Pool Pump Permanent Magnet Motor: Pros and Cons
Short answer: A permanent magnet motor in a pool pump is a motor whose rotor uses permanent magnets instead of induced magnetic fields. The term appears in listings as a motor feature, often on variable speed pumps. It does not state horsepower, flow, or pool type, so those figures still decide whether the pump fits your pool. Compare the stated horsepower, voltage and flow figures before choosing.
What a permanent magnet motor is
A pool pump listing that says 'permanent magnet motor' is naming the construction of the motor inside the pump. An electric motor turns a rotor using magnetic fields. In an induction motor, the rotor's magnetic field is created by electrical current induced in the rotor from the stator. In a permanent magnet motor, the rotor carries permanent magnets, so the rotor's field is always present without needing induced current. This is a technical description of the motor part, not a measurement of the pump's performance.
The same motor can appear under slightly different words. A listing may say 'permanent magnet,' 'PM motor,' or 'brushless permanent magnet motor.' Each of these words describes how the rotor is built. None of them states horsepower, flow rate, or pool type. The buyer still has to read the rest of the listing for those figures.
The permanent magnet motor is one of several motor and drive terms a buyer can meet on a pump listing. Other words describe the speed type, such as single speed, dual speed, or variable speed, and the power, such as the horsepower figure. The motor construction is one layer of the listing's description, and the buyer reads it next to the other layers.
How the term appears in a listing
The permanent magnet wording usually appears in the title or the bullet list of a pump that also names a speed type. Many variable speed pool pump listings mention the motor type as a feature word. The motor type sits alongside the stated horsepower, voltage, flow and pool type.
When a listing states 'permanent magnet motor,' it names the rotor construction. It does not replace the horsepower or flow figures. A listing can carry the motor word and still leave the buyer to compare the pump's stated output and the pool type. The pool type is a separate statement, as it is on inground pool pumps and above ground pump listings.
Permanent magnet motors and variable speed
On this site, the permanent magnet motor is most often named alongside the variable speed word. A variable speed pump uses an electronic drive to adjust the motor's speed, and a permanent magnet rotor can be paired with such a drive. The two words describe different things: the speed type describes the drive, and the motor type describes the rotor. The difference is explained in more detail on the learn page for multispeed versus variable speed.
The motor type does not state the speed range. The listing has to say that separately, usually as the speed options or a speed band. The motor type also does not state whether the pump is for inground or above ground use. Those pool type words belong to their own part of the listing.
Induction motors versus permanent magnet motors
The induction motor has been the common motor in pool pumps for decades. Its rotor gets its magnetic field from induced current, which means the motor draws current to create the rotor field. A permanent magnet rotor uses magnets instead, so no induced rotor current is needed to hold the field. That is the core difference between the two constructions. Other motor words, such as the electronically commutated motor, are covered on the learn page for the EC motor.
Both motor types can appear in pool pump listings. A listing may state 'induction,' or it may not state the motor type at all. When the listing states 'permanent magnet,' it is telling the buyer the rotor construction. Neither motor type, by itself, states the pump's horsepower or flow. A buyer comparing a permanent magnet pump with a dual speed pool pump still reads the horsepower and flow figures on both listings.
What the term does and does not tell you
As a shopping word, 'permanent magnet motor' tells the buyer how the pump's motor is built. It does not tell the buyer how much water the pump moves, what voltage it uses, or whether it fits an above ground pool or an inground pool. Those details belong to other parts of the listing.
The motor type also does not state the pump's horsepower. The horsepower may appear as HP or THP in the same listing. A buyer comparing two pumps should read the horsepower, voltage and flow figures on each listing, and the pool type, before deciding which pump fits.
A short summary of the term's shopping value:
- What the term tells you: the rotor is built with permanent magnets, a construction detail that can appear alongside the speed type word.
- What the term does not tell you: horsepower, flow, voltage or the pool type, none of which are stated by the motor word.
- What to compare instead: the stated horsepower, the speed type, the voltage and the pool type on the same listing.
What to check before you pick one
When a pump listing names a permanent magnet motor, read it the same way you would read any pump listing. The motor word is a construction detail. The figures that decide the fit are the stated horsepower, the speed type, the voltage and the pool type. If those are present, the motor word adds a description of the pump's drive. A buyer looking for a specific brand can start from the Hayward pool pump guide and compare listings that carry the same words.
If the listing names the motor but leaves out the pool type or the horsepower, treat those as questions to ask. The maker's sizing page and an installer can answer them. The motor construction alone does not tell you whether the pump fits your pool.
What to pick for your situation
| If you | Pick | Buying guide |
|---|---|---|
| Your pump listing states a permanent magnet motor and a variable speed drive | A variable speed pump whose stated horsepower fits your pool | Best Variable Speed Pool Pumps (2026): 15 Picks |
| You need an inground pump and the listing names the motor type | An inground pump with stated horsepower and voltage figures | Best Inground Pool Pumps (2026): 15 Picks |
| You need an above ground pump and the listing names the motor type | An above ground pump with the speed type you want | Best Above Ground Pool Pumps (2026): 15 Picks |
| You want a dual speed pump and the listing mentions the motor | A dual speed pump whose speed options are stated | Best Dual Speed Pool Pumps (2026): 8 Picks |
| The listing names the motor but not the horsepower | A pump with a stated horsepower, so the fit is clear | Best 2 HP Pool Pumps (2026): 10 Picks |
Questions
What does permanent magnet motor mean in a pool pump listing?
It means the rotor uses permanent magnets instead of induced current to hold its magnetic field. It is a motor construction detail, not a performance figure.
Is a permanent magnet motor the same as a variable speed motor?
No. Variable speed describes how the drive adjusts the pump's speed. Permanent magnet describes the rotor construction. The listing has to state the speed type separately.
Does the permanent magnet word replace the horsepower figure?
No. Horsepower, THP, voltage and flow appear as separate figures in the listing. The motor type does not state any of them.
Can a permanent magnet motor appear on an above ground pump?
The pool type is a separate statement in a listing. A motor type word does not tell the buyer whether the pump is for inground or above ground use.
What should you check when a listing says permanent magnet motor?
Read the rest of the listing for the stated horsepower, voltage, flow and pool type. If any of those are missing, ask the maker for the pump's sizing page.
Recent updates
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