10 Best Robotic Pool Cleaners Under $500 | Reviews | Guide

If you want to enjoy your pool without constantly worrying about cleaning it, then you need to get yourself a reliable pool robot that will easily do the job. Manual pool cleaning is a difficult chore that some pool owners may find therapeutic, but the majority of pool owners find it tiresome and unpleasant.

Thankfully, robotic pool cleaners help with automating this boring chore. Getting a robotic pool cleaner is an investment that will cost some bucks, but it’s totally worth it, especially if you find the right one. The struggle is usually to find the perfect pool robot that’s both affordable and reliable. And for that, we reviewed the best robotic pool cleaners under $500, plus the features that make a great pool robot.

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Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Features to look for in a robot pool cleaner

When choosing a new pool cleaner robot for your swimming pool, it’s important for pool owners to know what features to look for in an ideal product. There are many robotic pool cleaners available with many features, however, the best pool cleaner for any type and size of pool should at least have a solid filtration system and a powerful suction force to suck in and trap pool dirt. It should also have a strong driving system and efficient navigation, and also the ability to clean the entire pool in a single cleaning cycle.

Here’s a breakdown of the features to look for in the best robotic pool cleaners under $500;

• Pool type: robotic pool cleaners are built for different types of swimming pool. There are pool cleaners for small and mid-sized above-ground pools, while there are products designed for large in-ground pools. 
• Wall-climbing ability: this is an important feature in a pool cleaner designed for large in-ground pools.
• Size and weight: your best robotic pool cleaner under 500 shouldn’t be too heavy, so you can lift it out of the pool with ease.
• Navigation and drive system: the best robotic pool cleaner is equipped with smart navigation and sturdy drive systems to clean pools better and faster. 
• Suction power and filter system: An excellent pool robot should have powerful suction and a solid filtration system to ensure complete pool coverage.
• Swivel power cable: this is not absolutely essential, but it’s an important feature, especially in robotic pool cleaner for large in-ground pools. 
• Cleaning mode: you may want different cleaning cycles and modes (plus a weekly timer and remote control) for convenience. 

Best robotic pool cleaners under $500 – Product reviews 

1. Dolphin E10 Robotic Pool Cleaner

The Dolphin E10 is a budget-friendly pool cleaner robot specifically designed to efficiently clean all types of above-ground swimming pools of not more than 30 feet. Compared to other pool robots in the market, Dolphin E10 is one of the best robotic pool cleaner for above-ground pools, and yet it’s very affordable and has many useful features that enable the efficient automation of cleaning a swimming pool.

Dolphin E10 is powered by an energy-efficient 24V DC motor, and HyperGrip rubber tracks secures its grip on slippery pool surfaces while an active scrubbing brush dislodges dirt and algae. E10 is also equipped with an excellent filtration system, with the capacity to filter up to 4000 gallons of pool water per hour.

For a budget pool cleaner robot, Dolphin E10 has very superior cleaning capabilities and is very energy-efficient with an operating cost of 5 cents per hour. This robot has a sturdy build and comes with a 2-year limited warranty. 

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

2. PAXCESS Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

The cordless design of the Paxcess pool cleaner saves you the stress of battling with an extra-long power cord, making it the ideal machine for automatic pool cleaning. To deliver superior pool cleaning, this robot combines the action of a powerful suction force, an active bottom scrubber, and a reusable fine filter. 

An in-built 5000 mAh rechargeable Li-ion battery, with the IPX8 waterproof design, powers the robots and ensures a cleaning cycle of 1.5 hours for efficient pool coverage. And with 4 rubber driving wheels, the Paxcess robotic pool cleaner moves at an impressive speed while actively cleaning and circulating water, saving time and effort, and it has a single power button for ON/OFF for intuitive operation. This pool robot is sturdily built and comes with a 2-year warranty. 

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

3. AIPER Seagull 600 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

The Aiper Seagull 600 is a robotic pool cleaner with a cordless design. It’s built to tackle in-depth cleaning of above-ground and in-ground pools of about 30’ in diameter. This cordless pool cleaner features an inbuilt battery that lasts up to 50 mins on a single charge.

To fully automate pool cleaning, the robot is fitted with 2 independent scrubbers, dual motors, a powerful suction force and a fine filter tray for trapping dirt, debris, fine leaves and sand. This Aiper’s pool automatic pool cleaner moves with a speed of 52.5 ft/min and effectively cleans the entire pool in 1 hour.

After each cleaning, the Aiper cordless automatic pool cleaner stops near the pool wall to allow for easy and convenient retrieval, thanks to the self-parking smart technology. It comes with a 1-year warranty and worry-free customer service.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4. Aqua Products Dash AG Jet Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner

Another option for a budget-friendly robotic pool cleaner is the Dash AG Jet from Aqua Products. It’s an above-ground pool robot with a 40ft long cable suitable for swimming pools of up to 30 ft. This pool vacuum is driven by water-powered propulsion, the super jetblast technology and a 4-wheel drive system propel the robot around the pool by creating a powerful stream of water.

As the robot drives around the pool, 2 top-access filter bags capture and collect all sorts of pool rubbish, effectively trapping everything from sand, silt to twigs, stones and leaves. When it comes to poll cleaning, the Aqua Products Dash keeps it simple with its plug-and-play design. Dash completely cleans the pool in an hour or two. 

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

5. Doheny’s ProDrive AG Robotic Swimming Pool Cleaner

Doheny’s ProDrive AG is an economical choice for above ground swimming pools. It provides fast and thorough cleaning for above ground swimming pools of different shapes, up to 33′, with a power cord of 43 ft long. The ProDrive AG features two brushes for outstanding dirt removal and pool coverage.

Two suction ports filter up to 80 gallons of water per minute with a top running speed coverage of 2,756 feet per hour. And two easy-to-clean filter bags provide superior filtration and debris removal. Doheny’s ProDrive AG has extra large wheels, which allow for superior unit maneuverability and smooth operation over the pool bottom.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

6. Aquabot SP100 Dual Brush Robotic Pool Cleaner

Designed specifically for small to mid-sized in-ground swimming pools, the Aquabot SP100 automatic pool cleaner takes your pool cleaning chore out of your hands. It’s programmed to clean pool floor, cove, walls and waterline of your pool, and comes with PVA brushes that are safe to use on all pool surfaces.

The 4-wheel drive system provides sufficient traction as the robot travels along pool surfaces, and a powerful suction force sucks dirt into the filter cartridges. The SP100 is fitted with ultrafine filtration to pick up even the smallest particles in your pool, keeping your water fresh and dirt-free. It has a 40ft power cable and cleans a 646 sq ft pool in 1.5 hours.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

7. AIPER Seagull 1000 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

With a cordless robotic pool cleaner, there’s no need to connect a power cable and deal with messy, tangled cables. The AIPER Seagull 1000 cordless automatic pool cleaner is completely cordless and comes with an integrated 5000mAh lithium battery which delivers rapid and quick pool cleaning, and in about 90 minutes your pool will be ready. 

With the powerful dual-drive motors(50 watts), this above ground pool cleaner effortlessly traverses the pool bottom, and can climb an incline up to 15 degrees. Equipped with a powerful suction force, Aiper cordless robotic pool vacuum captures all kinds of foreign matter from dirt, debris to insects, and small stones, leaves up to 5.5” wide.  It’s perfect for above ground pools up to 35ft diameter and in-ground pools with the flat floors up to 17×50 feet. 

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

8. Aqua Products SOLAG Sol AG Robotic Pool Cleaner

Aqua Products Sol AG is an automatic pool robot built to clean above-ground pools of up to 30 ft. The Sol AG is a small pool cleaner with a powerful vacuum technology. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and provides powerful cleaning for above-ground and smaller in-ground pools.

For premium cleaning performance, the Sol AG uses an active scrubber to brush the floor and cove of your above-ground pool, while a 3L top-loading EZ filter basket collects dirt particles floating around the pool.

A 40 ft power cord supplies power to the robot, while the continuous rubber tracks provide strong grip on a variety of pool surface types. The Sol Ag will effectively clean mid-sized above-ground pools in 2 hours, and comes with 24 months limited warranty.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

9. Careshine Cordless Automatic Pool Cleaner

If you’re particularly fond of cordless automatic pool cleaners, here’s another one for you. This Careshine cordless pool robot is built for above-ground and in-ground pools of up to 530 sq ft. It comes with a large, 4000mAh lithium battery that provides up to 60 minutes uninterrupted cleaning after 4-5 hours charging.

The cordless design allows for maximum mobility , and it can quickly clean a 530 square foot pool in 60 minutes or less. To ensure complete cleaning, a powerful suction, an active bottom brush and an excellent filter system seamlessly work together to rid the pool of all kinds of debris including leaves, flower buds, stubborn dirt, debris, sand. This pool robotic vacuum works quietly the entire time without noise.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

10. AIPER Orca 800 Mate Robotic Pool Cleaner

The Aiper Orca 800 Mate is another affordable pool robot, it’s perfect for in-ground and above ground pools up to 861 sq. ft in size. To enable efficient cleaning, Orca 800 Mate features two powerful drive motors, a hyper scrubbing brush, a superior filtration system with a powerful suction with a high flow rate 79 GPM.

The filter basket captures all sorts of debris particles and ensures that nothing is left behind. This automatic pool vacuum can freely and efficiently move around the pool, leaving it pool sparkling clean, thanks to a tangle-free power cable.

The 33 ft tangle-free power cord features a float and an inbuilt swivel to prevent entanglement with the unit. This Aiper robotic pool cleaner has a customizable navigation setting for adjusting the cleaning pattern, and you can also choose from 3 preset cleaning modes ranging from 1h, 2h or 3h.

Last update on 2023-05-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

FAQ section 

Final Thoughts

Best robotic pool cleaners under $500 are usually designed for above-ground or small to mid-sized inground swimming pools. If you have an above-ground pool and a small in-ground pool, then ideally, you should not spend more than $500 on a robotic pool vacuum. In this case, the robotic cleaner I recommend is the Dolphin E10. Dolphin is a reliable brand and their E10 robot is an excellent pool cleaner with superior cleaning capabilities and solid filtration system. Dolphin E10 is a reliable pool robot, it has a sturdy build and comes with a 2-year limited warranty.