The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners That Will Keep Your Pool Sparkling

Best Overall: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Cleaner

4.6

View On Amazon View On EBay View On Poolsupplyunlimited.com

Our top pick, the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus offers all the functionality and convenience you’d expect from a robotic pool cleaner at a mid-tier price point. This robotic cleaner is designed for in-ground pools up to 50 feet long, and it cleans your pool end-to-end in around two hours. It requires no pumps or hoses, and it features dual scrubbing brushes to help remove dirt, algae, and other debris.

This robot uses smart navigation to clean the floors and walls of your swimming pool, and its tangle-free cable ensures that it won't get stuck as it works. It’s easy to empty the two cartridge filters from the top of the machine, and it captures large and small debris. Our tester found that this pool cleaner is extremely easy to set up and start, and it picked up a noticeable amount of silt, as well as small leaves, petals, and bugs.

Plus, its built-in scheduler automatically starts a cleaning cycle every day, every other day, or every third day. Keep in mind, that you should remove the robot after each use to empty it and rinse the filters, and rinse off any excess chemicals. While the power supply to this robot vacuum isn't waterproof, its quick cleaning capabilities make up for a minor design error. Overall, this robot pool cleaner is a great choice for just about any pool style and is reasonably priced compared to other models with similar technology.

Best Budget: Aiper Smart HJ1102 Cordless Automatic Pool Cleaner

View On Amazon

Many robotic pool cleaners are quite expensive—some even cost over $1,000—but if you don’t want to spend that much, consider the AIPER Cordless Pool Cleaner. Unlike most robotic cleaners, which get power via a cord, this compact robotic cleaner runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that provides up to 50 minutes of runtime per charge. All you have to do is drop the robot into your above- or in-ground pool, and it navigates from wall to wall, sucking up dirt, sand, debris, and more. 

When the AIPER robot is done cleaning or running low on battery, it automatically stops near a pool wall, allowing you to pull it out using the included hook. The unit recharges in just three to four hours, and it can clean up to a 15 x 35-foot pool on a single charge. It might not do as thorough a job as some more expensive models, but it’s a great budget-friendly model for light everyday pool maintenance.

Best Splurge: Dolphin Premier Robotic Pool Cleaner

View On Amazon

If you have a large pool or just want a pool cleaner with all the bells and whistles, the Dolphin Premier is a worthwhile investment. This high-end pool cleaner is suitable for in-ground pools up to 50 feet long, and it generally needs about three hours to complete a cleaning cycle. Unlike less-expensive models, this robot cleans the pool’s walls and waterline, ensuring every inch is free from dirt and algae. A unique three-filter system captures all manner of debris and keeps it out of the water. 

Two powerful scrubbing brushes provide a deeper clean, and smart navigation software scans the pool and creates an efficient cleaning route. The tangle-free cable prevents the unit from getting stuck, and the unit features an automatic weekly timer, LED indicator light that tells you when the filter is full, and an optional remote control. While this pool cleaner does have all of the latest technology, it's still rather heavy, so it may require an extra set of hands to pull out of your pool, especially if it finishes a cleaning cycle in the deep end. A three-year warranty backs this pricey model, which is ideal for anyone who wants to keep their pool pristine with minimal effort.

Best Smart: Polaris 9650IQ Sport Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner

View On Amazon View On Walmart

For the ultimate pool-cleaning convenience, the Polaris P965iQ is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing you to control it right from the iAquaLink app. Using your smartphone, you can start or stop the cleaner, create customized schedules, and even see when the filter needs cleaning. Plus, this high-end robot cleans even the largest in-ground pool, thanks to its 70-foot tangle-reducing cable. 

The four-wheel-drive helps it to clean the walls, floor, and waterline, and its rear water-cleaning system blows debris off stairs and out of tight corners, so the machine can suck it up.  Although this model is more expensive, innovative features like a convenient storage caddy and the patented Easy Lift removal system, which drives the robot up the wall to be easily removed, make this cleaner worth the splurge. It’s even Alexa-enabled, allowing you to simply ask your voice assistant to start cleaning the pool—how cool is that?

Best for In-Ground Pools: Polaris P825 Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner

View On Lesliespool.com

The Polaris P825 Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner has unique triangular trends that clean just about every surface in your in-ground pool. This cleaning robot tackles stairs, coves, and even benches with ease—it even scrubs down the waterline. Designed for in-ground pools up to 40 feet, it uses Polaris' cyclonic vacuum technology to capture debris without losing suction power. 

Through the transparent lid on the Polaris P825, you can see into the debris canister,  so you know when it needs emptying, and the Push’N’Go emptying system saves you from having to touch the filter contents. The oversized intake area easily sucks up large leaves and their remnants, and the robot comes with its own caddy for convenient storage. The only major downside of this model is the power cable easily gets twisted, inhibiting the unit’s cleaning abilities.

Best for Above-Ground Pools: Aqua Products Sol AG Auto Robotic Pool Cleaner

View On Amazon View On Home Depot

The Aqua Products Sol AG Robotic Pool Cleaner is designed for use in vinyl above-ground pools. The compact unit can handle pools up to 30 feet wide, and it cleans the floor and coves with its pleated scrub brushes. Although it's great at cleaning vinyl, this model can’t climb walls. The powerful vacuum head sucks up dirt and dust, and the large-capacity basket can accommodate larger debris like leaves. 

This unit gets your pool clean in around two hours, and its plug-and-play operation is easy to set up and use immediately. The debris basket is easy to remove, and you can spray waste out of it using the garden hose. Overall, this unit is simple and compact, making it a top choice for your above-ground pool.

Best for Leaves: DOLPHIN Triton PS Automatic Robotic Pool Cleaner

View On Amazon

Not all robotic pool cleaners suck up leaves well, but the Dolphin Triton PS’s top-loading filter basket is spacious enough to capture even the largest debris without clogging. Plus, it manages to trap fine dirt and sand particles, preventing them from escaping back into the water. This robotic cleaner is designed for in-ground pools up to 50 feet, and it can have your pool sparkly clean in as little as two hours. 

Thanks to its powerful treads and high-speed pleated brush, this robot can scrub the floor, walls, and even the waterline, removing algae and grime. Its weekly scheduler includes three frequency options, and the tangle-free cable prevents the power cord from getting twisted while it works. It’s easy to remove and empty the large filter basket, and the unit automatically dumps out any water when you remove it from the pool, leaving debris trapped in the filter.