The 8 Best Floating Chlorine Dispensers
Updated by · How we research
Eight chlorine floaters for pools and hot tubs, compared by tablet size, capacity and lid design. The Swimline HydroTools 8725 suits most backyard pools. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Every chlorine puck that dissolves in a floater also adds stabilizer, which builds up over a season and slowly blunts the chlorine, so a floater only works well with regular testing. These drifting feeders suit above-ground and in-ground pool owners who want steady dosing between checks, and small ones fit spas whose makers allow tablets.
Editor's Notes
October 27, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
A plain Swimline floater now leads this list. The Swimline HydroTools 8725 takes both tablet sizes, holds five pucks by Swimline's own chart and carries a year's warranty, which is about all a floater can promise. Most of the novelty floaters on the old list, including the Game Derby Duck, WWD Premium Turtle, Stanley PoolTec 32855 and Jed Pool Tools Shark Fin, are no longer sold.
We dropped the Sunken Treasure because it sinks rather than floats, and the Aquatix Pro because it repeats a collapsible design the U.S. Pool Supply CD-710 does for less. The ATIE Thermometer Floater and the Poolmaster Alligator Dispenser stay, and the FROG @ease Floating System replaces the older Ease combo kit.
The biggest change is in the advice. Spa makers' warnings about chlorine tablets in hot tubs and a vinyl pool builder's caution about tablets in floaters shaped the guide, along with Swimline's capacity chart and the label on HTH's pre-filled floater.
October 07, 2020:
Pools are notorious for requiring a lot of work to maintain. Keeping the water clean requires regularly testing the water, the constant addition chlorine and other chemicals, and keeping the bottom free of a build up of debris. Luckily, there are a number of handy products that can greatly reduce the amount of time you have to physically spend doing it. In addition to a pool vacuum and an automatic skimmer, you can get yourself one of the floating chlorine dispensers on this list. Equipped with all of these items, your pool will be much less of a hassle to maintain.
If you appreciate the classics, then you will probably want to stick with the traditional blue and white dispensers that have been popular in pools for decades, such as the Aquatix Pro and PoolSupplyTown Atie 90446. The Stanley PoolTec 32855 is also available in a classic blue and white model, but it can be had in a vibrant yellow if you prefer, which some may find stands out a bit more in the water making it easy to quickly spot.
For those that find these somewhat nondescript options a bit too boring, we have included the Game Derby Duck, WWD Premium Turtle, Jed Pool Tools Shark Fin, and Poolmaster Chlori-Critter, the last of which comes in several fun animals. These will all add a bit of fun and whimsy to your pool and might even make for a good conversation starter when entertaining guests in your backyard.
We think many home owners, especially those with pets or kids who often play around their pool, may appreciate the Sunken Treasure SUN-TR-LB1, which is actually designed to sit at the bottom of the pool, rather than float at the surface. Because of this, it isn't suitable for above-ground pools with vinyl liners, as it can easily damage those, but it also means that it won't be constantly releasing chlorine fumes into the air.
March 23, 2019:
Pool maintenance can be a hassle unless you have one of these floating chlorine dispensers. Instead of trying to mix the chemicals into your skimmer, you simply put a few tablets into one of these, drop it into your pool, and walk away. It's that simple. We have rounded up both whimsical and traditional models for you to choose from. The Game Derby Duck works day and night, featuring solar panels that charge the battery and allow it to function as a floating light when it is dark. The WWD Premium Turtle, Jed Pool Tools Shark Fin, and Poolmaster Chlori-Critter are some other fun designs that show you don't take life too seriously. While these can be good choices for a home with kids, it is worth noting they may be tempted to play with them, so you might want to take any of them out of the pool when children are swimming. If you prefer something a bit more traditional, consider the Aquatix Pro,Stanley PoolTec 32855, Life MDI802, and PoolSupplyTown Atie 90446, the last which has an integrated thermometer. We feel the Sunken Treasure SUN-TR-LB1 deserves an honorable mention, since it actually sits at the bottom of the pool, prevents the release of harmful fumes into the air, and also slowing the pace at which the tablets dissolve. When empty, it rises to the surface to let you know it is time to refill it. The Ease Sanitizing System Combo is an all-in-one solution for hot tubs that includes chemicals, though it is a bit pricey.
Special Honors
HTH Pool Care Chlorine Floater HTH sells a pre-filled floater for people who would rather not touch tablets at all. You tear it open and set it in the pool, and HTH says one treats up to 20,000 gallons for about four weeks. It's single-use: HTH says never to refill it and to replace it once it tips onto its side. It's sold through pool and home stores rather than as a refillable float. hthpools.com
WOW Jesus Chlorine Float For a pool with a sense of humor, the WOW Jesus float is a figure that seems to stand on the water while a basket underneath holds up to five standard three-inch tablets. The basket adjusts the flow. It's sold direct by its small maker, which labels it as not a toy and says to keep it away from children. On our check, purple was in stock and white was sold out. thewowjesus.com
Match The Floater To Your Tablets
Pool tablets are three-inch pucks of trichlor, each about 200 grams, and they need a standard or large floater.
Tablet size decides which floater you need. Pool tablets are three-inch pucks of trichlor, each about 200 grams, and they need a standard or large floater. Spas and small inflatable pools use one-inch tablets and a mini floater (mypoolcalc). Many standard floaters take both sizes. Swimline's own chart shows the split: its 8725 holds five pucks or about 40 small tablets, while the 8715 mini holds about ten small tablets and no pucks.
Capacity sets how often you refill. A floater that holds about three pounds suits larger pools. For scale, HTH says its pre-filled three-pound floater treats up to 20,000 gallons for about four weeks (HTH). A single puck lasts roughly three to seven days, faster in warm water and with the vents wide open.
Start with the vents about half open and adjust after a few tests. Don't pack a floater to the brim: an overloaded one rides low, tips and can spill tablets onto the floor of the pool.
What Tablets Do To Your Water
Trichlor tablets are strongly acidic and contain cyanuric acid, a stabilizer that shields chlorine from sunlight. Both effects build up. Each puck nudges pH and alkalinity down, and the stabilizer stays in the water until you drain some of it. When stabilizer climbs too high, chlorine works more slowly, and the usual fix is a partial drain and refill (mypoolcalc).
So a floater is a convenience, not a replacement for testing. Check free chlorine two or three times a week and aim for 1 to 3 parts per million, check pH weekly, and test stabilizer about once a month. Liquid chlorine adds no stabilizer, which makes it a good way to boost or shock the pool without adding to the buildup.
Take the floater out before you put on a solid cover. Chlorine gas collects under it and levels can spike within hours. Pull it out when children are in the water as well, since a bright float looks like a toy.
Liners, Hot Tubs And Safe Handling
Vinyl liners are the touchy case. Polar Pools tells vinyl pool owners not to put trichlor in a floating dispenser at all and to run the pump around the clock when trichlor is used, because acidic water can bleach and wrinkle a liner for good (Polar Pools). Floater makers sell their floats for vinyl pools anyway. If you use one, keep it drifting, don't let it park against a wall or step, and read your liner warranty first. A floater stuck at the skimmer also sends concentrated chlorine through the pump, which is hard on seals.
Hot tubs are stricter. Spa makers told Pool & Spa Scene that trichlor tablets in floaters can discolor and weaken spa shells, and that damage from them is often refused under warranty (Pool & Spa Scene). Water Care Club adds that a dissolving tablet creates an acid pocket that can etch acrylic, corrode heater parts and bleach the underside of a cover (Water Care Club). Check your owner's manual; many makers point to bromine tablets or a cartridge system instead.
Handle tablets with care. CDC guidance shared by Eastern Idaho Public Health says to store pool chemicals dry, off the floor, below 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and to keep each chlorine product separate, because some types react violently when mixed (Eastern Idaho Public Health). Never drop a different kind of chlorine into a floater that has held trichlor, and keep the float and tablets away from children.
How we researched this
We compared 16 current floating dispensers and spa systems and looked up the old list's picks, read makers' capacity charts and labels, pool-care guides on trichlor, vinyl liners and hot tubs, and CDC chemical-handling guidance, looked for patterns in owner feedback, and checked every brand against the CPSC recall database. We found no recalls. Updated October 27, 2026 by Ezvid Wiki Admin.
Sources (11)
- Swimline HydroTools: model chart (8715, 8725)
- FROG Products
- Poolmaster
- HTH Pools: Pool Care Chlorine Floater
- WOW Jesus Chlorine Float
- mypoolcalc: Chlorine floater guide
- Polar Pools: Trichlor in vinyl-lined pools
- Pool & Spa Scene: Tri-chlor and damaged spas
- Water Care Club: Dichlor vs trichlor for hot tubs
- Eastern Idaho Public Health: Preventing pool chemical injuries (CDC)
- CPSC SaferProducts
Frequently asked questions
What size tablets go in a floating chlorine dispenser?
Pools use three-inch pucks in a standard or large floater. Spas and small pools use one-inch tablets in a mini floater. Many standard floaters take both sizes, but minis take only the small ones, so check before you buy tablets.
Is a chlorine floater safe for a vinyl liner pool?
It's disputed. Polar Pools advises vinyl owners not to use trichlor in a floater, while floater makers sell them for vinyl pools. If you use one, keep it moving, run the pump, keep chlorine in range and check your liner warranty.
Can I use a floating dispenser in a hot tub?
Read the spa's manual first. Many spa makers say trichlor tablets can damage the shell and heater and may void the warranty. Bromine tablets in a mini floater or a cartridge system such as the FROG @ease are the usual alternatives.
How long do chlorine tablets last in a floater?
A three-inch puck usually lasts three to seven days. Warm water and wide-open vents make it go faster. Test chlorine two or three times a week and add tablets before the floater runs empty.
Why does my floater tip over or sink?
Common causes are overfilling, a loose lid, a cracked cap or water trapped inside. Load fewer tablets, make sure the lid is seated, and replace a float that has cracked.
