Best Robotic Pool Cleaner: What is the Best Automatic Pool Cleaner on the Market?

Having a swimming pool is fun, but cleaning it might not be so much fun, especially when you don’t have a robotic pool cleaner. This is 2019! Enough with all the traditional pole, brush and skimmer net for pool cleaning that consumes your time and efforts. Robotic pool cleaners now do the job excellently well in your absence. In this piece, we provide you with one of the best robotic pool cleaners reviews in 2019. As you read on, you will find detailed information on the best inground pool cleaners out there for you.

Our Top Picks for Best Robotic Pool Cleaners

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus – Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Concrete Swimming Pools

Dolphin Premier – Best Pool Cleaner for vinyl swimming pools

Dolphin Nautilus – Best Pool Cleaner for Fiberglass swimming pools

Dolphin Premier – Best Pool Cleaner for vinyl swimming pools

TigerShark QC – Best Pool Cleaner for Gunite and Tile Surfaces

Best Robotic Pool Cleaners Specification Table

What Material is your Swimming Pool Made of?

Before we delve into a detailed review of our top picks, it is important to understand the nature of the material your swimming pool is made of. This is because the material of your pool will influence your choice of the pool cleaner. While most of our picks could be suitable for all kinds of swimming pools, it is recommended that you select the one that suits your pool type best.

Concrete swimming pool, for example, often comprises hard substances such as steel, tile, stones, shell, and plaster to enforce it. These substances require a pool cleaner with tough brushes to clean up possible stains and algae on the plaster.

For users of the readymade fiberglass pools, the cleaning demands could be less tough than the concrete swimming pools. This is because the fiberglass is smooth and slick making it difficult for algae to stick to it. However, as the fiberglass deteriorates, it would require a pool cleaner with smaller brush surfaces to carefully dig up the tough stains.

On the other hand, swimming pools with Vinyl material could be made of steel, aluminum, and plastic especially. Brushes with large surfaces might not be your best shot if what you have is a Vinyl Swimming pool. Vinyl pool cleaners that come with dual brushes are highly recommendable for the swimming pool with the Vinyl material in order to sufficiently vacuum stains that might stick hard to the plastics and aluminum.

Hayward swimming pools are perhaps the easiest to clean but require an efficient and organized cleaning system. This is because the pools are made of corrosion-proof material to prevent rust. So, you need to select a robotic pool cleaner with an organized pattern of cleaning.

On the overall, note that different pool cleaners are suitable for each of the types of pools mentioned. To enjoy an efficient cleaning, ensure you procure the one that is best for your pool. You don’t know how? Find out in our product review below.

Here are the Best Robotic Pool Cleaners in 2019

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus – Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Concrete Swimming Pools

The Dolphin Nautilus Plus is one of Maytronic’s finest pool vacs. It comes with sufficient technological features that give you rest of mind that your pool is well cleaned each time. With its ability to scan, for example, the robot pays more attention to areas with tougher stains and also does pretty well with wall climbing, however deep your pool is. Gathering from most customer reviews in 2019, we find that many people would rather use the Dolphin Nautilus Plus than its Dolphin Nautilus predecessor.

Key Features

Smooth Navigation

One of the major selling points of the Dolphin Nautilus Plus is its ability to navigate through your pool smoothly and swiftly without leaving out debris, algae or pollens. This makes it possible for your Dolphin Nautilus Plus to run through your 50ft long pool within 2 to 2½ hours, about 30 minutes faster than most pool robot vacs.

Advanced Pool Scanning Technology

The Dolphin Nautilus Plus is also built with the special CleverClean system and smart navigation that allows it to do sufficient spot cleaning for areas with tougher stains instead of wasting time on continuous random cleaning.

Dual Filtration  System

For most pool cleaners with only one filter cartridge, you find that the process is slower, and fine debris such as sand often escape the vacuum. But with the Dolphin Nautilus Plus double cartridge, there is no chance for any debris notwithstanding the size or shape to escape cleaning.

For most pool cleaners with only one filter cartridge, you find that the process is slower, and fine debris such as sand often escape the vacuum. But with the Dolphin Nautilus Plus double cartridge, there is no chance for any debris notwithstanding the size or shape to escape cleaning.

Weekly Cleaning Schedule and Wall Climbing System

What could be easier to use? With this robot, you don’t have to reset each time you want to use it. You can schedule your cleaning once in three days or once in a week, depending on how frequently you use your pool. Institutions with public swimming pool facilities will find this feature very much useful. All you have to do is program your desired cleaning mode once and your robot is good to clean!

More so, the pace and ease at which the Dolphin Nautilus Plus glides over the pool floors and also climb up the walls are beyond amazing. All the while, it leaves no substances hanging anywhere as it suctions up even the light debris such as leaves, paper, etc that might be hanging in the water body or on the surface.

Tangle-free Cables

Here is another beautiful feature we love about the Dolphin Nautilus Plus. Its over 50ft cable never gets entangled! Thanks to its swivel. With a swivel that rotates completely at 360°, the long cable never gets entangled as the robot goes about its business. So you don’t have to worry about disentangling it from time to time.

Dolphin Premier – Best Pool Cleaner for vinyl swimming pools

If you’re an owner of a vinyl swimming pool, this is specifically for you. Dolphin Premier does a good job on almost all kinds of pool materials but is more excellent on the hard vinyl material. Vinyl pools are slick and could be difficult for some pool cleaners to climb. But with its special wall climbers, the Dolphin Premier easily mounts the walls and steps of your pool in spite of its heavy weight.

Key Features

Dual  Scrubbing Brushes

Many customers tend to love the Dolphin Premier for its 2x scrubbing brushes which helps it to give off an excellent cleaning performance. Even if yours is not a vinyl swimming pool, you can trust the double brushes to do a perfect cleaning job for you, doubly ensuring that no stain, pollen, algae or debris is left unpicked.

Special Wall Climbers

For lovers of the Dolphin Premier, this very feature is one of the things that appeals to us most. Unlike other robots, this cleaner will climb your pool wall, steps, and waterline easily, picking up every dirt along.

Multiple Filter System

The Dolphin Premier is optimized for multiple cleaning purposes, owing to its multi filtration system. While most traditional pool cleaners use only cartridges, this amazing cleaner can be used with small cartridges, standard size cartridges as well as large bags for larger debris such as leaves. This gives you a variety of options to select from, depending on your cleaning focus each time.

Smart Control System

Controlling the operation of the Dolphin Premier is smart and easy. In addition to the remote which you could use to direct the movement of the robot and schedule cleanups,  there are the LED indicators that notify you when the cartridge or bag is full and need to be emptied.

Dolphin Nautilus – Best Pool Cleaner for Fiberglass swimming pools

The Dolphin Nautilus is the initial version of the Nautilus Plus.  They are similar in a lot of ways especially in the advanced technology, with very little areas of difference. This robot boasts of a high suction power which helps it to vacuum all kinds of dirt in your pool. Although it lacks a handle, which makes it burdensome to lower into the water and retrieve after use, it compensates with good efficiency and can be used in almost all kinds of pools, but more recommendable for fiberglass because of its relative climbing ease.

Key Features

8 x Energy Saving Motor

Rather than use up excess energy, the Dolphin Nautilus has a unique motor that consumes less energy and performs more cleaning than many other pool cleaners.

Dual Cleaning Brushes

Like the Dolphin Nautilus Plus, the Dolphin Nautilus cleaner is designed with two special cleaning brushes interconnected to give you maximum cleaning output. The brushes of the Nautilus Cleaner are closely made to pick up all kinds of debris and they hardly break down.

Extra Large Cartridge Filters

Another wonderful feature of the design of the Nautilus cleaner is that it comes with double cartridge filters which are not only removable but also large enough to contain enough dirt.

Anti-tangle Swivel

When you use your Dolphin Nautilus, you don’t have to worry that it could tangle up itself in the cleaning process. With its rotatory swivel, the cable rolls easily with the robot without getting twisted.

Single Button Operation

Dolphin Nautilus gives you the true feeling of using a robot. It requires no setup whatsoever or a booster pump. All you have to do is unseal, plug to a power source and plunge it into your pool for adequate cleanup.

CleverClean Technology

This robot eliminates all worries relating to cleaning efficiency. It doesn’t clean randomly or haphazardly but with the help of the CleverClean scanning feature, it scans your pool carefully to ensure 100% efficiency.

Polaris F9550  – Best Pool Cleaner for Pebbles

One unique feature of the Polaris F9550 is its design. Apart from the slick shape which helps it to go anywhere including underneath steps, it also comes with four outfitted wheels which make climbing all kinds of the pool easier. We attest to the amazing navigation ease of this robot and its ability to suction up large and hard debris that most other pool cleaners struggle with.

Key Features

Oscillating Brushes plus Protruding Wheels

If you’ve been wondering how this robot manages to perform excellently well on all pool types, here is the deal. Unlike others, the Polaris sport pool cleaner has four protruding wheels that help it to mount even the slick vinyl and fiberglass pools. More so, its brushes are built to move from side to side in order to capture debris of all kinds, whether fine debris and large particles.

Large Canister Filter

With the Polaris Sport pool cleaner, you absolutely have no need for bags. The large reusable canister filters within are enough to contain your dirt for over two hours at a stretch.

ActivMotion Sensor Tech

Navigation is smooth enough with other pool cleaners but better with the Polaris F9550. It can easily weave its way around steps, climb steps, walls and swimming pool frames. All thanks to its ActivMotion Sensor technology.

Motion Handheld Remote

You can choose to program your pool cleaner to clean on a regular basis. But just in case that’s not enough for you, and you want to control the navigation, the Sensor motion remote is there for you. Very easy to use, all you have to do is tilt the remote in the direction of your choice, and your robot moves in that direction. You could also use the remote to extract the cleaner from the pool after cleaning.

TigerShark QC – Best Pool Cleaner for Gunite and Tile Surfaces

We must give it up for Hayward when it comes to readymade pool cleaners. Their robots are complete, compact and ready for use, and the Tigershark QC isn’t an exception. This Hayward robotic pool cleaner does not require setup or additional pump and hose. Just plug and go! It is highly recommendable for all kinds of pool surfaces but specifically for Gunite and Tile pools. Thanks to its specially designed brush surface!

Key Features

Strong Motor for Quick Cleanup

The TigerShark is true to its name. With its 24-volt motor, it does your cleanup with so much power, pace and efficiency that within 1hr 30 minutes, your typical 2 x 50 swimming pool is already sparkling.

Easy Maintenance

Using and maintaining your TigerShark QC is as fun and simple as it is. The cartridge filters are situated in a compartment where they can be easily extracted, cleaned and replaced.

Optional Caddy for Transport and Storage

Although it comes at an extra cost, you can choose to procure a caddy for your TigerShark QC. The caddy helps you transport the robot easily, store safely and keep intact.

Special Brush Surface for Tiles

Excellent for swimming pools with tiles and gunite surfaces, the TigerShark QC comes with special brushes designed to scrub your pool floor, walls, coves and frames for all stubborn dirt.

Robotic Pool Cleaners Vs. Suction Pool Cleaners Vs. Pressure Pool Cleaners

Which of these three is best for you?

The robotic pool cleaners give you several benefits that the pressure and suction pool cleaners cannot provide. As the name implies, they are robotic. They can operate on their own, unlike the suction cleaners that depend on your pool pump to suck up debris in your pool, and the pressure cleaners that use the pump, filters and water pressure provided in your pool to pick up dirt.

Advantages of the Robotic Pool Cleaners

• No need for supervision. Just plug and go!
• They do very neat cleaning, unlike the pressure cleaners that mess up the pool area with water.
• They don’t require your pool pump.
• They consume less power than others.
• Enough cleaning performance that is worth the price.

How long do robotic pool cleaners last

A typical robotic pool cleaner has a lifespan of about 3 to 5 years on average. Notwithstanding, from most customer reviews in 2019, there are certain cleaners that have lasted beyond that, as much as 8 years. Most modern robotic pool cleaners are built to last. However, there are various factors that contribute to the long lifespan of your robotic cleaner, and on the other hand various factors that could cause an untimely breakdown. Some of these factors include the brand you purchase, your maintenance culture, replacement of faulty parts, selecting the right pool cleaner for your pool type, etc.

Can you leave robotic pool cleaners in the pool

Leaving your robotic pool cleaner in the pool might not be a bad idea if you program it to clean frequently but it is NOT the best choice. Manufacturers recommend that you remove it from the pool and store after use. There are several reasons you should keep your cleaner out of water when not in use.

• It looks gross to have the long cable extending from your pool.
• It is not safe to swim in a pool with a robot and cable in it.
• Leaving it in the pool for a prolonged time will weaken the waterproofing system.

You should rather extract from water, empty and clean the cartridges and dry up the entire robot and store properly.

How to Maintain Robotic Pool Cleaners

Good maintenance culture is necessary to keep your pool cleaner effective and durable. Here are a few steps to guide you:

• Always disconnect from the power source after use.
• Carefully remove the cartridge filters from the cleaner and rinse off all dirt.
• After a thorough clean, replace the cartridge in the cleaner.
• Check the impeller, brushes, and wheels for stuck debris. Pick them out.
• Rinse the entire cleaner and cable with clean water.
• Dry the entire unit with a hand towel.
• Fold back the cable neatly.
• Store in a cool dry place.
• Replace your cartridges after about six to twelve months depending on the frequency of use.
• For critical technical issues, refer back to the manufacturer, especially within the warranty period.

Always bear in mind that there is a pool cleaner that serves your pool best. Be sure to select your choice wisely. You can always refer to our reviews for suggestions and advice on how to get an efficient pool cleaner that gives you an excellent cleaning result.