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It’s a great feeling jumping into a warm swimming pool in the cold season. As you know, most swimming pools go unused during the cold months of the year which is 3 to 4 months.
And although gas heaters can be great, the cost of running them is high. On the other hand, Electric pool heaters are convenient and cheap to run.
After digging through countless customer reviews and spending hours researching, I think the following are the best electric pool heaters for inground pools.
(Here’s a quick overview of my picks, first:-)
- Best Reasonably Priced: Hayward HP21404T (ad)
- Best For Big Pools: Pentair 340039 SuperFlo (ad)
- Best for Small pools (8,000 gallons): Hayward CSPAXI11 (paid link)
Best Electric Pool Heaters for Inground Pools Review
FibroPool FH055 In Ground -Best Swimming Pool Heater
- Titanium heat exchanger.
- Digital display and control
- Energy-efficient.
- Slim compact design.
It’s really highly rated, and it comes packed with lots of cool features and benefits. Before we jump in and start looking at this swimming pool heater in detail, there are some basic things you should know.
To start with, it’s really easy to wire up and plumb in, and it comes with a straightforward control panel that is easy to operate. In addition to that, quite a few real-life customers have reported that they really enjoy just how it produces minimal noise.
Features and Benefits
- It uses a Titanium Heat exchanger which can: cost-effective because of extended service life and have a higher heat transfer efficiency.
- Easy to wire up and then the plumbing is not that much.
- Straightforward control panel and display
- Slim compact design
- Top Energy rating by the US Department of Energy at 25 cents per hour.
Lots of verified buyers have said that the Fibroheat Electric heat pump works like a dream when it comes to keeping the pool hot even when not running at 100% capacity. It’s an energy-efficient unit, as it’s rated by the US Department of Energy among the Top Energy Efficient Pool Heater. Unlike other electrical heaters, it’s able to keep an in-ground pool warm without straining too much.
In case you’re wondering what are the downsides, I did come across a customer who complained that he received poor customer service when he was looking for installation assistance from the company. However, this could be an isolated case.
- Energy efficiency
- Quiet operations
- Compact design
- Easy to wire up and plumb
- Not very expensive
- Some complaints of poor customer service
Hayward HP21404T HeatPro Titanium 140,000 BTU Heat Pump Review
Features and Benefits
- It can be used both with swimming pools and spas
- Available in 3 different sizes 110,000, 120,000 and 140,000 BTU
- Two levels of heat output; high for very cold weather and lower for mildly cold weather- the two levels are controlled by a two-stage thermostat
- Minimum/maximum flow rate: 30GPM/75GPM
- Minimum noise levels
Although the installation is not that complicated, it’s advisable that you get a professional install the heat pump because the wrong installation could lead to the voiding of the one year warranty offered by Harward.
- Available in different sizes
- High Energy Efficiency
- Dual thermostat to differentiate between very cold temp and high temp
- Not noisy
- Warranty can be voided by improper installation
Pentair 340039 SuperFlo -Best High-Performance Pool Heat Pump
A great thing about this control panel is that you can program it to maintain a set range of temperature range. Pentair 340039 SuperFlo has software that monitors water temperature in order to adjust it to optimal levels. an
Unlike other pool heaters whose error messages are tough to figure out, its error messages are easy to figure out even if you are technically not very experienced.
In addition to that, Pentair SuperFlow comes with a 10-year guarantee to replace or repair the compressor, and a lifetime warranty on the heat exchanger. Let’s jump in and check out a list of features and benefits.
Features and Benefits
- You get a user-friendly control panel that uses an LCD display. It’s easy to program and understand the error messages.
- You get a titanium heat exchanger which is more efficient and long-lasting.
- High-quality compressors which are built with the latest technology.
- Features a control system where you can preset controls allows automatic on/off operation to maintain the perfect water temperature.
- Self-diagnostic software for monitoring the system performance.
Bear in mind that this heat pump is designed in such a way that it cold work with any kind of swimming pool; it works perfectly with the above the ground swimming pool as well as in-ground pools. If you’re concerned about its environmental effects, it’s is EPA approved and it uses safe 410-A refrigerant. You might be wondering what are the downsides. Let us jump in and look at the pros and cons.
- User-friendly control panel
- Long-lasting, efficient heat exchanger which is made with titanium
- Automatic defrost to prevent freezing
- Self-diagnostic system for maintaining the temperature
- 10-year warranty for the compressor
- Lifetime warranty for heat exchanger
- More Pricey
Hayward CSPAXI11 11-Kilowatt Electric Spa Heater
No review of electric pool heaters would be complete without including Hayward CSPAXI11 11 Kilowatt Electric Spa Heater which is a great heater for those people who have a smaller swimming pool and don’t want to spend an arm and leg.
So, if you’ve got a pool whose capacity is less than 5,000 gallons and you leave somewhere like Florida where temperatures are not very cold, Hayward CSPAXi11 11 is the perfect choice for you.
According to the manufacturer, “Hayward electric spa heat has all the sophisticated features and capabilities of a heater twice their size.”
Features and Benefits
- The heater has an indicator light
- Features a 304 stainless steel tank
- Super easy installation
I’m not saying that Hayward electric spa heater is perfect for all heating size. If you’ve got a bigger pool than 2,500 gallons, you should look for a more powerful heater. With that out of way, let us look at the pros and cons of Hayward CSPXI11.
- Cheap
- Easy installation
- Stainless steel tank
- Compact design
- Low heating capacity
Electric Pool Heater Buying Guide
Why you need a swimming pool heater
- To swim anytime you want
- To avoid swimming in a cold pool
- A pool heater increases the value of your property
- You can use your pool any month of the year
Factors to consider when choosing a Pool heater
Sizing-The most important factor to consider when choosing a swimming pool heater is the sizing. When sizing a pool heater, you should take into consideration the surface area of the pool and average air temperatures. You should also look at the type of pool. An in-ground pool requires more heating than above the ground pools. For heat pumps, they are rated by Btu output and horsepower (hp). The common output sizes are 75,000 Btu, 100,000 Btu and 125,000 Btu.
Costs of installation and running – You should consider the cost of buying and installation a heat pump. Bear in mind that the cost of some in units can cost as much as 4,000 dollars while some can go as low as 400 dollars. You should shop around depending on your budget and requirements. In addition to installation cost, the running cost of an electric pool heater will depend on where you are and season. The energy cost of an electric pool heater on average can be around $500.
Solar Pool Heaters -Solar heater- Another option when it comes to swimming pool heater is installing a solar heater. A solar heater is made up of solar collectors, filters, pumps and control valves. Basically, they use the sun’s energy to warm the swimming pool. A solar pool cover works as a regular pool cover for keeping algae and debris out; in addition to that, the solar cover heats the water and helps to reduce evaporation.
Compact design- you will need to buy a pool heater that will not take up lots of space. In most cases electric pool heaters have a small compact design, so they don’,t take lots of space.
Natural gas or Propane heater– A gas pool heater runs on natural gas or propane. There is a combustion chamber that uses gas for heating the copper coil. Water passes through the hot copper coil where it gets heated.
Pool Heaters Frequently Asked Question
How long should pool heaters last?
How much does it cost to install a heat pump for a pool?
What size heat pump do I need for my swimming pool?
What is more efficient gas or electric pool heaters?
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ABOUT LEON SMITH 
Leon is a Thirty-something-year-old blogger from Mauritius who is currently studying for a Master’s degree in chemical and processing Engineering at the University of Eldoret in Kenya. Read more about him.