Best Inflatable Slide: Little Tikes L.O.L. Surprise Inflatable River Race Water Slide with Blower

Little Tikes is an excellent brand that came up time and time again when we surveyed our readers for the best water slides. This particular water slide, which combines a climbing wall and splash pool, is tons of fun!

What We Liked

• Easy to assemble.

• Super fun!

• Good for multiple kids. It can hold about 4 kiddos at a time. The weight limit is 350 lbs.

• Dump bucket!

• Includes blower to inflate.

• Repair kit included.

• Storage bag.

• Safety net (to keep kids from falling backwards). 

What Needs Work

• Check immediately for missing parts or broken blower.

• Don’t store wet—mold can grow! That’s true for all inflatable water slides, of course.

• Seams can rip if kids are too rambunctious. Fortunately, this slide includes a repair kit—but you’ll want to make sure to supervise kids to keep them from beating up this water slide!

Best Slippery Slide: Wow World of Watersports Super Slide

For a slippery slide, we recommend WOW’s World of Water Sports Super Slide. This 25-foot long slide is made of slick PVC and includes air-filled bumpers to keep sliders on the slide. Also included are two inflatable boogie boards. You can even chain together multiple slides to add longer distance.

What We Liked

• Fun!

• Good quality. Yes, this slippery slide is more expensive than other super-cheap options—but we think the upgraded quality makes it worth the price.

• Includes sleds.

• No need to add soap to make it slick.

• Zig/zag water pattern keeps slide wet.

What Needs Work

• Takes long time to inflate with included hand pump. A better bet would be to use an electric pump—if you have one handy.

• Somewhat difficult to deflate.

Budget-Friendly Slide: Intex Surf ‘N Slide Inflatable Play Center

Yep, water slides can get rather pricey—this one (Intex’s Surf ‘N Slide) provides cool summer fun that is also easy on the wallet. Here’s more:

What We Liked

• Boogie boards included!

• Easy to set up!

• Super fun, especially for the young ones (age 6 and up).

• Climbing steps and handles help kiddos scale the slide.

What Needs Work

• Takes time to inflate. 

Best for Parties: BANZAI Pipeline Water Park Toy

What’s better than an inflatable slide that ends in a splash pool? An inflatable slide that sprays you with a curtain of water before you hit the splash pool!

We recommend BANZAI’s Pipeline Water Park Toy as a good solution for summer parties where you have to entertain kiddos and keep them cool at the same time. Thanks to an included continuous air blower, this water park toy is quick to set up.

What We Liked

• Super fun for parties. 

• Easy to set up!

• Includes continuous air blower to keep slide inflated.

• Can hold more than one kid at at a time (150 lb. limit combined user).

• Includes patch kits. 

What Needs Work

• Water can get into air-filled chambers. That requires you to make sure it is completely drained to avoid mold growth when stored!

• Seams can pop if kids get too rowdy. Adult supervision is probably best!

Why Trust Us

We’ve been rating and reviewing gear for kids, families and the home since 1994. For expensive items like inflatable water slides, we survey the readers of our parenting books (2.1 million copies in print) to find favorites. Then we combine those insights with additional research to compare and contrast models.

Here’s another key point: we don’t take money from the brands we review. No free samples, no sponsors, no “partnerships.” Our work is 100% reader-supported!