A clean pool is a happy pool, but you can’t rely on your filter to do it all. Regularly skim with a net and clean out debris with a leaf rake. What are the best poles and cleaning accessories for your swimming pool?
Here are the top 7 pool leaf rakes, skimmer nets, and poles:
- U.S. Pool Supply Professional Skimmer
- JED Pool Tools Essentials Hand Skimmer
- Sunnyglade Swimming Pool Leaf Rake
- Poolwhale Professional Leaf Rake
- ProTuff Ultra Fine Mesh Pool Net
- Sepetrel Pool Pole
- Swimline Hydrotools Telescopic Pole
Stocking up on all the pool supplies you need this season is easy with this guide. Keep reading for product links, specs, and features. Your pool will look sparkling clean by the time you’re done.
Image | Product | Features | Link |
---|---|---|---|
U.S. Pool Supply Professional Skimmer
| 9.7 | Check Price | |
| 9.5 | Check Price | |
| 9.1 | Check Price | |
Poolwhale Professional Leaf Rake
| 8.8 | Check Price | |
ProTuff Ultra Fine Mesh Leaf Rake
| 8.6 | Check Price | |
| 8.2 | Check Price | |
Swimline Hydrotools Telescopic Pole
| 8 | Check Price |
The Best Pool Skimmer Nets and Leaf Rakes
1. U.S. Pool Supply Professional Skimmer
- Hand-held 2-foot-long leaf skimmer
- Sturdy lightweight net
- Ultra fine mesh netting bag basket
An Amazon’s Choice product, and one of my favorites, is the U.S. Pool Supply professional skimmer.
This inexpensive tool is simple but effective. The frame is made of tough plastic with an included aluminum pole. You can choose from pole sizes 12, 17, 60, or 72 inches long.
The mesh net has a fine consistency for catching small debris, yet the sizable bag can grab leaves as you skim with this tool over the pool water’s surface. The skimmer frame is six inches deep, 12 inches long, and 11 inches wide to collect more debris with each pass.
When you’ve filled the net, dump the contents into a trash bag or garbage can, tapping the side of the skimmer on the bin until all the debris comes out. Stand the long pole up so the skimmer can dry, and return later to maintain your pool.
U.S. Pool Supply says this skimmer is ideal for cleaning inflatable kiddie pools, hot tubs, and spas.
2. JED Pool Tools Essentials Hand Skimmer
- High-quality
- Durable plastic
- Industry-leading quality and design
Sometimes, you don’t need much in the way of long poles. They’re tripping hazards in your backyard, especially if you have young kids.
The JED Pool Tools hand skimmer is a great compromise. It’s 12 inches tall, one inch wide, and 25 inches long. You can pick up this good-to-have pool-cleaning tool for under $10.
The short handle is ideal for use while in the pool. Why not stay cool and keep the pool clean at the same time?
The skimmer weighs 0.16 ounces and features a blue plastic frame with a short aluminum pole. The end of the aluminum pole has a white plastic cap to prevent bugs from entering the hollow metal tube.
Fine mesh throughout lets you easily clean surface debris around your steps or ladder when tidying up your pool daily. You can’t use this tool for long-reach skimming, but you can try the other skimmers on this list by attaching them to a pole you purchase separately (keep reading for my recommendations!).
3. Sunnyglade Swimming Pool Leaf Rake
- High-quality thick plastic frame
- Lightweight
- Easy Installation
Yet a third Amazon’s Choice product, the Sunnyglade swimming pool leaf rake is a lightweight tool to add to your pool-cleaning arsenal. It weighs 4.2 ounces and measures 16.51 inches by 10.83 inches by 1.71 inches.
The ABS plastic frame is light and strong, and the curvature of the frame is designed to preserve your pool liner and edge. The heavy-duty, fine-meshed net is also a leaf rake, so you can rely on it to clean everything from teeny-tiny bugs to twigs, blades of grass, and bigger leaves.
The net has depth, so you can scoop out more every time you skim your pool. Its good size and even better price make this a staple in your pool maintenance kit.
I should note that the Sunnyglade swimming pool leaf rake does not include a pole. According to the manufacturer, this skimmer slots into most poles with its universal fit.
4. Poolwhale Professional Leaf Rake
- Lightweight plastic molded frame
- Won't mar pool liners
- Universal holder
Is the Poolwhale professional leaf rake the right choice for your pool? It could be!
This Amazon’s Choice pool product is 17.24 inches wide by 10.79 inches long and 1.61 inches deep. Its ABS plastic frame should last throughout the seasons, while the wide mouth can collect an assortment of pool messes and debris, not only limited to leaves.
The net bag is a fine mesh that can dive to the bottom of your pool and collect whatever’s blackening the floor. The leading beveled edge also helps this rake grab more of what’s down there.
A weighted tab lends this rake more freedom in the water, as you can rotate it upside down without adjusting the net.
Poolwhale recommends this tool for collecting insects, twigs, algae, pollen, and leaves, even large groups of slimy leaves that often weigh down other nets. The rake doesn’t include a pole but has a universal holder for a 1 ¼-inch pole.
5. ProTuff Ultra Fine Mesh Leaf Rake
- Aluminum alloy frame
- Nylon leaf skimmer net
- Guards against scratches
Streamline your pool cleaning with the ProTuff ultra-fine mesh leaf rake.
Built from commercial-grade metal, the ProTuff leaf rake offers several mouth sizes according to the size of your pool. Choose from 14, 16, 18, or 20-inch wide mouths for collecting messes without all the manual effort.
The leaf rake features curved sides with straight edges that can scrape along the bottom and sides of your swimming pool without tearing up your liner. The frame catcher is built from sturdy aluminum alloy and has a plastic coating. ProTuff promises it won’t bend or twist.
Although this pool leaf rake weighs more than your average skimmer, it’s designed to catch more at once so you can finish the unenviable job of skimming faster.
What about the net? That’s constructed of heavy-duty, durable Goldilox nylon that will resist damage and tears. The nylon net will catch more debris, including the teeny-tiny stuff that lingers on the water’s surface. The net can hold a tremendous amount of weight without snapping.
The ProTuff leaf net doesn’t include a pole but is compatible with most, as it has 1 1/8-inch attachment and butterfly clips for securing the handle.
The Best Pool Poles
6. Sepetrel Pool Pole
- Enhanced durability
- High-strength material
- Adjustable length
Did you buy one of the pool skimmers or leaf rakes on this list and need a pole? The Sepetrel pool pole is one to consider.
This Amazon’s Choice pole is 12 feet long, perfect for reaching further into your pool and cleaning up gunk and debris. You can also buy a 15-footer if needed.
It’s a two-piece telescoping pole, so you can reduce its length for cleaning closer to the surface and then extend the length to the full 12 feet so you can clean without as much difficulty.
The dual poles are built from aluminum and finished with an oxidation treatment to preserve their condition across the seasons. The interior walls of the poles are thickened and non-corrugated to resist bending when collecting large bunches of leaves.
The Sepetrel pool pole features a 1 ¼-inch connection to attach to most pool rakes and skimmers.
7. Swimline Hydrotools Telescopic Pole
- Telescopic technology
- Slip-resistant
- Commercial grade aluminum
You can’t go wrong with the Swimline Hydrotools pole. This product also telescopes and comes in many sizes for different pools. You can buy classic models that telescope from four, five, or six to twelve feet or one that goes from eight to 15 feet.
Premium thick versions, including one with a fiberglass base instead of aluminum, are available.
The retractable design is convenient for cleaning your pool, as established, and also benefits you when storing your tools. This pole takes up far less room than one that isn’t collapsible.
The Hydrotools pole features a reinforced handle finished with rubber for optimized handling, especially on your dirtiest pool days.
This pool pole has a 1 ¼-inch connection port that should work with many pool tools.