The Best Chlorine Tablets for a Clean and Clear Pool in 2024

Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Chlorine Tablets for a Clean and Clear Pool in 2024 and hope the blog can help you.

Regularly treat your pool with the best chlorine tablets to keep bacteria at bay and prevent algae blooms.

Chlorine is commonly added to swimming pools and hot tubs to kill algae spores, bacteria, and small insects. Despite its lethality to microorganisms and insects, much like pool shock, the water remains safe for humans as long as the level of chlorine remains between 1 and 3 parts per million (ppm) and the pH balance of the pool water consistently stays between 7.2 and 7.8. 

While liquid chlorine is an option, pool chlorine tablets offer a convenient alternative because they’re premeasured and dissolve over time without significantly increasing chlorine levels in any one section of the pool. These tablets contain high amounts of chlorine, helping to control and kill bacteria, algae, insects, and other microorganisms. Liquid chlorine can’t make the same claim; moreover, swimmers must exit the pool for at least 30 minutes after a liquid chlorine treatment. Our favorite is the Clorox Pool&Spa Active99 3-Inch Chlorinating Tablets thanks to their effectiveness and ease of use.

Learn about the important factors to consider when choosing the best chlorine tablets for your pool and review some of the top-rated selected and/or tested products on the market. This guide includes tips to make an informed decision about which option should work best for maintaining the level of chlorine in swimming pools and hot tubs.

1. BEST OVERALL: Clorox Pool&Spa Active99 3-Inch Chlorinating Tablets
   ↓ Jump to Review
2. RUNNER-UP: Rx Clear 1-Inch Stabilized Chlorine Tablets
   ↓ Jump to Review
3. BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: In The Swim 3-Inch Stabilized Chlorine Tablets
   ↓ Jump to Review
4. BEST WITH ALGICIDE: Clorox Pool&Spa XtraBlue Chlorinating Tablets 
   ↓ Jump to Review
5. BEST TABLET DISPENSER: AquaAce Pool Chlorine Floating Dispenser
   ↓ Jump to Review
6. BEST FOR SALTWATER POOLS: HTH 42040 Super 3-Inch Chlorinating Tablets
   ↓ Jump to Review
7. BEST LONG-LASTING: HTH 42055 Pool Care 3-Inch Chlorine Tablet
   ↓ Jump to Review

How We Chose the Best Chlorine Tablets

We looked at the top brands on the market to curate our list of recommendations for the best chlorine tablets. When gathering our top picks, we made sure to include several options for both 1-inch and 3-inch tablets to suit a variety of swimming pool setups. Our research and hands-on testing showed us that trichlor is the most common type of pool chlorine tablets, so our list includes several of these options from various brands. 

Lastly, we looked at several quantity options to suit shoppers looking to buy in bulk as well as smaller options suitable for small swimming pools or hot tubs while keeping to a tighter budget.

Our Top Picks

A pool vacuum and filtration system can’t do all the work to keep pool water clean and clear. The top choices in this list represent some of the best chlorine tablets on the market that balance the chemical composition of pool water, which we selected or tested based on the abovementioned considerations in addition to overall quality.

Best Overall

Clorox Pool&Spa Active99 3-Inch Chlorinating Tablets

See It

Product Specs

• Type: Trichlor
• Quantity: 35 pounds
• Tablet size: 3 inches

What We Like

• The 35-pound package lasts a long time; could cover a whole season 
• Easy to use; simply drop the required number of tablets in a feeder or floater 
• Reputable brand for cleaning and sanitization
• Provides sunlight protection to prevent algae and scale growth 

What We Don’t Like

• Can leave behind a strong chlorine odor in the water or on the skin 

This 35-pound bucket of individually wrapped Clorox chlorine tablets is a good option for pools that are used regularly throughout the swimming season. Each 3-inch tablet can treat up to 5,000 gallons of water, on average, though weekly pool chemistry testing is still recommended to maintain appropriate chlorine levels. These tablets dissolve slowly via a skimmer or a floating dispenser.

These trichlor pool chlorine tablets include a stabilizer that helps reduce chlorine breakdown caused by UV radiation, keeping the pool water balanced and safe over a long period in contrast to unstabilized chlorine products. These can degrade under the sun’s glare, releasing harmful chloramines into the water, which can cause eye redness and skin irritation.

Get the Clorox Active99 chlorine tablets at Amazon or Lowe’s.

Runner-up

Rx Clear 1-Inch Stabilized Chlorine Tablets

See It

Product Specs

• Type: Trichlor
• Quantity: 8; 15; 25; 35; 50; 100; and 1,200 pounds
• Tablet size: 1 inch

What We Like

• Available in multiple quantities depending on the size of the pool
• Prevents burn-off from harmful UV rays while killing bacteria, algae, and disinfectant 
• Suitable for use with any automatic dispensers currently in place

What We Don’t Like

• Some users have reported that the tablets arrived broken
• Requires 7 tablets per 2,500 gallons of water; users with large pools can go through a lot of tablets quickly 

Use this bucket of 1-inch trichlor chlorine tablets from Rx Clear to treat bacteria and algae blooms in pool water. The stabilized formula resists degradation under direct sunlight, reducing the production of chloramines in the water. These chlorine tablets are slow to dissolve, making them a good option for distribution through the pool skimmer or an automatic tablet dispenser.

The manufacturer doesn’t indicate if the tablets are individually wrapped. When they’re stored together with no wrapping, it can cause them to chip, crack, or break during transit, leaving powder, granules, and small pieces of tablet at the bottom of the bucket. However, users can still measure and use the broken chlorine tablets at a ratio of 1 pound per 10,000 gallons of pool water.

Get the Rx Clear chlorine tablets at Amazon.

Best Bang For The Buck

In The Swim 3-Inch Stabilized Chlorine Tablets

See It

Product Specs

• Type: Trichlor
• Quantity: 50 pounds
• Tablet size: 3 inches

What We Like

• 1 tablet can clear over 5,000 gallons of pool water; suitable for those with large pools
• Individually wrapped tablets ensure precise quantity is added to a feeder or floater
• Durable container provides safe storage; prevents the tablets from breaking before use 
• The affordable bulk quantity provides enough tablets for a whole season of pool use 

What We Don’t Like

• High up-front cost may not be ideal for some users on a budget 
• Not to be used with a skimmer; floater or feeder only 

Properly maintaining pool water doesn’t have to deplete your bank account. Keep the water clean and clear with this 50-pound bucket from In The Swim that contains approximately 80 3-inch tablets. These pool chlorine tablets are individually wrapped in easy-to-open plastic packaging, which helps prevent dust, chips, and small broken pieces from falling to the bottom of the bucket.

The trichlor chlorine tablets are made with a stabilizer, so the chlorine in the pool is resistant to UV radiation, reducing the production of harmful chloramines. Each tablet treats about 5,000 gallons of pool water and can be used in floating chlorine dispensers and automatic chlorine dispensers, but not in skimmer baskets. 

Get the In the Swim chlorine tablets at Amazon or Leslie’s Pools.

Best With Algicide

Clorox Pool&Spa XtraBlue Chlorinating Tablets

See It

Product Specs 

• Type: Trichlor 
• Quantity: 5, 12, 16.5, 25, and 35 pounds 
• Tablet size: 3 inches 

What We Like

• Formula is made to prevent scale, corrosion, and stains while killing green, mustard, and black pool algae 
• Made with an integrated chlorine stabilizer for long-lasting sun protection 
• Comes in multiple quantities to accommodate different size pools

What We Don’t Like

• Some of the tablets may chip or break before use 
• Slightly pricey compared to other options on the market 

Algae is one of the biggest causes of unsightly green pool water. To avoid any unwanted bacteria and algae growth, we recommend the Clorox Pool&Spa XtraBlue chlorinating tablets. These 3-inch tablets are made with a trichlor formula that prevents corrosion, scale, and stains while killing green, mustard, and black poolalgae growth. Plus, it offers long-lasting sun protection with an integrated chlorine stabilizer. 

Simply put these pool chlorine tablets in a feeder, floater, or skimmer once a week for best results. It’s available in multiple other quantities including 5, 12, 16.5, and 25 pounds. 

What our tester says: Stephanie Cronk, executive editor of Product Reviews for BobVila.com, notes that “we love using the Clorox chlorine tablets in our pool, when available locally. They tend to sell out pretty quickly. We notice that the Clorox tablets make our water softer and prevent our skin and hair from drying out. These tablets also keep the pool clean and clear without a strong odor.”

Get the Clorox XtraBlue chlorine tablets at Amazon or Lowe’s.

Best Tablet Dispenser

AquaAce Pool Chlorine Floating Dispenser

See It

Product Specs

• Type: Tablet dispenser
• Quantity: Holds up to 5 tablets
• Tablet size: Holds tablets up to 3 inches

What We Like

• Easy to set up and maintain; simply add the tablets to the floater and place in the pool 
• Adjustable flow control keeps the amount of chlorine in check 
• Durable plastic design can withstand years of use 
• Holds over 5 chlorine tablets; suitable for small to large pool varieties 

What We Don’t Like

• Tablets are not included with purchase; need to be purchased separately

When selecting a chlorine dispenser for the pool, consider the convenience of a floating dispenser. This AquaAce pool chlorine floater dispenser is easy to load with chlorine and can be used in any pool. Made of durable plastic, it features 15 flow vents that are fully submerged, allowing water to dissolve the tablets into liquid chlorine slowly over several hours.

This chlorine tablet dispenser is wide enough to hold 3-inch tablets and has enough space to load up to five chlorine tablets at a time. Users can adjust the flow of water through the dispenser by twisting the base to open or close the flow vents for manual control of the chlorine release. This prevents its chlorine concentration in the water from growing too high.

Get the AquaAce chlorine tablet dispenser at Amazon. 

Best For Saltwater Pools

HTH 42040 Super 3-Inch Chlorinating Tablets

See It

Product Specs

• Type: Trichlor
• Quantity: 25 pounds
• Tablet size: 3 inches

What We Like

• Easy to use; simply drop the required amount of tablets in a feeder, floater, or skimmer 
• 1 tablet prevents insects, algae growth and spores, and bacteria in up to 10,000 gallons of water
• Suitable for use in both chlorinated water and saltwater pools 

What We Don’t Like

• Slightly more expensive than some comparable options on the market

It’s important to find a product that’s suitable for your specific pool; otherwise, the chlorine content may be too harsh for soft vinyl liners and saltwater filtration systems. However, the 3-inch chlorine tablets in this 25-pound bucket from HTH are created with a trichlor chlorine formula that can be used safely in saltwater systems, according to the manufacturer.

Each tablet effectively treats about 10,000 gallons of water. Once the tablet has dissolved in the pool water, it releases the chlorine to kill bacteria, insects, and algae spores for up to 1 week.

Get the HTH 42040 chlorine tablets at Amazon. 

Best Long-lasting

HTH 42055 Pool Care 3-Inch Chlorine Tablet

See It

Product Specs 

• Type: Trichlor 
• Quantity: 25 pounds 
• Tablet size: 3 inches 

What We Like

• The slow-dissolving formula is made to deliver clean water for over a week; comes with integrated sun protection 
• 3 tablets are capable of cleaning pools of over 10,000 gallons (chlorinated water or saltwater)
• Made with a sanitizer and algicide for crystal-clear pool water 

What We Don’t Like

• Some users have reported that the tablets are not as durable as comparable options 

Those who prefer the set-and-forget method can trust the HTH 42055 Pool Care 3-inch chlorine tablets. These chlorine tabs are made to sanitize and clarify the pool water with the help of an integrated algicide. They are also slow-dissolving and offer sun protection that lasts for over a week in pools of up to 10,000 gallons. Simply drop a few chlorine tabs into a floater, feeder, or skimmer basket, even in pools with salt water or vinyl lining. 

Get the HTH 42055 chlorine tablets at Amazon, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, or