Beatbot iSkim Ultra Robotic Pool Skimmer

[Buggs]

I just ran across the new Beatbot iSkim Ultra skimmer. If the website and reviews are accurate, it addresses most of the issues I have with my Aiper Surfer M1, albeit at an eye-watering MSRP of $1,499.


My (first-world) complaints were that the Surfer ignores stuff clinging to the pool edge, has difficulty navigating my negative-edge and has a small basket that needs to be emptied frequently. The iSkim Ultra has corner brushes that sweep stuff off the pool edge and direct it into the skimmer port. It has a debris basket roughly twice the size of my current bot. And the Beatbot website says it works well with a negative edge.

It's got other cool tech like wireless charging, 2X the solar-charging and battery capacity, intelligent navigation and even voice notifications. But that price! Have any well-heeled TFP members tried the new Beatbot iSkim Ultra skimmer? Does it live up to the hype?

It also has a “clarifier” disbursement feature that it shares with some Beatbot pool cleaners. The clarifier is a substance called “chitosan”. Anyone have any insight on the effectiveness of this product in a swimming pool?

As nice as this skimmer looks, I plan to wait for some of these features to trickle down to competitors. I see that even Beatbot is already discounting the unit to $1,199 and I’ve seen it advertised for much less elsewhere – though those were on potentially sketchy websites. I don’t need all the bells and whistles, but I’d be willing to pay a bit more for some of this improved functionality – after my Aiper Surfer starts getting long in the tooth.

 

[PoolStored]

The only beatbot reviews I've seen are by @Katodude and @Belo

My Experience with the Aipier S1 and Beatbot Pro

A disclaimer right off the bat. Yes I'm comparing a $2k robot to a $500 robot. I've been a pool owner for around 15 years, the last 8 with my current inground. It's kidney shaped with a pretty steep 3.5 to 10' transition. Vinyl and curved transitions. I owe 2 roombas and have been using them...

www.troublefreepool.com

Beatbot (not Pro) Short term review

Well, I did not go out and buy one. Turns out a neighbor and friend just did. So I am borrowing it for a few days. Thats why this will only be a short term review. It is slightly bigger and heavier than the S1. It also has WiFi and an app. We will see what those do. Downloading and setting up...

www.troublefreepool.com

 

[Katodude]

I tried the Beatbot bottom cleaner for a couple of weeks. It was pretty good.

This new surface skimmer looks interesting, but that price!!! You can buy 3 Betta’s for that. However, there are a few features that are interesting.

The side brushes would be cool if they work, dont know until it’s tested.
The claim on the anti spill basket is also interesting, that is a weakness of the SE Plus.

Everything else is basically noise.

 

[Josh_Is_Me]

I don’t have the iSkim Ultra, but I’ve been using another Beatbot product, the AquaSense Pro, and it’s been great. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it—better to invest in something that truly solves the problem.

Chitosan is said to be derived from the shells of crabs and other crustaceans, which could make it a more eco-friendly option.

I also noticed that Beatbot’s new product line just launched, and two of the models can clean the pool surface. They’re currently on pre-order with discounts, so it might be worth checking out!

 

[Katodude]

Well it looks like the 2 Ultra now has 11 motors instead of 9. So your pool will be 2 motors cleaner.
It does offer a 3 year warranty which is better than most offers of 2 years.
OMG the price!!!!! $3450 before discount and $2759 after. That in my opinion is unjustifiable. You can get a Betta SE Plus and an Aiper S1 for less than $900 and your pool will be cleaner.

The clarifier is a gimmick and any TFP’er knows that is a waste of money and even potentially a problem.

There is no mention of steps cleaning which is the holy grail of pool cleaners, and it is a huge stretch to call pool mapping AI.

 

[MUPPPP]

I preordered the Beatbot Aquasense 2 Ultra the other day. They said the first 100 preorders will be shipped on 2/10/25, but I haven't had any shipping confirmation yet. I will update!

 

[PGQ24]

I got the beatbot iskim ultra for more than 3 months now. It's OK and not worth the money. Pine needles get stuck in the prop. I have some 3-6" shallow areas and huge steps, and it get's stuck there, too. When it worked, it worked will with a basket full of debris. But the key is "when it works." Most of the time, it is either stuck in shallow areas, or the propeller are jammed by the pine needles. In the winter, you do have to recharge it manually. If I had to start over, I would try one of the cheaper skimmers ~300-400 instead of this overpriced ~$1000 iskim. My pool is fairly large with many 90 and 45 angles. I think it does push this robot to the limits. Spiders somehow manages to go along for the ride.

 

[miles267]

Yup. Recently got Dolphin’s Skimmi unit to test. At $500 USD it seems to work well and stays in our freeform IG pool 24x7 as it charges via solar anyway. It’s quite slick and has certainly proven to assist with surface skimming. None of these units are a complete replacement to manual, good old-fashioned surface pool net skimming (unfortunately) though they certainly help. Regardless, I cannot see anything over $500 working better than the Skimmi and even being cost effective, at least at this time. Even if they all did S-pattern navigating, pool surface debris move (unlike stationary debris on a carpet floor vacuumed with a Roomba), so even that wouldn’t necessarily be foolproof. Looking forward to testing this further before determine whether to keep it.

 

[PGQ24]

Spring is upon us, and the Beatbot does its job. Basket is always full when it works. In my case, the Beatbot gets stuck in shallow area. Using the remote control and acceleration, I can't get it out without going out there and manually moving it out of the shallow area. Pine needles continue to get stuck in the wheels and fan, of course. Here's a sample of what it can do. Everything from pollen, palm flower, pine needles, pine seeds, etc. This one is definitely more useful than the stupid dolphin s400 when it comes to purpose built.