The best salt chlorinators, compared.
Top pick: Intex CG-26664 Best value: Intex CG-26664 – Lowest shelf price, about £118.56, with 4.4 from 1,055 reviews that UK texts describe as usable on a small above-ground pool. Updated October 2026.
A salt chlorinator makes chlorine by passing a current through pool or hot-tub water that you have dosed with sodium chloride. A title that says chemical-free means you stop buying granules. It does not mean the water has no chlorine. Those bullets do not state grams per hour. Inline cells sit on the return after the filter pump. Drop-in cells hang in a hot tub and do not plumb in. Hayward UK uses at least 2 g of chlorine per hour for every 10 m³ as a sizing line. A gallon ceiling on a listing is not that rate. The cell does not hold the free-chlorine residual for you. Bayrol's electrolysis guide makes the same point: the process still produces chlorine, and the salt is not table salt. What changes the buy, in order, is a stated chlorine output in grams per hour that matches the water volume, a salt window you can test, a pipe or hose size you already own, and a supply you can connect under UK rules. It does not fill in a figure the listing itself omits. The manual for the QS400 model family states 4 g/h, 32 mm fittings and a pump flow of 1,136–3,785 litres per hour. States a ceiling of 18,700 gallons, also written as 85 m³. The salt window belongs to the unit you bought. BS EN 16401:2013 is sodium chloride for electrochlorinator systems. Intex's manual says use salt at least 99.4% to that standard, not iodised salt and not salt with anti-caking agent. Add salt with the cell off and the pump on. Too much salt is removed by diluting, not by running the cell. The 26670 listing asks for a filter of at least 2,650 litres per hour. Bonvoisin states a 1.5 inch connection, written as 50 mm and as 48 mm, and tells you to match that diameter. Offers two 1.5 inch adapters for PVC with an outside diameter of 48.3 mm. Intex hoses are 32 mm or 38 mm inside. A 48 mm glued cell is not an hose fitting. The manual requires an not exceeding 30 mA and forbids converter plugs. Do not cut a plug off as a DIY fix. Call an electrician for a new pool circuit or a non-UK plug. The manual says the owner keeps free chlorine about 1.0–3.0 ppm, the product more than 2 m from the pool, the plug more than 3.5 m away, and that the unit is for storable pools only. The bar HSE cites for managed pools, treats pH as critical because at pH 7.5 only about half of a free-chlorine test is the active form. A household garden pool is not automatically a managed pool. A pool you charge guests to use is a different duty. The steps for salt, the cell and the tests are in [how to use a salt chlorinator](/hub/pool-care/salt-chlorinator/sub/salt-chlorinator-how-to-use).
A salt chlorinator makes chlorine by passing a current through pool or hot-tub water that you have dosed with sodium chloride. A title that says chemical-free means you stop buying granules.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will it run?
The Intex CG-26664 is a 230 V inline saltwater system at £118.56, and the amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 1,055 reviews. UK reviews call it compact and easier than dosing granules on a small above-ground pool. The bullets do not state grams per hour, hose size or a salt window, so the page you pay for does not show the rate. A QS400 manual for that model family states 4 g/h, 32 mm fittings and a pump flow of 1,136–3,785 litres per hour, and those lines are not on this listing. One UK reviewer said it did not cover a 17,000 litre pool. Another returned it after the salt dose, about 27 kg and a possible further 12 kg, for a roughly 4 m by 2 m pool. You are buying the lowest price in this set, with the output left off the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small above-ground pool, if you will take the 4 g/h and 32 mm figures from the manual rather than from these bullets.
Less suitable: A pool around 17,000 litres, or a buy where grams per hour have to be printed on the amazon.co.uk page.
Specifications
Common questions
What chlorine output does this listing state?
Grams per hour are not stated on this amazon.co.uk listing. The title is the Intex 230 V Krystal Clear saltwater system CG-26664.
What hose size is included?
Hose size is not stated in the bullets. Reviews describe a 32 mm section used with 38 mm Intex hoses.
What is the salt level?
A target in grams per litre is not stated on this listing. Reviews say you add salt, and one UK review cites about 27 kg, with a possible further 12 kg, for a roughly 4 m by 2 m pool.
The Briidea BR-159 is a drop-in generator stated for hot tubs, swim spas and pools up to 2,000 gallons, at £169.89. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.4 from 66 reviews, which is the larger of the two spa files in this set. None of the first 34 saved texts is labelled United Kingdom. A 300-gallon spa held chlorine on about one hour in 24, and a 600-gallon inflatable tub worked, in those reviews. Other reviewers report the unit dying after a week or after eight months, no replacement titanium cell for sale, a salt reading that disagreed with a separate tester, and a temperature reading about 10 degrees off. The title says chemical-free. The reviews describe chlorine made from salt. Plug type and a salt level in grams per litre are not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A hot tub up to 2,000 gallons, if you will set the hours from a test strip and you can replace the whole unit when the cell dies.
Less suitable: A pool, a tub that needs a listed spare cell, or a buy you are making on UK-labelled reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be used in a small pool?
The bullets say installation is for hot tubs and pools up to 2,000 gallons, with the cell submerged and the controller above ground.
Does it need a plumber?
The listing says no plumbing. It does not say a professional is required.
Is a spare cell listed?
A replacement cell is not in the listing. Reviews say a spare titanium cell is not sold and the unit is replaced instead.
The Intex 26670, also named ECO 6220 and CG-26670, is the only unit in this set whose amazon.co.uk bullets state a chlorine output: 12 g/h, at 220–230 V, for £301.32. The same bullets state salt at 2.5–3.5 g/L, about 3 kg per cubic metre, a filter of at least 2,650 litres per hour, and a 24-hour timer. The listing line is 4.3 from 1,090 reviews. UK and EU reviews describe high and low salt alarms, weekly acid soaks in hard water, and cells that stop after one or two seasons, with a replacement priced close to a new unit. A verified UK review says this ASIN arrived with a Euro plug. A UK shop has listed the same model number with a UK 3-pin plug at a different price, and that stock is not this listing. The title says chlorine-free, while the bullets also say electrolysis reduces chlorine requirements by up to 70%, which is still chlorine production. Hose size is not in the bullets.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A larger above-ground pool whose filter already moves at least 2,650 litres per hour, if you will sort the plug before you rely on it.
Less suitable: A small storable pool, a hot tub, or a socket that has to be BS 1363 on the day the parcel arrives.
Specifications
Common questions
How much salt does the listing ask for?
The bullets say about 3 kg per cubic metre, and a range of 2.5–3.5 g/L. They also say the filter should be at least 2,650 litres per hour.
What chlorine output is stated?
12 g/h, on the ECO 6220/CG-26670 bullet, at 220–230 V.
Does the listing include a UK plug?
Plug type is not in the bullets. A verified UK review says the unit came with a Euro plug.
The Intex 26666 is titled as a 230 V swimming pool saltwater and ozone system, at £341.12, with a listing line of 4.3 from 317 reviews. The bullets say it is easy to use, removes bacteria, and cleans without bad smells. Chlorine grams per hour, ozone output, pool volume, hose size and salt level are not stated, so the ozone in the title is a name rather than a measured rate. A UK review from 2016 says the item is not supplied with a UK compatible plug. Other reviews describe clear water, a timer that is a daily duration rather than a clock, leaks at the housing, and cells lasting about two seasons. Some reviewers also doubt whether an ozone lamp is actually lit. An 11 g/h figure belongs to a different Intex model on a US page and is not this listing. At the top of the price band, the page does not say what the cell produces.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An above-ground pool only if you already know this model's output from a manual you trust, and you will deal with the plug.
Less suitable: A first salt system, a hot tub, or a buy that needs grams per hour and a BS 1363 plug on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be used in a hot tub?
That question is on the listing and the answer is not stated. The item type name says a swimming pool saltwater and ozone system.
What is the power consumption?
Power consumption is a question on the page and the answer is not stated. The title says 230 V.
Does the listing include a UK plug?
Plug type is not in the bullets. A UK review says the item is not supplied with a UK compatible plug.
The Westaho EL-024 is a drop-in salt chlorine generator for hot tubs and swim spas, stated at 200–2,200 gallons, and it is £161.41. The listing line is 4.0 from 6 reviews. The three saved texts are from Canada and the United States, so this is not a UK sample. The bullets say no plumbing and no tools: the cell goes in the tub and the controller is mounted above it. Grams per hour and a salt level in grams per litre are not stated. The title says chemical-free, while a cell of this type makes chlorine from salt. One review says you should already have chlorine in range, then add salt and set the hours from test strips. A titanium cell claim of 3,000-plus hours is a marketing line, and whether that cell is sold as a spare is not answered on the page.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A hot tub or swim spa inside 200–2,200 gallons, if you can accept a six-review file that is not from the UK.
Less suitable: A garden pool, or a tub whose maker will not cover salt, or a buy that needs a spare cell on the same listing.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this need hot tub plumbing?
The bullets say no plumbing and no tools. You place the chlorinator in the tub and mount the controller.
Is the titanium cell replaceable?
That question is on the listing and the answer is not stated.
How large a tub is stated?
The listing says hot tubs and spa pools from 200 to 2,200 gallons.
The Bonvoisin ECPro20 is an inline cell at £286.92, with a listing line of 3.9 from 19 reviews and a stated ceiling of 22,400 gallons. Output is five steps from 20% to 100%, not grams per hour, so the gallon headline is not a rate you can check against cubic metres. The connection is given as 1.5 inch, also written as 50 mm and as 48 mm, and you are told to match that diameter. Polarity reverses every 4, 8 or 12 hours, and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi app covers run time and alarms. The saved reviews are from Canada and the United States: an easy glue-in and a useful app, and also a frozen control, no flow detection then a total failure, a leak after a month, and a dead display. The title claim is chemical-free. Supply voltage is not stated.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A return you can glue at about 48–50 mm, if you accept percentage steps instead of a printed grams-per-hour figure.
Less suitable: An Intex hose pool, a hot tub, or a buy that needs grams per hour and a UK review file.
Specifications
Common questions
What pipe does it fit?
The listing says the connection is 1.5 inch, given as 50 mm and as 1.5 inch / 48 mm, and tells you to match that diameter.
Does it state grams of chlorine per hour?
No. It states five output gears from 20% to 100% and a run time of 1–24 hours.
Is there an app?
Yes. The bullets say 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi for chlorine level, run time, polarity reversal and alarms.
The YUCHENGTECH EC Pro 20 is an inline generator at £329.89 with a stated ceiling of 18,700 gallons, also written as 85 m³. There is no customer-review line on the listing, so the star rating is not stated, and there is no review text to show how the cell behaves in a UK garden. Grams per hour are not stated either, so the 85 m³ line is a ceiling, not a production rate. The bullets offer two 1.5 inch adapters for PVC with an outside diameter of 48.3 mm, polarity reverse every 4, 8 or 12 hours, output steps of 20% to 100%, and a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi app. A highlight says in-ground pools and a bullet says above-ground, so the install is not settled on the page. Power consumption is a question on the listing and the answer is not stated. You would be paying an upper-band price for a feature list with no UK reviews and no printed rate.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A glued 48.3 mm PVC return, if you can wait for reviews and you do not need grams per hour on the listing.
Less suitable: An Intex hose pool, a hot tub, or any buy you are making from a star line.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the power consumption?
Power consumption is a question on the page and the answer is not stated.
What pipe does it fit?
The bullets offer two 1.5 inch adapters for PVC with an outer diameter of 48.3 mm, and say to check the pipe first.
Is a star rating stated?
No customer-review line is on the listing, so the star rating is not stated.
Seven salt chlorinator listings on amazon.co.uk were scored from listing facts dated 19 October 2026, not from a lab test. Amazon evidence, listing fit, review outcome and value are weighted 30, 40, 15 and 15. Hayward's 2 g/h per 10 m³ line and the QS400 manual are sizing context. They do not fill a figure the listing omits. The highest score is the top pick. The best value is the lowest shelf price among units with at least 300 amazon.co.uk reviews that UK texts describe as usable on a small above-ground pool. One of each.
Amazon evidence
30%Stars on amazon.co.uk, plus a band for how many ratings sit on the listing. No star line scores nothing on this part. Points come off when the written reviews in the file are not from the United Kingdom.
Listing fit
40%A stated install, grams per hour, a salt window in g/L, a hose or pipe size, a self-clean interval, and a timer or app. Percentage steps score less than a printed rate. Chemical-free titles, and a page that says both in-ground and above-ground, lose points.
Review outcome
15%What the saved reviews actually describe: clearer water, a size limit, a Euro plug, salt alarms, a cell that stops after a season or two, early failure, or no review text at all.
Value
15%Shelf price in GBP against what the listing actually prints. The lowest price with a large UK file for a small above-ground pool can score here even when grams per hour are missing from the bullets.
Start with grams per hour, then the salt window, then the hose or pipe, then the plug. A gallon headline is not a rate. The notes below follow that order for these seven amazon.co.uk listings. None of the scores is a cell-life test in a lab. Prices are the shelf figures from 19 October 2026.
A salt chlorinator is an appliance that makes chlorine by passing a current through water you have dosed with sodium chloride. Buyers in this amazon.co.uk set are fitting either an inline hose or PVC cell to an above-ground or in-ground pool, or hanging a drop-in cell in a hot tub. The cell does not hold the free-chlorine residual for you. You still test. A title that says chemical-free or chlorine-free means you stop buying granules. It does not mean the water has no chlorine.
Bonvoisin states 22,400 gallons and YUCHENGTECH states 18,700 gallons, also written as 85 m³. Neither states grams per hour. Hayward UK uses at least 2 g/h for every 10 m³. A ceiling is not that rate.
Intex's manual says salt at least 99.4% NaCl to BS EN 16401, not iodised salt and not salt with anti-caking agent E535. Add it with the cell off and the pump on. Do not pour it through the skimmer.
The cell makes chlorine from salt. You still test free chlorine and pH. A pool cell does not belong in a hot tub. Do not fit a travel adaptor on a Euro lead, and do not cut the plug off.
Hayward UK states at least 2 g of chlorine per hour for every 10 m³. Use that as a sizing line, not as a number the listing forgot to print. In this set only the Intex 26670 states grams per hour on the amazon.co.uk bullets: 12 g/h, at 220–230 V, about £301.32. The listing does not print a litre ceiling in the bullets. The QS400 manual, the model family of the Intex CG-26664, states 4 g/h. The CG-26664 bullets do not state grams per hour.
The salt window belongs to the unit you bought. Intex manuals use about 2,500–3,500 ppm, ideal 3,000 ppm, which is 3 g/L. The 26670 listing states 2.5–3.5 g/L, about 3 kg per cubic metre. Zodiac GenSalt OT is not in this set. It states 4 g/L recommended and 3.0 g/L minimum. Follow the unit you bought. Too much salt is removed by diluting, not by running the cell. The 26670 listing asks for a filter of at least 2,650 litres per hour. Hose size is not in those bullets.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
Your filter already moves at least 2,650 litres per hour and you want grams per hour on the listing. The Intex 26670 is about £301.32, with 4.3 from 1,090 reviews, and the bullets state 12 g/h and salt at 2.5–3.5 g/L. A UK review says this ASIN arrived with a Euro plug.
You want the lowest price in this set and you will take 4 g/h and 32 mm from the QS400 manual, not from the bullets. The Intex CG-26664 is about £118.56, with 4.4 from 1,055 reviews. One UK review said it did not cover a 17,000 litre pool.
You want a drop-in, not a pool cell in a few hundred litres. The Briidea BR-159 is about £169.89, stated up to 2,000 gallons, with 4.4 from 66 reviews. The saved texts are not from the UK, and reviews say a spare cell is not sold.
The Intex 26670 is the top pick because its amazon.co.uk bullets state 12 g/h, salt at 2.5–3.5 g/L and a filter of at least 2,650 litres per hour, at about £301.32. A UK review reports a Euro plug, so sort that before you rely on it. The Intex CG-26664 is the best value at about £118.56, with a large UK review file for a small above-ground pool and with grams per hour left off the listing. A drop-in spa cell, or an app cell with only a gallon ceiling, is a different job.
Intex CG-26664
Lowest shelf price, about £118.56, with 4.4 from 1,055 reviews that UK texts describe as usable on a small above-ground pool.
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 and manufacturer sources used for this page in October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures for these seven listings.
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 figures used for this comparison. We did not lab-test these salt chlorinators.
