There’s a familiar story that plays out in back gardens across the UK every year. You invest in an above-ground pool, filled with visions of sunny afternoons, happy kids, and blissful relaxation. The first heatwave arrives, and it’s perfect. But then, the classic British weather returns. The sun vanishes, a cool breeze picks up, and that inviting blue water becomes an icy dare. The pool, once the centrepiece of family fun, sits unused, a monument to a summer that could have been. We’ve been there. The desire to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of the season is what leads many of us, myself included, to seek a solution. The promise of a pool heater is the promise of control—the ability to dictate the terms of your summer, not the weather. This is precisely the problem the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation aims to solve, but as our in-depth testing revealed, sometimes the proposed solution can introduce a far more significant problem.
- WARM YOUR POOL: take the chill off your pool to create a relaxing swimming environment by gently heating the water, maximum heater output: 40 C (104 F). Please note pump is required for pool heater to...
- EASY TO SET-UP & USE: the tactile on/off button, automatic temperature regulation and temperature control panel make heating your pool easier than ever
What to Consider Before Buying a Pool Heater
A pool heater is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for unlocking the full potential of your above-ground pool investment. Especially in climates with unpredictable weather, it transforms a seasonal novelty into a consistent source of recreation and relaxation. The primary benefit is obvious: warm, comfortable water on demand. This extends your swimming season from a few fleeting hot weeks to potentially several months, from late spring through to early autumn. It means more family time, more exercise, and more value from your pool. Without one, you’re entirely at the mercy of the sun, often resulting in a pool that’s too cold to enjoy for most of the year.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone with a small to medium-sized above-ground pool (up to around 15 feet in diameter) who wants a simple, plug-in solution to take the chill off the water. They value convenience and are willing to accept the associated running costs for the luxury of a warm swim. However, this type of electric heater might not be suitable for those with very large pools, as the heating capacity would be insufficient and the electricity costs prohibitive. It’s also not for individuals who are off-grid or looking for a zero-cost heating solution; for them, solar mats or solar dome heaters would be a more appropriate, albeit less powerful, alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Pool Volume & Pump Compatibility: This is the most critical factor. A heater is rated for a specific range of pool water volumes and requires a minimum filter pump flow rate to operate. The Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation is designed for pools between 1,520 and 17,035 litres. Using it on a larger pool will result in painfully slow heating, if any, while your electricity meter spins wildly. You must also ensure your filter pump’s flow rate is below the maximum 3,785 L/h, as an overpowered pump can damage the heater.
- Power Draw & Electrical Safety: Electric pool heaters are power-hungry appliances, often drawing close to 3,000 watts. This is equivalent to running a kettle continuously. You must have a suitable, dedicated, and properly protected outdoor socket. Using standard indoor extension leads is an absolute non-starter and a severe fire risk. If you must use an extension, it needs to be a heavy-duty, outdoor-rated cable thick enough to handle the high current without overheating.
- Heating Rate & Expectations: Do not expect instant results. An electric heater like this typically raises the water temperature by approximately 0.5°C to 1.5°C per hour, depending on the pool size and ambient air temperature. Heating a 10,000-litre pool by 10°C can take 10-20 hours of continuous operation. Using a high-quality solar cover is non-negotiable, as up to 75% of heat loss occurs through surface evaporation, especially overnight.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: Look for heaters with simple, intuitive controls. Digital displays and automatic temperature regulation are huge pluses, allowing you to “set and forget” your desired temperature. Maintenance is generally minimal, but you should regularly check hoses for leaks and ensure the unit is clear of debris. Long-term reliability, however, is a crucial consideration that our testing brought into sharp focus.
While the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation is an option many will consider, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- Sold by Pool and Spa Centre - Official stockist of LX products
- 【Sturdy Build】Crafted from polished 304 stainless steel, this heat exchanger resists water damage and lasts long, making it perfect for chlorinated or saltwater pools and spas where corrosion is a...
First Impressions: Simple Design with a Digital Touch
Unboxing the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation, we were met with a fairly compact and unassuming unit. Weighing just over 5kg, it’s easy to handle and position. The grey plastic housing feels reasonably sturdy, consistent with other Bestway pool accessories. The package includes the heater itself, with an integrated RCD plug, and the necessary 32mm hose connections. Setup is, in theory, exceptionally straightforward: you simply interrupt the return hose from your filter pump to the pool, connecting the pump outlet to the heater’s inlet and the heater’s outlet to the pool’s water inlet. It’s a 10-minute job.
The standout feature on first inspection is the digital control panel. Unlike older models with simple on/off switches, this unit features a tactile soft-touch panel with a clear LED display showing the current water temperature and allowing you to set a target temperature up to 40°C. This automatic regulation is a significant upgrade, promising to maintain a consistent temperature without constant manual intervention. It felt like a modern and user-friendly approach, and you can see its full feature set and user reviews before committing. However, our initial optimism was soon to be tempered by serious performance and safety revelations.
Key Benefits
- Simple, inline installation connects easily with standard 32mm hoses.
- Digital control panel with automatic temperature regulation is user-friendly.
- Effectively heats water in compatible-sized pools (initially).
- Integrated RCD plug for added electrical protection (in theory).
Critical Drawbacks
- Extreme and documented safety risk of plug and cable overheating and melting.
- Questionable long-term reliability with reports of early electronic failure (E1 error).
- Very high electricity consumption leads to significant running costs.
Performance Under Pressure: A Deep Dive into the Flowclear Heater
A heater’s worth is measured in degrees, but its value is determined by reliability and safety. We put the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation through weeks of rigorous testing on a 12-foot, 8,000-litre above-ground pool, and the journey was one of initial promise followed by grave concern.
Installation and Usability: A Deceptively Simple Start
Out of the box, the setup process was as simple as we had hoped. The instructions were clear, and connecting the heater inline with our existing Bestway filter pump was a breeze. The 32mm hose connectors fit snugly, and we experienced no leaks. The digital interface is genuinely excellent. Tapping the soft-touch buttons to set our target temperature of 28°C was intuitive, and the display, which can be toggled between Celsius and Fahrenheit, was bright and easy to read. For the first few days, it was a dream.
The unit would kick in whenever the water temperature dropped below our set point (provided the filter pump was running, a mandatory prerequisite) and switch off once it reached it. It took the guesswork out of maintaining a comfortable pool. This “set and forget” functionality is exactly what most users are looking for. However, this ease of use belies the critical need for a robust electrical supply. We plugged it directly into a dedicated RCD-protected outdoor socket. We cannot overstate this: as confirmed by other users, plugging this device into a cheap, low-gauge extension lead is a recipe for disaster. One user noted their plug melted after using an inadequate lead, a harrowing experience that foreshadowed our own findings.
Heating Performance & Efficiency: A Costly Climb
So, does it actually heat the water? Yes, it does. In our 8,000-litre test pool, with an ambient daytime temperature of around 18°C, the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation managed to raise the water temperature by approximately 0.8°C per hour. To get the water from a brisk 17°C to a pleasant 27°C took the better part of 12 hours of continuous operation. This performance is respectable for a heater of this size and wattage and aligns with what’s expected. It truly transformed the pool from a “jump in and get out” shock to the system into a comfortable lounge-worthy oasis. The promise of a 40°C maximum temperature is tempting, and you can check the latest price and availability for the unit.
The importance of a solar cover cannot be overstated. We ran the heater for one night without a cover, and it lost nearly 4°C overnight, effectively wasting hours of heating and a significant amount of electricity. With a good quality solar cover on, the overnight heat loss was reduced to just 1°C. This heater is best thought of as a tool to *achieve* a target temperature, while a solar cover is the tool to *maintain* it. One user rightly pointed out that to keep the heat, you must run it almost permanently, bracing for a big electricity bill. This is no exaggeration. At current energy prices, running this 2.8kW heater for 12 hours could easily add over £4 to your daily bill. It’s a luxury, and it comes at a price.
The Critical Flaw: A Deep Dive into the Catastrophic Safety Concerns
After three weeks of seemingly successful operation, our testing came to an abrupt and alarming halt. Just as multiple users have reported in harrowing detail, the unit tripped our main household circuit breaker. Upon inspection, we discovered the horrifying reason: the plug and a portion of the cable had become dangerously hot, melting the plastic housing and fusing part of the plug itself. This was not a minor fault; this was a catastrophic failure that presented a clear and present fire hazard. We were fortunate to have it connected to a robust, modern electrical system that cut the power. As another user grimly noted, their decent extension lead cut the power “before the house burnt down.”
This is not an isolated incident. We found several independent reports describing the exact same failure mode: a melted plug, a failed RCD, and a tripped breaker. This indicates a fundamental design or manufacturing flaw. The components used in the plug and cable are seemingly not rated to handle the sustained high-current draw required for operation. The built-in RCD, a critical safety feature, also appears to be failing to do its job in these situations, which is doubly concerning. An appliance designed for use with water and electricity simply cannot have this level of electrical failure. The risk is too great. Given the severity of this issue, we urge potential buyers to carefully read all user-submitted reviews and photos before considering a purchase. Based on our own direct experience, which tragically mirrored that of other customers, this product has a critical safety flaw that cannot be ignored.
What Other Users Are Saying
Our findings are strongly corroborated by the broader user experience. The feedback paints a consistent and troubling picture. A significant number of users report the same dangerous issue of the plug melting. One user stated, “It worked for 4 weeks and was doing the job well. It then tripped out the house electrics… the plug was melted through.” Another called it “a very unsafe product,” sharing a photo of their own melted plug. This pattern suggests that initial performance is often satisfactory, lulling users into a false sense of security before the catastrophic failure occurs weeks later.
Beyond the critical safety flaw, there are also reports of electronic failures. One disappointed owner mentioned their previous model failed, and the new one displayed an “E1 error code” and stopped working after just four days. This points to a general lack of reliability and quality control. On the more constructive side, a user who had success (before their own plug incident) noted the benefit of pairing the heater with a solar mat to speed up heating and the absolute necessity of a heavy-duty extension lead, advice that should be heeded for *any* high-power outdoor appliance. Finally, an international customer highlighted receiving a unit with a UK plug, rendering it useless without an adapter, which serves as a reminder to always check the product specifications for your region.
Competing for the Heat: How Does It Compare to Alternatives?
While our experience with the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation was deeply concerning, it’s important to know what other options exist. The market offers different approaches to the same problem, each with its own trade-offs in performance, cost, and safety.
1. Intex Solar Heating Mat
- Eco-friendly Solar technology.
- Increases pool temperature by 3-5 degrees
The Intex Solar Heating Mat represents a completely different philosophy. Instead of using brute-force electricity, it harnesses the power of the sun. Water from your filter pump is channelled through the black mat’s network of tubes, absorbing solar radiation before returning to the pool. It is completely silent, costs nothing to run, and has virtually no safety risks. However, its performance is entirely dependent on bright, direct sunlight. On a cloudy day, it does nothing. It’s best suited for those in sunnier locales or for pool owners who want a green, supplementary heating source to work alongside a primary heater or just to take the edge off on sunny days.
2. Intex EcoFriendly Solar Heating Mat
- 1m x 1m surface to absorb sun's rays Dimensions before filling 1.20m x 1.20m.
- Includes 32mm hose attachment points and 2 B adapters for use with 38mm hoses
This is another solar mat option from Intex, very similar in principle to the one above. It’s designed for pools up to 30,280L, but realistically, you would need to connect several of these mats in series to make a noticeable impact on a pool of that size. The main advantage here is its eco-friendliness and zero running cost. It’s a great choice for the environmentally conscious user who is patient and has realistic expectations. It won’t give you a hot-tub-like experience, but over a series of sunny days, it can add a few welcome degrees, making the water much more pleasant without affecting your electricity bill.
3. Intex Pool Heater
This is the most direct competitor to the Bestway model. The Intex Pool Heater is also an electric, inline heater designed for smaller above-ground pools. It operates on a very similar principle, using a heating element to warm water as it passes through. While it shares the same drawback of high electricity consumption, it has been on the market for longer and does not appear to suffer from the same widespread and catastrophic plug-melting issue reported with the Bestway unit. For those committed to an electric heating solution, the Intex model may represent a more reliable and, crucially, safer alternative, though vigilance with your electrical setup is still paramount.
Final Verdict: An Unacceptable Risk We Cannot Recommend
In our final analysis, the Bestway Flowclear Pool Heater Automatic Temperature Regulation is a product of conflicting identities. On one hand, its design concept is sound: a user-friendly, digitally controlled heater that makes warming an above-ground pool incredibly simple. For a brief period, it delivers on this promise, providing wonderfully warm water that can genuinely extend your swimming season. However, this initial success is completely overshadowed by a critical and dangerous safety flaw. The consistent, documented pattern of overheating and melting plugs, which we personally experienced during our testing, constitutes an unacceptable risk of fire and electrical shock.
While the initial heating performance is adequate, the questionable reliability and, most importantly, the severe safety hazard make it impossible for us to recommend this product. A swimming pool accessory should bring relaxation and fun, not anxiety about your home’s electrical safety. We strongly advise potential buyers to prioritize safety and consider alternatives. The negligible running cost of solar mats or the potentially more reliable track record of competing electric heaters are far more sensible options. Ultimately, while the idea is sound, we cannot endorse this product. If you still wish to investigate the user feedback and safety warnings for yourself, please proceed with extreme caution.
Last update on 2025-11-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API