Intex
Intex C1500 Krystal Clear Cartridge Filter Pump
Best water per dollar / mid-size — The sweet spot of the cartridge line for a typical 15–18 ft round pool: advertised at 1,500 GPH, but the honest number is 1,180 GPH of real filtered flow — enough to turn a 9,400-gallon pool in about 8 hours.
🏆 Winner — The Best Above-Ground Cartridge Filter Pumps of 2026 (by Pool Size — and the Name-Brand to Skip)
Specs
| Type | Cartridge filter pump (all-in-one) |
| Pump flow | 1,500 GPH |
| Real flow | 1,180 GPH (system) |
| Rated pool | Up to 9,400 gal |
| Cartridge | Type A (29000E) |
| Owner rating | 4.3★ / 8,000 |
Pros
- 1,180 GPH real flow suits a typical 15–18 ft round pool
- The most-recommended mid-size Intex pump
- Uses the cheap, everywhere Type A cartridge
- Big proven owner base (8,000 ratings)
Cons
- Advertised '1,500 GPH' is the pump number; real filtered flow is 1,180 GPH — size on the lower figure
- Cartridge swaps every ~2 weeks (~$30–60/season)
- Rated to 9,400 gal — a big pool wants the C2500 or a sand pump
“Learn from my mistakes, don't waste all your time & money this summer. Here is how I cleared my brown iron infested pool up in just 3 days!”— Sarah B, Amazon · Verified owner
✓ Safety: no active recall — No active CPSC recall found (checked July 2026)
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Data last verified: July 2026. Ratings are real, dated reads — never scraped or invented. Full methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.