Solar Pool Covers matchup
BigXwell 16-mil Solar Pool Cover, 16×32 Rectangle (Blue) vs Sun2Solar 1600 Series Blue Rectangle
two 16-mil blue rectangles: the better owner record against the longer warranty
Tale of the tape — this fight hasn't been booked yet
No showdown has ruled between these two. What follows is the verified data, not a verdict.
Ringside notes
Two 16-mil blue rectangles for in-ground pools, and they win on different evidence. Both listings were read signed in on 2026-10-02 with their critical reviews, and both makers' warranty documents were read the same day.
BigXwell has the owner record and the test. Its listing carries the better rating of the two, pooled across 14 sizes, and The Spruce's tester used it for over a year with no wear. Its critical reviews are mostly about weight and stiffness, and its warranty is one year from BigXwell's own FAQ.
Sun2Solar has the paperwork. Its 1600 Blue warranty document runs seven years with the first two at no charge, then you pay a share of list price. Like every bubble-cover warranty we read, it covers delamination and seam failure, not bubbles falling off. Its owner record carries the same one-to-two-season stories as the rest of the category.
The prices on the two cards are different sizes — the Sun2Solar we card is a 12×32, the BigXwell a 16×32 — so compare per square foot: the Sun2Solar is cheaper per square foot, and that plus two free replacement years is its case. BigXwell's case is the test and the rating. Neither is our pick for most pools; that is Blue Wave's lighter 12-mil.
Tale of the tape
| Model | Best for | Owner rating | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall — the cleanest owner record here, and the one a tester used for a year | 4.5★ / 1,054 (listing-wide) | 1 year (BigXwell) | ~$246.99typical at AmazonCheck price → | |
| Published warranty schedule — 7 years, the first 2 at no charge | 4.0★ / 1,214 (listing-wide) | 7-year limited (2 years at no charge) | ~$154.99typical at AmazonCheck price → |
Prices move constantly — any Amazon price shown is as of the date noted and subject to change; tap through for today's number.
Prices move constantly — tap through for today's number.
What would decide it
- Owner proof: BigXwell 16-mil Solar Pool Cover, 16×32 Rectangle (Blue) reads 4.5★ across 1,054 owners; Sun2Solar 1600 Series Blue Rectangle reads 4.0★ across 1,214. Depth of sample matters as much as the star.
- The money: BigXwell 16-mil Solar Pool Cover, 16×32 Rectangle (Blue) streets ~$247, Sun2Solar 1600 Series Blue Rectangle ~$155 — MSRPs, not sale lows, decide the tier.
- BigXwell 16-mil Solar Pool Cover, 16×32 Rectangle (Blue) — your pick if: a pool with a reel already installed, where weight does not matter and you want the cover with the strongest test record.
- Sun2Solar 1600 Series Blue Rectangle — your pick if: an in-ground rectangle where you want two free replacement years in writing and will keep the receipt.
The full cards
BigXwell 16-mil Solar Pool Cover, 16×32 Rectangle (Blue)
Best overall — the cleanest owner record here, and the one a tester used for a yearYour pick if a pool with a reel already installed, where weight does not matter and you want the cover with the strongest test record.
Pro review “Kathryn has used this pool cover for over a year, and she can now keep her pool open during the chillier months.”— Jeremy Laukkonen (tester: Kathryn), The Spruce
- Best owner rating in the field (4.5★)
- Tested over a year by The Spruce: "It still works just as well one year later, with no signs of deterioration or wear."
- 16 mil resists rips better than the thinner blankets
- Heavy and stiff: "it take more than one person to get it off the pool!!!" "stiff as cardboard when received"
- About $99 a season at a 2.5-season life — twice our pick
- One-year warranty, and the Amazon seller (WOWELL DIRECT) does not carry the brand's name
Weight and stiffness, not early failure: "This is very stiff- well made but it take more than one person to get it off the pool!!!" "Product stiff as cardboard when received. Three weeks later after using on pool the cover is just as rigid & useless using the new pool reel we bought." Life lands at the bubble-cover norm: "Lasted only two short Maine summers... I contacted customer support of the manufacturer a d they never returned my email."
10 critical cards read (newest first) of 49 critical reviews on 1,041 ratings at that read; stiffness or weight in 3, sizing in 2, heat doubts in 3, a two-season life in 2. Spread March to September 2026, no batch cluster. · critical reviews read October 2026
Sun2Solar 1600 Series Blue Rectangle
Published warranty schedule — 7 years, the first 2 at no chargeYour pick if an in-ground rectangle where you want two free replacement years in writing and will keep the receipt.
“I just hope this one lasts longer than the same one we bought 1 year ago. Last one disintegrated after just 1 season, and was stored all winter.”— Cody, Amazon · Verified owner
- A published warranty schedule: 7 years, years 1-2 at no charge
- 16 mil resists rips and tears better than thinner blankets
- Cut to fit any rectangle
- Dearer per square foot than a 12-mil cover, and 16 mil is heavy — a reel earns its keep on a big rectangle
- Owners report one to two seasons like any bubble cover; the warranty excludes bubbles falling off
- A solar cover is not a winter or safety cover
One to two seasons on a cover sold for durability, and one owner draws exactly the comparison this line is sold on and gets the wrong answer: "HEAVIER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER. This heavy duty cover lasted only two seasons. The previous thinner, cheaper cover lasted [longer]." Around it: "barely lasted one year, 5 year w[arranty]... this is my fifth one of these"; "only last a season — you won't get more than a year out of these"; "I am on my third cover in 5 years"; "lasted one season... 16 months, now it's starting to fall apart." On the warranty: "be aware that the 7 year warranty is pro rated yearly, so 7 years is not entirely accurate." And the six heavy-duty grommets the listing promises are called out as not being heavy duty.
10 critical cards read on page 1 of 1,191 ratings; a one-to-two-season lifespan appears in 6 independent reviews, pro-rated-warranty disappointment in 2. 10/10 Verified Purchase, 0 Vine. · critical reviews read August 2026
FAQ
Sun2Solar or BigXwell?
BigXwell if you want the better owner rating and the cover with a year-long hands-on test behind it; Sun2Solar 1600 if you want two free replacement years in writing and a lower price per square foot. Both are 16-mil and heavy, and both warranties exclude the bubbles falling off. For most pools, a lighter 12-mil cover is the better buy per season.
Full fight coverage
Every number on this page derives from the same verified data that renders our showdowns — dated owner-rating reads, MSRP-based tiers, and rulings only where a real fight happened. Data last verified: 2026-10-25. Methodology and monetization disclosure: how we test.