Five Pool Cleaning Robots That Get the Job Done

Few people want to swim in a pool filled with algae, twigs, grime, and debris, and even fewer like the idea of cleaning it up. Fortunately, you don’t have to wave a net around or fiddle with a vacuum for hours to get your pool’s water ready for use. For a super clean pool that you can readily enjoy, consider buying a specialized cleaning robot. These ingenious machines scrub and vacuum the interior, floor, and walls of your pool to make it sparkle, meaning much less work for you. Here are efficient five pool cleaning robots that get the job done and are well worth the investment.

1. Hayward TigerShark Quick Clean

For a relatively quick cleaning and a machine that has an efficient filter, consider the Hayward TigerShark. It doesn’t require that you hook up any complicated pumps or hoses and has an energy efficient 24 volt motor that can get your pool clean in 90 minutes. If you have more time to let the TigerShark Quick Clean do its thing, put it on the three hour setting and it will clean your pool’s floor, coves, waterline, and walls. Cleanup is easy, thanks to its cartridge filter that only needs to be opened, emptied, rinsed off, and inserted back into the machine. This pool cleaning robot works well with pools made of vinyl, fiberglass, granite, tile, or pebble. The Hayward TigerShark Quick Clean costs just under $1,000, and there are also standard models without Quick Clean technology that cost a bit less. If you want a TigerShark Quick Clean with a remote, it will cost a few hundred dollars more.

2. Dolphin Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner

Dolphin’s Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner scours in ground pools up to 50 feet long with ease and precision. It vacuums and scrubs pool walls, coves, and floors in about three hours. The 60 foot swivel cable prevents tangling, and there’s no need to connect this pool cleaning robot to your pool’s filter system. The Nautilus has an intelligent design and is self-programmed to scan your pool and ensure it’s cleaned thoroughly. Just place it into the water, plug it in, and let it do its thing. If you want a quiet pool cleaning solution, this is a great choice as it makes practically no noise. The Dolphin Nautilus is also fairly affordable and costs under $600.

3. Aquabot Pool Rover (S2-50)

If you have an above ground pool or a smaller in ground pool, you won’t need a huge, hulking robot to clean it. A good option is the Aquabot Pool Rover, which is specially designed to clean pools of all shapes that are up to 50 feet. This machine is smaller than others, but it has a powerful suction system and wheels that provide good traction without scratching up your pool’s interior. Its two brushes pick up dirt and debris of all sizes, and this pool cleaning robot comes with two sets of filter bags that can be accessed from the top of the machine. The Aquabot Pool Rover cleans pool coves, floors, and lower walls while filtering 80 to 85 gallons of water per minute.

The Aquabot Pool Rover is designed to avoid getting stuck in corners and can scale walls to get grime off of pool tile. It has two cleaning cycles: one that last an hour, and a longer two hour cycle for a more thorough cleaning. This is one of the more affordable automatic pool cleaners available, and it costs about $360.

4. Smartpool SmartKleen Robotic Pool Cleaner

The Smartpool Smart Kleen is lightweight and another great option for smaller above and in ground pools. It has a 40 foot power cord and weighs just 18 pounds. Its intuitive design allows it to change directions without needing any walls to guide it, and you can use this robot in vinyl, fiberglass, or concrete lined pools. The filter bag has an expanded capacity to carry more dirt and debris, which means you don’t have to worry about changing the bag during cleaning sessions. The brushes on this model pick up everything from sludge and sand to leaves and pine needles.

A handy feature of the Smartpool Smart Kleen is its two hour auto shut off. It’s not uncommon to for pool owners to forget that their cleaners are running — especially with quiet machines — and having the ability to turn itself off means much less energy will be wasted. Though the Smart Kleen is already lightweight compared to other pool cleaners in its class, its Quick Darin system makes it even easier to get out of the water. This feature lets out excess water weighing the machine down while keeping in the dirt and debris that’s been filtered from your pool. You can buy this efficient pool cleaner for less than $320.

5. Pentair Kreepy Krauly Prowler 830

The Kreepy Krauly Prowler from Pentair is a powerful cleaner that’s excellent for pools that tend to accumulate more debris than usual. Its brushes and scrubbing mechanisms are highly effective at removing grime and can completely cover most pools within 2.5 hours. It also filters water as it cleans, taking oils, harmful microbes, and grime with it. Opting for this particular pool cleaner means you’re unlikely to need as many pool chemicals to maintain your water.

Where some pool cleaners get caught up in steps, ladders, and corners, the Kreepy Krauly Prowler has an automatic reverse feature that prevents interruptions and decreased performance. No hoses or booster pump are needed to run this pool cleaner, and its filter cartridge is easy to clean and maintain.

One of the most convenient features of this pool cleaning robot is the included wireless remote that allows you to schedule cleanings — even if you’re not home, you can set the robot to go to work and come back to a clean pool. The Kreepy Krauly Prowler has a 60 foot cord, the machine itself measures 19 inches width by 19 inches height by 23.5 inches height, and it weighs 45 pounds. To help you move and store the machine, the Kreepy Krauly Prowler comes with its own caddy. The cost for this model is $999.