Best Variable Speed Pool Pumps in Australia
Four inverter pumps, ranked on the speed they actually spend their life at.
The best variable speed pool pump for most Australian pools is the Madimack InverFLOW Plus F400i at $1,184.50. It has a 6 star energy rating, 300 L/min still on tap at 10 metres of head, and it sits at 35.4 dB(A) at 30 percent speed. That head margin is the whole reason it beats the cheaper model.
A variable speed pool pump is a pump with an inverter motor that you can slow down. Slower means far less power and far less noise. It also means less pressure, which is the part nobody puts on the box.
Short on time? See the Madimack F400i, the cheaper F300i, the bigger F500i, or browse every swimming pool pump we sell.
The best variable speed pool pumps at a glance
The Madimack F400i wins this table for most pools, and the other three each win a narrower job. Prices are current as of November 2026.
| Pick | Best for | Size | Flow at 10 m head | Noise at 30 percent speed | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madimack F400i | Best overall | 1.5 HP, 1.05 kW | 300 L/min | 35.4 dB(A) | $1,184.50 |
| Madimack F300i | Cheapest, simple pools | 1 HP, 0.75 kW | 233 L/min | 35.4 dB(A) | $1,028 |
| Madimack F500i | Big pools, high head | 2 HP, 1.5 kW | 467 L/min | 36 dB(A) | $1,334.95 |
| Fairland InverPro IP20 | Fairland owners | 1 HP | Not published | Not published | $1,290 |
Prices current as of November 2026, AUD including GST. Performance figures are from the product listings.
Why a slower pump needs more head in reserve
A variable speed pool pump loses pressure much faster than it loses flow, so it needs spare head at full speed to work well at low speed. Three rules of thumb, called the affinity laws, explain it:
| Speed | Flow | Head | Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 percent | 100 percent | 100 percent | 100 percent |
| 75 percent | 75 percent | About 56 percent | About 42 percent |
| 50 percent | 50 percent | 25 percent | About 13 percent |
Take the F400i. Its 18 metres of maximum head drops to about 4.5 metres at half speed. The F300i falls from 16 metres to about 4 metres. Those are calculated figures, not published test results, but the shape is real. If your filter and pipework need 5 metres to push water through at all, half speed moves nothing useful.
This is why the biggest saving goes to the pump with a bit of margin. A dirty filter adds head. So does a cleaner, a heater or roof solar. A small pump on a restrictive system gets pushed back up the speed range, and that is where the power bill lives.
Best variable speed pool pump overall: Madimack F400i
The Madimack F400i is the best variable speed pool pump overall because it has the head to run slow on a normal pool with a cleaner attached. Maximum flow is 425 L/min, it gives 367 L/min at 8 metres and 300 L/min at 10 metres, and it peaks at 1.05 kW and 4.6 A.
The features that matter are dull ones. Loss of prime and low flow protection shuts it down before it runs dry and kills the mechanical seal. Skimmer mode lifts the speed for a set period, then drops back. The app handles scheduling, so you are not crouched at a keypad. It comes with 40 mm and 50 mm barrel unions and retrofits most major brands with no pipework changes, though bases vary between production years, so send us a photo first.
Who it suits: most family pools, pools with a cleaner, anyone replacing a single speed pump.
Who it does not suit: commercial pools chasing the full warranty, which drops from 5 years replacement to 2 years in commercial use.
See the Madimack F400i, $1,184.50 →
Cheapest good variable speed pool pump: Madimack F300i
The Madimack F300i is the cheapest variable speed pool pump worth buying at $1,028, and it suits small to medium pools with short pipe runs. It carries the same 6 star rating, Wi-Fi control and 5 year domestic replacement warranty as the F400i, with 0.75 kW input and 3.5 A running current.
The trade is head. It gives 233 L/min at 10 metres against 300 L/min for the F400i, and tops out at 16 metres. On a simple circuit that is fine. On a pool with a heat pump in the line, the $156.50 saving tends to disappear into higher running speeds.
See the Madimack F300i, $1,028 →
Best variable speed pump for big pools: Madimack F500i
The Madimack F500i is the best variable speed pump for large pools because it still delivers 467 L/min at 10 metres of head. That is more than one and a half times the F400i at the same head, for $150.45 more. Maximum flow is 517 L/min and maximum head is 20.5 metres.
It draws 1.5 kW and 6.5 A flat out, and reaches 57.5 dB(A) at full speed. At 30 percent speed it sits at 36 dB(A), barely above its smaller siblings. Buy it for water features, roof solar, or a pump shed a long way from the pool. On an ordinary backyard pool it is more pump than the job needs.
See the Madimack F500i, $1,334.95 →
Best for Fairland owners: Fairland InverPro IP20
The Fairland InverPro IP20 is a 1 HP inverter pool pump at $1,290, and it makes sense when you want Fairland gear across the whole pad. It has a full inverter motor, digital control, and programmable speeds and timer.
Honest view: it costs $262 more than the Madimack F300i, and our listing publishes no flow, head or noise figures. Buying on numbers alone, the Madimack is easier to justify. Ask us for the brochure and the current warranty term before you commit.
See the Fairland InverPro IP20, $1,290 →
Is a variable speed pool pump worth the extra money?
Yes, a variable speed pool pump is worth it on nearly every grid connected pool, and it usually pays back the price gap in under two years. Here is a worked example using a real single speed pump we sell. The REEFE SPP1100 is a 1.1 kW, 1 star pump at $673, with a labelled consumption of 1,413 kWh a year registered with the GEMS Regulator.
| Pump | Price | kWh a year | Cost a year at 35c |
|---|---|---|---|
| REEFE SPP1100, single speed | $673 | 1,413 (labelled) | About $495 |
| Madimack F400i, variable speed | $1,184.50 | About 350 (our estimate) | About $125 |
That is a gap of about $370 a year on a $511.50 price difference, so roughly 17 months to break even. The 350 kWh is our rule of thumb of a quarter of the single speed use, not a labelled figure, and 35c is an assumed tariff. A pool that spends half its time at high speed will not get there.
Single speed still has a place. A shed pump you run rarely, or a tight budget this month. Otherwise the cheap pump is the expensive one by the second summer.
How to set a variable speed pool pump
Set a variable speed pool pump to the lowest speed that still turns the pool over and keeps the skimmer pulling, then run it longer. A 50,000L pool at 150 L/min takes about 5.5 hours for one full turnover. Start there, watch the water, and adjust.
- Filtration: low speed, long hours.
- Suction cleaner: a higher speed block, because the cleaner needs head.
- Heat pump running: enough flow to clear the heat pump's flow switch.
- After backwashing: a short high speed block to re-prime and clear air.
If a robot does the cleaning, the pump has less to do. A robotic pool cleaner runs off its own power, which lets the pool pump stay on the low setting. Our best pool pumps guide covers the solar and off grid options, and the pool heat pump sizing calculator helps if a heater is going in as well.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best variable speed pool pump in Australia?
The Madimack InverFLOW Plus F400i is our pick for most Australian pools. It is a 1.5 HP, 6 star variable speed pool pump with Wi-Fi control and a 5 year domestic replacement warranty, at $1,184.50 as of November 2026.
How much does a variable speed pool pump cost in Australia?
A variable speed pool pump costs about $1,000 to $1,350 in Australia. Our range runs from the Madimack F300i at $1,028 to the Madimack F500i at $1,334.95, as of November 2026, plus a licensed electrician if the wiring needs changing.
What is the difference between an inverter pool pump and a variable speed pool pump?
An inverter pool pump and a variable speed pool pump are the same thing, because the inverter is the electronics that changes the motor speed. A two speed pump is different, and only offers two fixed settings.
How long should a variable speed pool pump run each day?
A variable speed pool pump usually runs longer than a single speed pump, often 8 to 12 hours a day in summer at low speed. The right figure is the time needed for one full turnover of the pool at your chosen flow, and it drops in winter.
Can a variable speed pool pump run a heat pump?
Yes, as long as the pump delivers the flow the heat pump asks for at that speed. Set a higher speed block for the heating window, or link the two with a Guardian Heat Connect if you run a Guardian Eco Pulse or Lux-V heat pump.
Can I replace a single speed pool pump with a variable speed pump?
Yes, the Madimack InverFLOW Plus retrofits most major brands with no pipework changes. Bases vary between production years, so send us a photo of your existing pump and its label and we will check the footprint and union spacing before you order.
Still not sure which variable speed pump fits?
Send us a photo of your current pump, your pool size and what else runs on the line, and we will tell you which model fits. Contact us here, or call 1300 930 847.
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This guide is general information for Australian pool owners and is not a substitute for advice on your specific pool and site. Pool pumps are electrical appliances and must be connected by a licensed electrician. Running cost and head figures are worked examples using rules of thumb and an assumed tariff, and your results will vary.