Pool Cover Reels: Choosing the Right Roller

A pool cover only does its job when it's on the pool, and whether it goes on consistently comes down almost entirely to how easy it is to handle. That's what a reel is for.

This guide covers what we stock, how a reel is sized to your pool, what to add alongside it, and what happens if your pool is wider than a standard tube.

Stainless pool cover reel installed on an Auckland pool

Why a reel matters more than people expect

Without a reel, a full-size cover is heavy, awkward, and almost always ends up dragged across the paving — which shortens its life and, more often than not, means it simply doesn't get used. A cover that isn't used saves nothing.

A reel turns handling into a one-person job, and it keeps the cover rolled and off the ground between swims, away from grit and sharp edges. On any pool bigger than a plunge pool it's less an optional extra than the thing that makes the cover worthwhile.

The reel we stock

Manual Stainless Reel. Electro-polished stainless steel, with a telescopic tube that adjusts to your pool width — nothing needs cutting to length. Hand-wound, no power required, and it can be fitted with castor wheels so you can move it off the deck when it's not in use.

Two tube sizes:

Tube	Spans covers up to	Suits pools up to about
4.6m	4.6m wide	4.4m wide
5.5m	5.5m wide	5.3m wide

Both are priced in the calculator alongside the cover.

Sizing a reel to your pool

The tube has to span the cover, not the pool. Every cover is cut with a 150mm allowance on each dimension, so the cover is always slightly wider than the water. That difference is what decides which tube you need, and it's why a reel bought on pool width alone is sometimes a size short.

The calculator works it out from your measurements and only offers a reel that actually spans your cover. A reel narrower than the cover won't wind evenly and shortens the life of both.

Pools wider than about 5.3m. We make covers well beyond the width of a standard reel, so it's entirely possible to buy a cover from us and need a roller that isn't a shelf item. Those are specified through an assessment, because the tube diameter has to be matched to the cover weight rather than picked from a list. The calculator will tell you when your pool falls into that band rather than sell you a reel that won't work.

Motorised and concealed reels

Battery-operated reels and reels concealed inside a poolside bench are both easier to live with day to day. Neither is stocked here at present — they're brought in to order, so they're not priced online and aren't part of the self-serve range.

If that's what you want, send us the pool details and we'll come back with availability and a price. Everything else on this page you can buy today.

Protecting the cover from roller burn

When a bubble cover is rolled up and left in the sun without protection, the trapped layers superheat. The result is shrinkage and melted lines across the width — roller burn — and it isn't repairable.

A reel overcover prevents it by shading the rolled-up cover. It fits reels from 4.0m to 6.4m and comes pre-fitted with eyelets and stretch cord on one side. It's inexpensive and worth fitting from day one alongside the reel.

Heat damage sustained while the cover is off the pool is not a manufacturing fault and is not covered under warranty. Shade the roll, or park the reel out of the sun.

Useful add-ons

Item	What it is
Castor wheel set	Four lockable polymer castors with spanner. Lets you wheel the reel off the deck
Cord and eyelet kit	Ten eyelets, 18 metres of cord, punch and instructions. Fits any brand of reel
Haul cord — 10m	Ten metres of cord and two eyelets. What you pull the cover across the pool with
Reel overcover	Shades the cover on the reel. Fits reels 4.0m to 6.4m
Strap and clip kit	Adjustable to 1500mm, for securing the cover
Pool cover fitting	0.5m, single clip, cord and fitting
Plastic plug	Replacement fixing plug

All are priced individually on the parts path in the calculator.

Attaching the cover to the reel

Cords and eyelets are what connect a cover to a reel. They're included on our Ultimate finish, and on the Thermal Cover, which is supplied in that specification as standard.

If you choose the Classic finish — cover only, no edge binding or fittings — there's nothing to attach it to a reel with. Add a cord and eyelet kit, or choose Ultimate. The calculator warns you before checkout if a Classic cover and a reel are in the same order.

Warranty

Reels are covered by a 3-year warranty. Full terms are on our Warranty page.

Delivery and installation

Covers and parts — free delivery to North Island addresses, $50 flat rate to the South Island.

Reels — a 4.6m or 5.5m tube isn't a standard courier item, so freight is confirmed for your address before dispatch rather than added at checkout.

Installation — $200 in Auckland. Outside Auckland we supply, and installation is by enquiry.

Buying a cover and a reel together

The calculator prices both in one pass. Enter your pool, choose the cover, and the reel step filters to the tube that spans it — so you're never shown one that won't fit.

Price my cover →

Frequently asked questions

Do I really need a reel? Practically, yes. A cover that's hard to handle doesn't get used, and a reel also stops the cover being dragged across the deck and damaged.

What size reel do I need? It's set by the width of your cover, not your pool. We stock 4.6m and 5.5m tubes, which suit pools up to roughly 4.4m and 5.3m wide. The calculator works out which one fits from the measurements you enter.

My pool is wider than 5.3m. What then? We'll still make the cover. The roller is specified through an assessment, because the tube diameter has to be matched to the cover weight.

Can I get a motorised or concealed reel? Not through the site at present — neither is stocked. Send us your pool details and we'll come back with availability.

Will the reel fit a cover I already have? Usually, if the cover has cords and eyelets along the reel edge. If it doesn't, a cord and eyelet kit fits any brand.

What is roller burn and how do I avoid it? Heat damage to a cover left rolled up in the sun. A reel overcover shades the rolled cover and prevents it.

Does the reel come assembled? The tube is telescopic, so nothing needs cutting to length. Castors are a separate add-on.