a 4 ft by 15 ft pillow at about £38.51, and the size field agrees at 457 cm by 122 cm, with item dimensions of 4.57 m by 1.22 m and a weight of 4.38 kg. The bullets include 20 m of rope and inflation to 70 per cent, and no pump is in the box. The listing line is 4.1 from 30 reviews, all from the United States in the file. Several of those reviews describe water bags, a cover, or a 6 ft or 10 ft pillow, so the star line is mixed with another kit. A line about filling cover weights is not matched by the contents list of one pillow and 20 m of rope. On a long above-ground pool the agreed 4.57 m length is the reason to look at it. On a 12 ft round that length is the wrong object.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A long above-ground pool where a 4 ft by 15 ft plan is what the size chart asks for, if you discount the mixed US reviews.
Less suitable: A 12 ft round, or anyone treating the 4.1 line as reviews of this box alone.
Specifications
Common questions
What is in the NamcheBarwa box?
The bullets say one 4 ft by 15 ft pillow and 20 m of rope. A line about filling cover weights is not matched by that contents list.
Do the NamcheBarwa dimensions match?
Yes. The title says 4 ft by 15 ft. The size field says 457 cm by 122 cm and the item dimensions say 4.57 m by 1.22 m. Weight is 4.38 kg.
Do the reviews match this pillow?
The listing line is 4.1 from 30, all from the United States in the file. Several describe water bags, a cover, or a 6 ft or 10 ft pillow. Treat that block as mixed.
The Tefola HGG4071 is listed as a 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer at about £21.88, with length and width that match 121.92 cm. The same technical line also prints 121.92 cm as a third figure, which is unusable as a pillow height. The bullets state 0.3 mm PVC, a rope given as 49 feet, two patches, and inflation to about 70 per cent, and no pump is in the box. The listing line is 4.1 from 17 reviews, the highest data score in this set, so this is the top pick on those stated fields. The six reviews in the file are from France and Spain, and three of them describe lost air or a split weld. That leak pattern sits outside United Kingdom text, so the 4.1 line is not a UK winter diary. The cold figure of −10 °F (−25 °C) is a listing line. For a small round above-ground pool the agreed 4 ft square is a plan you can check, once you bring your own pump and look at the weld.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small above-ground pool where a 4 ft square is the plan, if you bring a pump and treat the leak notes as non-UK text.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs United Kingdom review text, or who would read 121.92 cm as the inflated height.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Tefola listing include a pump?
No. The bullets say to use a household air pump and to stop at about 70 per cent. No pump is in the box.
What size is the Tefola cushion?
The bullets say 4 ft by 4 ft. Length and width on the technical line match that. The same line also says 121.92 cm thick, which is not a pillow height.
Are the Tefola reviews from the United Kingdom?
The listing line is 4.1 from 17. The six reviews in the file are from France and Spain, and three of them describe lost air or a split weld.
The Tiardey CP097379 is listed at about £18.99 with a rope whose length is not stated, and the title gives no inflated size. The listing line is 4.0 from 2 reviews. The only review text in the file is from Sweden and says the cushion is an ellipse, with the height estimated at about 60 cm rather than 120 cm. There is no United Kingdom review. Package dimensions are 28.5 cm by 19 cm by 6.2 cm, and item weight is 900 g, so those figures describe the parcel. A double-seal valve is claimed, and the bullets say it works with most pumps, though no pump is in the box. You can order it only if you are willing to measure an ellipse after inflation, because the listing never states a plan size.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants a rope in the box and will measure an ellipse after inflation.
Less suitable: A pool that needs a stated 4 ft square or a 4 ft by 8 ft plan before you order.
Specifications
Common questions
What size is the Tiardey cushion?
The title does not say. Package dimensions are 28.5 cm by 19 cm by 6.2 cm. The only review says it is an ellipse and estimates the height at about 60 cm rather than 120 cm.
Does Tiardey include a pump?
No. The bullets say it works with most pumps. A pump question on the listing is not answered.
Where is the review from?
The listing line is 4.0 from 2. The only review text in the file is from Sweden. There is no United Kingdom review.
The Swimline 1148 is titled as a 4 ft by 8 ft vinyl pillow at about £18.58. The size field says 3 cm by 3 cm and the item dimensions say 25 mm by 25 mm, so the title is the only size you can plan from. The listing line is 3.7 from 2,608 reviews, the largest count in this set, and the file ranks it 9 in Pool Cover Air Pillows. Three United Kingdom reviews are in the file: one calls it huge and uses it as a toy, one says it arrived with holes, and one used it to winterise a pool and then could not reinflate it after three months. The bullets do not name a rope, and no pump is listed. At 1.22 kg it is heavier than the 4 ft squares here, which fits a longer pillow if the title is the true size. The review count leaves those UK reports of holes and a flat pillow in place.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A mid-size above-ground pool if you treat the title’s 4 ft by 8 ft as the claim and check the vinyl on arrival.
Less suitable: Anyone planning from the 3 cm size field, or who needs a rope named in the bullets.
Specifications
Common questions
Which Swimline size should you plan around?
The title says 4 ft by 8 ft. The size field says 3 cm by 3 cm and the item dimensions say 25 mm by 25 mm. Those centimetre figures cannot describe this pillow.
Does the Swimline box include a pump or a rope?
No pump is listed. The included-components field says it does not apply. The bullets do not name a rope.
What do the United Kingdom reviews say?
Three UK reviews are in the file. One calls it huge and uses it as a toy. One says it arrived with holes. One used it to winterise a pool, then could not reinflate it after three months.
The Robelle 3744 is a 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer at about £12.88, and the size field agrees at 122 cm by 122 cm, with item dimensions of 121.9 cm by 121.9 cm. It is the lowest price among pillows in this set whose 4 ft size the dimension fields agree with, which is why it is the best value on that price rule. The listing line is 3.3 from 1,313 reviews, and the item weight is 454 g. The bullets say do not overfill and give no percentage. They do not list a rope. United Kingdom reviews in the file say it goes down, that a weld was unfinished, and that no string or clips were in the box, so the pillow would not stay in place. No pump is included. The agreed 4 ft square is a usable plan size if you add a rope of your own.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small above-ground pool where you want an agreed 4 ft square at about £12.88 and will supply your own rope.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a rope in the box, or a stated fill percentage on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Do the Robelle dimensions match the title?
Yes. The title says 4 ft by 4 ft. The size field says 122 cm by 122 cm and the item dimensions say 121.9 cm by 121.9 cm.
Does Robelle include a rope?
The bullets do not list one. United Kingdom reviews say there was no string or clips, so the pillow would not stay in place.
What inflation figure does Robelle give?
Only do not overfill. There is no percentage on the listing.
The Mineup listing claims a 4 ft round pillow at about £16.99 in 0.5 mm PVC, with a dual-layer Boston valve, grommets and an extra-long tether whose length is not stated. The bullets say inflate to 70–80 per cent and compare 0.5 mm with 0.15 mm models, which is the listing’s own claim, and the item weight is 900 g. No pump is included. There is no second measurement to confirm the 4 ft round. The listing line is 1.0 from 1 review, the lowest stars in this set, and the review text is not in the file, so the reason for that score is unknown. A range of −25 °C to 80 °C is a listing line. The spec lines are fuller than the no-review pillows here, and the single star with no text is the limit on reading those lines as a winter result.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone comparing a stated 0.5 mm thickness who will not treat the 1.0 line as explained.
Less suitable: A close that needs United Kingdom review text, or a dimension field that agrees with 4 ft.
Specifications
Common questions
How thick does Mineup say the pillow is?
The bullets say 0.5 mm PVC and compare that with 0.15 mm models. That comparison is the listing’s claim. Item weight is 900 g.
How full does Mineup say to inflate it?
70–80 per cent, through a dual-layer Boston valve. No pump is included. Grommets and a tether are named, without a rope length.
Why is the star line 1.0?
The listing says 1.0 from 1 review. The review text is not in the raw file, so the reason is not known from this batch.
The Graceever listing titles a 120 cm by 120 cm winter cushion at about £15.83 with a 6 m fixing rope. Another field says 10 mm by 10 mm, which cannot be the inflated plan. No customer-review line is in the raw file, so there is no star count to set against that size clash. The bullets claim PVC with a double-sealed seam. They do not name a pump or repair patches, and inflation is not stated. The model line is written in French, and the pool wording is most swimming pools and ground pools rather than one above-ground diameter. The 120 cm square and the 6 m rope are the claims you can check on arrival. The 10 mm field stays out of any size match.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small pool if you accept a 120 cm claim and a 6 m rope with no reviews to read.
Less suitable: Anyone who would plan the pool from the 10 mm field, or who wants a star line before buying.
Specifications
Common questions
What size does Graceever claim?
The title says 120 cm by 120 cm. Another field says 10 mm by 10 mm. Use the title as the claim and treat the millimetre field as unusable.
What comes with the Graceever cushion?
A 6 m fixing rope is in the bullets. No pump and no repair patches are named.
Is there a star rating?
No customer-review line is in the raw file.
The Posheliox listing is a PVC winter pillow at about £9.96 for above-ground pools, with reinforced rings and a rope whose length is not given. Inflated size is absent from the title. The product dimensions are 22.5 cm by 23 cm by 4 cm at 434 g, which reads as the parcel. A question about how full to inflate it is on the listing and is not answered. No pump is listed, and there is no customer-review line in the file. First available is given as 8 June 2026, and the colour field says as the picture shows. At this price the rope is a claim you cannot match to a 12 ft or 15 ft chart until the pillow is inflated in the garden.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who will measure the pillow after it arrives and already has a pump.
Less suitable: Anyone choosing a 4 ft, 8 ft or 15 ft plan from this listing, because no inflated size is stated.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is the Posheliox pillow?
The title does not say. The product dimensions are 22.5 cm by 23 cm by 4 cm at 434 g, which reads as the parcel, not an inflated plan.
Does Posheliox say how full to inflate it?
The question is on the listing and is not answered in the file. The bullets do not give a percentage.
Is a rope included?
The title says reinforced rings and rope. No length is given. No pump is listed.
The Tktouci listing is a round PVC pillow at about £12.29. The winter bullets describe ice relief under a cover at 60–70 per cent, and the title also calls it an inflatable swimming ball for a lake, river or hot tub. Inflated size is given as refer to description. The dimensions are 34.5 cm by 27.9 cm at 522 g, so those figures are the parcel. A question about whether it fits every pool is on the listing and is not answered. No rope and no pump are included, and the bullets name a hair dryer as well as a pump. There is no review line in the file. The browse rank is Pool Cover Air Pillows, which places it on the winter-cover shelf, while the holiday wording means there is still no stated pool plan to trust.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who will measure a small round pillow and can ignore the lake and hot-tub wording.
Less suitable: A pool that needs a stated 4 ft or 4 ft by 15 ft plan, or a rope in the box.
Specifications
Common questions
Does Tktouci fit every pool?
The question is on the listing and is not answered. The size field says refer to description. Dimensions are 34.5 cm by 27.9 cm at 522 g.
How does the listing say to inflate it?
To 60–70 per cent with an electric pump, a hand pump, or a hair dryer. No pump is included.
Is this only a winter pillow?
The bullets describe ice pressure under a cover. The title also says an inflatable swimming ball for a lake, river, or hot tub. The browse rank in the file is Pool Cover Air Pillows.
The Generic listing is the lowest price in this set at about £7.49, and the title does not state an inflated size. Listed dimensions are 34.5 cm by 27.9 cm by 5.6 cm at 532 g, which is parcel scale, and the colour field says circular. The bullets say inflate to 60–70 per cent with an electric pump, a hand pump, or a hair dryer, and no pump is in the box. A hot hair dryer can soften PVC, so that named option is a reason to use a cool pump. No rope is named in the bullets. There is no review line in the file. The highlight list spreads the same pillow across many outdoor uses. At about £7.49 the price is clear and the pool size is not.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare you will measure yourself, inflated with a pump rather than heat.
Less suitable: A first winter close that needs a stated 4 ft plan and a rope on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
How big is the Generic pillow?
The title does not say. Listed dimensions are 34.5 cm by 27.9 cm by 5.6 cm at 532 g. The colour field says circular.
How full should it be, according to the listing?
The bullets say 60–70 per cent, using an electric pump, a hand pump, or a hair dryer. No pump is in the box. A hot hair dryer can soften PVC.
Is a rope included?
No rope is named in the bullets.
Scores use the amazon.co.uk files for these ten listings only. There is no laboratory frost test, and a star line is not a diary of a British winter. The card scores are the data scores from that rule. Positive points are a star line out of 40, review volume out of 14, and specification out of 28. Deductions come off for a repeated leak or weld pattern, United Kingdom reviews that say there is no rope or the pillow would not inflate, a size field that contradicts the title, reviews that describe a different kit, and a 1.0 score with no review text. The weights below keep those shares and give the deduction flags their own block so the figures sum to 100.
Star line
40%Stars divided by 5, then multiplied by 40, when a line exists. If there is no star line the block scores 10.
Review volume
14%14 points at 50 reviews or more, 10 at 10–49, 6 at 1–9, and 0 if none. A large count cannot hide a leak pattern.
Specification
28%Up to 28 points: 8 for a stated inflated size, 6 when the dimension fields agree, 6 when a rope length is given, 4 for an inflation percentage, and 4 for a thickness in millimetres.
Deduction flags
18%18 points held for the published flags. Points come off for repeated leak or weld reviews, a United Kingdom note of no rope or a pillow that would not inflate, a size field that fights the title, reviews of a different kit, or a 1.0 score with no review text.
Match the inflated size to the pool, then check the rope and the reviews, before you look at the price. A pillow under a debris cover is for an above-ground close. It is not a safety cover and it is not a frost test. The order for lowering the water, the filter, and the pipes is in [how to winterise an above-ground pool](/hub/pool-care/blog/winterise-an-above-ground-pool).
A pool winter float, also called an ice equalizer or air pillow, is an inflatable cushion that sits under a winter debris cover on an above-ground pool. You use one when you close a kit pool or a steel-wall pool so expanding ice has a soft centre and rain can run off a raised cover. A pillow does not stop the water freezing. It does not replace the cover, the winter cable, or winter chemistry.
Listing lines run from 60 per cent to 80 per cent. Robelle only says do not overfill. Pool Cover Choice describes about three-quarters full and slack ties. A pillow blown up hard is the opposite of that note.
Swimline’s title says 4 ft by 8 ft and a size field says 3 cm by 3 cm. Graceever’s title says 120 cm and a field says 10 mm. Posheliox, Generic, and Tktouci publish parcel dimensions only. Plan from an inflated size the fields agree on.
Robelle’s United Kingdom reviews say no string arrived, so the pillow would not stay in place. A pillow also does not drain the filter, the heater, or the pool pump. SPATA warns that freezing can burst pipes and damage that equipment.
The first check is an inflated size the title and the dimension fields agree on. Tefola’s length and width match 4 ft, though a third figure of 121.92 cm is not a pillow height. Robelle agrees at 122 cm by 122 cm. NamcheBarwa agrees at 4.57 m by 1.22 m. Swimline’s centimetre field, Graceever’s 10 mm field, and the parcel lines on Posheliox, Tiardey, Generic, and Tktouci do not give you that plan. Mineup states 4 ft round and has no second measurement.
A rope has to be long enough to tie slack. Tefola states 49 feet, Graceever 6 m, and NamcheBarwa 20 m. Posheliox, Tiardey, and Mineup name a rope or tether without a length. Swimline, Robelle, Generic, and Tktouci do not name one in the bullets, and Robelle’s United Kingdom reviews say none arrived. No listing in this set includes a pump. Generic and Tktouci also name a hair dryer, and a hot dryer can soften PVC. Air retention is what the reviews say, not the word thick.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
A small round above-ground pool needs a small pillow and a rope, not a 4 ft by 15 ft cushion. Retailer charts, as a rule of thumb, put a 4 ft square on a 12–16 ft round. This listing states 4 ft by 4 ft, a rope, and about 70 per cent fill. The reviews in the file are not United Kingdom text.
You want the lowest price among pillows whose 4 ft size the dimension fields agree with, and you will supply your own rope. This page is about £12.88. United Kingdom reviews say it loses air and that no string arrived.
A pool near 27 ft or a long oval is the case for a 4 ft by 15 ft listing. This one agrees at 4.57 m by 1.22 m, with 20 m of rope and a 70 per cent line. Reviews in the file are from the United States and often describe another kit.
The top pick is Swimline 4 ft by 8 ft air pillow, with the highest score in this comparison (3.8 out of 10, from 2,608 amazon.co.uk reviews). The best value is the Robelle 3744 at about £12.88, the lowest price among pillows whose 4 ft size the dimension fields agree with. Its 3.3 from 1,313 includes United Kingdom notes of leaks, an unfinished weld, and no string. A 4 ft by 15 ft pillow is only for a long pool, and a listing with no inflated size is not a plan you can check before it arrives.
Robelle 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer
Best value at about £12.88: lowest price among pillows whose 4 ft size the dimension fields agree with.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk files for these ASINs.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars, and review counts are the UK listing lines. We did not run a lab test.
