After spending years in the shadow of their well-heeled inground relatives, aboveground pools are finally finding the spotlight — and some respect.

Many retailers point to the fact that today’s above ground pools are built with more durable materials and more interesting designs. These changes make abovegrounds capable of having many of the same bells and whistles that inground pool owners enjoy.

The changes go beyond the surface as well: Manufacturers also are offering better circulation and filtration options.  As example, The Above Ground Pool & Spa Company in San Antonio, Texas  offers a 425 sq. ft. cartridge filter on their deluxe pool package. This type of filter system only requires “once  a year” cleaning.