A swimming pool in your backyard can be a convenient and enjoyable amenity. A bracingly cool swim is the perfect antidote to the hot days of summer.
Nonetheless, maintaining the water in your pool such that it is clean and clear of debris can be a a non-stop undertaking, especially if you already have a lot of other things on your plate. Because of this, owning a pool may be more of a burdensome responsibility than the magnificent source of leisure you had originally envisioned.
In this article, we will explore the pros and cons of robotic pool cleaners to help you make an informed decision on whether they are the right choice for you. We will discuss the benefits of using robotic pool cleaners, such as saving time and energy, and improved cleaning performance. On the other hand, we will also examine some of the potential drawbacks, such as the initial investment cost, repair and maintenance expenses.
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What is a robotic pool cleaner?
Robotic pool cleaners are underwater cleaning equipment that can clean swimming pools automatically with very little intervention from a human operator. These machines come equipped with DC motors that are efficient with energy, brushes for scrubbing, a pool’s filtration system, an internal pump, pressure cleaners and strong suction cleaners.
With these capabilities, a robotic pool cleaner can scrub the walls and floors of pools on its own and filter out dirt and pull debris from the water in the pool.
In contrast to suction side and pressure side pool cleaners, certain robotic pool cleaners can deal with sand, fine dirt, small debris, and huge floating debris.
Pros of using a robotic pool cleaner
If you are considering buying a robotic pool cleaner, you should learn about its benefits and disadvantages. Let’s consider some pros to owning one.
Unmatched scrubbing strength
If there’s one thing we appreciate about robotic automatic pool cleaners, they can thoroughly scour all your pool surfaces. This ability gives them an unmatched level of scrubbing power. Robotic pool cleaners give your surfaces full scrubbing. Pressure-side and suction-side pool cleaners remove surface dirt and debris. However, robotic pool cleaners do this automatically.
Can filter as water flows
A robotic pool cleaner typically features an integrated filtration system that relieves the strain placed on your pool’s cartridge or sand filters, which is a very big win, in our estimation.
Aid pool water circulation
A robotic pool cleaner will recirculate your pool’s water as it cleans the surfaces of your pool. Now, while this may not sound like much, remember that it is doing the job of your pool pump while scrubbing and purifying the water simultaneously for a fraction of the cost!
Easy to use
Plug and play is the best way to describe the operation of a robotic pool cleaner, in contrast to other types of pool cleaners, which often require some assembly. Plug in your robotic cleaner, place them in the water, and watch them go to work!
It’s relatively inexpensive
As a result of the fact that robotic automatic pool cleaners do not need to be powered by your pool pump, you will be able to reduce the amount of money spent on your monthly electric bills every time you use a robotic pool cleaner.
Cons of using a robotic pool cleaner
Because of their similar construction, all robotic pool cleaners tend to have the same drawbacks. It doesn’t matter which company makes the robotic pool cleaner — Zodiac, Dolphin, Bestway, Robo-Tek, or any other brand — these drawbacks are shared by all of them and are a result of the shared design.
The price
This was, and is, one of the hurdles that prohibit many people from having a robotic pool cleaner for their pool. It is also a barrier preventing people from getting a robotic pool cleaner for their pool. Even though the price has decreased over the previous few years, it is still somewhat expensive compared to suction cleaners. However, their prices have dropped because they are more affordable than most pressure-side and suction pool cleaners are.
Power cord length
The length of the power line that connects your robotic pool cleaner to its power source determines how far it can travel and how mobile it may be. Because the only option to improve this is to buy a longer cable for your robotic pool cleaner, you need to consider this before purchasing a robotic pool cleaner.
Doesn’t clean floating debris
Robotic pool cleaners do an excellent job cleaning your pool surfaces but cannot grab floating debris. This is not a problem unique to robotic pool cleaners, but it is important to note that even though they can clean your pool well, they cannot grab floating debris. Now is the time to roll your sleeves, grab your dependable leaf skimmer and telephone, and start fishing out the floating trash.
Limited working time
The capacity of a robotic pool cleaner is restricted by its number of internal pool filter baskets; hence, this is an important factor to consider while shopping for “compact” models. The larger ones, which have a larger capacity, will go significantly longer before needing to be emptied.
Wheel and track jam
The wheels and tracks of robotic pool cleaners are susceptible to jamming when there is a thick layer of leaves and other materials on the surface of your pool. This is especially problematic when there is a lot of debris. Before turning your robotic pool cleaner loose on your pool, rake and scoop away any excess debris. This will allow your pool automatic cleaner to do a better job.
A couple of examples of great robotic pool cleaners
Nautilus/Nautilus CC Plus by Dolphin
Dolphin is the undisputed industry leader in robotic pool cleaning, and their Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is one of their most popular robotic pool cleaners because it strikes an optimal balance between price and performance. This automatic pool cleaner is environmentally friendly and has intelligent cleaning paths and an auto-schedule function that automatically cleans for you according to your chosen schedule. Both the dual top-loading cartridges and the dual scrubbing brushes perform exceptionally well on stubborn filth, and the dual top-loading cartridges make pool maintenance and cleaning a breeze.
Principal attributes
Power/motor
To deliver a hassle-free cleaning experience, Nautilus automatic pool cleaner does not require hoses or booster pumps. In-ground pools are made much simpler to clean with the Dolphin Nautilus, which requires one button to operate.
Cleaning/debris
The dual scrubbing brushes are superior in removing dirt, debris and waterline scrubbing. Within that time frame, the device can clean the floor and walls of a pool up to fifty feet square. Nautilus utilizes a pressure cleaner with a cartridge filter to eliminate the tiniest dust and junk particles. Compared to a pressure/suction pool cleaner, this unit is eight times more energy-efficient.
Tech
The pool floor is cleaned more thoroughly and quickly with the help of algorithms by clever-clean technology. The swivel cable technology makes cleaning the pool simpler and more convenient.
E10 Automatic Pool Cleaner by Dolphin
The E10 by Dolphin is a straightforward robotic pool cleaner requiring a drop-and-go operation. The straightforward operation and the wide filter basket that is simple to access and clean are also major selling points of this product making it one of the best pool cleaner out there. The cleaner uses sophisticated navigation to clean your pool promptly and effectively. Check out our in-depth review of the Dolphin E10.
Principal attributes
Power efficient
It only takes one press of the on/off button to save time and power. You will spend less money on your monthly energy bills if you use this automatic pool cleaner because it is eight times more energy-efficient than pressure and suction pool cleaners.
Movement
The robotic cleaner is eight times more effective than other available robotic cleaners.
Cleaning
The device can remove both large debris that can be seen above ground pool and smaller debris such as sand, mud, and algae. When cleaning the floors of large pools, the aggressive brushing movement delivers twice the amount of scrubbing power. In addition to that, there is a sizable filter basket that can be removed and cleaned with relative ease. This process of rinsing and reloading takes only a few minutes.
Tech
When using Tech Smart Navigation, your swimming pool floor can be scanned and cleaned in as little as one and a half hours. The new CleverClean technology that it incorporates helps to ensure that the floor of the swimming pool is cleaned in the most effective manner possible by navigating around any impediments that may be present in the water.
Conclusion
The benefits and advantages of having robotic cleaners outweigh any potential drawbacks associated with doing so. All of the drawbacks associated with having one can be readily overcome by putting in a little effort (such as scooping out excess trash) or obtaining longer wires for your vacuum cleaner.
For a more detailed review of the robotic pool cleaners and even more options for other automatic pool cleaners, check out our list of the 12 best robotic pool cleaners.
