The 10 Best Floating Pool Lights (2024 Reviews)

Pool lights are an attractive addition to any pool or spa. They add elegance and style as well as extra visibility for night swimming. 

But not everyone wants to spend the money or the time it takes to install built-in lights in the walls. If that’s you, we have a solution…

Floating pool lights!

Floating lights are a great way to illuminate your pool, adding drama and flare to any body of water. And they come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, making it easy to find the ones to fit your needs. 

But sometimes having so much to choose from can be overwhelming. That’s why we decided to jump in with a handy guide to help you out.

These are our top ten favorites for various reasons. You can’t go wrong with any one of them. 

The 10 Best Floating Pool Lights

 #1. Homemory Flameless Floating Tealights

These Homemory flameless floating tea lights are amazing. They are waterproof, of course, and come in a pack of 24 to set the perfect mood. 

A lot of people buy these for their elegant, romantic feel. They are all white with a warm flame and can easily be mistaken for real candles. 

These beauties run on button batteries and come on automatically as soon as they touch the water. And though they’re perfect for any occasion, they make a particularly grand statement for weddings or date nights.

#2. Inflatable Solar Glow Globe

These inflatable solar glow globes look like huge lit-up beach balls floating on top of the water. Their LED pool lights change colors from red to blue to green to white automatically. 

They are 100% solar powered and work for up to 8 hours after they’ve been fully charged in the sun. 

The inflatable material these lights are made from make them softer and safer than hard lights. But they’re also extremely durable so they’ll last a long time (so don’t be afraid to toss them around like regular beach balls).

Use these fun lights for all kinds of parties and events. They can even be hung from trees and set out on tables for added decoration.

#3. Loguide Floating Pool Flower Lights

These battery-powered flower lights are the perfect element for any nighttime event. And they’re small enough to not get in the way of active pool time.

The synthetic lotus blooms are made from a sturdy foam material that gives them a lifelike appearance. And their LED lights slowly change colors for a bit of dramatic flare. 

Each light is powered with button batteries which are included with your purchase. And they should last for up to 100 hours of use. 

Each package includes 6 lights. 

#4. LOFTEK Floating Pool Light

These floating pool lights are 3 inches in diameter and look like little colorful beach balls dotting your pool. They’re completely waterproof and weatherproof so you don’t have to worry about them being damaged in a storm.

What’s most unique about these is that you can control them with a remote. You can choose from several different settings, leaving them one color or flashing or fading into 7 different colors. 

Each light runs on 2 CR1632 button batteries, which are included with your purchase. They even throw in extra batteries for future replacement. 

Each package includes 10 lights, 6 packages of extra batteries, and a 2-year replacement warranty.

#5. SwimWays Rainbow Reef Pool Light

This floating light not only illuminates its surroundings, it also projects silhouettes of colorful fish and sharks all over the surface of the pool. Talk about a crowd-pleaser!

Parents love to use this light to create an aquarium-type ambience for the kiddos. But don’t think the adults aren’t just as intrigued.

It runs on 4 AA batteries and can be set to one of several different light settings — solid color, changing color, or white light.

#6. Mood Light Floating LED Balls

Another version of the floating orbs, these are simple to use and amazing to see. They’re 3 inches in diameter and have a frosty, glowing appearance.

Each one runs on a button battery and cycles through 9 different LED light colors as it floats on the water. They come 12 to a package, giving you plenty to decorate any body of water with. 

#7. LOFTEK LED Floating Light Up Ball

The second Loftek floating light is a much larger version than the one we previously mentioned. At 20 inches in diameter, it makes a grand appearance anywhere you place it.

This orb is powered by a rechargeable battery and operated by remote control. It can be set in one of 4 different lighting modes with 16 different RGB colors.

It is, of course, completely waterproof and floats like a dream. But it can also be used indoors or outside the pool for a cool conversation piece, work of art, or nightlight.

#8. Floating LED Dome Lights

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These cool dome lights offer more of a light show than some of your standard solid lights. Their crystal-like texture gives them a little bit of a disco vibe, shooting colors all over the surface of the pool.

They can be set on one of 7 different modes, including glowing, flashing, and color-changing. And in addition to pool use, parents love to use them in their kids baths, keeping them entertained and motivated to get clean.

These LED floating lights come in packs of 2 and run on 3 AAA batteries.

#9. Submersible LED Lights

These submersible LED lights are a little different than the others on our list. Instead of floating, these are made with an iron ring that allows you to put them in the bottom of the pool. 

The submersible lights will obviously give you a bit of a different feel than floating lights in that the lights are emanating from underneath the water. They’re actually a great alternative to built-in lights.

These run on AAA batteries and are remote controlled for several different color-changing effects, including flashing, fading, and steady. You can even set them to “strobe” for a disco-like effect. 

#10. Esuper Solar LED Floating Pool Lights

We love these lights for their unique shape and fun versatility. Instead of orbs, these are more of a cone shape and can either be hung, set around the yard, or left to float on top of the water. 

They’re solar-powered, inflatable, and completely customizable. Fully charged, they’ll illuminate your pool for up to 8 hours. 

They come in packs of 2 and a 1-year warranty.

Why Should I Buy Pool Lights?

Pool lights just look cool. There’s no real arguing with that. But there’s actually a lot more to it than that.

First of all, the right lighting can highlight the lines and structure of a pool. If you spent money giving your pool just the right look and angles, it’d be a shame to hide it in the dark. 

It also enhances the mood and ambience of the area. Not many things are more dramatic than colorful lights reflecting off a body of water. 

This is even more true for any water features you’ve had installed. Pool lights under waterfalls or fountains make stunning displays.

Additionally, pool lights can help you locate problems in your pool’s structure.

Daylight isn’t always enough to help you see cracks in the lining or etching in the pool walls. But pool lights will help you see those problems before they become more serious.

And algae? It doesn’t stand a chance if you’re able to scope it out and get rid of it in its very first stages!

On a more serious note, lights add an element of safety to your pool for swimming after dark. While seeing the bottom of the pool while you’re swimming may not seem important, it could save someone’s life if they were to fall in unexpectedly.

Think of a child or a pet wandering into the pool at night. Complete visibility could shave valuable time off your rescue efforts.

Types of Floating Pool Lights

As you can tell from our list of favorite floating pool lights, there’s more than one type to choose from. These include LED, halogen, and fiber optics.

LED

LED is probably the most popular type of pool light available today. They’re extremely energy efficient and offer the most variety. They also run very cool to the touch so there’s no risk of injury.

LED lights can run a lot longer than other types of lights, so you won’t have to replace their batteries very often. And they make beautiful displays since they can change colors.

Halogen

Halogen lights are probably the most powerful pool lights. They burn very bright and light up large areas.

They aren’t as energy-efficient as LED lights, however, so they aren’t used very often. You will sometimes still find them as built-in lights, though.

They also don’t come in very many colors, so they’re a very basic decor choice.

Fiber Optic

Before LED lights came onto the scene, fiber optics were the main choice for pool lights. These can be a good choice and offer some variety of color, but LED still takes the lead for a couple of reasons.

For one thing, fiber optic lights travel through little strands, creating little dots of light on the ends. As you can imagine, these lights are pretty dim compared to other types of floating lights.

For another thing, they don’t usually last as long as LED lights and tend to drain their power sources faster. Not to mention, they burn a little hotter than LEDs.

Inflatable

Inflatable pool lights are fairly common. That’s because they ship easily and float well. 

These lights are commonly made out of PVC materials that hold their shape and stand up to regular use. The lights themselves are usually LED lights located on the inside that are lit by either batteries or solar power.

Solar

Solar floating pool lights are, in our opinion, the most economical choice. But if you live in an area with very little sunshine or have an indoor pool, these obviously aren’t the best option for you.

Just like inflatable pool lights, these typically contain LED lights inside that are long-lasting and cool to the touch. They are charged by sunlight and usually stay lit up for 8-12 hours.

5 Considerations for Choosing the Best Floating Waterproof Pool Light For Your Pool

1. Pool location

The first thing you need to think of before choosing your floating pool lights is where your pool is located. If it’s outdoors and you live in a sunny area, solar lights could be the way to go.

Solar lights, like we talked about before, are energy-efficient and long-lasting. You can also get them in all kinds of styles, such as inflatable orbs or underwater light shows.

2. Desired brightness

Different floating pool lights put off different levels of brightness and you’ll need to decide whether or not that’s important to you.

Fiber optic lights, for example, are usually very dim and give off more of a fairy light vibe. But LED lights can get very bright, especially if you intend to use more than one.

3. Number of swimmers

If you’re using your floating pool lights to decorate for an event, you’ll need to take the number of swimmers into consideration.

You may be simply lighting up your pool for decoration for a party, not intending to have swimmers that evening. In this case, dozens of lights in any shape and size could be more than appropriate.

But if your event will include swimming or if you’re lighting up your pool for regular use, that may make a difference in your decision.

For these types of situations, you might choose to have a few submersible lights or a couple of large orbs for play. Or choose the 3” orbs that tend to work well any time. They make great decorations and seldom get in the way.

4. Size of pool

The size of your pool is another factor that can come into play when it comes to picking floating pool lights. The 16” orbs might be a bit overwhelming for a small pool or hot tub, while a few flower lights could be perfect.

5. Reasons for the lights

Before you buy your floating pool lights, think of the reasons you want them. Are they for safety, decor, or both? 

Believe it or not, this can make a difference, mainly because of the level of brightness you might need. If you often swim at night or are concerned with being able to see under the water, submersible lights might be the best option for you.

But if you’re just trying to create a certain ambience for a party, you’ll want to consider the various shapes and styles of floating pool lights.

For girls’ parties, wedding showers, and romantic evenings, floating flower lights or tea lights are a great choice. They’re very soft and put off a romantic glow.

But for beach parties or other events, floating orbs can be the most fun. You can get them in various sizes and mix them up. They can even be used as lighted beach balls for added entertainment.

Features to Look for in the Best Floating Pool Lights

Each type of pool light has its own pros and cons, but the best floating lights have a few features we think are important.

Durability

You want your pool lights to last as long as possible, so they need to be well-made. 

This isn’t something that’s always easy to find out just from reading descriptions, so you’ll need to dig a little deeper. The best way to find out anything about a product is from reading legitimate reviews.

Amazon is probably the best place to do this since they validate their customers. But you can also try Googling the product to see what you can turn up.

Ease of Installation

Most floating pool lights are very easy to set up and use, but it’s important to make sure before you buy them. 

Look for instructions on changing the batteries or charging the units. If it looks too complicated, take a hard pass.

Also, keep in mind that most floating pool lights just require you to drop them in the water. If the installation looks more permanent, they’re probably not what you’re looking for.

Ease of Use

Decide ahead of time whether or not you’d like your lights to be remote controlled. For large sets, this might be your best option, since you can turn all of them on at once.

Other lights either have to be switched on individually or they automatically come on when they touch the water.

Type of Light

We might have harped on this too much, but the brightness of the lights is important to some people. Remember that LED lights are usually the brightest. 

Good Price 

We probably don’t need to tell you about this one, but hey, we’re going to anyway. 

There’s no need to spend a fortune on floating pool lights, but you also shouldn’t just buy the cheapest you can find. That is, if you want them to last.

However, keep in mind that you can remove these from the water and store them safely in between uses, so there’s no reason any of them shouldn’t last.

Floating Pool Light FAQs

How difficult is it to install floating pool lights?

Installing floating pool lights is probably the easiest thing you’ll ever do, but instructions vary for each type.

Some floating pool lights have sensors that automatically turn them on the second they touch the water. Some have switches you have to use to individually power them up. And some are remote controlled.

These are controlled by remote, so you simply toss them in the water and choose a setting from the comfort of your lounge chair.

How long should a pool light last?

This also depends on the type of pool light you have and how you handle it. 

Most of the floating pool lights are constructed with heavy duty materials that will stand up to storms and rough handling for years.

But the smaller lights, such as tea lights and flower lights, won’t stand up to a whole lot of wear and tear. However, if you use them with care and remove and store them properly, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy them for a long time.

How do I change my pool light to LED?

Most floating pool lights are LED, but if they’re not, you can usually only change that by buying new ones.

Built-in lights, however, are sometimes a different story. 

This can be as simple as replacing your halogen or incandescent bulb with an LED bulb. However, it’s important to check with your manufacturer or a pool professional to see if this is a viable option.

Do pool lights attract bugs?

Unfortunately, pool lights do tend to attract some flying friends. But at least with lights, you’ll be able to see them!

In all seriousness, though, there are some precautions you can take before this becomes a problem.

First, turn on the lights right before you plan to use them and turn them off as soon as you’re done. The less time they’re lit, the fewer bugs they’ll attract.

Use LED lights if you’re concerned with bugs. They burn cooler so they don’t provide little critters with the warmth they’re looking for.

Keep in mind that you’re likely to have problems with a few bugs whether you use lights or not. But taking precautions to prevent them can certainly help thin them out.

Mosquitoes are particularly troublesome! This is how you can solve the problem: Cleaning Out Mosquito Larvae In A Pool

Conclusion

People have all kinds of reasons for wanting pool lights. Not only do they look cool, but they provide an element of safety for night swimming.

But installing permanent light fixtures in an already-built pool can be costly and time consuming. That’s where floating pool lights come in. 

These handy lights can add beauty and ambience to any body of water, including pools, ponds, and hot tubs. 

And there’s no need to stress too much about all the choices in floating pool lights. If you end up not loving them, simply scoop them out of the pool and try some different ones. They’re generally easy to use, inexpensive to buy, and simple to store.