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Above ground pool winter pillow

Updated: 16.10.2026

You have a kit pool or a steel-wall pool, and a winter cover that needs something under the middle. An above ground pool winter pillow is that centre prop. The cable stops the wind, and the pump is still a separate job. A 4 ft by 15 ft cushion is the wrong length for a 12 ft pool. Listings are on the [pool winter floats comparison](/hub/pool-care/pool-winter-floats). The Products Compared editorial team used UK shop pages and cover sheets on 16 October 2026. A pillow is not a legal requirement. A purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have a kit pool or a steel-wall pool, and a winter cover that needs something under the middle. An above ground pool winter pillow is that centre prop. The cable stops the wind, and the pump is still a separate job.

Our top picks

NamcheBarwa NamcheBarwa 4 ft by 15 ft pillow

Best overall

NamcheBarwa NamcheBarwa 4 ft by 15 ft pillow
5.2/10about £38.51
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Tefola Tefola 4 ft ice equalizer

Rank 2

Tefola Tefola 4 ft ice equalizer
5.8/10about £21.88
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Robelle Robelle 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer

Best value

Robelle Robelle 4 ft by 4 ft ice equalizer
3.6/10about £12.88
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On this page
  1. 1.Kit pools and the small UK pillow
  2. 2.Steel-wall pools and the size band
  3. 3.Cable and overlap
  4. 4.The pump is still outstanding

Kit pools and the small UK pillow

A small frame pool does not need the longest cushion on the shelf. Discount Leisure Products lists the Intex 28099 at 91 cm by 50 cm for rounds up to 7.32 m, at £17.99, not listed here. NamcheBarwa’s agreed size is 4.57 m by 1.22 m, longer than a 12 ft pool is wide. The 4 ft squares in this set are Tefola at £21.88 and Robelle at £12.88. A centre rise gives ice a direction to push. It does not keep a garden pool above freezing. The tying sequence is on how to use a pool pillow.

Steel-wall pools and the size band

US shop charts use three bands, and they are a rule of thumb, not a UK standard. Active Pool Supply puts a 4 ft by 4 ft pillow on 12–16 ft rounds, a 4 ft by 8 ft pillow on 18–24 ft rounds, and a 4 ft by 15 ft pillow on 27–33 ft rounds, one cushion centred. For a 15 ft round, the 4 ft square is the chart’s match. NamcheBarwa at £38.51 is the 27–33 ft object. Inflate only to about half to three-quarters.
NamcheBarwa NamcheBarwa 4 ft by 15 ft pillow

Testsieger

NamcheBarwa NamcheBarwa 4 ft by 15 ft pillow
5.2/10about £38.51
View offer

Cable and overlap

Wind lifts an above-ground cover from the edge. The pillow does not stop that. Doheny puts the pillow in the middle, then the cover and a ratchet cable. Overlap the top rail so rain runs outside the pool. Do not hang weights on the grommets. Water bags belong on the pool pillow vs water tubes page, and only if you have a deck. If the cover flaps, retension the cable when the wind drops.

The pump is still outstanding

Drain the filter and heater on their own steps. The pillow does not empty the pump. Use your cover’s sheet for the water level.

Common questions

Does a small Intex pool need a pillow?
It needs one if the cover is a debris sheet meant to peak in the middle. The Intex 28099 page pairs a 91 cm by 50 cm pillow and four ropes with pools up to 7.32 m. That is a small cushion, not a 4 ft by 15 ft pillow. If your cover’s instructions show no pillow, follow the cover. A flat sheet that ponds in the centre is the practical reason people add one. Nothing in this research makes a cushion a UK legal requirement.
What length of pillow for a 15 ft round?
On the Active Pool Supply chart, a 15 ft round sits in the 12–16 ft band, which uses a 4 ft by 4 ft pillow. Tefola and Robelle are the agreed 4 ft squares in this set. A 15 ft length is the long side of NamcheBarwa, which the same chart aims at rounds around 27–33 ft. Match a short centre prop to a 15 ft pool. The chart remains a rule of thumb from a US shop.
Is a 4 ft by 15 ft pillow too big?
On a 12 ft pool, yes. The pool is about 3.7 m across and NamcheBarwa’s agreed size is 4.57 m by 1.22 m, so the cushion is longer than the water is wide. On a round around 27–33 ft, that length is what the US chart asks for, with the mixed US reviews still attached. The price here is £38.51, and no pump is included.
Cable or water bags on an above-ground pool?
Use the cable or winch that came with the cover, and overlap the top rail. Cover sheets say not to hang weights from those grommets. Water tubes sit on a deck edge when a cover manual asks for them. A kit pool with no deck is a cable close. If the sheet still lifts after the cable is tight, check the overlap and the seams before you buy a ring of bags.
Where should the water sit relative to the skimmer?
World of Pools says below the skimmer mouth. SPATA describes about 30 cm below the skimmers, or a frost thermostat near 2 °C. An Aquamatic UK addendum says do not drain below the skimmer. Pick the sentence in your own manual. The pillow goes in after that choice, in the centre, so the cover can rise. Dropping the level a long way on a liner is a dealer job.
Oval pools: one pillow or two?
World of Pools says more than one on a larger or oval pool, still under the cover. One 4 ft square can leave the ends of a long oval flat, so melt water ponds there. A second soft pillow is the shop’s suggestion. A ring of cushions at the wall fights the cable and does not make the peak. Your cover diagram wins if it shows a single position.
Do I still winterise the pump?
Yes. The pillow and the cable close the water surface. The pump, filter and heater still need the maker’s drain-down, and SPATA’s plant steps still apply. A centre cushion does not pull water out of a pump pot or a heat exchanger. Finish that drain before the cover goes on, so you are not opening the sheet again in a frost to empty a forgotten basket.

Related pages

Winterise an above-ground pool

Pool winter floats

Best pool pillow for a winter cover by pool length

Pool air pillow buying guide: agreed size and rope

How to use a pool pillow with a winter debris cover

Pool pillow vs water tubes on an above-ground pool

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from the amazon.co.uk files for these ASINs.

  1. SPATA — Winterise and recommission (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  2. Water Technics — Swimming pool winterising guide (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  3. Tanby Pools — Aquamatic UK winter close-down addendum (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  4. GOV.UK — General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  5. PWTAG — Technical notes (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  6. World of Pools — Plastica air pillow for a debris cover (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  7. Discount Leisure Products — Intex winterizing pool pillow 28099 (retrieved 16.10.2026)
  8. Pool Cover Choice — Installation notes (retrieved 16.10.2026)