Best Robotic Pool Cleaners 2018 – Top Picks & Buying Guide

Are you looking to buy the Best Robotic Pool Cleaners on the Market for your swimming pool this summer? This guide will help you to choose an option that will perfectly fit your bill.

We know it’s not an easy decision considering the overabundant varieties and possibilities available on the market. So we’ve hand-picked the best robotic pool cleaners to make the entire cleaning process easier for you. Whatever your requirements may be, you’ll be sure to find a cleaner that suits your needs.

Below, you’ll find award winners, bestsellers, budget options, inground and above ground options. You’ll find cleaners suitable for small as well as large pools. Also, these robotic pool cleaners are highly rated by our readers. In other words, many other users like you are using them and high recommend.

How to choose the best Robotic Pool Cleaner?

The overabundance of available pool cleaners makes it a daunting task. Often, you’ll hear people asking a simple question: which pool cleaner is the best and, which one is the right one for me?

Well, the answer is: it depends.

Not the answer you’re looking for? It’s because not every pool cleaner is the right one for you since different pools have different standards and needs.

There are many different pool cleaner types. Each has its own pros and cons. Every robotic cleaner offers different features which may or may not be of importance or of necessity to you. Once you’ve understood that, it’ll help asking yourself a few basic questions that will help you opt for which pool cleaner is the best one for you.

Also, you have to consider that an in-ground or an above ground pool affects the choices you have when it comes to deciding on the best robotic pool cleaner. This is because there are some models which are specifically designed for either one application or another.

Here Are The Best-Selling Robotic Pool Cleaners in 2018

Dolphin Nautilus Plus – Editor’s Choice 2018

 

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The latest generation of Dolphin cleaners are all award-winning designs with over 25 years of technological and innovative leadership. Not only is this the best rated among the competition, but it’s also the best seller right now on the market. Weighing in at only 22lbs, it comes with a 2-year warranty and has a conveniently placed extra-large top access filter cartridge system that makes it super easy to spring clean the cartridges.

The Dolphin Nautilus features CleverClean Technology along with a patented swivel system that allows tangle-free operations. It also permits it to scrub, filter and vacuum the entire floor, walls, as well as waterlines of inground pools up to 50 feet in length all in just under 2.5 hours! Not only it offers an exceptional experience, but also its Easy-Fix modular components are easy to replace, should a repair be needed, and cost significantly lesser than its competitors.

The Dolphin pool cleaner also includes built-in software that automatically scans the dimensions of your entire pool and then cleans it regardless of its shape, size or surface. With its patented swivel design, it makes sure that the cable stays free, allowing it to cover the entire pool without damaging the cable.

It’s equipped with an advanced PowerClean Brush which spins at high RPM’s to help remove even the most difficult of Algae, dirt, bacteria, and biofilm. Armed with a HyperGrip Tracking System, its rubber tracks grip the surface and walls of the pool in a way that’s not available to other competitor models. This ensures that the Nautilus painstakingly cleans, and scrubs every single available area of the swimming pool including the waterline, walls, surface, skin, and coves.

The Dolphin Nautilus has a built-in weekly timer for automatic operations and an extra-large filter capacity for minimizing the time and effort needed to clean the filter. It also features a Rapid Water Release system that allows filtered water to exit the unit in just under 6 seconds. It’s completely independent of your pool’s main pump and filter, allowing you to clean your entire pool using only a fraction of the energy than other types of cleaning systems.

With all these available options and features coming in at well under $1000, it’s easy to see why this cleaner is the best value for the money and why it has been so successful with many of its users so far.

Read more: Dolphin Nautilus Plus Review

Pool Rover S2 40, Us, Jet, 115vac/48vdc, Blue

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The Dolphin Nautilus CC by Aquabot is a robotic pool cleaner that works for all shapes and sizes of above-ground pools. The pool can clean floor, cove, and partial walls.

We really liked the 40-feet, kink-free swivel free cord. Its unique design allows it to maneuver the most complex shapes of pools.

Here is a little secret.  While Aquabot has many different models, some costing upwards of $600, this $300 unit can clean as good as any of its more expensive cousins.

Don’t waste money unless you have an in-ground pool or want your walls to be cleaned.

There are some caveats with this cleaner. Bag filters are very fine and can be a hassle to clean. Also, the power box isn’t waterproof – though not a big deal. Some other models can clean and scrub the walls as well as stairs – the Dolphin Nautilus does not. However, it’s usually the floor where most of the dirt resides.

Despite amazing built and great features, it’s competitively priced. Moreover, it comes with a two-year warranty. All in all, you can rest assured of quick and extensive cleaning for a long time to come – at a convenient price.

Dolphin Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Cleaner with Top Load Filter Basket

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Based on cutting-edge technology, packed with amazing features, and boasting a large capacity top load filtration, the Dolphin Nautilus is a great option for big pools, i.e., up to 35 feet.

The Clever Clean technology allows the Dolphin Nautilus CC to determine the most efficient path according to the shape and design of your pool. The unique brush ensures proper cleaning and scrubbing of the floor and walls of your pool.

Two features make sure you get your pool cleaned at the lowest possible cost.

Firstly, the pool cleaner has an energy efficient power supply, that brings the average cost of operation at $0.05 per KWH. Secondly, it has a weekly timer that lets you choose exact days and time for the cleaner to run.

A narrow size pool should be clean in around 2 hours, costing you a few pennies.

The cleaner doesn’t need manual input after you start it. Once complete, pull the cleaner out by the cord, take out the filter, and get rid of all dirt cleared from your pool.

Just like most other robotic cleaners, it might miss a spot or two, but they are never huge. It can work even in the most complicated pools – however, struggles if the pool has too many curves at the bottom.

You can choose to clean only the floor or the entire pool including the walls. All in all, this is an affordable, elegant, and efficient robotic cleaner for big pools.

Dolphin Electric Pool Cleaner – Carry Caddy

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If you have a heavy robotic pool cleaner, you might want to consider investing in a caddy. The Carry Caddy by dolphin can be a great choice if you own any of the Dolphin hybrid models, Advantage or Orion.

Although it does have space for some of the bigger models, make sure you call the manufacturer in advance and confirm it’s compatible with your cleaner.

The cart can hold the cleaner as well as the large power supply. For some bigger models, however, wrapping the 40-feet cord could be a bit of hassle.

The unit is all plastic and seems to be a little overpriced. All in all, this is a great accessory for your Dolphin cleaners. It makes moving your cleaner around easy and keeps things tidy.

Dolphin Premier Inground Pool Cleaner with Oversized Bag

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Dolphin Premier pool cleaner is one of the high-end cleaners that literally go the extra mile.

It features the Smart Nav scan technology to determine the shape of the pool and calculate the optimal path for faster and efficient cleaning. While most other robotic cleaners might miss a spot or two, this little bad boy almost always cleans up to 99% of your pool.

Another innovative technology Dolphin has introduced is the HyperGrip which minimizes slippage when the cleaner is climbing up the walls. Oh yes, it does clean the floor as well as stairs and scrubs the wall also.

And it does everything while costing you about 5 cents per hour!

The Dolphin Premier cleaner is ideal if your in-ground pool gets a lot of leaves, debris, algae, and pollen. If your pool doesn’t get too dirty and you don’t care about cleaning the walls and stairs, it might be a little expensive for you.

Despite being an amazing cleaner, it has a couple of downfalls. Firstly, the leaf bag can be a little hassle to plug in and remove. Also, the filter sensor seems a little wonky when you switch the filter medium.

Even with the higher price tag, this cleaner is a tank. Use the right medium, and your pool – no matter how complicated in design – will have crystal clear water in no time, at a very reasonable hourly cost.

Dolphin Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner with Dual Scrubbing Brushes Ideal for Pools Up To 35 Feet

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Featuring dual scrubbing brushes, this sturdy little cleaner by Dolphin can clean the floor, cove as well as walls of your pool in no time.

For enhanced efficiency and faster cleaning, the cleaner doesn’t swirl around in random patterns. It analyzes the shape and size of your pool and cleans it in a systematic manner. However, remember it’s ideal only if your pool is 35 feet or smaller.

Because of is well thought out design and fine filters, it will surprise you with the amount of dirt, bugs, and debris your pool had.

The Dolphin Nautilus doesn’t clean steps, can miss a tiny spot and has trouble with angles, i.e., where the pool wall meets the pool lope. Also, if your yard has trees (such as oak or maple) with large leaves, they might get stuck at the bottom.

The cleaner is fast, user-friendly, and even the filters are easy to remove and clean. And still, it’s affordable than most of its competitors.

Hayward RC9990CUB TigerShark Robotic Pool Vacuum (Automatic Pool Cleaner)

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Hayward is a topnotch brand for making pool heaters. The Tiger Shark is their flagship robotic cleaner which can be a great choice depending on your pool size and budget.

While the vendor claims that it can clean a 20 x 40 pool in just 90 minutes because of the Quick Clean technology, this seems a little off. However, for most pools, the cleaner will get rid of all the debris, leaves, and dirt within two hours without any manual intervention.

That’s still pretty impressive.

The cleaner comes as a complete system, runs separately from the pool’s filtration system and doesn’t require any additional hookups, pumps, or hoses. The design is pretty elegant and removing the cartridge filter system is very easy.

The Tiger Shark is very heavy, especially when pulling out of the pool. The price tag is also on the higher side. However, it’s very convenient, well built, and gets the job done fast. Oh, and it can get rid of bigger leaves and mulch that many others will simply turn a blind eye to.

Aquabot APRVJR Pool Rover Junior Robotic Above-Ground Pool Cleaner

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The Aquabot APRVJR Pool Rover is powered by jet-drive propulsion and works with a touch of a single button. The cleaner comes with a 40-feet long cord and ensures fast cleaning.

It’s ideal for above ground pools, regardless if you have a rectangular, oval, or round pool. It can clean virtually any pool in under 60 minutes.

The ingenious technology saves you in terms of energy, water, and chemicals.  To further ensure no energy is wasted, it comes with a 2-hour auto shut off mechanism in case you forget to stop it.

Thanks to the built-in 2-micron fine reusable filter bag, the Aquabot APRVJR Pool Rover can clean everything from large leaves to the tiniest of algae. On top of that, the smart guidance system ensures that the pool is cleaned in shortest possible time.

One little trick, when you pull it out of the pool after it’s done, do it quickly. There is a chance of the unit flipping upside down which can sometimes spill everything from the filter back into the pool.

Some of its parts such as the piston or directional valve flap might need to be replaced over time. However, it’s a sturdy unit overall that ensures a clean pool for many seasons.

Polaris F9550 Sports Robotic

 

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When eyeing to buy the Polaris F9550 Sports Robotic Inground Pool Cleaner, it has been sworn by many that they’re buying a heavy-duty 4-wheel drive for their pool instead. Not only does it look aesthetically pleasing, but its aquadynamics and 4-wheel drive also allow for it to overcome and climb over any obstacle. It’s specially made for inground pools making certain that it won’t get stuck anywhere while cleaning your pool.

The Polaris 9550 Sport can take on any pool terrain of up to 60 feet in length. It offers a complete 4WD coverage of the entire pool floor along with walls and waterline by utilizing a solid-blade scrubbing brush. It also includes a neat little handy remote control which you can use to point and direct the 9550 to help you clean those hard to reach spots.

Featuring an easy lift system which, with one touch, can call the cleaner to drive itself up to the surface and automatically clear the water inside itself to make it easier to remove the unit from the pool. It comes with a timer that can be programmed for as long as seven days, along with customizable cleaning cycles and a tile only mode to focus on just cleaning the waterline.

It comes equipped with an easy clean filter canister which you can simply shake and spray to easily empty the accumulated debris. Lastly, along with a low torque watertight Tangle-Reducing Swivel, it keeps the cable from tangling while operating.

2018 Dolphin Premier Robotic

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Premier Robotic Pool Cleaners have now become a household name for those who are well-versed with swimming pool robotic cleaners. Not only does the new Dolphin Premier offer a 3-year warranty with a no-nonsense rapid repair policy, it even has a warranty policy that is nearly 50% longer than any other competitor in its niche industry save for a few.

It comes equipped with dual scrubbing brushes to help you scrub clean the surface of the pool along with vacuuming the pool to make the cleaning process a lot less laborious.

With an upgraded microprocessor controlled Smart-Nav software that reduces electricity cost by nearly 87%, it’s the best Dolphin Pool cleaner ever made. When you decide to unleash this little cleaner into your pool, it doesn’t just wander around aimlessly like most pool cleaners.

The built-in Smart-Nav software helps cleans the tiles and walls all the while scanning continuously the surface of the pool for any scattered debris left in the pool all the while coming up with new and optimal patterns for faster cleaning.

With the added ability to successfully detect drains and ladders, the Dolphin pool cleaners will never get stuck again like all those other ordinary cleaners.

With its groundbreaking design and a 360 degree underwater tangle free rotation swivel system that is said to be game-changing, you don’t need to be an engineer to understand the benefits of the tangle-free operation. It’ll save you time, energy and will allow you to go stress-free from tangled cables. The new dolphin premier offers up to four different types of media within one unit. This means that you can now choose the right medium for the job.

Do you want to clean fine debris and algae that normally passes through all the other pool cleaners? Go micro-filter. Do you need to pick up a heap of leaves? Go with an oversized debris collection bag.  Dual filter cartridges are provided along with the oversized bag to make the unit handy enough to be used for large pools.

A 24 volt DC motor operates with a nearly 90% less energy requirement than those of AC booster pumps. This means that it only requires 180 watts to run – the cost to operate the Dolphin Premier is just 5 cents per hour. Coming in just a little over a $1000, this unit here is the best value for the money in the long run. Depending on the size of your pool, you can decide when you need to run it – daily, twice a week or even thrice a week.

Not only is this a top rated product from Dolphin, this model is the go-to pool cleaner for inground pools if you’re looking for value, efficiency, faster pool cleaning and are in want of a minimal maintenance robotic pool cleaner which makes you forget that it’s even there.

Read Full Review here

Dolphin Quantum

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The 2017 Dolphin Quantum takes its place at the top rank of robotic pool cleaners here in 2018. With its groundbreaking PowerJet 3D Mobility and a new level of efficiency, the Dolphin can do more, deliver more and consumes less power than ever before. The top accessible filter tray makes it easy to clean and has a larger capacity than other prior units.

It has a massive 400 square inch top-loading cartridge filter – the largest ever in a swimming pool robotic cleaner. It’s equipped with SmartNav 2.0 Efficient Robotic Navigation to help your cleaner navigate without having to wander around aimlessly.

It comes equipped with Hyperbrush Dual Scrubbing Brushes along with PowerJet 3D Vectored Thrust for deeper cleaning and Hypergrip Continuous Rubber Tracks for improved mobility and superior wall climbing.

 

Hayward Tigershark Plus

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Coming in at just over a $1000, this bad boy weighs around 40 pounds. It includes a wireless handheld remote that can be used to guide the pool cleaner into hard-to-reach areas and features a powerful onboard vacuum pump for intense vacuum power to suck up that filthy dirt and debris.

The unique cartridge filter system makes it easy to clean up the Tigershark Plus by simply removing the unit’s cartridge and washing it down with a garden hose. You don’t need to have extra hoses, hookups or pumps to operate the pool cleaner, it runs separately from the pool’s main pump and filtration system and reduces the frequency of the filter backwash cycles.

The solid construction of the product makes it reliable although it doesn’t feature a swivel cord feature making it prone to have tangled cables if it gets caught in the roller. Its patented Quick Clean technology (TigerShark QC model) provide it with a fast 90-minute cleaning cycle.

While the Tigershark Plus has a large enough capacity for day to day and week to week clean-ups, it doesn’t do so well when it comes to spring cleaning the swimming pool – you’ll find yourself having to clean the cartridge way too many times since it is likely to fill up quite quickly, which might be a deal-breaker for some people if they’re looking for a once in a while maintenance pool cleaner.

Kreepy Krauly Prowler

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The name ”Kreepy Krauly” is derived from the pool vacuum cleaner webbed-nozzle crawling creepily through the pool floor as well as for its creepy suction noise while it’s at work.

The Prowler 910 actually offers deep cleansing with its powerful, high-speed scrubbing and intense vacuum system along with a top-access filtration basket that makes it easier to remove captured debris much faster. It’s best suited for above ground swimming pools up to 40 feet in length and automatically shuts off after 1 ½ hours of use. Run it again, and you can say that the entire pool is sparkling clean.

Costing less than $500, this cleaner is the best value for the money for above ground pools.

Dolphin Escape Robotic Above Ground Pool

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The all-new Dolphin Escape is a newly designed and engineered robotic pool cleaner that frees you from the difficulties of maintaining a swimming pool. Here you’ll discover why it’s the best above ground robotic pool cleaner available in the market along with the reason for why it’s the editor’s top-rated choice today!

Weighing in at only 14 pounds, here comes the top rated above ground robotic pool cleaner of the year! Not only does it deliver unmatched performance for an above ground pool cleaner, but it also contains large oversized debris cartridges capable of holding up to 60% more debris. With its Hypergrip Continuous Tracks, it leaves all other wheel cleaners – 4WD and alike in its wake.

The built-in Hyperbrush Dual Scrubbing Brushes help scrub away any difficult to remove dirt and contaminations while the SmartNav 2.0 Scanner helps plan an optimal route for cleaning with speed and unparalleled efficiency.

Don’t let its small size and the very affordable $600 price tag fool you; this one really packs a mean punch! Setting up new standards with its breakthrough design you realize that the moment the Dolphin Escape hits the water, you’ve never seen anything like it. It’s designed to work smarter, not harder in order to conquer the unique challenges of the above ground pool surfaces.

While innovation is not always obvious to the naked eye, you’ll find fundamental improvements and differences in the pool cleaners design. And, with a never-before optional 4-year warranty plan, this pool cleaner is literally the best value for the money invested in obtaining it.

The HyperBrush technology allows the brushes to spin twice as fast as traditional pool cleaners, allowing them to remove algae and other stubborn build-ups in the pool. This not only allows for the cleaner to be used for above ground pools, but it can be used utilized for inground pools as well!

The Escape is outfitted with a massive filter cartridge that allows it to be easily lifted out through the robot’s top-access door. This enables it to come equipped with fine filters fitted into the cartridges to capture debris of all sizes, from large leaves to smaller contaminants such as dirt and algae. This means that all those chaotic and messy tiresome debris bags used by the old traditional pool cleaners are now a thing of the past.

No more cloudy and green algae-filled water. No more scrubbing twice as hard if you miss a week of cleaning. Just plug it in, toss it into the pool, and walk away for 90 minutes and let it do its job. Come back to find a sparkling clean pool; it’s that simple.

It’s not only energy efficient, but it also comes equipped with a 24 Volt DC motor that only consumes 180 watts, giving you a bill of 5 cents for every hour used. Its ergonomic, lightweight frame and quick 90-minute cleaning cycle make it perfect for all types of swimming pools.

Dolphin Triton Plus

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Yes, you read that right. This model features a Bluetooth Navigation system with PowerStream. It makes it ideal for a complete swimming pool, wall, and tile cleaning coverage. Not only it has an extra-large cartridge filtration capacity, but it’s also 50% lighter and has enhanced features such as a weekly timer, quick cleaning mode, active brushing and has an ergonomic body style, making the cleaner lightweight and easy to handle.

Using the MyDolphin app provided to the user by the Bluetooth Navigation System, you have the ability to manually steer the unit for cleaning spots by using either an on-screen joystick or by utilizing the internal gyroscope within your smartphone to guide the unit in whichever direction you tilt the phone in.

In order to keep up with all the technological advancements made to the Dolphin Triton, Maytronics removed the swivel cable that was once a standard on all models of Dolphins. To prevent the cable from tangling over the course of its cycle, the Triton Plus now utilizes software controlled anti-tangling algorithms.

Aquabot X4

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The Aquabot X4 has won the “Best Value Robot” based on its rich features as well as its low price. With a premium filtration system using two ultra-fine mesh filter baskets to hold an enormous sized 190 Cubic Inch Top-Loading Cartridge, it offers massive debris holding capacity as well as a 360 degree Anti-Tangle Swivel to ensure that the underwater cable doesn’t get tangled while being operated. It also comes along with a free Transport Cabby. Last but not least, a 3-year warranty similar to the Dolphin Premier sweetens the deal.

It is ideal for all types of pool shapes up to 60 feet (inground and above ground). Also, it’s highly energy efficient at 180 watts, costing just 5 cents an hour to operate. Its AutoX Pool Mapping software calculates the pool type and shape and then calculates the best cleaning cycle for both speed and efficiency.

Featuring a solid water pump that can circulate around 85 gallons per minute, the Aquabot X4 utilizes this feature to distribute filtered water as quickly and efficiently as possible. This means it’s using fewer chemicals, giving you healthier water and saving you as much money as possible.

The Aquabot X4 features a 4WD traction system and is equipped with an advanced array of rotating micro-brushes. They make sure that not only the pool but even the walls are covered and cleaned easily. The rotating micro-brushes churn the surface of the pool and assist in loosening up stubborn dirt, debris, algae, and bacteria as they move.

It also comes equipped with a convenient control panel. This control allows you to program your unit to perform hourly and automatic cleanings. It also alerts you when it’s time to clear out the filter cartridge. To clean it, simply rinse it off with a garden hose and replace it back into the holder.

The Aquabot X4 comes equipped as a standard with an extra-long 60 foot floating cable with the famous anti-tangle swivel, to seamlessly navigate all the surfaces of your pool and to give you peace of mind that your pool will be vacuumed without any unforeseen hang-ups.

There is also a new feature that’s not seen in any other Robotic Pool Cleaner of its category, a programmable power supply. The power supply’s user-friendly control panel allows you to designate when your Aquabot runs its cleaning cycle. It can be set to run for 1, 1.5 or even 2-hour continuous cleaning cycles, and the added timer settings allow for your Aquabot to run automatically once every 48, 72 or even 96 hours.

Smartpool NC22 SmartKleen

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Our last robotic pool cleaner in this review is the Smartpool NC22 SmartKleen-Robotic Pool Cleaner. Weighing in at just 18 pounds. Not only is the SmartKleen built to last with a tough exterior, it’s lightweight and compact design changes the way you maintain swimming pool.

With an excellent ability to move around pools of any shape and size, it makes it the perfect companion pool cleaner for small pool and for large pools alike. It’s ideally suited for above ground and smaller inground pools and works on surfaces that include concrete pools, fiberglass, tiles and vinyl liners.

It features an Extra Large Filter Bag to trap dirt and debris effectively. It also allows you to extend the time of operating your inbuilt main pool filtration and pump system. Using a quick-drain system for lightweight removal from any pool, it has a 2-hour auto shut off the system and comes with one year of parts warranty. Its intelligent navigation system doesn’t require any walls in order to change direction by utilizing its direction-drive motor for greater versatility and traction.

It comes with a a 40 feet power cord. This means you don’t have to go searching for the nearest power outlet or extension cord.

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What is a Robotic Pool Cleaner?

A Robotic Pool Cleaner is an automated vacuum cleaner whose sole purpose is to collect debris, sediment, and algae from swimming pools with little human intervention. It is one of the different varieties of swimming pool vacuum cleaners and are mainly battery powered. All automatic pool cleaners have one simple goal: keeping your pool clean, with little time, effort and maintenance required from you. There are three basic types of automatic swimming pool cleaners:

• Suction-Side
• Pressure-Side
• Robotic

So How do Robotic Pool Cleaners Work?

An automated pool cleaner at its basest is a vacuum cleaner for the bottom of your swimming pool. It makes the entire cleaning process automated. In other words, very little if any manual intervention is required to clean the pool. While all of the three types of automatic pool cleaners will help to keep your pool clean, they work in different ways.

The most popular type of pool cleaner is the Suction Pool Cleaner. Suction-side pool cleaners work when your pool pump is running. It gets its name from the suction generated by the pool pump and can be used in both inground and above ground swimming pools.

Pressure-side pool cleaners include a hose (booster pump) that you attach to the dedicated return line of your pool where the water from the pool returns back into the pool after it has passed through the filter. The force generated from this system is used to both move the cleaner around the pool and to create a vacuum that to suck up the dirt and debris into a bag attached at the head of the cleaner.

Robotic pool cleaners are fully automated and independent from the swimming pools main pump and filtration system. They have their own filtration system which acts as a secondary filter while cleaning the pool. This type of pool cleaner is recently gaining a lot of popularity due to its efficiency and performance.

They are not only programmable but can be operated via remote control as opposed to the previous two types of pool cleaners. Also, they come with their own built-in battery along with a cartridge to store the debris collected while cleaning. While they may be slightly more expensive to buy, they are a great time and effort saver!

What Are the Benefits of Using Robotic pool cleaners?

If you’re still wondering what is the best robotic pool cleaner for your pool, the answer depends on your very needs. Check out these quick benefits of robotic pool cleaners that will help you find the answer.

Sure, you’ve been getting along pretty well by cleaning your pool by hand for years; you’ve got a solid pool brush for scrubbing, a telescopic pole for pursuing those hard-to-reach places, a skimmer for clearing the skin of the water and a vacuum to suck all the algae and keep it at bay. But, how much time do you spend cleaning the pool and actually enjoy swimming in it?

It’s already difficult to do all the household chores and adding pool cleaning to the mix only makes it harder. If there’s family, you can simply ask them to lend you a helping hand and can make this an excellent moment to bond with your family. If you lack pool buddies, then you might already be worn out from the daily demands of work and having a pool that needs to be cleaned every week or two is only going to pile up on your frustrations and things to do list.

Robotic Pool Cleaners are not only cost effective and maintenance friendly, but they are also energy efficient. They help you lower your energy bills and running costs while making sure to clean down your pool of bacteria and algae efficiently. They help save you from requiring any additional pumps and also contain self-contained filtration systems which help reduce the wear and tear of some of your more expensive and existing main pool equipment.

Operating at minimal noise levels than the suction-side and pressure-side pool cleaners, they also circulate chemicals and reduce chemical usage in the long run. With the added ability to scale and scrub walls, along with handy remote controls to clean the direction and area of the pool, it’s easy to see why purchasing a robotic pool cleaner may be the perfect decision.

Of course, you can hire professionals to do the cleaning for you while you enjoy your time later on in the pool, but why hire them to do it for you when you can just purchase an automatic pool cleaner?

While some these cleaners aren’t  cheap, but shopping around can help you find a model that fits budget. Each type of pool cleaner operates differently, so it’ll be all the more worth your time and effort to learn more about them and choose the one that’s right for you.

Robotic Pool Cleaner Vs Suction Vs Pressure

There are three main types of automatic swimming pool cleaners, divided by the drive mechanism and source of power used for it:

Robotic Pool Cleaners:

Powered by an independent power source, robotic pool cleaners are separated from the pools main pump system and the main filter, usually in the form of a set-down transformer that is often kept on the pool deck, away from the water.

They usually have two internal motors. One to suck the water through a built-in filtration bag. The second one drives the synthetic brushes connected to the pool cleaner. The brushes somewhat resemble the common paint rollers. They are located on the front and back of the machine and help remove particles from the pool’s walls and floor depending on their configuration.

Since they can be remote controlled, you can choose which area of the pool to clean first or to focus on.

They can automatically self-navigate your pool and are the fastest when it comes to cleaning your pool. These cleaners have built-in bags and cartridges with a self-contained cleaning filter which helps you ease the wear and tear of your pools main pump and filtration system. They also happen to have special features depending on the unit that you decide to purchase such as surface skimming, wall cleaning, algae removal and dirt control.

The only downside is the initial cost of purchasing a unit, however looking at it in the long-run, it sure has its benefits of saving time, energy and effort for maintenance of the pool and the unit itself.

Suction-side cleaners:

The first automatic pool cleaners were suction cleaners. These are the least expensive, ranging from $100 – $300. They are powered solely by the main pump of the pool and use the suction action of the pools pump to generate movement to traverse the walls and floor of the pool randomly. They’re easy to use because they attach to your wall skimmer as well as to a dedicated suction port.

They may seem inexpensive, but these machines reduce the suction of the main pool pump as well as utilize the pool’s filter system to remove dirt and debris from the water.

There is minimal maintenance and part replacement costs on these devices over time isn’t bad. However, utilizing these machines will increase electricity costs and will require the main pump and filtration system to be serviced more frequently. They have filter limitation due to the size of the main pool filter since they don’t have a separate filter.

These types of cleaners are easy to install and operate. Moreover, they are also cheap to purchase and have a proven track record when it comes to cleaning your pool.

Pressure-side cleaners:

Mostly in these machines, the pool water is pressurized using a secondary pump and helps locomotion and debris suction. It traverses in a random course and using this cleaner makes it the most costly since it utilizes the highest amount of power from among the three types of automated pool cleaners due to use of the high pressurized booster pump.

These pool cleaner’s can cost from $200 to about $700. That doesn’t including the cost of the secondary booster pump – usually an extra $200. Both the suction-side and the pressure-side cleaners are heavily dependent on the swimming pools main pump and filtration system to help remove impurities. The main disadvantages of these types of pool cleaners are the additional use of electricity, the effort and time needed to attach the device to the ports that connect to the pools main pump and filter, and lastly the added responsibility of maintenance time.

These pool cleaners have their own fine mesh bag to help collect debris. This means that they don’t compromise on the pools main filtration system. The booster pump helps enhance water circulation by creating turbulence. It helps increase the speed of the cleaning and creates efficiency while distributing filtered water across the entire pool. Lastly, because they have their own filter bag to accumulate debris, they won’t clog your skimmer or filter either.

Conclusion

After reading this exhaustive buyer’s guide of the best robotic pool cleaners available in the market right now, you’re all the wiser and ready to purchase a robotic pool cleaner for your pool. We’ve gone through the top-rated, editor’s choice, best value for the money invested as well as those under the $1000 budget both for small pool and for large pools. While everyone has unique taste and requirements, this list will help in your search for the perfect robotic pool cleaner.

We wish you the best of luck and happy cleaning!

You can get more information about: Pool water test kits, pool shock, pool heater, pool cover ,Salt Water Chlorinator, Pool Algaecide