The 4 Best Pool Lights (2023 Review)

Pool lights can turn swimming into an all-day activity. Swimming at night is especially fun because you have glowing lights and cooler temperatures. To help you find lighting, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the best pool lights on Amazon. We explore our top recommendations below.

Top 4 Pool Lights

• Best Permanent Light: Roleadro Pool Light
• Best Speaker: Blufree Bluetooth Speaker With Colorful Lights
• Best Bulb: Life-Bulb LED Color Pool Light Bulb
• Best Suction Light: VIDOME Rechargeable Pool Lights

Best Permanent Light: Roleadro Pool Light

Roleadro Pool Light

• $69
• $89
• 23% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This light screws into your pool wall, making for a permanent accessory. It’s made with silica gel that’s wrapped in stainless steel housing that helps keep water out. For a customizable user experience, you can use the included remote to choose a static or dynamic mode that fits your mood.

Courtesy Amazon

• $69 at Amazon

Key Features

• Comes with one light and a remote
• Has a screw-in design
• Offers seven static and five dynamic modes

What Customers Are Saying

Customers thought that this light was fairly easy to set up given its permanent installation process. They also liked its customizable light modes. However, some customers struggled to get the remote to change these settings.

Best Speaker: Blufree Bluetooth Speaker With Colorful Lights

Blufree Bluetooth Speaker

• $37
• $60
• 39% off

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This speaker and light hybrid device is portable in case you want to bring it to the beach or to your friend’s hot tub. You can use Bluethooth technology to control the device directly through your smartphone to play music and use the flashlight for up to eight hours.

Courtesy Amazon

• $37 at Amazon

Key Features

• Comes with one light and speaker combo
• Has a floating design
• Offers seven dynamic modes
• Lasts for up to eight hours on one charge

What Customers Are Saying

Happy customers called out this device’s long-lasting battery and superior sound quality. Alternatively, some users didn’t like how dim the light was and how difficult the smartphone pairing was.

Best Bulb: Life-Bulb LED Color Pool Light Bulb

Life-Bulb LED Color Pool Light Bulb

• $140

Prices taken at time of publishing.

This pool bulb features seven colors and 12 modes to choose from and is available in either 120v or 12v. It also comes with a remote control for easy operation and a waterproof bag for storage. Furthermore, this bulb has a lifetime replacement warranty.

Courtesy Amazon

• $140 at Amazon

Key Features

• Comes with a remote control and a waterproof bag
• Has a screw-in design
• Comes with 12 total modes

What Customers Are Saying

Customers who liked this pool light liked how easy it was install, that it had an energy-efficient design, and how bright the bulbs were. However, other customers had issues getting the remote to work properly, while others were disappointed it did not come with batteries.

Best Suction Light: VIDOME Rechargeable Pool Lights

VIDOME Rechargeable Pool Lights

• $60

Prices taken at time of publishing.

These four rechargeable lights suction to your walls to give you light on one or all sides of your pool. They use a USB cable to charge in five hours and provide lighting for 50–130 hours. The battery life is determined by which of the lights’ more than 20 different settings you select.

Courtesy Amazon

• $60 at Amazon

Key Features

• Comes with four lights and a remote
• Has a suction design
• Offers six static and three dynamic modes
• Lasts for up to 130 hours on one charge

What Customers Are Saying

Positive reviews mentioned customers using this multipack for their large pools. Users also liked the lights’ sturdy construction. However, a few of the most common complaints in negative customer reviews revolved around their short battery life and poor suction.

Buyer’s Guide

Lights add style to your backyard while also illuminating your pool for nighttime swims. This buying guide will help you pick the best lighting for your pool.

Color

Some pool lights are only available in a standard white color. However, others come in brighter colors, such as red, green, blue, and purple. They may also have color-changing modes.

Installation

Pool lights come with one of two installation methods. Some attach to the walls of your pool and remain there permanently. Others float on top of the water, giving you the option to remove them whenever you want. Only purchase attachable pool lights if you have the proper housing to install them. Otherwise, stick to temporary ones.

Bulb

There are three types of bulbs that manufacturers use in their pool lights.

• Incandescent: These traditional bulbs are large and produce white light.
• Halogen: These smaller bulbs are more efficient. They also produce white light.
• LED: Today, most pool lights feature LED bulbs because they’re longer-lasting and more energy-efficient than the other two types. They can also produce light in a variety of colors.

Voltage

Floating pool lights come in a range of voltages for you to choose from. However, lights that you install on the side of your pool usually only support 12- or 120-volt bulbs. Twelve-volt bulbs produce a low, steady light, while 120-volt bulbs produce a brighter light. Before deciding on a voltage for your permanent lights, check regulations in your area because some towns and neighborhoods require you to use the less powerful 12-volt bulbs in your pool.

Control

You usually control temporary pool lights with a button. Depending on the permanent pool lights you choose, you can control them with switches, remotes, buttons, and/or timers.

Benefits of Night Swimming

Night swimming may seem like a novel activity. However, there are several benefits to it once you have your pool lights installed. We outline some of the biggest ones below.

Less Sun Exposure

Swimming at night keeps you protected from the sun without sunblock.

Help With Sleep and Stress

In addition to being good exercise, swimming at night can clear your mind in preparation for a restful night’s sleep.

Extra Time

If you work a day job, finding the time to get in the pool before it gets dark during the week may be tough. However, if you embrace night swimming, you won’t have the constraints of trying to race to the pool while it’s still light out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of pool lights?

Pool lights increase your visibility when swimming at night, minimizing injuries. They also repel insects that would normally be a nuisance at night.

How long do pool lights last?

Incandescent and halogen pool lights last for about 5,000–6,000 hours. LED pool lights last much longer with an average lifespan of 30,000 hours. Maintaining your pool can also help it and its accessories last longer.

Are pool lights safe?

You may have heard that electricity and water don’t mix. However, pool lights are safe because they use low-voltage bulbs that are covered with thick, non-conductive housings.

Why Trust The This Old House Reviews Team

This Old House has empowered homeowners for more than four decades with top-notch home improvement content in the form of television programs, print media, and digital content on its website and social media platforms. The This Old House Reviews Team focuses on creating in-depth product and service review content to help inform your purchasing decision for just about any item or resource that you might need for your home. The This Old House Reviews Team has written over 1,000 reviews on products in the home space, from cordless drills to kitchen trash cans, lawn mowers, and dining room decorations.

We recommend products in each review using an intensive research process, spending hours combing through the best available models on Amazon. For a product to make our list of top picks, it must hold a solid sales record on Amazon, have consistently positive customer reviews, and offer unique features, among other factors. After narrowing down our list of recommendations, we conduct additional research and sometimes in-person testing to ensure that the products meet our standards. Once we conclude the research phase, we craft a well-rounded, user-friendly article that includes our recommended products and additional information to help homeowners like you make the right purchase.

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