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What Features to Look For in a Robotic Pool Cleaner?

Robotic pool cleaners are the most effective way to keep your pool looking sparkly clean. These contemporary marvels make it much easier to keep your pool in good condition with a lot less effort on your part.

There are numerous models to choose from, and they do not all offer the same features. As such, first-time buyers may struggle to settle on particular robot or brand.

The fantastic news finding a top-notch robotic pool cleaner is a lot simpler than it appears. We have some terrific advice to help you get the best robotic pool cleaner to suit your pool-maintenance needs.

What Features to Look For in a Robotic Pool Cleaner?
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

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First Things to Consider

When deciding which robotic pool cleaner to take home with you, you’ll first have to know a few things about your pools and your personal needs.

Pool Surface Material

First and foremost, you must be familiar with your pool. What kind of finish does it have? Nowadays, most robots can clean any pool surface. Look for a cleaner with a soft, super grip PVA brush for slick tile or a fiberglass pool. Wheeled or universal rubber PVC “bristles” will suffice for other surfaces.

Pool Size

Knowing the dimensions of your pool is critical. This is due to the fact that each robotic pool cleaner has a predetermined cable length. You don’t want to buy one, only to discover later that you needed a longer cable.

Your cleaner must have enough cable to reach the farthest place away from an outdoor-safe outlet. And, because the nearest wall outlet must be at least 12 feet away from your pool, you must account for this in your purchase—along with pool depth.

Consider both the height and depth of above-ground pools. A solid rule of thumb is that having too much cable is preferable to not having enough.

Robotic Pool Cleaner – 5 Things To Look For
Nautilus CC Supreme

Floors, Walls, Cove, Waterline, or All of the Above

Most robots are designed only to remove debris off of floors. Others scrub the pool’s floor, cove, and lower wall. Then there are those that do all of this in addition to the wall and waterline. So you should select a model that excels at the jobs you want to do the most.

Naturally, the more features it has, the higher the price. Look for models that offer the most value for money. Also, examine which regions of your pool require the most assistance and purchase a model that excels in those areas.

Important Robotic Pool Cleaner Features

Now that you have a basic comprehension of what your pool-maintenance needs are, it’s time to take a look at various robotic pool cleaner features.

Suction Power

A robotic pool cleaner’s suction power refers to how much water it can filter every minute, which is denoted in gallons per minute (GPM). A higher GPM figure indicates that a robotic pool cleaner can clean more of your pool’s water in less time. A great number to start with is 70 GPM, though you can get by with a lower figure depending on the size of your pool.

Filtration

The two main robotic pool cleaner filter types are spring cleaning and ultrafine. Spring-cleaning filters are designed to capture large pool debris of up to 150 microns, such as dead leaves, twigs, and acorns. Ultrafine particles feature fine meshes that capture debris as tiny as 30 microns in size (algae, sand, grit, dirt).

Choosing the Right Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Premier Review

Power-Washing Jets

People who buy some of these cars also have power washers. There are small particles of silt, sand, or dirt in your pool. This is great if you want to remove them. These jets clean pool surfaces in places that regular brushes can’t get to, such as the corners of your pool.

Navigation

How a robotic pool cleaner navigates through your pool depends on the model. Many high-end models, specifically those made by Maytronics, come with state-of-the-art laser-guided navigation systems to determine which parts of your pool they have yet to clean.

Swivel Cord

The swivel cord, also known as an anti-tangle or tangle-free cord, allows your robot to twist and turn 360 degrees without fraying the inner wires. Having such a cord equals enhanced cleaning thoroughness and infrequent stops during the cleaning cyel to untangle the cord.

Important Features to Consider When Buying a Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Sigma

Remote Controllability

Do you want your pool to be thoroughly cleaned before you get back from work? If your robot has Wi-Fi support, then you can send cleaning instructions from anywhere with a stable internet connection. There are also some models that connect to a device using Bluetooth, so you can program cleaning instructions from anywhere on your property within range of the robot.


Our Recommended Robotic Pool Cleaners

Affordable Option The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is perfect for all pool types. From gunite to tile, and everything in between; you name it and Dolphin will clean it.

Best of the Best The Dolphin Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme is equipped with a center scrubbing brush, this cleaner pushes the limits for wall and waterline cleaning.

Popular Option Smart Nav software delivers highly optimized scanning and coverage for a new level of clean. Advanced algorithms clean 100% of the pool floor, wall & tile/waterline and pool floor.

Check Latest Price >


Related Robotic Pool Cleaner Articles

 • How Does A Robotic Pool Cleaner Work?
 • How to Use a Robotic Pool Cleaner
 • What Features to Look For in a Robotic Pool Cleaner?
 • How to Maintain a Robotic Pool Cleaner?
 • Robotic Pool Cleaner Troubleshooting Tips
 • What is a Swivel Cord?
 • Pressure vs. Suction vs. Robotic Pool Cleaners


If you have any questions or comments, please add them below in the comment section. Similarly, please let us know if you spot any mistakes or omissions. Thanks!


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About the author

Hi I’m Alex, founder of HouseholdMe.com and I’d like to say thank you for dropping by. Like most of you, the first thing I look at before buying something online is reviews or buying guides. By reading what other people say will help me gauge whether or not a product is good or not.  I am trying to help people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired.

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