What Is The Best Swimming Pool Cleaner

Jandy Zodiac Mx6 Automatic Suction Side Pool Cleaner

The Jandy Zodiac Mx6 is yet another great option that we found which can clean large-sized pools with ease. It has a powerful and aggressive cleaning action powered by an intelligent bi-directional navigation system for perfect and thorough cleaning of the pool. It can also control the excess water flow through the cleaner to ensure an efficient and optimal cleaning performance. It can also work with a 2-speed or variable-speed pump if thats what you are using with your swimming pool.

On the inside, the Jandy Zodiac Mx6 features articulated turbine blades so that the overall performance of the unit is highly efficient and silent. Thus, you can use this unit with low-flow pumps too without any problem. And with the dynamic water flow setting, you wont have to worry about the debris getting stuck inside the suction pool cleaner at all. The Jandy Zodiac Mx6 has a year of warranty which is a bit short compared to other options.

Best Features

How Does A Pool Cleaner Work

Pool cleaners are powered by either electricity, suction, or water pressure and drive around your pool floor and walls to collect debris in either their own containers or your pool’s existing filter. They pick up both large and small debris, such as sand, silt, pebbles, twigs, bugs, and leaves. Cleaners with brushes can also agitate stuck-on algae and calcium deposits.

What To Look For In A Robot Pool Cleaner

A robotic pool vacuum is a totally self-contained electrically powered unit that works independently of your pools pump. They have motorized wheels or tank-like tire treads to firmly grip pool surfaces. Robot cleaners meticulously scrub the walls and waterline, capturing countless volumes of debris in their onboard filter canisters.

To find a pool cleaner thats right for you, there are three main questions to ask:

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Premium Vs Entry Level

The first thing to understand when shopping for a robotic pool cleaner is how manufacturers set pricing and feature sets. The entry level robotic pool cleaners are stripped down versions, often with important core features removed. For example, robots under $1,000 do not have the ability to clean the waterline. The tile at the waterline is normally one of the dirtiest areas in a pool. A robot’s effectiveness depends on many factors, such as the suction power and the width of their vacuum path. We found that robots with more motors, wider vacuum paths and larger inlets took less time to do the job.

A New Age Of Automation

Automatic pool cleaners ushered pool cleaning into a new, technologically sophisticated age, where formerly tedious household tasks were made less so through automation. A pool robot cleaner has cutting-edge features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability, rudimentary artificial intelligence, and mobile apps to give you control over your bot wherever in the world you happen to be.

However, theyre not all created equally. While suction cleaners and pressure-side cleaners do an adequate job of cleaning your pool water, they put a lot of stress on the pump. Robotic pool cleaners work independently of your pools dedicated equipment, cutting down on expensive wear and tear.

A pool cleaner robot wont be able to eliminate all manual pool maintenance only about 99% of it. Youll still have to occasionally scrub the steps or parts of the wall, for example. However, instead of spending countless hours on the weekends arduously scrubbing and vacuuming your pool by hand, youll have more time to enjoy it.

Thats because pool robots can shorten your cleaning time to a fraction of what it used to be, giving you the glorious opportunity of having a deliciously delectable Mai Tai on your patio as you watch your mechanical friend selflessly toil for your benefit.

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The Winner Is The Polaris Vac

Jenica Currie is an expert content manager, producer, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience cultivating online communities. Before joining Dotdash Meredith, Jenica worked as a community manager for Just Answer, and as a community manager and managing editor at RealTravel, a former trip planning site.

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The Spruce / Sarah Vanbuskirk

If you own a pool, you need some type of pool cleaner to keep your swimming space clean and free of debris. When selecting a pool cleaner, pool owners should first consider their surrounding areawhere is their pool located? What is the pools layout? recommends Stewart Vernon, COO and founder of Americas Swimming Pool Company. Next, consider how much time youre willing to put into cleaning your pool or your vacuum. When researching the best pool cleaners, we considered factors such as cleaning coverage, ease of use, and overall price.

With those in mind, our top pick is the Polaris Vac-Sweep 360, which works on all pool surfaces, captures large and small debris, and cleans your pool in less than three hours.

Here are the best pool cleaners you can buy.

The Best Inground Pool Cleaner Of 2022

We tested and reviewed a bunch of automatic inground pool cleaners on a variety of pools, both big and small. And here are our top picks for the best pool cleaners specifically for inground swimming pools.

NOTE: The following inground pool cleaners are Amazon affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. It helps us keep the lights on.

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How To Make Sure You Choose The Right Pool Cleaner For Above Ground Pool

If you are an early or new user, it might be difficult for you to find the proper pool cleaner for above ground pool. You might be unaware of certain facets of the pool cleaner for above ground pool that you might have been thinking about. But we are here to help you out with that! The recommendations below might be helpful in your chase:

Caused By Evaporation And Alkaline Water

Swimming pools can accumulate calcium deposits as a result of evaporation and alkaline water. This build-up can cause problems such as murkiness, scale buildup, and even swimming pool failure.

To prevent these issues, its important to regularly clean your pool and test the pH level. If you notice any signs of calcium buildup or trouble with your pool, call an expert for help right away.

Keep in mind that not all calcium deposits are harmful in fact, some may actually improve the aesthetics of your pool

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Water Tech Pool Blaster Catfish

What is the best manual pool vacuum? In terms of handheld pool cleaners, the Water Tech POOL BLASTER Catfish stands out among the competition. The cordless vacuum runs on a rechargeable lithium battery for up to 45 minutes. Its ideal for quick touch-ups for small swimming pools and hot tubs and can clean up to 33 gallons of water per minute. The Water Tech Catfish comes with an easily removable vacuum head that can pick up dirt, sand, leaves, twigs, and even acorns.

Dolphin Proteus Dx3 Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner The Quick And Easy Way To A Clean Pool Ideal For In Ground Swimming Pools Up To 33 Feet

• Clean your pool with the touch of a button. Ideal for swimming pools up to 33 feet, the Proteus DX3 will leave your pool clean in a quick 2 hours. Spend more time enjoying your pool and less time cleaning
• Ditch the pumps and hose. Unlike the energy hogs that are pressure and suction cleaners, Dolphins are plug and play and do not rely on any additional equipment to clean your pool. Not only will you see energy savings with a Dolphin, but you will also help extend the life of your pools system.
• The simple way to a clean pool. Agile and efficient, the Proteus DX3 effortlessly scrubs your pools floor and walls and captures and filters out unwanted debris. You can relax knowing your pool is left exceptionally clean.
• Let Dolphin take over your pool cleaning duties. The Proteus DX3 is equipped with a weekly scheduler so you can set it to automatically clean each week using 3 settings every day, every other day, or every 3rd day.
• With more than 35 years of cleaning the worlds residential swimming pools, Dolph ins provide pool owners with a hassle free cleaning solution of unmatched performance and longevity. Get back to what really matters spending time with family and friends.

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Robotic A Robotic Model:

The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is an example of a great robotic model. So what kind of pool cleaner doesnt tie into your pools pump system in order to operate. Robotic pool cleaners are the only ones. Which also means theyre typically the only model that is easiest to set up.There are no hoses to deal with, and they only require an electric outlet to operate. They wont have to work harder,because they dont put any extra pressure on your pumps. The very good news is yourenergy bills will drop as a result. It sometimes makes sense to turn your pumps off while you run your robotic pool cleaner,in fact. Allowing any dirt floating in the water to settle to the bottom, where the robot can pick it up.

These robotic cleaners often come with more advanced navigation systems than other types. They can also come with sensors that detect algae and dirt, which lets them to go back over problem areas. Making the entire pool uniformly clean.Theres has to be a downside right well there is,they can cost hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. They do incur a huge upfront cost but they have a much lower cost of operation. However, most robotic models justify their high price with excellent performance.

The pressurized water is used to push the cleaner forward, which turns the wheels. The motion of the wheels is used to create suction, which picks up dirt, debris, and algae.

What Are The Drawbacks To Pool Robot Cleaners

As nice as they are to have for saving time and effort, there are a few cons when it comes to pool robots:

• Price: Pool robots are usually the most expensive type of automatic cleaner. The cheapest ones may be about the same price as a mid-range pressure or side-suction cleaner. However, these models dont have nearly as many features and tend to break down more often.
• Maintenance: With all the moving parts, theres more to break and replace on a pool robot. In fact, the most common complaints when it comes to robotic cleaners are all about them suffering mechanical malfunctions. Thats why you should probably purchase a machine with a decent warranty, including an extended warranty if its available.
• Filter cleaning: Unless you want to waste money on disposable filters, youll need to clean out the filter bags or cartridges after every cycle. If your pool is big and gets used a lot, youre going to have to clean them with annoying regularity.
• Tangled up cables: Because anti-tangle swivels dont always work, its a good idea to watch your unit the first few cleaning cycles to ensure the tangle-free swivel is doing its job.

Limited warranties and specialized internal parts mean repairs can be costly. Therefore, robotic pool cleaners require regular and specific maintenance.

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Best Suction Pool Cleaner

If you have a pool, you know how important it is to keep it clean. A pool can be a great addition to any home, but it can also be a lot of work. There are a lot of different products on the market that can help you keep your pool clean, but one of the best is a suction pool cleaner.A suction pool cleaner is a great choice for a lot of different reasons. First, they are very affordable. You can find a good suction pool cleaner for under $100. Second, they are easy to use. All you have to do is attach the cleaner to your pools filtration system and it will do the rest. Third, suction pool cleaners are very effective. They will pick up all sorts of dirt and debris from your pool, including leaves and bugs. fourth, suction cleaners are very easy to maintain. You will only need to clean the filter on the cleaner occasionally.If you are looking for a great way to keep your pool clean, a suction pool cleaner is a great choice. They are affordable, easy to use, and very effective.

Pool Vacuum: Best Pool Vacuum Cleaners

If youre looking for the best swimming pool vacuum cleaner under $200, weve got you covered. Here are our top picks for the best pool vacuum cleaners under $200 :

1. Hayward 500 Aquabug

4. Kreepy Krauly Sand Shark 5. Polaris F9450 Sport

7. Hayward 900 Wanda the Whale 8. Kokido Keops

9. Aquabot Junior

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Best Splurge: Dolphin Premier Robotic Pool Cleaner

Courtesy of Amazon

• Suitable for pools up to 50 feet

• Anti-tangle cable

• Extremely expensive

Cleaning your pool is totally hands-off when you have the Dolphin Premier Robotic Pool Cleaner, a pricey robotic model, equipped with a variety of high-tech features. Its intended to be used in in-ground pools up to 50 feet, and the plug-and-play design makes it easy to set up and start using. Not only does it clean the floor and walls of vinyl, fiberglass, and gunite pools but it also scrubs down the waterline to ensure every inch of your pool is sparkling clean.

Power comes from two motors and dual scrubbing brushes, yet the manufacturer claims it uses 90 percent less energy than suction and pressure cleaners. Its three types of filtermicro-cartridges, standard cartridges, and an oversized leaf/debris bagmore efficiently capture debris of all sizes, and you can purchase disposable debris bags for effortless maintenance. An anti-tangle cable ensures it doesnt hang up while cleaning, and its smart navigation software helps cover every square inch of your pool. Plus, the weekly scheduler automatically starts cleaning at the desired date and time.

Price at time of publish: $1,447

Dimensions: Not listed | Weight: 20.3 pounds | Type: Robotic | Pool Type: In-ground | Cleaning Coverage: Floors, walls, water line

Are Pool Vacuums Worth It

Are pool vacuums worth it? The short answer is yes, pool vacuums are definitely worth it! Not only do they save you time and energy when it comes to cleaning your pool, but they also do a much better job than you could ever do yourself.There are a few different types of pool vacuums on the market, so its important to choose the one thats right for you and your pool. Suction-side pool vacuums are the most popular and affordable option, and they work by attaching to your pools existing filtration system. Pressure-side pool vacuums are a bit more expensive, but theyre much more powerful and do a great job of picking up larger debris.Whichever type of pool vacuum you choose, youll be glad you made the investment!

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What Is The Nature & Extent Of The Debris That Falls Into Your Pool

The best pool cleaner for leaves should want any and all the leaves you can feed it.

Is your swimming pool located near a beach? Or is it surrounded by trees? While having a seaside swimming pool, or one surrounded by a grove of trees, may have its glorious benefits, these factors also affect the type and the amount of debris that find their way into your pool. This matters because some pool cleaners will struggle if there are enormous quantities of leaves and twigs to clean up. Or if there are heavy materials like sand to vacuum up.

If you happen to have a swimming pool in a location that leads to a lot of debris finding its way in, then a heavy-duty cleaner that can handle larger amounts of dirt and waste is the way to go. The Kreepy Krauly rX-Tank is hands down, the best robotic pool cleaner for leaves and sand. Its the best pool cleaner for debris in general. It has a turbo cleaning cycle that can handle the toughest loads of dirt, including sand, which makes it an excellent choice for any shape or sized pool. If your pool is generally in a clear environment then you can opt for a more economical model that is best suited to smaller amounts of dirt, like the Kreepy Krauly VTX-3.

Why Trust The Spruce

This article was written by Camryn Rabideau, a freelance writer and product tester for The Spruce. While researching the different types of pool cleaners, she spoke with Stewart Vernon, COO and founder of Americas Swimming Pool Company for insights on how to select the best option for your pool. As she evaluated different products, she considered factors such as their setup, ease of use, versatility, and overall cost, aiming to select top-rated products at a wide range of price points to cater to different shoppers.

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Best Manual: Pool Blaster Max Cordless Rechargeable Pool Cleaner

Courtesy of Amazon

• No hoses or cords required

• Up to one hour runtime

• Ideal for cleaning stairs

• Pole not included

If you dont mind pushing around a pool cleaner by hand, the Pool Blaster Max is a cordless, battery-powered option that comes at a reasonable price. This unique rechargeable pool cleaner requires no hoses or cords, and its battery delivers up to an hour of runtime per chargeenough to clean even the largest pools. The tool comes with both a 10.5-inch vacuum head for large areas, as well as a crevice nozzle for getting into tight areas. Its a great option for cleaning pool stairs and other hard-to-reach features.

The Pool Blaster Max has a large debris capture chamber that can hold everything from dirt and sand to leaves, twigs, and acorns, and its easy to open and empty the filter. You can use this pool cleaner by hand or attach it to a standard telescoping pool pole .

Price at time of publish: $291

Dimensions: 21 x 10.5 x 7.25 inches | Weight: 5.5 pounds | Type: Battery-powered | Pool Type: In-ground, above-ground | Cleaning Coverage: Floors, stairs

The Spruce / Sarah Vanbuskirk