The Best Adult Inflatable Pools for Summer 2023

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Back in 2020, during the first summer of the pandemic, I was gifted a Minnidip pool — a highly Instagrammable inflatable pool designed for adults (and children 6 and up). With nowhere to go that summer, my family and I spent our days hanging out by our “That’s Banana(Leaves) Luxe Inflatable Pool,” which we had set up on our back deck. Whether we just had our feet submerged while we worked from our laptops or were fully seated in the 5.5-foot-wide basin with a drink in hand, we used the hell out of that pool — a lifesaver during those hot, boring quarantined months. Three summers later and we still blow it up every June and use it till summer’s end. We even bought an additional one for our vacation home.

As the country experiences record-breaking temperatures and we anticipate hotter and hotter summers for the foreseeable future courtesy of ol’ climate change, keeping cool during extreme heat is imperative. But you probably don’t want to spend all of your precious summer days trapped indoors with the AC blasting (maybe just half), and you also might not have the luxury of a private pool wherein you can quickly jump in and cool down whenever you please. This is where I’d urge you, dear reader, to consider the adult inflatable pool.

Yeah, it totally sounds like a gimmick. When you picture an inflatable pool, you’re likely imagining a tiny, flimsy water receptacle that’s susceptible to holes, and lots of ‘em. Your kiddie pool didn’t see many summers now did it? Just the inside of the trash bin after Labor Day. So why the hell would you spend upwards of $100 on one now?

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As mentioned above, after three years my Minnidip pool is still kickin.’ It’s made from heavyweight, phthalate-free vinyl, and as long as you’re somewhat delicate with it (make sure there are no exposed nails and such lying around), it’s durable enough to last many uses. We did have to patch a hole with the repair patch that’s included with your Minnidip pool, but it was a quick and, surprisingly sufficient, fix.

Admittedly, I did not realize how large the adult inflatable pool market was until I sat down to write this piece. I assumed Minidipp — the female-founded, Chicago-based company that fancies itself the “very first designer inflatable pool brand” — had the industry on lock. However, upon further research, I’ve discovered multiple brands are capitalizing on the Gen-Z and millennial obsession with aesthetics and those generations’ inability to afford property (much less an inground pool), with sizeable, design-forward inflatable pools.

Take Mylle for example. The 5-year-old brand was the first to produce a two-ring inflatable pool “using interior design principles” that are carried at luxury retailers across the globe (as well as on Amazon.) The brand is perfect for those who want to cool off in sophisticated style. Designer pool float brands Funboy and &Sunday both offer trendy, adult-sized pools as well. And there is, of course, the classic, non-patterned inflatable pool you can purchase from Amazon if you could care less about looks.

All and all, if you’re strapped for cash and outdoor space, an inflatable pool is a solid solution. They’re surprisingly spacious (most can fit two adults comfortably), long-lasting (if you care for them right) and cost-effective (expect to pay somewhere between $45-$100.) Most importantly, though, they get the job done, i.e. cooling your sweaty ass down on a blistering hot summer day.