Bestway Above Ground Pool Vacuum Review Guide
I set up the Bestway 8' x 24" inflatable pool start to finish. Fill time, pump quirks, and the wrinkle trick that saves your liner.
Reviewed by
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
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Quick Verdict
When setting up an above ground pool vacuum and the rest of the equipment, the process is pretty simple, but I’d budget four hours of filling, not the 2.5 the box promises. Inflate the top ring, tighten the plastic wing nuts without cranking them, and pull the wrinkles out of the liner before the water gets too heavy. This is a fun little pool for a backyard with younger kids.
Buy if you:
- Have younger kids and a flat backyard or patio spot
- Want a cool-off pool without digging or a permanent install
- Own an electric pump to inflate the top ring fast
- Are fine with a 497-gallon size for splashing, not swimming laps
Skip if you:
- Expect the 2.5-hour fill time; mine took four hours
- Have low water pressure and no patience for waiting
- Want a large deep pool for adults to actually swim in
| Size | 8′ x 24″ round |
|---|---|
| Water Capacity | 497 gallons |
| Filter Pump | 330 GPH |
| Liner | DuraPlus, inflatable top ring |
| Includes | Pool, filter pump, repair patch |
| Model | 57510E-BW |
I Filled My Pool With An Above Ground Vacuum
The box says 2.5 hours to fill. Took me four. That’s the first thing you should know before you set up the Bestway Above Ground Swimming Pool Set, because it changes how you plan your afternoon. Everything else about the setup is pretty simple, and if you’re cross-shopping above ground swimming pools for a backyard, this one’s about as low-effort as they come. Just know that folks searching for an above ground pool vacuum and a matching pump will want to plan cleaning gear separately, because the set doesn’t include one.
What Comes in the Box and How It Connects
You get the pool, a 330 GPH filter pump, and a repair patch. That’s it. The pump has two hoses that are the same length, so it doesn’t matter which one you grab first. You twist a hose onto the pump and get it all the way on there as tight as you can. There’s a little rubber gasket around the end, and you want it as flush as you possibly can 0:20. Then a plastic clamp goes around it with a plastic wing nut to tighten it down.
The whole thing runs on labeled inlets and outlets. There’s an A and a B, and everything’s marked really simply. One pulls water in, one pushes it back out. I actually said it backwards on camera the first time and had to correct myself, so double-check yours: B is the inlet.
The Fill-and-Rise Setup, Step by Step
Air up the top ring first, and use a pump for it. You could try to do it with your mouth, but an electric pump like this is so much faster 1:30. Once that outer ring is inflated, lay out your pool where you want it, get the drain positioned, and set the angle for where the pump will sit. Then put in the inlets, clamp the hoses down with those plastic wing nuts, and start filling.
Here’s the step you can’t skip. When you get about an inch and a half of water in there, start pulling the liner out to smooth the bottom. If you don’t, it wrinkles under the water and stays that way. Once it hits two or three inches, it’s too heavy to move, and you may have to stand in it and kick it around to get the creases out. Do it early.
The Pump Air-Bleed Step Everyone Forgets
Don’t skip bleeding the air out of the pump, or you’ll wreck it. Once the pool is filled, open the nut on top of the pump and let all the air out of the lines until water starts coming out. That’s how you know the pump is ready. If you have too much air in there, the pump will get messed up and you won’t get water flowing through. Turn it on, watch it for a minute, and if you still see air in the lines, go back and open that nut again.
Don’t Crank the Plastic Wing Nuts
The wing nuts are the one place this setup can bite you. They’re plastic, which means you could break one very easily if you overpower it. It’ll make a bunch of squeaking noise as you tighten, and the sweet spot is right when you’re like, “Okay, I’m having to strain a little bit to do it.” Stop there. You need it tight and snug so there’s no leakage, but a cracked wing nut means a leaky hose connection and a trip back to find a replacement. That waiting-and-waiting fill time is already long enough without adding a hardware fail on top of it.
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Bestway Above Ground Swimming Pool Set
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Who This Pool Actually Fits
Eight feet across and 24 inches deep tells you exactly who this pool is for: kids who want to cool off, not adults who want to swim. At 497 gallons it’s too shallow for a lap and too wide for a small patio, measure your flat spot first. The red line inside is just a water level line, and you don’t fill any higher than that. If you’ve got a flat spot and a free afternoon, it delivers exactly what it promises: a cold place for kids to splash. Just budget four hours for the fill, not the 2.5 on the box, and have a separate vacuum on your shopping list before the first leaf hits the bottom.
Tips I’d Give Before You Start
Pick a level surface before anything else. A slope shows up fast once you’ve got 497 gallons in there and there’s no fixing it after. Have your electric pump ready for the top ring, because doing it by mouth is not the move. Get the liner wrinkles out early while you’ve only got an inch and a half of water. And once you turn the filter on, plan on picking up a separate above ground pool vacuum and a ladder down the line, since neither comes in the box. Start filling first thing in the morning, four hours goes fast when you’re also wrangling kids waiting to get in.
Pros
- Setup is pretty simple with clearly labeled A and B inlets
- Fill-and-Rise design means no frame to assemble
- Comes with the 330 GPH filter pump and a repair patch
- Good size for younger kids in a backyard or patio
- Electric-pump top ring inflates fast
Cons
- Filling took four hours, not the 2.5 hours quoted
- Plastic wing nuts can crack if you overtighten them
- You have to bleed pump air or the pump gets messed up
- No vacuum or ladder included
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bestway pool come with a vacuum?
No. The set includes only the pool, the 330 GPH filter pump, and a repair patch. If you want to keep the bottom clean, you’ll need to buy an above ground pool vacuum separately.
How long does it really take to fill?
Plan on more than the box says. It’s rated at about 2.5 hours depending on your water pressure, but mine took four hours. Lower water pressure means longer, so start early in the day.
Do I need an electric pump to inflate it?
An electric pump isn’t required but it’s strongly worth having. You only inflate the top ring, and while you can do it by mouth, an electric pump is so much faster. The pool itself fills with water, not air.
Why is there air coming out of my pump?
That’s normal at first, and you need to let it out. Open the nut on top of the pump and bleed the air until water starts coming through. Too much air left in the lines will mess up the pump and stop water from flowing.
Can I put it on grass or does it need a flat surface?
Pick a level surface first. Grass is fine as long as it’s flat, but any slope shows up once the water’s in and there’s no fixing it afterward. A patio or a leveled backyard spot works well.
How do I stop the liner from wrinkling?
Pull the liner out while there’s only about an inch and a half of water in it. Once it reaches two or three inches, it’s too heavy to move. You may have to stand in it and kick the creases out.
What happens if I overtighten the wing nut?
You can crack it, since it’s plastic. It’ll squeak as you tighten, and you want to stop right when you feel yourself straining a little. Snug enough to prevent leaks, not cranked down hard.
Is this pool deep enough for adults?
Not really. At 24 inches tall it’s built for younger kids to cool off and splash. Adults can sit in it, but for actual swimming you’d want a taller, deeper above ground pool.
Can I fix a leak if it punctures?
Yes, the set includes a repair patch for exactly that. The DuraPlus liner is meant to hold up to play, but the patch is there for the occasional puncture from toys, pets, or debris.
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About the reviewer
Scott Ayres
Welcome to the Product Demo lab where I (Scott) demo products so you can make an educated buying decision. I keep it real, honest and laid back.
