Sure, reliable reviews are readily available -- just all the pool salesmen, they've got all the reviews you could ever want, all from independent satisfied customers. And, if the ones they have aren't enough, give a day or two, and they'll write some more!

Seriously, no. There are not.

Amazon reviews of products are of actual buyers, and so have some meaning. But people that are PO'd are much more likely to post than people who are satisfied. And, Amazon is just beginning to get into pool stuff, so there's not much, and it's not well organized.

Elsewhere, I'd bet most of those writing favorable reviews are getting paid (as employees OR outiside "Internet presence consultants") for doing so.

The best you will do is to decide on a basic design for your pool, and then ask people here or at TroubleFreePools (a competing step-daughter of this site) what's worked for them. Particularly here, where I've been so strict about letting people in, those who do respond are usually known to us, and have been here awhile.

But, nobody trustworthy is in a position to compare all the makes and models knowledgeably.

If you are doing an elaborate in-ground pool, you might want to check out http://www.howibuiltmyownpool.com/, which was done a few years ago by Ben Choi, who started out here as well.