5 Best Pool Ozone Generators in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

Ozone generators can be a great way to produce cleaner, clearer water while reducing the amount of chlorine you need to use. However, choosing a generator suitable for your pool within your budget can be quite challenging. There are dozens of brands available and it’s not always easy to tell how well they are working, or even if they are working at all.

We have picked five of the most popular brands of pool ozone generators to review for you so you can see the pros and cons of each one and see what features interest you. We have also included a short buyer’s guide where we take a close look at how the ozone generator cleans your pool and what’s important to look for while you shop.

Join us while we discuss ozone generated per hour, pool size, ease of installation ad more to help you make an educated purchase.

A Quick Comparison of our Favorites in 2023

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		A2Z Ozone Swimming Pool Ozone Generator	Reduces chemical use Adjustable ozone concentration Air-cooled corona	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Del Ozone Ozone Generator	Small size Powerful ozone generation Fewer parts	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Prozone Products Ozone System Generator	Suitable for pools up to 40 000 gallons Durable aluminum case Includes hose and hose clamps	CHECK PRICE
		Prozone Water Products Ozone System Generator	Corona Hybrid tube arc Dual cavity aluminum case Includes hoses and clamps	CHECK PRICE
		DEL Ozone Eclipse Pool Ozone Generator	Airflow management Weatherproof 1000mg per hour	CHECK PRICE

The 5 Best Pool Ozone Generators

Here are the five pool ozone generators we are going to review for you.

1. A2Z Ozone SP – 3G Swimming Pool Ozone Generator – Best Overall

The A2Z Ozone SP – 3G Swimming Pool Ozone Generator is our pick for the best overall pool ozone generator. This generator allows you to adjust the concentration of ozone in your pool from 10 to 100 percent. It’s rated for three gallons per hour maximum ozone output, and an air-cooled corona helps keep the device running smoothly for many years. It also features an LED status indicator so you can tell what state the machine is in, even from a distance.

The only thing we didn’t like about the A2Z Ozone SP – 3G Swimming Pool Ozone Generator was that the directions for installing it are vague, which resulted in it taking longer than it should have to get running correctly. Overall, we think this is the best pool ozone generator available this year.

2. Del Ozone MCD-50U-13 MCD-50 Ozone Generator – Best Value

The Del Ozone MCD-50U-13 MCD-50 Ozone Generator is our pick for the best pool ozone generator for the money. This inexpensive brand is relatively small compared to several other brands on this list, but the powerful Del Ozonator delivers a massive supply of ozone on demand. It also features a unique internal design that uses fewer parts.

While using the Del Ozone MCD-50U-13 MCD-50 Ozone Generator, the thing we noticed is that despite the fewer parts, it wasn’t very durable, and we could only get a season or two out of the few we tried.

3. Prozone Products PZ7-2HO Ozone System Generator – Premium Choice

The Prozone Products PZ7-2HO Ozone System Generator is our premium choice generator, and it is rated to reduce the chlorine consumption of pools up to 40,000 gallons. It features a durable aluminum case that stands up to weathering extremely well while remaining lightweight. It comes with hoses, hose clamps, and other parts you need to begin sanitizing your pool water immediately. One of the features we especially liked was the glowing gaskets that light up while the unit is operating.

While we were reviewing the Prozone Products PZ7-2HO Ozone System Generator, we thought it did a fantastic job sanitizing the smaller pools. As we tried it in larger pools, we noticed a diminished sanitizing ability, but the machine provides no clear way to see if it’s working or how much ozone it’s creating.

4. Prozone Water Products PZ4 Ozone System Generator

The Prozone Water Products PZ4 Ozone System Generator is very similar to our premium choice ozone generator, but this one comes in a smaller package. It uses the same patented long-life Corona Hybrid tube arc to create the sanitizing ozone, and the machine housing is a durable aluminum dual cavity case. All necessary clamps and hoses come with it, and installation is relatively easy.

What we didn’t like about the Prozone Water Products PZ4 Ozone System Generator is that there is no way to tell if it’s working and it’s only suitable for smaller sized pools. Even when we tried it with smaller pools, we would only see a minimal difference in water clarity. Another thing we didn’t like was that there was no hardware to hang it on the wall included.

5. DEL Ozone EC-40 Pool Ozone Generator

The DEL Ozone EC-40 Pool Ozone Generator features a unique airflow management design that allows the machine to run a little cooler. It’s weatherproof, and you can leave it outdoors year-round. It can produce up to 1000 mg of ozone per hour.

The primary downside to the DEL Ozone EC-40 Pool Ozone Generator is the unique CD system. This system uses removable CD cells that work well until they fail. The problem is that they often fail, and replacing them is expensive. Over a few years, we had several cells go bad, so maintenance cost is high.

Buyer’s Guide – Purchasing the Best Ozone Pool System

Let’s look at some of the most important things to look for while shopping for a new pool ozone generator.

How It Works

Ozone is an unstable molecule that attempts to stabilize itself by attaching to organic material. When it attaches to organic material, it immediately destroys it through oxidation. Ozone will also destroy chloramines the same way. Chloramines are a by-product of chlorine that produce the telltale chlorine smell around swimming pools and can also lead to burning eyes and itchy skin.

Since ozone is not stable, it cannot stay in the water and quickly dissipates. You will still need to use a small amount of chlorine to sanitize the water when there is no ozone in the water.

Who Needs an Ozone Generator?

Ozone generators are perfect for people with sensitive skin and for people that struggle with keeping the water clear and algae free. Ozone helps people with sensitive skin by reducing the amount of chlorine you need to add to the water. Ozone also removes combined chlorine created by chlorine, which is responsible for the chlorine smell, red eyes, and itchy skin.

Ozone is a powerful oxidizer which is especially harsh against bacteria and plant life. If you struggle with algae year after year, you might find an ozone generator the perfect tool for the job. It’s especially useful for resistant algae varieties, like yellow mustard.

Most people that use a quality brand ozone generator say their pool was never cleaner.

Generating Ozone

Ozone is added to the water in the filter system and enters the pool through the return line. It oxidizes at it floats to the surface where it will escape into the atmosphere. There are two ways that ozone is added to the water, corona discharge and ultraviolet light.

Corona Discharge

Some pool ozone generators use an electric current to create the ozone, which is known as corona discharge or CD. CD systems are capable of creating much higher levels of ozone and adding them to the water, but these systems often cost much more than the ultraviolet light.

A corona discharge generators typically last longer than ultraviolet generators and are much more common than ultraviolet generators.

Ultraviolet Light

Ultraviolet generators are less expensive to purchase, but they use a lot more power in the creation of ozone, so they are more expensive over time. They also create a lot less ozone than the corona discharge type of generator, but most pools do not require the high level of ozone that a corona discharge system can create.

The ultraviolet bulb only lasts a few years and often need replacing.

Ozone Production

The amount of ozone you need depends on the size of your pool. We recommend purchasing a pump that can generate 2000mg of ozone per hour, per 5000 gallons of water. Most pumps will tell you how much water an ozone generator can sanitize, so look for this specification on the package.

A smaller than required ozone generator is still useful and will still reduce the amount of chlorine required to keep your water sanitized. Stronger filter pumps will help the ozone penetrate deeper into the pool.

Is It Working?

Some ozone generator use a long tube to push the ozone into the water, or they may inject the ozone into the water as it passes through the machine. In some cases, the injection method will produce tiny bubbles that act as a visual clue to tell you it’s working, but this is not always the case. Many devices add ozone to the water without any visual clues.

If there are no visual clues, there are still a few ways you can tell if it’s working.

• One of the first things you might notice when using ozone is that it has a very distinctive smell. Many people describe it a smelling clean. If your generator is working, you will probably notice this smell in the area of the return valve.
• Ozone reduces the need for chlorine, so if the generator is working, you will only need to add a fraction of the amount of chlorine you normally do, and you should notice your water is clearer. If your water becomes cloudy in two or three days after reducing the chlorine, the generator is not working.
• If you are using chlorine along with your ozone generator, then you should be able to use a pool water test strip to see if the generator is working. Test strips will check for combined chloramines, a by-product of chlorine. If there are too many chloramines, you need to shock. However, ozone destroys chloramines, so you should see a reduction on your test strip, and you should never need to shock.
• If you are using chlorine along with you ozone generator, then the chlorine will create chloramines. Chloramines are responsible for the chlorine smell often found around swimming pools. They also cause red eyes and itchy skin. Ozone destroys chloramines, so if the generator is working, you should neither smell chlorine nor experience red eyes or itchy skin.

Safety

Ozone is considered ground-level smog. It dissipates quickly but it is harmful to breathe in, and you need to use it with adequate ventilation. Ventilation shouldn’t be a problem for most swimming pools, but you do need to watch for areas where the ozone can build up, like a porch, garage, or overhang.

You might smell it in the air over your return valve, but if you notice a strong or lingering smell you need to investigate. Never breath it in because you like the smell because ozone can damage cells in your lungs.

Conclusion

There are many great ozone generators available, but it’s hard to do better than our pick for the best overall. The A2Z Ozone SP – 3G Swimming Pool Ozone Generator is a powerful machine that injects plenty of ozone into your water. You can adjust the concentration, it’s air-cooled, and has an easy-to-read control panel. The Del Ozone MCD-50U-13 MCD-50 Ozone Generator is our best value generator and is perfect for smaller pools, chemical reduction, and algae removal.

We hope that you have enjoyed reading over our reviews and found some features you would like. Hopefully, our buyer’s guide has helped you learn more about how these devices work and answered any questions you might have had. If you enjoyed reading, please share these best pool ozone generators on Facebook and Twitter.

Featured Image Credit: Pikist