This floating device monitors temperature, pH, and ORP (a substitute for free chlorine), which together give you a solid picture of your pool’s disinfection capabilities. It updates automatically every 15 minutes. While many chemistry monitors require replaceable supplies (which is an expensive approach) and regular battery replacements to operate, Iopool’s solution is solid state and requires no maintenance except storing it outside the pool in the winter months. I used mine for two full swimming seasons until it died (at which point I need to replace it), and I like it so much that I simply dropped its successor in the water over the summer. —Christopher null

To float with a drink

When our first 90-degree Fahrenheit day appeared in the forecast last month, I immediately started looking for an affordable floating beverage cooler with a sunscreen canopy and ended up purchasing this Funboy model on Amazon. You can easily carry a six-pack of cans on an ice raft, the canopy is removable, and there’s a drink holder on each side so you and your friend can push it back and forth between the floats. The fringed stripe design is very St. Tropez (or ’80s-era pool umbrella, depending on your age and season), and I ended up liking the vibe so much that I’ve since added their matching inflatable pool float rings, which come in 16 colors on the Funboy site or six on Amazon. I’ve had the rings in my pool for over a month, in direct sun, and while I wish they had handles to make moving them on and off easier, they have held up very well. The 48-inch size is large enough for most adult butts and also comes with the necessary cup holder. However, keep in mind that the cup holder design is very small and shallow, so you may want to stick with the more forgiving cup holders on the cabana bar.

For Cannonball soundtracks

No pool party is complete without some tunes, and this is our favorite Bluetooth speaker, which JBL touts as “life-proof.” I can confirm that statement; My family’s long-suffering Flip 7 was rained on, splashed around, strapped to the back of my son’s mountain bike while jumping, and survived all sorts of falls and other misadventures. It’s completely waterproof and IP68 rated, so you won’t even have to worry if it falls into the pool. I haven’t tested it, but JBL says it can survive submerged in about 5 feet of water for 30 minutes.

Never aspire again

Manual pool vacuums are so last century. WIRED reviewer Christopher Null has been testing pool cleaning robots for four years and this one from Beatbot, he says, is the best he’s tested. Not only does it excel at prescribed cleaning tasks, but its battery life is also phenomenal at six hours, it has AI-powered debris detection, and its companion app is excellent. You can also skim the surface of your pool if necessary. Best of all, it floats when it’s ready, so there’s no need to retrieve it from the bottom of the pool. (Which is good, he says, because it’s pretty heavy.)

A more affordable robot

If your budget for a pool robot is larger than the Portofino, you might want to take a look at the Sora 30 from Beatbot. WIRED reviewer Christopher Null found it to have exceptional performance for the price and excellent battery life, and like its more expensive sibling mentioned above, it floats when ready. It doesn’t have many smart features, but you’ll still have the option of multiple modes through the Beatbot app.

Win your water fights

It’s not exactly a pool toy, but if your home or neighborhood engages in water fights, you need a top-of-the-line aquatic weapon, and nothing hits better than a Spyra. Literally, this thing is strong enough to dent cans. My son received the SpyraTwo ($200) as a gift a few years ago and found it fun for target practice even when there wasn’t a fight in the water. I like that it sucks in water automatically, so you don’t have to worry about awkward filling. SpyraFour is the newest version of Spyra, offering a more detailed screen and special game modes like Ultra Rapid Fire and Scattershot. In fact, former WIRED business director Martin Cizmar called it the best water gun ever made.

Best resort towels

cozy land

Towel for coastal area

Any respectable day at the pool begins and ends with a quality towel, and the ones from Cozy Earth are the best I’ve ever used. My favorite from the brand’s line is the Seaside Resort towel. Made from 100 percent OEKO-TEX certified cotton, it’s perfectly thick and plush and large enough to cover a lounger. One side has a low pile, which works well for the beach as it will trap less sand. The Classic Stripe Resort Towel is also solid but a little less luxurious, with a cotton-viscose blend but more color options (six, compared to Seaside’s two).

For the peak Margarita Szn

You haven’t had a real pool party until you’re languishing on your pool float on a hot day with a frozen margarita in hand. Or a cup of ice cream, frozen lemonade, or anything else you can think of; will probably melt in one of our favorite slushy machines. High-sugar drinks work best, but you can even make slushies from diet drinks by adding allulose. If you want to have two drinks at once, Ninja has you covered with its newly released double tank version, which WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage crowned the best for parties. It can automatically adjust temperatures to ensure drinks with different consistencies are ready at the same time.

Floating sunglasses

Drop your sunglasses in the pool? (Or lake? Or river? Or ocean?) That’s usually the last you’ll see of that pair. But not now! These inexpensive, lightweight frames from the giant Goodr, non-slip, non-bouncy sunglasses will float, so you’ll be able to easily grab them the next time you pass them around in your inflatable lounge. They come in five colors (including Seafoam Party Favor, shown) and are ideal for all types of sporting activities, from running to rowing and more.

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