5 Best Solar Rings for Pool Heating, Plus How Many Rings You Need

Solar ring makers only ask you to cover about 60% of your pool.

That’s the Solar Sun Rings minimum, and the open 40% is the part that keeps losing heat. So the number of rings you buy matters as much as the brand.

Below are the 5 best solar rings for pools, ranked by our editorial rating. Each pick comes with who it suits, what the listing actually promises and how many you’ll need.

Match your pool to a pick:

• An 18-foot round above ground pool is the classic fit for the Solar Sun Rings 9-pack (#1).
• Long rectangular pools burn through rings quickly, which is where the 12-pack GoFloats (#2) earns its spot.
• A spa or a small round pool can get away with one Evoio cover (#5).

Quick Comparison Chart

#		Product	Our Rating
1		Solar Sun Rings Sunburst 60-Inch Solar Pool Heater (9-Pack)	★★★★★ 9.7	Check Price
2		GoFloats V2 Inflatable Solar Pool Heaters (12-Pack)	★★★★☆ 9.2	Check Price
3		MIYOLU 5 ft Round Solar Pool Cover Discs (6-Pack)	★★★★☆ 8.8	Check Price
4		Wesiti 6 Ft Round Solar Pool Covers (3-Pack)	★★★★☆ 8.6	Check Price
5		Evoio 8 ft Round Bubble Solar Pool Cover	★★★★☆ 8.4	Check Price

The 5 Best Solar Rings for Pools

The first two picks are true solar rings that you set on the water one at a time, and the other three are round discs and covers cut from the same bubble sheet as a solar blanket. The sizing chart right after the picks shows how many you need.

1. Solar Sun Rings Sunburst 60-Inch Solar Pool Heater (9-Pack)

#1 Pick Best Overall

Solar Sun Rings Sunburst 60-Inch Solar Pool Heater (9-Pack)

★★★★★ 9.7/10

Nine 60-inch rings made of two layers of UV-resistant vinyl, with encapsulated magnets for rafting and vinyl sleeve water anchors for windy pools.

Up to 21,000 BTUs Per Ring Magnetic Rafting Water Anchors Included

Check Price

Pros

• Two vinyl layers turn sunlight into heat
• Magnets join rings into one floating raft
• Water anchors steady rings in wind
• Drainage grommets stop rings from sinking
• Works with salt, chlorine and pool cleaners

Cons

• Covers about 60% of the water, not all of it
• Large pools need two packs or more

The Solar Sun Rings Sunburst 9-pack is the best solar ring for most pools, and it’s the pick for an 18-foot round above ground pool in particular. Compared with the GoFloats heaters at #2, it adds magnets and anchors, which the GoFloats listing doesn’t mention.

Each 60-inch ring is made of two layers of UV-resistant vinyl. The top layer lets sunlight through, and the bottom layer absorbs it and turns it into heat for the water underneath.

At night, the listing says the rings act as a thermal blanket that holds in heat and cuts the loss of water and pool chemicals. That’s the evaporation side of the job, and it’s half the reason to own rings at all.

The real difference shows up on a breezy day.

Encapsulated magnets around the edge let you raft rings together into one floating mat. And this pack includes vinyl sleeve water anchors, which weigh the rings down so wind and storms don’t flip them onto the deck.

The rings also have a redesigned inner grid with drainage grommets, so rainwater drains through instead of pooling on top and sinking the ring.

What about salt pools?

Doheny’s listing says Solar Sun Rings are compatible with automatic pool cleaners, salt and chlorine systems. So you can leave them out on a saltwater pool without worrying about the vinyl.

As for sizing, 9 rings covers an 18-foot round pool (8 rings) with 1 to spare. A 21-foot round pool needs 10, so you’d add a single ring.

Pro Tip: The same Sunburst ring is sold on Amazon in 1, 3, 6 and 9-packs with anchors. Buy the 9-pack for an 18-foot pool, then top up with singles instead of buying a second big pack.

If the anchors and magnets still can’t keep up with your yard’s wind, one of the full-size solar pool covers may suit you better.

2. GoFloats V2 Inflatable Solar Pool Heaters (12-Pack)

#2 Pick Best for Large Pools

GoFloats V2 Inflatable Solar Pool Heaters (12-Pack)

★★★★☆ 9.2/10

Twelve inflatable 5 ft x 5 ft solar heaters that lie flat, trap heat by day and insulate at night, with a thick rim that limits overlapping.

12 Heaters Per Pack 25 Sq Ft Each 80% Coverage Target

Check Price

Pros

• 12 heaters cover up to 300 square feet
• Upgraded V2 rings inflate faster
• Lie completely flat on the water
• Thick rim reduces overlapping
• Simple sizing rule: square feet divided by 30

Cons

• Each heater must be inflated first
• Listing mentions no magnets or anchors

The GoFloats V2 12-pack is the best solar ring pick for large pools, because one pack gives you 12 heaters that each cover 25 square feet. Next to the 9-ring Solar Sun Rings pack at #1, you get 3 more pieces per box, but you give up the magnets and anchors.

That’s 300 square feet of coverage from a single pack.

For a 16 x 32 foot pool (512 square feet), the GoFloats rule of surface area divided by 30 says you need about 17 heaters. So you’d buy 2 packs and keep a few spares.

What’s new in V2?

According to the listing, the upgraded rings inflate faster and lie perfectly flat every time. A heater that lies flat touches more water, and that’s where the heat transfer happens.

The thick outer rim is the other smart detail. It keeps neighboring heaters from riding up on each other, so you lose less coverage to overlap.

GoFloats also pitches these as a partner to a heater you already own. The listing says they complement gas and electric heaters by speeding up heating.

Thinking about a plumbed system instead? Compare these with a solar pool heater for inground pools before you buy 3 or 4 packs.

GoFloats asks for 80% coverage, which is more than the 60% Solar Sun Rings asks for, so budget for extra heaters.

Note: The listing doesn’t mention magnets or anchors, so in a windy yard expect to straighten these out more often than rafted rings.

3. MIYOLU 5 ft Round Solar Pool Cover Discs (6-Pack)

#3 Pick Thickest Bubble Discs

MIYOLU 5 ft Round Solar Pool Cover Discs (6-Pack)

★★★★☆ 8.8/10

Six 5 ft floating discs cut from 16 mil PE bubble sheet, sold in 3, 6 or 9 packs to match your pool's surface area.

16 Mil PE Bubble 5 ft Discs 3, 6 or 9 Packs

Check Price

Pros

• 16 mil bubble sheet, thickest disc here
• Use one disc or combine several
• Pack sizes scale with your pool
• Works on pools, spas and stock tanks

Cons

• No magnets, so discs drift apart
• Seller's evaporation claim is only "may help"

The MIYOLU 5 ft discs are the best pick if you like the ring idea but want the bubble material of a solar blanket. Each disc is the same 5-foot size as a Solar Sun Ring, so the coverage math is identical, but it’s cut from bubble sheet instead of 2-layer vinyl.

So what’s the trade?

You get 16 mil PE bubble material, the thickest sheet among the discs in this list. MIYOLU says the discs are made for everyday placement, removal and storage.

You lose the extras. The listing mentions no magnets and no anchors, so the discs float free and can drift into a corner on a windy afternoon.

To size them, follow 4 steps:

1. Measure your pool’s surface area in square feet.
2. Multiply by 0.6 for the 60% coverage target.
3. Divide by 19.6, the area of one 5-foot disc.
4. Pick the 3, 6 or 9-pack combination that gets you there.

Hot tub and stock tank owners can stop at one or two discs. MIYOLU says the discs can be used one at a time or combined, which makes them easy to share between a spa and a small pool.

One honest caveat: the listing only says the discs “may help” reduce evaporation and keep out dust and leaves. That’s a softer promise than the Solar Sun Rings listing makes, so weigh it that way.

4. Wesiti 6 Ft Round Solar Pool Covers (3-Pack)

#4 Pick Best for Above Ground Pools

Wesiti 6 Ft Round Solar Pool Covers (3-Pack)

★★★★☆ 8.6/10

Three 6 ft round bubble covers, 7.28 mil thick, that trim with scissors to fit small round, irregular or above ground pools and hot tubs.

6 ft Diameter Cut With Scissors Bubble Side Down

Check Price

Pros

• 6 ft discs, larger than 5 ft rings
• Trim to fit odd-shaped pools
• Fits above ground pools and hot tubs
• Easy to place and remove, per listing

Cons

• 7.28 mil is the thinnest material here
• Only 3 discs per pack

The Wesiti 6 ft covers are the best pick for small above ground pools and hot tubs, because each disc is 6 feet across and trims with scissors. Compared with the MIYOLU discs at #3, each Wesiti disc covers more water, but the material is less than half as thick.

That bigger size adds up. A 6-foot disc covers about 28 square feet, against roughly 19.6 for a 5-foot ring.

For a 12-foot round above ground pool (about 113 square feet), 3 Wesiti discs cover around 85 square feet. That’s about 75% of the water from a single pack.

The Wesiti listing has one setup tip worth following: float the covers bubble side down. The air pockets then sit against the water and do the insulating.

The 7.28 mil thickness is the trade-off, because it keeps the discs light and easy to cut.

But that also makes it the thinnest sheet on this list, so expect it to wear sooner than the 16 mil MIYOLU discs.

If your pool is round and 12 feet or smaller, a single Wesiti 3-pack clears the 60% coverage target on its own.

5. Evoio 8 ft Round Bubble Solar Pool Cover

#5 Pick Best for Hot Tubs and Small Pools

Evoio 8 ft Round Bubble Solar Pool Cover

★★★★☆ 8.4/10

A single 8 ft, 12 mil round bubble cover for small round pools, kiddie pools and hot tubs, which you can cut to any shape.

12 Mil Bubble 8 ft Round Sizes 6 to 24 ft

Check Price

Pros

• One piece covers a small pool fully
• Cuts to round, square or custom shapes
• 12 mil thickness resists tearing
• Same cover comes in 6 to 24 ft sizes

Cons

• Not a ring system for big pools
• Heat and evaporation figures are seller claims

The Evoio 8 ft cover is the best choice for a hot tub, a kiddie pool or a small round pool, because one piece covers the whole surface. Unlike the multi-disc Wesiti pack at #4, there are no gaps at all on a pool that’s 8 feet or smaller.

That’s the key difference from every other pick here.

Rings leave open water between them. A single cover cut to your pool’s shape leaves none, so on a small pool you get full coverage without juggling pieces.

The listing makes big claims: a 6 to 12°C rise in water temperature and 95% less evaporation. Those are the seller’s numbers, not test results, so read them as a best case.

The 12 mil material is a solid middle ground. It’s thicker than the Wesiti discs and thinner than the MIYOLU discs.

Evoio sells the same cover from 6 to 24 feet, and the listing says you can cut it to any shape. On a pool bigger than about 15 feet, though, you’re really buying a full solar blanket, not a ring.

Do Solar Pool Rings Really Work?

Solar pool rings do work as partial solar covers: each ring soaks up sunlight, adds heat and slows evaporation on the water it covers. A single Solar Sun Ring is rated for up to 21,000 BTUs per day, according to Doheny’s product listing.

What does that mean for you?

A BTU (British thermal unit) is the heat it takes to warm 1 pound of water by 1°F. So the rating tells you each ring is a small, free heater, one of the simplest ways of harnessing solar energy at home.

The catch is coverage. Rings are round, so they never fit together edge to edge, and the gaps between them stay open to the air.

That open water still loses heat at night and still evaporates. Solar rings work best when you treat them as a heat-and-evaporation helper, not as a sealed lid.

Here’s how a ring actually makes heat:

1. Sunlight passes through the clear or patterned top layer of vinyl.
2. The darker bottom layer absorbs that light and turns it into heat.
3. The heat moves straight into the water the ring is floating on.
4. At night, the ring acts like a small thermal blanket over that patch of water.

That last step matters as much as the first. Every square foot a ring covers is a square foot where evaporation slows down overnight, and with it the heat that leaves with the water.

So do they work? Yes, within limits.

You get real heat during the day and less water loss at night. You don’t get the full-surface seal that a one-piece blanket gives you, which is why the number of rings you buy matters so much.

Note: No source in our research measured the real temperature gain from rings. Treat any “+10 degrees” promise on a box as the seller’s claim.

Picking the Right Solar Rings for Your Pool

The right solar rings for your pool depend on 3 things: your pool’s surface area, how windy your yard gets and whether you want rafting magnets. The Solar Sun Rings manufacturer recommends covering at least 60% of the surface, so size comes first.

We judged each pick on these points:

• Heat rating or heat claims stated on the listing
• Coverage per ring and how easy the count is to work out
• Wind hold: magnets, anchors or neither
• Material thickness and build (vinyl rings vs. bubble discs)
• Fit for round, rectangular, above ground and inground pools

We didn’t run lab tests. Every spec above comes from the product listings, Doheny’s ring chart and the Solar Sun Rings site.

How Many Solar Rings Do You Need?

Most pools need enough solar rings to cover 60% to 62% of the water: the Solar Sun Rings site sets 60% as its minimum, and Doheny’s chart uses 62% with 5-foot rings. For an 18-foot round pool, that works out to 8 rings.

Doheny’s listing gives this chart for round pools:

• 12-foot round pool: 4 rings
• 15-foot round pool: 5 rings
• 18-foot round pool: 8 rings
• 21-foot round pool: 10 rings
• 24-foot round pool: 14 rings
• 28-foot round pool: 19 rings

What about a rectangular or kidney-shaped pool?

You can do the math in 2 minutes. A 5-foot ring covers about 19.6 square feet, because a circle’s area is 3.14 times the radius squared.

Here’s an example:

Say you have a 16 x 32 foot inground pool. That’s 512 square feet of water.

At 60% coverage, you need to cover about 307 square feet. Divide 307 by 19.6 and you get 15.7, so round up to 16 rings.

The GoFloats listing gives an even simpler rule for its own heaters: take your surface area and divide by 30. For the same 512-square-foot pool, that’s about 17 GoFloats heaters for the 80% coverage GoFloats recommends.

Key Takeaway: Round up, never down. A ring short of the target leaves a bigger open gap every single night.

Solar Rings vs. a Solar Blanket

A solar blanket covers your whole pool and leaves no open water to lose heat overnight, while solar rings cover about 60% of the surface but go on and come off one light piece at a time. Choose rings for small, round or irregular pools, and a blanket for maximum heat on a large pool.

The differences come down to 4 things:

• Coverage: a blanket can be trimmed to fit edge to edge, while rings leave gaps by design.
• Handling: a blanket is one big sheet to pull on and roll off, while rings go on one piece at a time.
• Wind: a trimmed blanket sits flat on the water, while rings need magnets or anchors to stay put.
• Storage: rings stack flat in a shed, while a blanket needs a reel or a lot of floor space.

So which one should you buy?

If you’re heating a large rectangular inground pool and you want every degree you can get, a one-piece blanket is the stronger tool. The top-rated blankets differ mostly in thickness, heat retention and evaporation control, so compare the best solar pool covers on those 3 points.

But if the blanket would sit rolled up in the corner because it’s a pain to handle, rings win. A cover you actually use beats a better cover you skip.

You can also use both: rings for daytime heat in spring and fall, and a blanket on the coldest nights.

Rings and blankets also pair well with other low-cost solar upgrades.

A solar pool ionizer can cut your chlorine use, and floating solar pool lights run on the same sunshine your rings do. A poolside solar shower uses that sun to warm your rinse water too.

And if you’re adding up what solar can save you around the house, there are plenty of ways to save money with solar beyond the pool.

Either way, the cheapest heat for your pool is the heat you never lose.