The best wide mouth skimmers, compared.
Top pick: Hayward SP1091WM Dyna-Skim – Highest editorial score in this set, with 4.7 from 2,241 amazon.co.uk ratings, for a wide top-seat wall you measure first. Best value: Hydrotools 8939 wide-mouth skimmer – Lowest price in the set at about £67.52, with 4.4 from 1,274 ratings, when you can reuse the gasket and hose parts the listing does not name. Updated 16.10.2026.
A wide mouth skimmer for a UK above-ground pool is a through-wall fitting. The body sits outside the wall, a wide face opening and faceplate sit inside, and the pump draws surface water over a weir into a basket. You buy one to replace an existing wide cutout. Only if you accept a larger hole, and usually a liner job, do you move up from a standard mouth. Measure the opening on the inside face of the wall, not the outside housing, because printed sizes do not match across brands. It does not skim if the water is below the mouth, and a drip onto a steel wall can rust the panel. What to measure, and which parts should be in the box, is set out in the [wide mouth skimmer buying guide](/hub/pool-care/wide-mouth-skimmer/sub/wide-mouth-skimmer-buying-guide). A near-square standard mouth is a different cutout. A floating skimmer, a rail hanger, a leaf net, and a winter faceplate kit are other products. An in-ground wide mouth, such as the priced on a UK trade site in the sources, is not this part.
A wide mouth skimmer for a UK above-ground pool is a through-wall fitting. The body sits outside the wall, a wide face opening and faceplate sit inside, and the pump draws surface water over a weir into a basket.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What are you replacing?
The Hayward SP1091WM is a suction-side wide mouth skimmer for above-ground pools with a wide top seat, listed at about £116.11 with assembly required and a weight of 3.14 kg. Across 2,241 amazon.co.uk ratings it sits at 4.7, the highest star line and the highest editorial score in this set of seven. Reviews on that listing praise a match to an existing opening and a patient install, including one that replaced a hanging rail skimmer. The same file criticises screw holes that are not threaded, a basket that floated and jammed the weir, and a previous Hayward that failed after about two years. The Amazon bullets name a large basket, top and front access, and a snap-in weir, and they leave the return, the vacuum plate, and the hose size unstated. Hayward’s own page states a 1 1/2 inch female thread and says silicone is unnecessary if the gaskets are correct; that kit list belongs to the manufacturer page, not the Amazon bullets. Many of those written reviews are marked as reviewed in the United States, so they are fit themes on the UK listing rather than a survey of British owners. It is the top pick here when the wall is already a wide top seat and you can live with unthreaded holes and a basket you may need to seat by hand.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Replacing a wide top-seat above-ground skimmer when you want the largest rating file and can check the old hole first.
Less suitable: A square standard-mouth wall, or a first fit that needs the return and vacuum plate named on the Amazon page.
Specifications
Common questions
Which pools does the listing name?
The bullets say it is compatible with wide top-seat pools. Saltwater is asked on the page and not answered.
Does it have a large basket?
The bullets say a large debris collection basket, with top and front access and a snap-in, removable weir.
Is assembly required?
Yes. The listing says assembly is required and the installation type is suction side.
The Swimline 89401 adds an automatic water-levelling system to a wide mouth above-ground skimmer, listed at about £74.31 with top and front basket access and a weight of 3.18 kg. The star line is 4.6 from 62 reviews. Reviews praise the skimmer itself on an 18-foot pool, then criticise the leveller for short-cycling unless the fill is down to a drip, and for plastic parts that failed. The bullets say ABS while the material field says stainless steel, and the listing does not resolve that clash. It leaves the weir, the vacuum plate, the return, the hose size, and the cutout unstated, and it does not claim every above-ground pool. The leveller is a second mechanism on a part whose main job is still the surface mouth. Choose it when you want that fill feature and you can set the inlet to a drip, and leave it if the pool already fills from a hose you trust.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An above-ground wide mouth wall where you also want the listing’s automatic fill and you can leave the inlet at a drip.
Less suitable: A pool that already fills from a hose you control, or a buyer who needs one stated material and a printed cutout.
Specifications
Common questions
What is it made of?
The bullets say ABS. The material-type field says stainless steel. The listing does not resolve that.
Does it level the water on its own?
The listing says it has an automatic water-levelling system. Reviews say the leveller can short-cycle unless the fill is down to a drip.
Does the listing say every above-ground pool can use it?
No. It says various above-ground pools and describes installation as straightforward. It does not say it fits every pool.
The TonGass kit is sold as an SP1091WM-style wide mouth skimmer for a stated 14 in by 7 3/4 in cutout, at about £102.60, with an eyeball return, two 1.5 inch hose connectors, a filter basket, and a lid. The listing says a standard screwdriver is enough and that no special tools are required. It is rated 4.6 from 42 reviews. Reviews call it a sturdy, easy, correct-size replacement, including one compared with an Intex rail skimmer, and one gasket that did not leak. Other reviews say the new down-pipe and return leaked until the old connectors were reused, and that the size missed the pool even though the description looked right. One reviewer hopes the plastic survives strong sun, which is a hope and not a UK climate result. The model and part-number fields are empty, and there is no water leveller, so the useful check is still your tape against that 14 by 7 3/4 inch claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An above-ground wall whose inside cutout measures 14 in by 7 3/4 in and whose old 1.5 inch fittings still seal.
Less suitable: An opening nearer the FixIdea inner size, or a Hayward hole you have not measured against 14 by 7 3/4 inches.
Specifications
Common questions
Which cutout does the listing claim?
A 14 in by 7 3/4 in wide mouth opening. The listing says to measure your cutout. One review says it was the wrong size for their pool.
Does it include a basket and a return?
Yes. The parts list includes a filter basket, a lid, an eyeball return and two 1.5 in hose connectors.
What tool does the listing name?
A standard screwdriver. It says no special tools are required. It does not say the install is tool-free.
The FixIdea kit is an ABS through-the-wall wide mouth set at about £89.33 that states an inner opening of 11 15/16 in by 5 5/16 in and an outer opening of 13 9/16 in by 7 9/16 in. The box list names the body, cover, weir, faceplate, faceplate cover, basket, gasket, vacuum plate for a 1.25 or 1.5 inch hose, a hose adapter, a return fitting, and 32 stainless screws. The rating is 4.5 from 32 reviews, a short file beside the Hydrotools and Hayward counts. The few reviews praise fit and packing. One reviewer had to drain the pool to fit the gasket and had expected two gaskets. Another noted there is no shut-off valve, which the parts list does not include. There is no water leveller on this listing, and the page tells you to check your own dimensions before you treat those fractions as your wall.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A measured wide cutout near the stated inner 11 15/16 by 5 5/16 inches when you want the return and vacuum plate named in the box.
Less suitable: A wall you have not measured, or a pool that needs a shut-off valve on the skimmer.
Specifications
Common questions
What size opening does the listing state?
Outer 13 9/16 in wide by 7 9/16 in high. Inner 11 15/16 in wide by 5 5/16 in high. The listing says to check your dimensions.
What comes in the box?
Body, cover, weir, faceplate, faceplate cover, basket, gasket, vacuum plate, hose adapter, return fitting and 32 stainless screws.
Does it include a shut-off valve?
No. A reviewer noted there is no shut-off valve, and the parts list does not include one.
The Hydrotools 8939 is an ABS through-the-wall wide mouth body, model 8939, listed at about £67.52 with a weight of 2.72 kg and a parcel size of 35.99 x 21.01 x 35 cm. That is the lowest price among the seven amazon.co.uk listings kept here, and the rating is 4.4 from 1,274 reviews. Reviews on the listing describe it as a replacement that fits, as sturdier than a pool’s original cheap skimmer, and as cutting down time with a hand net. The same file keeps returning to a straight hose thread that will not tighten, a malformed gasket, a lid that is hard to seat, and plastic that feels cheap. One reviewer treated the name as a Hayward and then reported an adapter leak, and another needed a second person to line the screws up. The page does not itemise a lid, a return, a vacuum plate, or a cutout, and saltwater is only an unanswered question on the listing. Written reviews on the UK page are often marked as reviewed in the United States, so treat them as fit themes, not as British owners. It is the best value in this set when the hole already matches and you can reuse or buy the gasket and hose parts the listing leaves unnamed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A like-for-like wide mouth replacement when you already have a gasket and hose fittings to reuse.
Less suitable: A first install that needs a named return, vacuum plate, and cutout on the listing.
Specifications
Common questions
What is the Hydrotools 8939 made of?
The bullets say ABS and the material-type field says plastic. The listing also says it is UV protected and corrosion resistant.
Does the listing say a lid is included?
No. The page asks whether it comes with a lid and does not answer. Treat the lid as not stated.
Does the listing say it is for saltwater pools?
No. Saltwater is only a question on the page. There is no yes or no in the raw listing.
The Swimline Hydrotools 8939A is a wide mouth above-ground kit listed as already assembled, in ABS, with a snap-in removable weir and basket access from the top and the front. At about £93.96 it sits above the plain 8939, and the rating is 4.0 from 82 reviews, the lowest star line among the six listings that show one. Reviews praise it when it replaced a like-for-like wide mouth and when the box actually had the parts. They also describe loose bottom threads, a gasket that arrived folded, screw holes that would not take the screws, screws too long to seal, a basket that would not lock and let insects past, and a colour that was beige rather than white. One installer on the listing said they would buy a Hayward instead. One soft-sided install in the file used petroleum jelly on the gasket, which is a reviewer’s method and not a Swimline instruction. The listing states no cutout and no hose size, so the words already assembled still leave the wall fit and the thread for you to check against the pool you have.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Replacing a matching wide mouth above-ground skimmer when you can send back a beige body or a folded gasket.
Less suitable: A soft-sided pool, or a wall whose cutout and hose thread are still unknown.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this kit include a basket?
Yes. The listing describes a skimmer basket with top and front access and a snap-in, removable weir.
Is it supplied assembled?
The title says already assembled. Reviews still describe screw, gasket and thread work when it goes on the wall.
Will it fit every above-ground pool?
The bullets say various above-ground types. They do not say every pool, and reviews report thread, gasket and colour mismatches.
The HydroTools assembled wide mouth skimmer is listed at about £72.31 as fully assembled, in white plastic or PVC, with a return fitting and a vacuum plate named in the bullets. The listed weight is 1.36 kg, lighter than the other bodies in this set, and the dimensions are given as 35.56 x 33.02 x 20.32 cm, while the bullets also say 8 x 14 x 13 in. The raw listing has no customer-review line, so the star rating is unstated and the editorial score stays at 0. There is no saved comment about a gasket, a thread, or a cutout match, because the file has no reviews to read. The model field is 31482297, and the listing leaves hose size, weir, basket access, and cutout unstated. Fully assembled describes the body as sold, and it does not describe a fit that anyone has reported on a wall. It is a named return and vacuum plate at a lower price only if you can measure the hole yourself and you accept a listing with no rating.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who already knows the hole and wants a listing that names a return and a vacuum plate.
Less suitable: Anyone who wants a review count before fitting a part that can drip onto a steel wall.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this skimmer supplied assembled?
Yes. The bullets say the wide mouth skimmer comes fully assembled.
Does the listing include a return and a vacuum plate?
Yes. The bullets name an assembled skimmer, a return fitting and a vacuum plate.
How many reviews does the raw listing show?
None. There is no customer-review line in the raw file, so the rating is not stated.
Seven amazon.co.uk listings were compared on 16 October 2026. Prices, stars, and review counts are the UK lines. There was no lab test. The top pick is the listing with the highest editorial score in this set. The best value is the lowest-priced listing that still has a large review file when the hole already matches. Many written reviews are marked as reviewed in the United States, so they are fit themes, not a survey of British owners. The weights below sum to 100.
Mouth and cutout
25%The inside opening has to match the face you are buying. Printed sizes differ by brand, and the outside housing is the wrong measurement.
Kit contents
20%A useful box names the body, throat or extension, faceplate, gasket, basket, weir, lid, and screws. A return and a vacuum plate count only if the pool still needs them.
Hose thread
20%The outlet has to match a 1.25 or 1.5 inch suction hose. A title that says 1.5 inch does not prove the old barb will seal.
Gasket and seal
20%The gasket has to seat on the wall. A folded gasket, screws driven by power into ABS, and a drip onto steel are the failure points.
Price and review file
15%Shelf prices on these seven listings run from about £67.52 to about £116.11. A long review file outranks a short one at the same star line. A missing review line scores nothing on stars.
Match the inside cutout, the hose thread, and the gasket before you look at the star line. A wide mouth replaces a wide hole. It does not turn a square mouth into a wide one without a larger cut and, usually, a liner job. Prices below are the seven amazon.co.uk shelves used here.
A wide mouth skimmer is a through-wall fitting for a rigid above-ground wall. The body sits outside the wall. A wide face opening and a faceplate sit inside. The pump draws surface water over a weir into a basket. This page is that fitting. A near-square standard mouth is a different cutout. A floating skimmer, a rail hanger, a leaf net, and a winter faceplate kit are other products. An in-ground wide mouth, such as the Emaux EM0140 priced on a UK trade site in the sources, is not this part.
The outside body is larger than the hole in the wall. Match the opening on the inside face. Printed sizes still do not agree across brands, so the tape comes before the title.
A wide mouth is not a straight swap for a standard mouth. Moving up means a larger hole and, usually, a liner job. If the liner is staying in, keep the mouth you have.
Hayward’s page says silicone is unnecessary if the gaskets are correct. A folded gasket will not seal because you add sealant. Tighten screws by hand and stop before the ABS cracks. A drip onto steel can rust the panel.
The first measurement is the opening on the inside face of the wall. The outside housing is larger and will send you to the wrong mouth. A standard mouth in the trade descriptions used here is near 5 7/8 by 5 3/8 inches. A wide mouth is near 5 to 5 3/8 inches high by about 11 1/2 to 11 3/4 inches wide. Hayward-style plates are quoted around 11 5/8 by 5 inches inside.
A useful kit names the body, the wide throat or extension, the faceplate, the gasket, the basket, the weir, the lid, and the screws. A return eyeball and a vacuum plate belong in the box only if the pool still needs them. FixIdea lists those parts, plus a hose adapter and 32 stainless screws, and it does not list a shut-off valve. TonGass lists a filter basket, a lid, an eyeball return, and two 1.5 inch connectors. The plain Hydrotools 8939 does not itemise a lid, a return, or a vacuum plate.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already have a wide cutout on a rigid above-ground wall and you need the same hole plus a new gasket. The Hayward SP1091WM has the longest review file in this set, at 4.7 from 2,241 ratings, if the wall is a wide top seat.
You already have a wide cutout and a pump, and you are tired of skimming leaves by hand. Measure first. The FixIdea kit names an inner opening, a return, and a vacuum plate, which the plain low-price listing does not.
If the liner is staying in, keep the square mouth you have. A wide face is a larger hole. Only if the liner is already coming out is the Hydrotools 8939 the lower price in this set, and you still measure before you cut.
The Hayward SP1091WM is the top pick: 4.7 from 2,241 amazon.co.uk ratings, the highest star line and the highest editorial score in this set of seven, for a wide top-seat wall you have already measured. The Hydrotools 8939 is the best value at about £67.52, with 4.4 from 1,274 ratings, when the hole already matches and you can reuse the gasket and hose parts the listing leaves unnamed. A wide mouth is not a straight swap for a standard square cutout. None of these listings was lab tested, and none is stated as saltwater-rated or certified to a British Standard.
Hayward SP1091WM Dyna-Skim
Highest editorial score in this set, with 4.7 from 2,241 amazon.co.uk ratings, for a wide top-seat wall you measure first.
Hydrotools 8939 wide-mouth skimmer
Lowest price in the set at about £67.52, with 4.4 from 1,274 ratings, when you can reuse the gasket and hose parts the listing does not name.
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.
Manufacturer pages, GOV.UK, and HSE, plus the sizing note marked as a US shop. Prices and ratings are amazon.co.uk listing lines. Retrieved 16 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the tag pcuk26-21. 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.
