The best solar pool heaters, compared.
Top pick: FANTASK 6 m solar panel Best value: Intex 28685 mat – About £17.99, the lowest price here, for a small above-ground pool that only needs about a square metre of collector. Updated October 2026.
A solar pool heater is an unglazed collector. Your filter pump pushes pool water through black plastic the sun has warmed, then back into the pool. It suits a seasonal above-ground pool you want less cold on a sunny day. It will not hold a fixed 28°C every evening. Judge a row by collector area, hose size, pump flow and whether salt water is stated. A cover at night matters as much as the mat. If you are still choosing the pool, the [rectangular above-ground pool](/hub/swimming-pools/rectangular-above-ground-pool) comparison is the separate page. You want the water less cold on a sunny afternoon, not a fixed 28°C in a dull week. Electric immersions were left out of the set. A 3 kW immersion is a poor match for a BS 1363 13 A plug, cWatters set out in.
A solar pool heater is an unglazed collector. Your filter pump pushes pool water through black plastic the sun has warmed, then back into the pool. It suits a seasonal above-ground pool you want less cold on a sunny day.
26 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How big is the pool?
The FANTASK 11010NP-6-VC is a roll-up PE panel, 600 by 75 cm and 10.49 kg, listed at about £130.56 for pools up to 25,800 litres, above ground or embedded. The bullet names end caps, hose clamps, connection hoses, angle connections, and hose adapters, and it claims two collectors can be connected. The material is UV-resistant PE, in black, with a working range of −20°C to 90°C and no degree-rise figure. It shows 4.0 stars from 28 reviews. None of the review texts in the file are from the UK; they are labelled Spain and France. One Spanish review says the metal ties break and leak. Hose diameter and pump flow are not stated, so the fittings list is what the listing gives you to judge.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Someone who wants hoses listed in the box on a 6 m panel.
Less suitable: A decision that depends on UK review text.
Specifications
Common questions
What comes in the FANTASK box?
The bullet lists end caps, hose clamps, connection hoses, angle connections, and hose adapters.
What pool size is stated?
Up to 25,800 litres, above-ground or embedded, on the listing.
Are the reviews in the file from the UK?
No. The texts are labelled Spain and France. One Spanish review says the metal ties break and leak.
The Steinbach Speed Solar 00-49120 is a 0.7 by 3 m LDPE strip, about 2.1 m², listed at about £70.48 for above-ground pools up to 12 m³. The bullets state salt water, 32/38 mm hose, a flow of 2,000–10,000 litres per hour, and a maximum of 1 bar at 20°C. It is the top pick in this set: those figures are on the listing, and UK review text describes a temperature lift with two strips on a 12 ft pool. The same reviews say the hoses and the pictured bypass are not all supplied. Gasket joints leak if they are not straight. The 12 m³ ceiling is modest for a single strip, and the weight is printed as both 6 kg and 6.08 kg. Series connection is stated if one strip is not enough.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small above-ground pool, including salt water, if you can buy hose separately.
Less suitable: A pool well above 12 m³ on one strip alone.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this Steinbach listing say salt water?
Yes. The bullets say the collector is suitable for salt water.
What flow does it allow?
At least 2,000 litres per hour and at most 10,000 litres per hour, with a maximum of 1 bar at 20°C.
Is the bypass in the box?
UK reviews say the bypass and hoses shown in the picture are not all supplied.
The Steinbach Compact 00-49123 is a 6.0 by 0.7 m collector strip at about £108.49, with a stated ceiling of 20 m³, a flow window of 2,000–10,000 litres per hour, and 1 bar at 20°C. The bullet recommends bypass set 00-60045 and does not put that set in the box; the fittings line is the panel only, while series connection is stated. Weight is printed as 10 kg and also as 798.32 g. Salt water and hose diameter are not on this file. The 3.9 stars from 1,909 reviews match the 3 m ASIN, including a reviewer who describes 3 m mats, so the count is not an independent sample of the 6 m strip. The extra length is on the listing, and those data gaps stay with it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: More collector length than the 3 m strip, if you accept the data gaps.
Less suitable: A buyer who needs salt water and hose size on this exact listing.
Specifications
Common questions
How long is this Steinbach panel?
The title says 600 x 70 cm, for above-ground pools up to 20 m³.
Is the bypass included?
The bullet recommends bypass set 00-60045. It does not say that set is in the box.
Can the 1,909 reviews be read as a 6 m sample?
The review block matches the 3 m ASIN, including a reviewer who describes 3 m mats. Treat the count with that limit.
The Steinbach 049128 box holds two LDPE collectors, 600 by 140 cm and 17.5 kg, at about £185.56, with salt water and 32 mm or 38 mm adapters stated. The title ceiling is 40,000 litres, and a box bullet also says collectors for pools up to 20,000 litres, so both volumes are printed. Flow is capped at 10,000 litres per hour, and the listing says the two adapters do not need a tool. The line is 3.9 stars from 767 reviews, with one UK review in the file. That review says the fittings supplied were the wrong ones. This is the largest stated collector area in the set. It is a lot of panel for a first try on a paddling pool.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A larger above-ground pool when you want two Steinbach strips and salt water stated.
Less suitable: A first try on a paddling pool.
Specifications
Common questions
Does 049128 need a tool?
The listing says the two adapters do not need a tool. A UK review says the fittings supplied were the wrong ones.
Is it for salt water?
Yes. Salt water is in the title and the bullets.
Is the volume 20,000 L or 40,000 L?
The title says up to 40,000 L. The box bullet also says collectors for pools up to 20,000 L. Both figures are printed.
This Intex listing is the 28685E mat at about £24.49, with a 1 m by 1 m absorber, 32 mm fittings, and adapters for 38 mm hoses. The page limits it to pools under 30,280 litres and a filter pump up to 1/3 hp, or flow under 7,570 litres per hour, and it says mats can be joined. The claimed rise is about 3–5 degrees, depending on the pool and the weather. The listing shows 3.8 stars from 5,364 reviews. UK reviews mention weak flow, kinks, and occasional splits. Salt water is not stated, and the material field on the listing is not usable. The hose sizes are printed, which is the difference from the £17.99 28685 listing in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small pool when you want the hose sizes written on the listing.
Less suitable: Anyone who only wants the lower of the two 28685 prices.
Specifications
Common questions
Which hoses does this Intex mat list?
32 mm attachment points and two adapters for 38 mm hoses.
What pump limit is printed?
A filter pump up to 1/3 hp, or flow under 2,000 gallons per hour (7,570 L/h).
Can you join more than one?
The listing says mats can be joined for bigger pools.
The Intex 28685 is a flexible solar mat about 120 cm square, listed at about £17.99, the lowest price in this set for that model. The amazon.co.uk listing covers above-ground pools up to 30,280 litres and claims a rise of 3–5 degrees, with a fixing kit in the box and a 0.33 hp flow note. Across 11,021 reviews it sits at 3.7 stars. UK reviews describe a temperature lift on sunny days on small pools, and they also say the clamps drip and the mat kinks. Hose diameter and salt water are not stated. Catalogue lines that mention A++, MC4, and 26°C conflict with a hose mat and with the 3–5 degree bullet. It is the best value 28685 listing here when the pool is small enough for one mat of this size.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small above-ground pool where you want the cheapest 28685 mat in this set.
Less suitable: A large pool that needs several square metres of collector.
Specifications
Common questions
What pool size does the Intex 28685 listing allow?
The listing says above-ground pools up to 8,000 gallons (30,280 L). That is a ceiling, not a measured temperature rise.
Does the listing say the mat is tool-free?
It says simple hook-up, easy to drain and store. It does not say tool-free.
Is salt water mentioned?
Salt water is not stated on this listing.
The SmartPool SunHeater S421P is two polypropylene tube-on-web panels at about £225.36, the dearest kit in this set, at 13.15 kg, with dimensions printed as 121.92 by 2.54 by 609.6 cm. The listing says the system uses the existing filter and includes plumbing fixtures for flex hose on a rigid above-ground wall. Hard-line installations need extra parts that are not included. Salt water, flow, and a numbered hose diameter are not stated. It sits at 3.6 stars from 294 reviews, and the file holds two UK reviews. One says the unit matches the photos. The other says a second unit failed and did not heat the pool. The bullet’s pool-size line conflicts with the panel dimensions, so the centimetre product size is the figure to use.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An above-ground pool with flex hose if you accept a thin UK review sample.
Less suitable: Hard-line in-ground pipe without extra parts.
Specifications
Common questions
Will it fit rigid in-ground pipe?
The listing says hard-line installations need extra parts that are not included.
What did the UK reviews say?
One says it matches the photos. One says a second unit failed and did not heat the pool.
How big is the pool on the bullet?
The bullet’s pool-size line conflicts with the panel dimensions. Use the centimetre product size, not that sentence.
There is no laboratory score. The number on each card is the amazon.co.uk star line times 20, so 3.7 stars is 74 and 4.0 stars is 80. That conversion does not pick the winner. The top pick and the best value follow the listing facts in this set: collector area against the stated pool, hose size, pump flow, salt water, and what the box actually contains. A higher star line with no UK review text does not outrank a listing that prints those figures. Clashes on the same file, including a review count copied from another ASIN, stay visible.
Collector area
25%The plastic you can lay in the sun, set against the pool volume on the listing. A volume ceiling is not a measured temperature rise. Retailer area percentages are rules of thumb, not a test of these ASINs.
Hose and fittings
20%Whether 32 mm or 38 mm is printed, and whether hoses, clamps or a bypass are in the box or only in the picture. Steinbach’s Compact pages say hoses and fixings are not included.
Pump flow
20%The flow window the listing allows. Intex caps the mat at about 1/3 hp or 7,570 litres per hour. Steinbach wants 2,000–10,000 litres per hour and 1 bar at 20°C.
Salt water and clarity
15%Salt water only when the listing states it. Conflicting volumes, a copied review block, or catalogue lines that fight a hose mat pull the reading down.
Price in this set
20%The captured amazon.co.uk shelf price. About £17.99 is the low end and about £225.36 is the high end. A higher price is not a quality signal.
A solar pool heater on this page is black plastic your existing filter pump pushes pool water through. The seven amazon.co.uk listings run from about £17.99 to about £225.36. Use collector area, hose size, pump flow and salt water before the star line.
A solar pool heater in this comparison is an unglazed collector for a seasonal above-ground pool. Pool water is pumped through black plastic the sun has warmed, then returned to the pool. You want the water less cold on a sunny afternoon, not a fixed 28°C in a dull week. Electric immersions were left out of the set. A 3 kW immersion is a poor match for a BS 1363 13 A plug, which IET Wiring Matters set out in September 2025.
The Intex mats are about a square metre and claim about 3–5 degrees, depending on the pool and the weather. A volume ceiling of 30,280 litres is not a measured rise. If the pool surface needs several square metres of collector, one mat will disappoint.
UK reviews of the Steinbach 3 m strip say the hoses and the pictured bypass are not all supplied. The 6 m listing recommends bypass set 00-60045 and does not put that set in the box. Buy the hose and the bypass as separate parts if the bullet does not include them.
Do not use MC4, A++, or a line that the Intex mat will not work below 26°C. Those strings fight a hose mat and the 3–5 degree bullet. Do not treat the 6 m Steinbach review count as a second sample of the 6 m strip. Do not quote the SmartPool bullet’s unusable pool size.
Start with the plastic you can actually lay in full sun. The Intex mats are about 120 cm square. The Steinbach Speed Solar strip is 0.7 by 3 m, listed for pools up to 12 m³. The Compact 6 m strip is 6.0 by 0.7 m, listed up to 20 m³. The 049128 box is two collectors, 600 by 140 cm. The FANTASK panel is 600 by 75 cm, up to 25,800 litres. Retailer guides put collector area at roughly 30–50% of the pool surface, or about half, and more if the aspect is poor.
Salt water is stated on the Steinbach 3 m strip and on the 049128 set. It is not stated on either Intex mat, the FANTASK panel, the SmartPool kit, or the 6 m Steinbach file. A missing line is not a yes. The 049128 title says up to 40,000 litres and a box bullet also says 20,000 litres, so both numbers are printed. A UK review of that set says the fittings supplied were the wrong ones. Check the box against the picture. The £17.99 Intex listing includes a fixing kit.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You have an 8–12 ft seasonal pool, you will use a cover at night, and you want a sunny-day lift without a large collector. The Intex 28685 mat is about £17.99, about 120 cm square, with a fixing kit listed. One mat is a small area, and UK reviews say the clamps drip and the mat kinks.
You will buy hose separately and you want salt water on the label. The Steinbach Speed Solar 3 m strip is about £70.48, 0.7 by 3 m, with 32/38 mm and a flow of 2,000–10,000 litres per hour stated, for pools up to 12 m³. Series connection is stated if one strip is not enough.
You want two Steinbach collectors and salt water stated, not a first try on a paddling pool. The 049128 set is about £185.56, 600 by 140 cm, with 32 mm or 38 mm adapters. The title says up to 40,000 litres and a box bullet also says 20,000 litres. A UK review says the fittings supplied were the wrong ones.
The top pick is the Steinbach Speed Solar 3 m strip, at about £70.48. Salt water, 32/38 mm hose, a 0.7 by 3 m LDPE collector and a flow of 2,000–10,000 litres per hour are on the listing, for pools up to 12 m³. UK reviews describe a temperature lift with two strips, and they also say the hoses and the pictured bypass are not all supplied. The best value is the Intex 28685 mat at about £17.99, about a square metre, with 3.7 from 11,021 reviews and a small-pool limit. The FANTASK panel has the highest star line, 4.0 from 28, and those review texts are not from the UK. None of these scores is a lab test.
Intex 28685 mat
About £17.99, the lowest price here, for a small above-ground pool that only needs about a square metre of collector.
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.
Retailer rules of thumb for collector area, Steinbach’s own hose and flow notes, Intex low-flow support, SPATA on UK heating, and the English permitted-development rules for solar equipment. Listings are the amazon.co.uk captures for these seven ASINs. Prices on amazon.co.uk move.
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 come from those listings. We did not run a laboratory test. The scores rank a listing inside this set only.
