Review: Intex Rectangular Ultra Frame Pool Set

Not everyone needs to have a gigantic pool in their backyard to have a great time. Some of today’s largest above ground pools might not even fit in some urban backyards. That’s why we love the design of the Intex Rectangular Ultra Frame Pool Set. You receive a pool that maximizes the spatial requirements you have while still giving you enough space to feel comfortable even if you’re not the only one in the water.

Here’s What We Loved About This Intex Pool 

• Draining this pool is super simple. You can either just pull the drain plug and let it flow out or you can attach a garden hose to it so the water is funneled away to a location of your choice. Any garden hose with a standard fitting will work with this pool.
• It holds a surprising amount of water for a pool of this size. It may be 18 feet by 9 feet in size, but it’s also over 4 feet deep. This means it holds over 4,500 gallons of water even when it isn’t at full capacity.
• Like other Intex above ground pool sets, you’ll receive a Krystal Clear sand filter pump with the purchase of this pool. The pump works with a standard household outlet and can pump up to 1,200 gallons of water per hour.
• You receive a debris cover, a ground cloth, and a ladder with this set as well. The ground cloth is effective as long as you’ve leveled off the ground before beginning the pool installation. We do not recommend using bricks to provide extra stability for this pool if soil saturation is an issue for your backyard.
• The overall installation of this pool is rather simple thanks to the unique pipe-fitting connections. This makes the pool a bit lighter than other makes and models at just 273 pounds – another advantage for smaller backyards.

This pool isn’t going to stun you with a ton of advanced features. What it does do is get all of the basics right. You can get into and out of this pool fairly easily, even when your feet are wet. The instructions for setting up this pool are relatively easy to follow. The pool filter does a reasonably good job of keeping the water clean and your chemistry balanced. Just be prepared for the filling process to take up to 12 hours after you complete the assembly of this pool.

What Could Be Improved with This Intex Pool 

• You won’t want to use bricks, but you will want to use wood blocks underneath the pool to prevent it from sinking into the ground.
• You also cannot keep the ladder in the pool when you want to cover it. This means you must either keep bringing the ladder in and out of the pool or leave it uncovered with the accessories that come with this pool.
• You’ll want to plan for an extra foot of space around the dimensions of the pool for the supports, so make sure your yard can support that spacing. 

We’d call this a mid-sized pool. It’s perfect for the average family in the average urban yard. It won’t be large enough for neighborhood entertaining, but is perfect for an afternoon of family fun.

We give the Intex Rectangular Ultra Frame Pool Set an A- rating.