The filter that decides whether a pool runs genuinely clear. Chemistry keeps water safe, but the filter is what makes it clear. Cartridge, sand, and DE filters each work differently and suit different pools. These reviews and buyer's guide cover the pool filters worth considering.
Chemistry keeps water safe, but the filter is what makes it clear. Cartridge, sand, and DE filters each work differently and suit different pools. These reviews and buyer's guide cover the pool filters worth considering.
This guide explains what genuinely matters when choosing pool filters, and our reviews below cover the specific products worth considering. Every review is an honest, independent editorial assessment from the WETYR Pools team.
Pool owners think a great deal about chemistry and far less about the filter, which is almost backwards. Chemistry keeps the water safe and sanitized, but it cannot make cloudy water clear. Only the filter physically removes the suspended particles, the fine dust, the dead algae, the organic matter, that cloud a pool. The filter is the pool's kidney, and a pool with perfect chemistry and a poor or neglected filter will still never run truly clear.
Choosing the right filter, and keeping it healthy, is therefore one of the foundations of a beautiful pool. The three filter types work differently and ask for different care, and understanding them is the key to a pool that stays genuinely clear with the least effort.
A cartridge filter strains water through a large pleated element. Cartridge filters filter finely, they waste no water because there is no backwashing, and they are simple to service. A sand filter passes water through a bed of filter sand or a modern sand alternative; it is robust and low-cost, and it is cleaned by backwashing, reversing the flow to flush the dirt out. A diatomaceous earth, or DE, filter coats internal grids with a fine powder and filters the finest of the three, polishing water crystal clear.
None is simply best. Cartridge filters are popular for their fine filtration and water savings; sand filters are valued for simplicity and low cost; DE filters are chosen where the finest possible clarity is wanted. The right filter depends on the pool, the water, and the owner, which is exactly what a buyer's guide and honest reviews are for.
When comparing filters, look at the filter area or capacity relative to the pool, because a larger, correctly sized filter runs longer between cleanings and strains the pump less. Look at the build quality of the tank and internals for a long outdoor life, the ease of servicing, top-access cartridge filters are easy to clean, and how well the filter matches the pump and plumbing it will work with.
Correct sizing is essential. An undersized filter cannot keep up; an oversized one is wasted money. And the filter must be matched to the pump: the two work as a system. This is one of the clearest reasons to have a filter specified and installed by a professional rather than guessed at.
WETYR Pools sizes, supplies, installs, and services pool filters of all three types as part of our filter maintenance and equipment work. We match the filter to the pool and the pump, install it correctly, and keep it properly cleaned and serviced, with media replaced before it fails, so the filter genuinely does its job. A correctly chosen, well-maintained filter is one of the quiet foundations of a clear, healthy pool.
In-depth, independent reviews of the pool filters worth your consideration.
A large-capacity cartridge filter that runs long between cleanings and wastes no water. A benchmark choice for clear water.
Read the full reviewA DE filter that polishes water to the finest clarity of any filter type. The choice for an owner who wants the clearest possible pool.
Read the full reviewA robust, simple, low-cost sand filter. The dependable, easy-to-live-with choice for a straightforward pool.
Read the full reviewThe right product is only half the result. Correct sizing and installation is the other half.
Tell WETYR Pools about your pool. We will recommend the right pool filters, then size and install it correctly.