Are Robotic Pool Cleaners Worth It?

[FloatOnFrank]

Hi all!

My mom is an avid swimmer in summer, but she's been complaining about the constant pool maintenance. I'm considering getting her a robotic pool cleaner as a Christmas gift, but I'm unsure if it's a worthwhile investment. Has anyone had experience with these? Are they effective at keeping pools clean? Do they save a significant amount of time and effort? Any advice or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[PoolGate]

How big is the pool and what is she using now? Robotic pool cleaners are "set and forget" and typically take around 2-3 hours to clean the pool. Then they are removed to empty the basket. And they really should be removed from the pool after each use, rinsed, and put somewhere. I leave mine near the pool. The pool should still be manually brushed occasionally ("should" - I never do). Also if she gets a lot of leaves and stuff the canister in the robot will fill up causing it to stop and/or require mid-cycle cleaning.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Frank,

It also depends on what you are calling a "Robot" cleaner..

Give us an idea on what cleaner you are interested in, and we can provide you with some pros and cons..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[wireform]

Would you know if the pool equipment pad has the plumbing in place and not used or maybe already has a pump designated for it and not used. Some pictures of the equipment pad will be helpfull here.

 

[RayLovesPorkKebab]

How big is the pool and what is she using now? Robotic pool cleaners are "set and forget" and typically take around 2-3 hours to clean the pool. Then they are removed to empty the basket. And they really should be removed from the pool after each use, rinsed, and put somewhere. I leave mine near the pool. The pool should still be manually brushed occasionally ("should" - I never do). Also if she gets a lot of leaves and stuff the canister in the robot will fill up causing it to stop and/or require mid-cycle cleaning.

Agree.

 

[FloatOnFrank]

How big is the pool and what is she using now? Robotic pool cleaners are "set and forget" and typically take around 2-3 hours to clean the pool. Then they are removed to empty the basket. And they really should be removed from the pool after each use, rinsed, and put somewhere. I leave mine near the pool. The pool should still be manually brushed occasionally ("should" - I never do). Also if she gets a lot of leaves and stuff the canister in the robot will fill up causing it to stop and/or require mid-cycle cleaning.

Thanks for the tips! The pool is about 550 sq ft and she's currently using a suction-side cleaner, but it’s not doing the best job with the leaves.

 

[FloatOnFrank]

Frank,

It also depends on what you are calling a "Robot" cleaner..

Give us an idea on what cleaner you are interested in, and we can provide you with some pros and cons..

Thanks,

Jim R.

I've been researching robotic pool cleaners and am narrowing it down to either a Dolphin or a Beatbot. The Dolphin seems to be a good value, but the Beatbot has some extra features that might be worth the extra cost.

 

[ajw22]

A robot cleaner cannot live in the pool. It needs to be put into the pool and pulled out when it is done cleaning.

Make sure your Mom can handle putting a robot cleaning in and out of the pool.

 

[PoolStored]

A robot cleaner cannot live in the pool. It needs to be put into the pool and pulled out when it is done cleaning.

I've had a different experience. My Dolphin DX3 was in the pool for the season (May-Oct) for 10 years, removing only to clean. Replace with an Dolphin S200, going on 4 years; it stays in the pool for the season (March-Oct), without issue. I'm not interested in leaving it on the deck unless it is cleaning and only putting it in when it needs to clean. If it retires early, because it is in the pool, so be it...but retiring early has not been my experience.

 

[ajw22]

I've had a different experience. My Dolphin DX3 was in the pool for the season (May-Oct) for 10 years, removing only to clean. Replace with an Dolphin S200, going on 4 years; it stays in the pool for the season (March-Oct), without issue. I'm not interested in leaving it on the deck unless it is cleaning and only putting it in when it needs to clean. If it retires early, because it is in the pool, so be it...but retiring early has not been my experience.

I think it depends on the model and that needs to be considered in the selection.

 

[PoolStored]

I think it depends on the model and that needs to be considered in the selection.

Maybe...I'm open to that...but it is not clear the attributes of the "model" that are important to residing in the pool vs. needing to be pulled.

From a purely personal perspective...the dolphin lives in the pool and I pull it when I want to clean it, it gets super twisted, or I have swimmers. I want it to run daily cleaning, until I pull it for either reason. This has worked for me with little/no downside so far...

 

[ajw22]

Humans are entitled to abuse their robots anyway they desire.

 

[ajw22]

I want it to run daily cleaning, until I pull it for either reason.

The weight of robot cleaners vary widely.

Still depends if “Mom” has the strength to pull the robot out and put it back in.

You want to discuss the wide range of strengths of “Moms” next?

 

[PoolStored]

Still depends if “Mom” has the strength to pull the robot out and put it back in.

You want to discuss the wide range of strengths of “Moms” next?

Leave it out or leave it in, "Mom" still has to pull it out to clean it or leave it out. Agreed.

 

[FloatOnFrank]

A robot cleaner cannot live in the pool. It needs to be put into the pool and pulled out when it is done cleaning.

Make sure your Mom can handle putting a robot cleaning in and out of the pool.

Thanks for the heads up. I hadn't considered the weight of lifting the cleaner in and out. While Mom is fit, I want to make sure she can use it without any strain. I'll definitely look for a robotic pool cleaner that's designed to be user-friendly.

 

[FloatOnFrank]

Thanks so much for all the advice! After comparing options, I ended up getting the Beatbot AquaSense Pro on Black Friday—it was a pretty sweet deal compared to the regular price. Now I’m just waiting for it to arrive, and I’m hoping my mom will love it as a Christmas gift! Still a little unsure though—has anyone here used this? How’s the cleaning performance? And is it hard to lift out of the water, or does it take a lot of effort?

 

[Josh_Is_Me]

Thanks so much for all the advice! After comparing options, I ended up getting the Beatbot AquaSense Pro on Black Friday—it was a pretty sweet deal compared to the regular price. Now I’m just waiting for it to arrive, and I’m hoping my mom will love it as a Christmas gift! Still a little unsure though—has anyone here used this? How’s the cleaning performance? And is it hard to lift out of the water, or does it take a lot of effort?

I’ve been using the AquaSense Pro for almost 10 months now, and it’s been pretty good overall. The Water Clarification feature is awesome—it really keeps the water clear. As for lifting it, I don’t think it’s as hard as you might expect, but it kinda depends on how strong your mom is. She could give it a try once it arrives. Honestly, I think it’s a solid investment.

 

[Sulewski]

Thanks so much for all the advice! After comparing options, I ended up getting the Beatbot AquaSense Pro on Black Friday—it was a pretty sweet deal compared to the regular price. Now I’m just waiting for it to arrive, and I’m hoping my mom will love it as a Christmas gift! Still a little unsure though—has anyone here used this? How’s the cleaning performance? And is it hard to lift out of the water, or does it take a lot of effort?

Can you tell me what the Black Friday price was? I am kicking myself that I missed it. My dolphin gave up the ghost today and I found your post today while I was researching which robot to replace it with.

 

[FloatOnFrank]

Can you tell me what the Black Friday price was? I am kicking myself that I missed it. My dolphin gave up the ghost today and I found your post today while I was researching which robot to replace it with.

The Black Friday price was $1,759, which was a bit lower than usual. Hopefully, you’ll catch a good deal again soon.

 

[Sulewski]

The Black Friday price was $1,759, which was a bit lower than usual. Hopefully, you’ll catch a good deal again soon.

I reached out to the company to see if I could get the Black Friday price still. They said they would adjust the cost when I placed the order… we shall see. Placing the order now.