A pool pump runs for hours a day through summer, and Sustainability Victoria's pool pump trial put the average Victorian pool pump's use at about 1,850 kWh a year. Since 1 October 2022, most in-ground pool pumps sold in Australia have had to carry an energy rating label showing stars and the energy used in a year, and the government register lists both for every model. Those two numbers, and the price, separate the in-ground pumps below.
| In-ground pump | Type | Stars | kWh a year | Pool size | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hy-Clor 1.5HP Inverter | Variable speed | 6 | 471 | Up to 100,000L | $1,300–1,400 |
| Onga Pantera ECO | Variable speed | 5 | 547 | Not stated | $1,200–1,300 |
| Hy-Clor Two Speed | Two speed | 2.5 | 980 | Up to 75,000L | $250–300 |
| Hy-Clor 1HP, for comparison | Single speed | 1 | 1,285 | Up to 45,000L | $150–200 |
Stars and kWh are from the government register, where the Pantera ECO's figures are those of Pentair's 5-star Pantera variable-speed model, the PPP-800-VS. Pool sizes are Hy-Clor's. Prices were checked on 28 September 2026.
For above-ground pools, the two plug-in filter pumps below move less than 120 litres a minute, under the size the energy label covers, so they carry no rating.
| Above-ground pump | Filter | Flow | Timer | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bestway Flowclear sand filter pump | Sand | 6,056 L/h | Yes | $200–250 |
| Intex Krystal Clear C1500 | Cartridge | 5,678 L/h | Yes | $250–300 |
1. Best Variable-Speed Pump: Hy-Clor 1.5HP Inverter
The Hy-Clor inverter is rated 6 stars and 471 kWh a year on the register, the lowest energy use of the pumps here, and Hy-Clor rates it for pools up to 100,000 litres. It runs at 45 dB on its lowest speed and 69 dB at full speed, and comes with both 40mm and 50mm unions.
Bunnings sells it as a special order. Hy-Clor lists it as needing a 28-inch sand filter or a 100 square foot cartridge filter or larger, so an older, smaller filter may need replacing too.
What We Like:
- 6 stars, 471 kWh a year
- Pools up to 100,000L
- 40mm and 50mm unions
What We Don't Like:
- Needs a large filter
2. Best Onga Replacement: Onga Pantera ECO
The Pantera ECO is Onga's variable-speed pump, with three programmable speeds and a three-year warranty. Clark Rubber lists it at 5 stars, and the register's 5-star Pantera variable-speed model, the PPP-800-VS, is labelled at 547 kWh a year. Pool Shop Australia's listing says it replaces Onga's LTP and PPP pumps without changes to the plumbing.
It costs about the same as the Hy-Clor inverter and uses more power on its label.
What We Like:
- Fits in place of Onga pumps
- 3-year warranty
- Three programmable speeds
What We Don't Like:
- 5 stars against Hy-Clor's 6
3. Best Budget In-Ground Pump: Hy-Clor Two Speed
A two-speed pump filters on its low speed and switches to high for a suction cleaner, spa jets or backwashing. Hy-Clor's is rated 2.5 stars and 980 kWh a year on the register, for pools up to 75,000 litres, with flow from 180 to 325 litres a minute and a 24-hour countdown timer.
It costs about a quarter as much as the variable-speed pumps above, and on the register's figures it uses about twice as much power as the Hy-Clor inverter. Against Hy-Clor's 1-star 1HP pump, its label saves about 300 kWh a year, which at 30c a kWh pays back the difference in price in under two years (our sum).
What We Like:
- Two speeds
- 24-hour timer
- Pools up to 75,000L
What We Don't Like:
- Twice the inverter's kWh
4. Best for Above-Ground Pools: Bestway Flowclear Sand Filter Pump
The Flowclear sand filter pump moves 6,056 litres an hour for above-ground pools. Its six-position valve backwashes the sand to clean it, so there is no cartridge to hose off or replace, and the listing says the sand needs replacing every three years. There is a timer built in.
Backwashing sends water to waste, as much as 8,000 litres a year, Sydney Water estimates.
What We Like:
- No cartridges to replace
- 6,056 L/h
- Built-in timer
What We Don't Like:
- Backwashing uses water
5. Best Cartridge Pump: Intex Krystal Clear C1500
Intex's C1500 system filters 5,678 litres an hour through a pleated cartridge, and has an automatic timer, a flush valve to clear sediment from the filter chamber, and a two-year warranty, according to Clark Rubber's listing. It suits the larger Intex above-ground pools.
The cartridge has to be taken out and hosed off when it clogs, and replaced once it wears.
What We Like:
- Built-in timer
- Sediment flush valve
- 2-year warranty
What We Don't Like:
- Cartridge rinsing and replacement
What the energy label means for running costs
The label's stars and kWh let you compare pumps directly. On the register, Hy-Clor's 1HP single-speed pump is labelled at 1,285 kWh a year and its 1.5HP inverter at 471, a difference of about 814 kWh, or about $240 a year at 30c a kWh (our sum). That pays back the difference in price in about five years, though the two are rated for different pool sizes.
Measured savings are in the same range. In Sustainability Victoria's trial, replacing single-speed pumps with 8-star three-speed pumps in Melbourne homes saved about 1,040 kWh a year on average, about half, leaving out one house that ran its new pump mostly on high speed. The houses that saved most ran their pump on the lowest speed most of the time. The trial worked out that the extra cost of an efficient pump over a standard one paid for itself in a little over two years.
Discounts need a higher rating than any pump here. Victoria's Energy Upgrades program and the ACT's scheme both require at least 7 stars, and four of the 699 listings on the register reached 7 stars on 28 September 2026. NSW's Energy Savings Scheme also covers pool pumps, drawing its product list from the same register.
Sizing a pump
A pump should turn the whole pool over at least once a day. AstralPool's sizing guide works out the flow needed by dividing the pool's volume by the turnover time in minutes: a 56,000-litre pool turned over in four hours needs about 230 litres a minute. Sustainability Victoria's report names oversizing and over-long running as the main reasons single-speed pumps use more power than they need.
FAQs
How long should a pool pump run each day?
Long enough to turn the pool over once. NSW's BASIX guidance suggests no more than four to six hours a day in summer and two to three in winter. Pump makers often suggest longer: Zodiac says eight to ten hours in summer.
Is a variable-speed pump worth it?
For an in-ground pool that runs daily, the register's figures and Sustainability Victoria's trial both point to savings of half or more of the pump's power use. A variable-speed pump also runs more quietly on its low speeds.
Do above-ground pool pumps have an energy rating?
Not the two here. The label only covers pumps that move at least 120 litres a minute, and these move less than 100.
