{Top 6} Best & Quietest Pool Pump (2023)
Are you searching for the perfect pool pump that combines superior performance with whisper-quiet operation? Your search is over now!
In this post, we present the top 6 best and quietest pool pumps for 2023. Dive into our selection and discover the ideal quiet pool pump for your needs.
1: Pentair SuperFlo® VS
- It has digital control keypad
- 80% energy efficient
- Easy To Operate
- Quieter even at 3,000 RPM
Key specifications:
| Pump’s brand | Pentair |
| Type of pump | Variable-speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 1.5 HP |
| Durability rating | 9.9/10 |
Well, if you are looking for the quietest pool pump without sacrificing the quality, then this pump can be an excellent choice for you. To be honest, Pentair is one of my favorite brand as I have been using its pump for more than 4 years and I am outstanding performance and quiet operation of their pump. And this Pentair Superflo® VS is the same pump I have been using since 4 years.
The Pentair SuperFlo® VS pool pump is designed with Variable Speed technology. So it will be a lot more expensive than other types of pumps but ultimately saves money in operational costs. This SuperFlo® VS pump costs only $0.16 per kWh to operate, making it nearly 25% less expensive than other variable speed pumps.
Additionally, the pump’s description claims it can save up to 80% on electricity bills when compared to a single-speed pump. This impressive cost savings is one of the main benefits of this pump.
In addition to its cost savings, the Pentair SuperFlo® VS pool pump also operates quietly. When running at 1,000 RPM, the pump produces a noise level of just 49 dB, I tested it by putting the noise tester very close to the motor, there are literally gap of 5 inches between the tester and the motor.
At 2,000 RPM, the noise level increases to 66 dB, while at 3,000 RPM it reaches 78 db. At its maximum speed of 3,450 RPM, the noise level rises to 85 db.
Furthermore, the pump is also easy to operate, with an advanced onboard digital display that makes it easy to program and monitor. Apart from this, it’s also very easy to install, it’s the only variable speed replacement pump on the market that doesn’t require expensive rewiring.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this pool pump for its quiet operation, excellent energy saving capacity and other impressive features. The pump has an impressive rating of 4.6 out of 5.0 from 1,473 reviewers on Amazon.
2: Hayward W3SP2303VSP MaxFlo VS
- Very quiet in medium & low RPM
- Save 80% energy cost
- Easy to install, only piping and wiring needs fitting
- It features digital display
- Becomes noisy after running it on maximum RPM
- It has a steep price
Key specifications:
| Pump’s brand | Hayward |
| Type of pump | Variable-speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 1.65 HP |
| Durability rating | 9.9/10 |
No need to tell you, Hayward is the one of the top brands for pool pumps, and they are well-known for the quality of their products.
And this W3SP2303VSP MaxFlo VS pool pump is a perfect example for that. It is designed to save up to 80% energy cost compared to single-speed pumps. And according to EPA ENERGY STAR, it is the most efficient variable-speed pump.
Another good thing on this Hayward pool pump is that, it has great build quality and its design actually looks like a pump of superior quality. Additionally, it is easy to install since all its parts come pre-assembled, only wiring and piping you needs to fit.
We tested the noise level of this Hayward W3SP2303VSP MaxFlo VS pool pump and found that it is quieter than other pumps in the market. At 600 RPM, the default minimum RPM, its noise level was just 49 dB. At 1,000 RPM, the noise level increased to 58.5 dB.
At 2,000 RPM, it reached 74.4 dB, while at 3,000 RPM, the noise level increased to 84 dB. At maximum RPM of 3,450, the noise level was 88.2 dB, which is noisy. However, when we put the noise tester 3 feet away, the tester indicated a noise level of 74 dB even at maximum RPM.
One of the great things about the MaxFlo VS pump is that it can be installed in any application. It can be used in stand-alone mode, with Hayward automation (including OmniLogic), or with competitive control systems (via relay control).
The MaxFlo VS pool pump features a permanent magnet, totally enclosed fan cooled (TEFC) motor that offers incredible energy efficiency and reliability. Furthermore, it has a maximum flow rate of 160 gallons per minute (GPM) which is enough even for large pools.
Despite its impressive features, it is important to note that the price of the Hayward W3SP2303VSP MaxFlo VS pump is quite steep compared to other variable speed pumps.
Related: How to make a pool pump quieter?
3: Hayward W3SP1580X15
- Wallet-friendly
- Easy to install
- Suction power is powerful
- Much more Energy efficient than other single-speed pump
- Slightly noisy
- Small debris basket
- It lacks a drain plug
Key specifications:
| Pump’s brand | Hayward |
| Type of pump | Single-speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 1 HP |
| Durability rating | 9.7/10 |
If you’re searching for the best pool pump on the market, that won’t hurt your budget, then you should pay attention to this pump.
This is Hayward’s single-speed pump but still its performance is quiet good as compared to other single-speed pumps on the market. This pump comes in two different options- 1 HP and 1.5 HP.
First of all, the pump arrived earlier than expected, which was a pleasant surprise. Installing the pump was relatively straightforward. I transferred both connector fittings from my old pump without any issues. I connected the hoses from my pool, plugged it in, and it started running.
One of the advantages of this pump is that it doesn’t require priming if your pump is below the pool level. It fills with water instantly, eliminating the need for manual priming.
The good thing is you don’t need to prime the pump if it’s below the pool’s water level. It fills with water on its own. And cleaning the basket is easy as fuc*; you don’t have to unplug the pump or disconnect the vacuum, just flip the switch.
One drawback is that the pump doesn’t have its own on/off switch, so you might need to set up a switched outlet or a timer. Also, the pump doesn’t come with a large debris basket, so you may need to clean it more often.
Another downside of this pump is the lack of a drain plug. However, there is a filter basket drain plug that serves a similar purpose.
To sum up, this pump is a great choice for those looking for an affordable and quiet pool pump. However, let me tell you that, this pump is a bit loud, but not loud enough to bother you.
4: Pentair 011018 IntelliFlo
- Ultra energy efficient
- 8 programmable speed settings
- Energy Star Certified
- It features LCD screen
- Poor manufacturer support
Key specifications:
| Pump’s brand | Pentair |
| Type of pump | Variable-speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 3 HP |
| Durability rating | 9.9/10 |
This is a variable-speed pool pump made by Pentair, designed with energy efficiency in mind and it is up to 90% energy efficient compared to single-speed pumps, which is great!
In fact, according to the manufacturer, this pool pump can save approximately $1,500 per year on your electricity bills, which sounds impressive but might be hard to believe. So to make things clear, we used it for 2 months and compared it with last month’s electricity bill, last month we got $450 electricity bill but with this pump, we received a bill of only $150, which is about 67% less than before, a massive difference.
I would like to clarify that during the second month of testing, we also installed a window AC unit. Without the AC unit, the energy savings could have potentially been even higher than 67%, possibly reaching up to 80% or more.
Along with excellent efficiency, its noise level is also low, as it was just 45.3 dB when running it on low speeds. Even at 1,000 RPM, its noise level is still considered quiet at 53 dB, as anything below 60 dB is considered quiet.
However, it becomes noisy when running it at 2,000 RPM as the noise level reaches to 73.4 dB, and finally at 3,000 RPM its noise level crosses 90 dB, it is not good at all, and when testing we had placed the tester very close to the motor.
Other than that, its build quality is really nice and it’s well designed, and has an LCD screen that shows the actual wattage consumption, and gives you full control to maximize or reduce its speed. The worst thing that shouldn’t happen is its poor customer support.
5: Hayward W3SP2605X7
- Lightweight and highly durable
- Suction power is good enough
- It has high rating
- A bit hefty price
- No plug included, hardwiring required
Key specifications:
| Pump’s brand | Hayward |
| Type of pump | Single-Speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 0.75 HP |
| Durability rating | 8.9/10 |
I’ve been using this Hayward pool pump since September 2021, and I must say, it’s been a fantastic experience. This pump is top-notch. It’s got a 0.75 HP motor, and it runs really smoothly. First things first, this pump is excellent. It’s not noisy at all, and there’s no annoying vibration either.
The pump’s motor is a 115V/230V dual voltage motor. However, the label on the motor itself stated it was factory-wired for 230V operation. That’s incorrect. The one I received was actually wired for 115V. So be sure to check that when you get yours.
The inlet and outlet ports on the pump are 2 inches, and they come with two 2-inch to 1-1/2-inch threaded reducer bushings. The manual suggests using two layers of Teflon tape to get a good seal when attaching these bushings. I found that just using two layers of tape wasn’t quite enough. One thing that caught me off guard was that it doesn’t come with a plug, and I prefer to plug my pumps in rather than hardwiring them.
Also, where the motor mounts to the pump frame felt quite loose when I first checked it out. I thought it might be by design, but after comparing it to my old pump and doing some research, I realized it wasn’t put together correctly. I had to disassemble the housing to tighten the four bolts that secure the pump to the housing. This was a bit of a hassle and time-consuming.
Another unexpected surprise was the pump having 2-inch inlet and outlet ports instead of the more common 1-1/2 inch that most people with pools use. They do provide adapters to step down to 1-1/2 inches, but it made the connection to my filter tank slightly off, and it took a lot of Teflon tape to prevent leaks.
But in the end, after some trial and error, it’s running smoothly, and it sounds and looks like a good pump.
6: XtremepowerUS 1.5 HP In-Ground Pool Pump
- Price is less than $250
- Variable speed Pump
- Extremely lightweight and quiet
- The motor can get hot during use
- Louder noise on high speed
- Slightly less powerful suction than some other pumps
| Pump’s brand | XtremepowerUS |
| Type of pump | Variable-Speed pump |
| Horsepower (HP) | 1.5 HP |
| Durability rating | 8.2/10 |
If you’re on a tight budget but still want a quality pool pump, then pump can be a good choice for you. This pump is super inexpensive. It is a variable speed pump that can save up to 70% on energy costs.
It is easy to install just like the other pumps in this list, but unlike other pumps, it is quite lightweight and the build quality is really great as it is made of corrosion-proof polymeric.
It’s not as noisy as the Hayward pump I had before, and it seems to do the job just fine. But I did notice that it has less suction power than my old 1.75 HP Pentair WhisperFlo pump. The installation was a bit tricky because the instructions were not very helpful.
And it comes with an extra large debris basket, allowing you to clean the pump basket every 2 weeks instead of once a week. In terms of noise level, it is not as quiet as other expensive pumps on the list. It produces a noise level of 57.7 dB on low and goes up to 88.3 dB on high.
After testing out the XtremepowerUS 1.5 HP In-Ground Pool Pump, I have to say I’m extremely satisfied with its performance. The low speed is impressively quiet – I couldn’t even hear it unless I was right next to it. Even on high speed, it’s not much louder than my previous 2 hp Pentair SuperFlo.
The pump does get quite hot, and it takes a minute or two to prime itself when I start it. But overall, it’s working fine.
One thing to note is that the motor does run hot, so I’ll be adding some heat sinks to keep it cool. The wiring diagram could be a bit more clear – it only mentions 110/115v hot wires even though I ordered the 230v motor.
My final thought
I’m pretty sure choosing a right and quiet pool pump can be overwhelming. And for this reason I am going to tell which pool pump is best according to your budget.
Firstly if you are on a high budget and are ready to spend more than $1000 then the Pentair SuperFlo® VS is an excellent option for you.
And if you are on medium budget, I mean, if your budget is above $500 but less than $1000 then I would recommend Hayward W3SP2605X7 Pool Pump to you.
Finally, if your budget is under $500, the Hayward W3SP1580 is a great choice because it’s so cheap and it’s quiet, it’s quiet enough that its sound won’t bother you.
Now It’s your turn!
While writing this post a questions came to my mind and that is, which pool pump are you currently using? and, Which pump from this list you like the most?
Let me know by leaving a comment below.
Commented, OK!
Thank you for taking the time to write such a comprehensive and helpful article. I learned so much!