The 10 Best Robotic Pool Cleaners Reviews 2019

UPDATED: Oct 1, 2019.

Looking to buy the best robotic pool cleaners on the market for your swimming pool? 

Considering the overabundant varieties and possibilities available on the market, we know it’s not an easy decision. 

But you’ve come to the right place!

We’ve hand-picked the best robotic pool cleaners to make it easy for you. 

We’ve selected the best robotic cleaners based on these criteria:

• Bestsellers
• Highly rated
• Reasonably priced
• Easy to use
• Options for both inground and above ground pools

5 Features Every Good Robotic Pool Cleaner Should Have 

The million-dollar question is, which pool cleaner is the best and which one is the right one for you?

Well, the answer is: it depends.

Not quite the answer you’re looking for? 

It’s because there are many different pool cleaner types. Each has its own pros and cons. 

Moreover, every robotic cleaner offers different features which may or may not be of importance to you. However, here are the top five features every good robotic cleaner should have.

1. Durability and Reliability

No-brainers!

These cleaners aren’t cheap, and just like any other product you buy, you want it to last.

2. Top-Quality Brushes

The brushes are arguably the most important part as they do all the heavy lifting. 

Hard-bristle brushes or rotating rubber brushes can clean the most stubborn debris and dirt.

3. Wheels that Fly

This subhead is a little bit of exaggeration. You don’t want a super fast cleaner, but you definitely want one that can go virtually anywhere in your pool. Otherwise, it will either get stuck or leave certain areas dirty.

Four-wheel drive cleaners with big and wide tires are the safest bet!

4. Smart and Programmable Features

You should be able to program your cleaner once and forget about it. Isn’t that the whole idea behind robotic cleaners?

Also, most advanced manufacturers pack their cleaners with advanced smart features that use artificial intelligence to learn the layout of your pool for efficient and fast cleaning. Other smart features to look for include deflecting mechanism, efficient cleaning cycles, and so on. 

5. Ability to climb stairs

You don’t want a clean pool floor but dirty stairs. Most modern cleaners can climb stairs. Yous should too.

Honorable mention

Because a regular cord can easily get tangled and can be a huge pain, consider a cleaner with a swivel cord.

So here is my list of The 10 Best Robotic Pool Cleaner 2019.

Let’s quickly review the top ten, best selling robotic cleaners. We’ll discuss the pros and cons of each to help you figure out which one fits your bill.

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner

The Dolphin Nautilus Plus is the highest rated as well as bestselling cleaner for many reasons. 

Weighing 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 can 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!.

The 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. 

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. Its rubber tracks grip the surface and walls of the pool in a way that’s not available to other competitor models.

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. 

Moreover, its Easy-Fix modular components are easy to replace, should a repair be needed, and cost significantly less than its competitors

With all these available options and features coming in at well under $1000, it’s easy to see why this cleaner is so popular.

Read more: Dolphin Nautilus Plus Review

Dolphin Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Cleaner with Top Load Filter Basket

Cutting-edge technology, amazing features, and a large capacity top load filtration make the Dolphin Nautilus a great choice for big pools.

The Clever Clean technology can determine the most efficient path while the unique brush ensures proper scrubbing of the floor and walls.

It has an energy-efficient power supply, that brings the average cost of operation to $0.05 per kWh. Also, it has a timer that lets you choose the exact days and time of cleaning.

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. While it can clean virtually any shape but might struggle if the pool has too many curves.

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

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

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.

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.

Maytronics Dolphin Premier Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner

Yet another amazing product by Dolphin that has dual scrubbing brushes that scrub clean the surface and vacuum the pool for quick, efficient cleaning.

With an upgraded microprocessor-controlled Smart-Nav software that reduces electricity cost by nearly 87%, it’s one of the best Dolphin 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.

It can detect drains, ladders, and any other obstacle. You’ll love its groundbreaking design and a 360 degree underwater tangle-free rotation swivel system. 

Moreover, it offers multiple types of media i.e. micro-filter, dual filter, oversized debris collector within one unit to clean a variety of debris from algae to leaves.

A 24 volt DC motor operates with a nearly 90% less energy requirement and the cost to operate is just 5 cents per hour. What’s more, you can decide when you need to run it – daily, twice a week or thrice a week.

Read Full Review here

Polaris 9550 Sport Pool Cleaner

The Polaris F9550 Sports is a heavy-duty 4-wheel drive cleaner with an elegant design. Its aquadynamics, 4-wheel drive can overcome and climb over any obstacle and can take on any pool terrain of up to 60 feet long. The handy remote control lets you clean any hard to reach spots. 

The easy lift system, with one touch, can call the cleaner to drive itself up to the surface and automatically clear the water inside. 

Moreover, the timer can be programmed for as long as seven days in advance, along with with customizable cleaning cycles and a tile only mode to focus on just cleaning the waterline.

The easy-clean filter canister lets you simply shake and spray to empty the accumulated debris. Lastly, with a low torque watertight Tangle-Reducing Swivel, it keeps the cable from tangling while operating.

Dolphin Escape Robotic Above Ground Pool Cleaner

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.

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

The Dolphin Nautilus CC by Aquabot works for all shapes and sizes of above-ground pools. It can clean floor, cove, and partial walls.

We really liked the 40-feet, kink-free swivel free cord. Here is a little secret.  While Aquabot has some costing upwards of $600, this $300 unit can clean as good. Don’t waste money unless you have an in-ground pool.

However, 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. 

While 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 very reasonably priced and comes with a two-year warranty. All in all, it promises quick and extensive cleaning for a long time to come – at a convenient price.

Dolphin Premier Inground Pool Cleaner with Oversized Bag

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 and almost always cleans up to 99% of your pool.

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.

The Dolphin Premier cleaner is ideal if your in-ground pool gets a lot of leaves, debris, algae, and pollen. If it doesn’t get too dirty or 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.

Hayward RC9990CUB TigerShark Robotic Pool Vacuum

The Tiger Shark is Hayward’s flagship robotic cleaner which can be a great choice depending on your pool size and budget. The vendor claims that it can clean a 20 x 40 pool in just 90 minutes. 

It can deal with any type of debris and comes as a complete system i.e. runs separately from the pool’s filtration system. 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. 

Aquabot APRVJR Pool Rover Junior Robotic Above-Ground Pool Cleaner

The Aquabot APRVJR Pool Rover is powered by jet-drive propulsion and works with a touch of a button. The cleaner comes with a 40-feet long cord and is ideal for above ground pools of any shape or design.

The ingenious technology saves you in terms of energy, water, and chemicals.  What’s more, it has a 2-hour auto shut off mechanism in case you forget to stop it.

The built-in 2-micron fine reusable filter bag can catch everything, from large leaves to the tiniest of algae. On top of that, the smart guidance system ensures that the pool is cleaned in no time.

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.

Dolphin Quantum Robotic Inground Pool Cleaner

The 2017 Dolphin Quantum takes its place at the top rank of robotic pool cleaners. 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. 

It has a massive 400 square inch top-loading cartridge filter – which is huge! The SmartNav 2.0 Efficient Robotic Navigation helps your cleaner navigate without having to wander around.

The Hyperbrush Dual Scrubbing Brushes and PowerJet 3D Vectored Thrust ensure quick and deeper cleaning.

Hayward RC9955 TigerShark Plus Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner with Remote Control

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 910 Robotic Aboveground Pool Cleaner 360321

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 Triton PS Plus Automatic Pool Cleaner with Bluetooth and Extra-Large Filter Basket

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

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-Robotic Pool Cleaner

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

Dolphin Electric Pool Cleaner – Carry Caddy

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.

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.

So, How do Robotic Pool Cleaners Work?

A robotic pool cleaner is essentially a vacuum cleaner that works with very little if any manual intervention. 

Unlike suction Pool Cleaners, robotic pool cleaners are fully automated and independent from the swimming pools main pump and filtration system. They have a special mechanism that guides them around the different sections of the pool. 

They have their own filtration system which acts as a secondary filter while cleaning the pool. They are not only programmable but some can be operated via remote control. 

They come with a built-in cartridge to capture the debris collected while cleaning. While they are slightly more expensive to buy, they are a great time and effort saver!

Benefits of Robotic Pool Cleaners

Ease of Use

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.

With a robotic cleaner, all you might have to do it turn it on and then clean the cartridge. That’s it!

Savings in the Long Run

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.

Professional Cleaning Year Round

Of course, you can hire professionals to do the cleaning for you while you enjoy your time later on in the pool. But they can charge you as much as the price of a robotic cleaner.  Why hire them to do it for you when you can just purchase an automatic pool cleaner who will do the job for a long time to come. 

Robotic Vs Suction Vs Pressure Pool Cleaners

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 can self-navigate your pool or be guided with a remote, and are the fastest when it comes to cleaning your pool. These cleaners have built-in bags and cartridges with a cleaning filter which helps you ease the wear and tear of your pools main pump and filtration system. 

Some of these may have special features such as surface skimming, wall cleaning, algae removal, and dirt control.

The only downside is the high 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 the maintenance of the pool and the unit itself.

Suction-side cleaners

The very 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 install and use as they attach to your wall skimmer as well as to a dedicated suction port. They need little initial investment but can eventually 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.

They need minimal maintenance but can take a toll on the main pump and filtration system. Their filtration performance can be as good as the main pool filter since they don’t have a separate filter.

Pressure-side cleaners

A pressure-side cleaner requires the pool water to be pressurized using a secondary pump to help locomotion and debris suction. It traverses in a random course and utilizes the highest amount of power from among the three types of pool cleaners.

These pool cleaners can cost from $200 to about $700. That doesn’t include the cost of the secondary booster pump – usually an extra $200. 

Just like the suction-side, the pressure-side cleaners are heavily dependent on the swimming pools main pump. 

The major 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, they need frequent maintenance.

These pressure-side cleaners have their own fine mesh bag to help collect debris. This means that they don’t compromise the pool’s main filtration system and won’t clog your skimmer or filter either.

Conclusion

These tips should help you figure out best robotic pool cleaners for your pool. 

Just like any other product, always keep in mind your unique needs and shop around before making the purchase. Also, since it’s a long term investment, only consider reputed manufacturers and products backed by a decent warranty.

We have tried our best to include only the bestselling products that have high ratings from people like yourself. Because if most other people like a product, chances are high that you’ll also like it.

We wish you the best of luck and happy cleaning!