We’ve seen what sort of pressure-side pool cleaners Zodiac has to offer, and in this guide, we’re going to take a look at some of their best suction-side models.
Below, you’ll see what we feel are 3 of the best Zodiac suction pool cleaners that you can get today, and we’ll also provide you with a brief guide on how to choose between the 3.
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Table of Contents
Our Recommneded Zodiac Suction Pool Cleaners
Zodiac MX8
The greatest thing about Zodiac suction pool cleaners, other than their cleaning performance, is their affordability. The MX8 is no exception—this budget-friendly suction pool cleaner is one of the most popular models on the market due to its compatibility with a wide range of filter pumps.
Whether your pump delivers 20 GPM or a lot more, the MX8 is a suitable pool cleaner. Using cyclonic suction power, this MX8 is able to swallow whole a wide range of pool contaminants such as dead leaves and flower pedals. It doesn’t have brushes so at best, it’ll loosen debris before its high-power suction handles the mess.
Zodiac Baracuda G3
One of the quietest suction pool cleaners on the market is the Baracuda G3, a Creepy Crawly type of device that uses a wide disc with 36 fin points to gently loosen debris from edges and corners. Connected to a long, adjustable hose, you can have the Baracuda clean virtually any pool of any shape and any size.
The lack of moving parts in the Baracuda G3 means less worry over maintenance. The disc is made to clean most types of pool liners, although we’d recommend not using this in concrete pools that can wear the disc too quickly. To get the most out of this tool, toy around with the flowkeeper valve until it produces optimal suction power.
Zodiac MX6
Finally, we have the MX6, a smaller-brother version of the MX8. This narrower pool cleaner has excellent maneuverability in and around pools, and its sticky tracks actually allow it to climb walls relatively well, though waterline cleaning is certainly out of the question.
The MX6, like the MX8, is compatible with low- and high-pressure filter pumps so it will most likely work with your pool’s current setup. The biggest difference between the two is the MX6’s somewhat unsurprising inability to handle large debris as well as the MX8. You should definitely be mindful of what sort of contaminants are in your pool before getting this unit.
Buying Guide: How to Choose a Zodiac Suction Pool Cleaner
Here, we’ll provide you with all of the information you need to decide which of the 3 Zodial suction pool cleaners will work best in your pool.
Compatibility
By compatibility, we mean the size and liner material used in your pool. The length of the connection hose of the suction pool cleaner should be long enough to allow travel to both ends of your pool. Zodiac has additional hose kits (sold separately) that can help with pools of over 30 feet in length.
As for the liner material, all of these models work beautifully in vinyl and fiberglass pools. Concrete, not so much; the rough texture wears down the tracks/disc too quickly, forcing you to purchase replacement parts too frequently.
Types of Pool Debris
Take a look at the surroundings of your pool to determine what sort of debris regularly falls into your pools. Then check the size of the debris—the MX8 and best suited for large, hard pollutants, whereas the Baracuda G3 and MX6 work best at removing tiny or soft contaminants like dead leaves and flower pedals.
Usage Frequency
How regularly do you plan on cleaning your pool with a Zodiac suction cleaner? All of these models are built to last, although the Baracuda G3 takes considerably more time to clean the same amount of pool surface area than the MX6 or MX8.
The good news is that none of these suction cleaners need to be plugged in, so electricity costs shouldn’t spike as long as you’re using them within reason.
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FAQ
We have some excellent news for you. Suction pool cleaners have a lifespan of between 3 and 5 years on average, but you can realistically get up to 8 years of work with proper care.
The second piece of delightful news is that because they have cheap upfront costs compared to other pool cleaning systems, and they don’t directly require electricity to function, there are very few ongoing costs throughout the unit’s lifetime.
If you’re not carefully calculating how much water is gushing through your pool’s plumbing, then you’re going to have a difficult time getting your suction pool cleaner to move. Even though the Zodiac models we listed work with low-pressure systems, insufficient pressure can leave your suction completely immobile.
The first thing you should check is whether there are other waterflow outlets that are dividing your pool pump’s output. Leaks and cracks in the plumbing can also contribute to poor movement or total stagnation.
That depends. You can see what we mean by checking out our guide on the best pool cleaners of all types, but in short, your main considerations should 1) your budget, 2) your tolerance of the inconveniences associated with each type of pool cleaner, 3) your pool’s liner material, and 4) how your pool is designed.
To put it simply, a suction pool cleaner is essentially a vacuum cleaner that works underwater, but instead of plugging into an electrical outlet, it hooks up to your pool pump. Flowing water then spins a turbine which propels the cleaner in a random trajectory to (hopefully) pick up every pollutant in your pool.
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Conclusion
In this guide, we went over our picks of the top 3 best Zodiac suction pool cleaners. We’ve also provided you with a brief buying guide on how to determine which of these models would work best for your pool.
Our overall favorite pick is the MX8 due to its wide intake and improved mobility, though all three, in certain conditions, can provide optimal cleaning performance at any time of the year.
Our Recommended Suction Pool Cleaners
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Last update on 2020-10-21 / Most affiliate links and/or Images from Amazon Product Advertising API