Introduction to the Pool Skimmer Basket

With your pool out there in the open, it is bound to collect lots of dirt. Even your children can leave their toys and other gadgets nearby which could end up in your pool. As you know, all the water in your poll has to go through the pump and filtration system once in a while. Now, imagine if the water with all the toys, leaves, grass and other sorts of dirt went through the pump and your filter! This can very easily damage both the pump and the filters forcing you to reinvest on installing new systems.

Now, why would you want to spend an extra stash of cash on repairing or replacing your pump and filters when you can avoid the hazard by having a pool skimmer? Pool skimmers are designed to help in collecting big particles of dirt and other contaminants in your pool. This keeps your pool looking clean and also reduces the burden of your filtration system extending its lifespan even further.

All pool skimmers come with baskets into which all the dirt is collected and removed from the pool. These pool skimmer baskets come in different shapes and sizes depending on the skimmer and the manufacturer. One problem that most pool owners have to deal with is choosing one from the hundreds of pool skimmer baskets in the market. This is a very hectic task, and that’s why we have taken the burden off your shoulder to do intensive research into pool skimmer baskets. From this research, we managed to come up with the following guide that should be useful to anyone shopping for a skimmer basket.

Factors to Consider when Purchasing a Pool Skimmer Basket

• Durability

Not all baskets in the market are as durable as they should be. A brief glimpse into numerous user reviews online on these products shows just how useless some of the baskets are. Your pool skimmer basket should be made of a durable material that will help it withstand all sorts of conditions its exposed to for a long time. This saves you from having to spend money every so often on replacements.

As you can expect, the most durable baskets are likely to cost you a bit more, but they are usually worth every penny. To determine whether a particular basket is durable or not, we would recommend that you go for the ones made by reputable companies and then read through the user reviews to see the experience from other buyers.

• Ease of Installation

Always buy baskets that are easy to install if you know that you don’t have enough finances to spare for hiring a professional. This will save you a lot of time and the headache of setting up a complicated unit. Otherwise, if you have enough money to get an expert, then you can buy some of the more advanced pool skimmers (which generally have the best baskets).

While on the subject of installation, you have to make sure that the pool skimmer basket you are getting fits into your skimmer accurately. If the basket is not fitting as it’s supposed to, then it’s never going to work the way its intended to. As a result, you could end up with debris and other dirt flowing around your pool, and this might damage your filter and pump. To avoid these issues, always go for baskets from the same brand as your skimmer. You should also look at the baskets specifications and compare it against your skimmer to ensure that they are a perfect match. It may be tedious but its key if you want to avoid future losses and frustrations.

• UV Resistance

A pool skimmer basket will be exposed to UV rays every day, and hence it’s crucial that the basket is made of UV resistant material to boost its durability. Don’t assume that all the baskets in the market are made of such materials lest you end up with a poorly made basket that will crack and become unusable within months.

• Price

We understand that everyone is operating on a budget and hence we can’t help but give you a guide on how to utilize the amount of money you have to get reliable equipment. Mostly, the best baskets cost more, but the good news is that some cheap baskets are also made of some good quality material. Individuals on a rather tight budget will have to be more patient and do proper research to get a reliable basket. With so many pool skimmer baskets out there we are confident that you will find one within your price range.

• Warranty

Why is it so vital to consider a basket’s warranty before buying it? Like many other types of equipment in the market, a basket’s guarantee helps to inform you about its quality. Go for a product that is covered with a good warranty which you can utilize to get a refund in case the basket starts having issues.

Pool Skimmer Basket Guide

Using the above guide and after going through user reviews, we came up with the following list of the best pool skimmer baskets in the market:

1. 10-Pack of Pool Skimmer Socks – Perfect Savers for Baskets, Filters, and Skimmers

This popular pool skimmer basket is made of a durable nylon mesh capable of collecting different types of dirt including pollen, bugs, scum, leaves, hair, grass among others. The basket can also be used as an algae sock for different types of pools. It is so efficient in ensuring that all big particles are trapped thus preventing them from reaching your pool’s filter and pump. As a result, this pool skimmer basket helps in keeping your pool clean while extending the lifespan of your filtration system, cartridge, and pump.

One thing that makes this basket stand out is how well it is designed to fit almost all types of skimmers from different manufacturers such as Pentair, Swimquip and Hayward. You still have to confirm its size though to make sure that it fits correctly with your system.

Pros

• It’s very durable
• It’s easy to use and clean
• Each pack comes with ten pool filter socks

Cons

• The filter socks need to be replaced every 4 to 8 weeks

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2. Hayward SPX1082CA Basket Assembly Replacement for Select Hayward Automatic Skimmers

This versatile basket is designed to work with different Hayward skimmer models from SP 1082, SP 1083, SP 1084, SP1085 to SP 1086. The basket will also fit with skimmers from other manufacturers as long as they are the same shape and size.

This pool skimmer basket will prove very useful in keeping stones, toys, leaves and other big particles away from your filtration system. We also love the basket because it is very affordable yet you get so much value from it.

Pros

• Compatible with different kinds of skimmers
• It is durable
• It is very easy to install and clean

Cons

• The handle tends to break quite easily

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3. Impresa Products 2-Pack of Pool Skimmer Socks – Perfect Savers for Baskets, Skimmers, and Filters

This basket is made of a durable and elastic nylon mesh for excellent and long-lasting performance. The mesh is capable of trapping dirt including bugs, pollen, leaves, oil, hair, pine, needless to mention a few. As you can see, the basket captures quite a lot of dirt compared to most other baskets in the market. This boosts your pools cleanliness while protecting your pump and filtration system.

On buying this basket, you will also receive 20 pool socks that protect your pump impeller and shaft seal from blockage. From the 20 socks, you should be able to stay for some time before you have to purchase replacements. It is also a versatile unit designed to fit skimmers from different manufacturers including the famous Hayward, Pentair, and Swimquip.

Pros

• Very affordable
• Compatible with skimmers from different makers
• It’s very easy to use and clean
• Offers excellent protection to your filtration system since it traps even small particles

Cons

• It doesn’t perform so well in chlorinated pools
• The socks should be replaced after 4-8 weeks

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Final Thoughts on Pool Skimmer Baskets

From the above information, we believe that you can walk into any store or go online and purchase the perfect pool skimmer basket for your pool. If that seems like too much work, then you can go ahead and select any one of the three baskets discussed above based on your skimmer model and size.