What We Tested.

Robotic Pool Cleaner Reviews

This year we captured a ton of debris and emptied dozens of robotic pool cleaners and found that not every robot measures up to our leaf, debris, and algae tests. We took the robotic pool cleaners in our line-up for real-world tests in a pool with various types of leaves, debris and even acorns.

As we dropped each cleaner in, we evaluated the ability to pick up varying types of debris. We evaluated the ability to climb the wall and clean the waterline. We noted he ease of cleaning the filters, and the ability of the cord to remain tangle-free for multiple cycles. We found that the best robotic pool cleaners did each of those extremely well.

A Tale of Two Robots.

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.

Robotic Pool Cleaner Hot Tip

Look for "Waterline" Ability

The waterline, sometimes called the tileline, is where debris, algae and bacteria may grow if not cleaned on a regular basis. A robot that leaves this area untouched defeats the purpose of having a pool robot. Robots must have special software, sensors and motors to adhere to and clean the area just above and below the tileline. Robots sold at lower price points, normally those under $1000, do not have the ability to clean the waterline.

Make sure your robot specifically lists "waterline cleaning" in addition to the typical wall cleaning. Otherwise, you'll need to clean the waterline and tile area the old fashioned way, with a brush.

Don't Do the Twist

Get a 360 Degrees Anti-tangle Swivel

Get the anti-tangle swivel. You'll thank us later. Twisted and tangled cables used to come with the territory of owning a pool cleaner. Luckily, most robotic pool cleaners now have a genuine 360 degree anti-tangle swivel. It's one of the greatest engineering achievements ever. Without a swivel, you'll spend way too much time detangling the power cord. When the power cord becomes a tangled mess, performance and efficiency both go downhill. Based on user reviews, a tangled cable is one of the leading complaints when there is no swivel on the robot.

Pool Robot Hot Tip

MultiMedia for Cartridge + Leaf Bag

Does your pool get a lot of leaves and debris? Dolphin Premier has the answer with Multi-Media. Now you can choose the right media for the job. Want to clean fine debris and algae that passes through other pool cleaners? Choose MicroFilter. Need to pick up a bushel of leaves? Go oversided leaf bag.

The filter capacity is very important, especially if your pool is in an area near trees. You don't want to have to stop what you're doing every 30 minutes to empty a bag full of leaves and debris. Some robots like the Dolphin Premier have a large oversized bag that holds significant more debris than any cartridge filter. This is a very desirable feature if your pool collects a lot of leaves.

Wheels versus Tracks

There are two types of propulsion that move robotic cleaners through the water: 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive and tracks. The best design for ultimate traction is the track. The contact surface of a track is much greater than even four wheels. The result is greater traction and improved efficiency. When a cleaner's wheel is spinning in place, efficiency is going to suffer.