The 10 Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

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. We 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. It not only gets a pool sparkling clean, even after a crowd of swimmers but also takes a lot of the worry out of caring for an in-ground pool.

Plus, its built-in scheduler automatically starts a cleaning cycle every day, every other day, or every third day. We saw this cleaner easily climb the walls of an older-style pool, which are set at a 90-degree angle and have very little curvature between the floor and sides. A member of our testing team had also previously purchased a used Dolphin M400 model last year and said that the Nautilus was easier to use, faster at cleaning, and better at tracking with the floor.

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.

How It Performed Long-Term

If you are feeling skeptical about investing in this model because of its high price tag, we can vouch that it's worth the investment. It not only saved us hours of manually cleaning our pool, but it also got better at mapping the pool over time. After three months of regular use during the summer, we didn't notice any negative change in its performance and are excited to break it out for more seasons in the sun.

Price at time of publish: $899

_{Pool Type: In-ground or above ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 2 hours | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls | Brush Type: Dual scrubbing | Filter Type: Twin cartridge | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Value

Aiper Seagull SE Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Design
  4.8/5
• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Effectiveness
  4.3/5
• Value
  5/5

It's not often that you come across a robotic pool cleaner that's actually effective and affordable. The Aiper Seagull SE Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner floored us with its easy-to-use design and effective debris removal. While it's certainly not the most technologically advanced pool cleaner on the market, we found the straightforward operation refreshing compared to some models that can be overloaded with features.

From start to finish, we enjoyed using this pool cleaner in a 40- by 18-inch in-ground pool during testing. It's easy to set up by simply popping in the cleaning brushes and fully charging it. We learned that if you don't allow it to fully charge, you may not experience as thorough of a cleaning job. The charge time is rather long at two and a half hours. To start the pool cleaner, you press the button located on the top and drop it into your pool near an edge. It then winds its way around your pool. We recommend pulling it out a few times during a cleaning cycle to empty out the filter basket, which is secured by two levers on the top of the pool cleaner.

Once the pool cleaner is done with a cycle or begins to run out of battery, it will self-park near your pool's edge for easy retrieval. We appreciated that this cleaner came with a retrieval hook, which can be attached to a standard pool cleaning pole. While observing this pool cleaner in action, we noticed that it struggled over large piles of leaves and leaves in general, however, we don't discredit its design on this fault given it's less advanced than other pool cleaners. However, it was very effective at removing pollen and other small debris from the bottom of the pool. The cordless design also allowed it to roam the pool bottom freely without being restrained or becoming tangled. All in all, we couldn't ask for much more from this $300 pool cleaner.

Price at time of publish: $300

_{Pool Type: In- and above-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 90 minutes | Cleaning Coverage: Floor | Brush Type: Independent brushes | Filter Type: Top-load filter basket | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Under $500

Hydrus Robotic Cordless Pool Vacuum Cleaner

4.4

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Value
  4/5

Similar to our best value pick, this robotic pool cleaner from Hydrus doesn't have smart features or multiple cleaning modes, but it is effective at picking up dirt and keeping a pool in top shape during peak season. It required no assembly, just a full charge before we dropped it into a vinyl-lined in-ground pool. This pool cleaner does not have a methodical cleaning path but moves across a pool floor like a ping pong ball. We noted that it's also quite fast when it's moving along the pool floor.

The speedy and random path did mean that this cleaner didn't always pick up all of the dirt and debris out of our testing pool, but this was also the first cleaning it had seen for the season, so it needed extra care anyway. We really like that this unit beeps when it's turned on, so you know it's working, before dropping it in the pool. It also self-parks, once it gets below 10 percent battery, and returns to your pool's edge.

Although we were pleasantly surprised with this pool cleaner's abilities, it did struggle to orient itself initially. It got stuck behind a ladder several times and it cannot climb steep inclines. Despite a few quirks to its methodology, we still think this robotic pool cleaner is a great option at under $300.

Price at time of publish: $230

_{Pool Type: In- and above-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 90 minutes | Cleaning Coverage: Floor | Brush Type: Not applicable | Filter Type: Stainless filter | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Splurge

Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner with Wi-Fi Control

4.7

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

If you have a large pool or just want a pool cleaner with all the bells and whistles, the Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme Wi-Fi Operated Pool Cleaner is a worthwhile investment. This high-end pool cleaner is suitable for in-ground pools up to 50 feet long, and it needs about one and a half to three and a half hours to complete a cleaning cycle, depending on your selection. Unlike less-expensive models, this robot also cleans the pool’s walls and waterline, ensuring every inch is free from dirt and algae. Its two-filter system captures all manner of debris and keeps it out of the water. 

We enjoyed using this robot’s corresponding app to keep up with its cleaning progress and see its location in the pool. We also tried this robot’s pre-programmed standard and enhanced cleaning times and noted that the cleaner was able to get a pool about 95 and 99 percent clean, respectively. For the remaining debris, we used the remote steering to direct the robot to the small spots it missed throughout the pool. 

This pool cleaner is equipped with powerful scrubbing brushes—three to be exact—that provide a deeper clean, and smart navigation software scans the pool to create an efficient cleaning route. The tangle-free cable prevents the unit from getting stuck, and the unit features an automatic weekly timer and an LED indicator light that tells you when the filter is full. Although this model is effective at climbing walls and cleaning the waterline, we did note that it cannot clean steps that are too narrow for it. However, it did manage to clean a wider sun ledge.

How It Performed Long-Term

This pool cleaner has continued to impress us over the course of several months. It's easy to operate and completes a thorough cleaning job every time. We only have one minor complaint about the remote steering feature in the smartphone app. There's a slight delay between the app and the cleaner, which makes spot cleaning and catching leftover debris more challenging. However, we've found its design to be a complete game changer during pool season, making it worth the high expense in our book.

Price at time of publish: $1,499

_{Pool Type: In-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 1.5 - 3.5 hours | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls, waterline | Brush Type: Triple scrubbing | Filter Type: Extra large twin cartridges | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for Leaves

Aiper Seagull Pro Robotic Pool Cleaner

4.8

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Design
  4.8/5
• Ease of Use
  4.8/5
• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Value
  4.5/5

The Aiper Seagull Pro Robotic Pool Cleaner is a front-runner for tackling leaves and twigs among all the robotic pool cleaner models we've tested. We also happened to test this cleaner in a pool that's shaded by a cedar tree, oak tree, and bamboo, so it was well-challenged with a surplus of debris. Our favorite feature of this pool cleaner was its methodical cleaning pattern, which operates in an "S" shape across pool floors, and an elongated "N' shape along walls and waterlines. We will note it's very important to start this pool cleaner along a flat wall. We learned that the cleaning pattern is easily interrupted when initially placed near steps or a sun ledge (as we did at first use).

Despite a rocky start, we love how efficiently this pool cleaner can clean a pool's entire surface area. It also has three settings, so you can choose whether it cleans on an automatic setting (both floor and walls), floor only, or wall only. The setting dial also lights up in a series of colors to let you know when the battery is running low: Green is greater than 90 percent battery, blue is 50 to 89 percent, yellow is 10 to 49 percent, and red is less than 9 percent battery remaining. Just like many of the other models in our roundup, this robot pool cleaner also self-parks near a wall for easy retrieval. We will note that it has a smaller loop for hooking it out of the water, so we did experience some difficulty retrieving it from a deep end of the pool, simply because it was hard to discern the direction of the pool cleaner.

We did find ourselves wishing that this pool cleaner had some smart features like live tracking or a cycle status indicator, so we could better monitor its progress during a 3-hour cleaning cycle. This would also help prevent it from being stuck in one place for a long period of time and resulting in a drained battery, which only happened to us once when it got caught on the pool drain cover. Plus, given the higher price point, we think smart features would make this robotic pool cleaner even more competitive on the market. However, we are still very pleased with its ability to pick up twigs, leaves, silt, flowers, and more along a pool's floor and walls.

Price at time of publish: $900

_{Pool Type: In-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 180 minutes | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls, and waterline | Brush Type: Active scrub brushes | Filter Type: Top-load filter basket | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best for Algae

Aiper Elite Pro Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

4.7

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Design
  4.8/5
• Ease of Use
  4.5/5
• Effectiveness
  4.8/5
• Value
  4/5

Algae growth is maybe one of the most annoying side effects of having a pool in your backyard, but the Aiper Elite Pro Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner can easily tackle this finicky debris as it pops up in your pool. We tested this model in an above-ground vinyl pool, and we were thrilled to see that it easily climbs the walls of a circular above-ground pool just as well as it would an in-ground pool. It also has a longer run time of 2 hours, meaning you get a thorough cleaning every time you pop it into your pool.

We do wish this pool cleaner was slightly easier to operate, as we had some difficulty getting it to initially turn on. Granted, the sun was shining directly on our setup, so the power indicator light was difficult to see, but we finally managed after three attempts. We also recommend ensuring this robot pool cleaner is fully charged, as it will not turn on otherwise. You can tell whether it's fully charged by checking the indicator light on the charger, which lights up green once it's at full power.

While this pool cleaner easily tackled algae and other small leaves on the bottom of our testing pool, it could not pick up larger leaves that had fallen into the pool. We won't totally discount it for that fault though, as that's a common issue with many robotic pool cleaners. We also noted that this robot is more challenging to retrieve than a corded model since it requires a hook and a compatible pool pole. But we really enjoy the ease and tangle-free operation of cordless models and think the hassle of the hook is worth it. Altogether, you can't go wrong with purchasing this pool cleaner for your above-ground pool, especially if you're looking for a model that easily climbs walls as well.

Price at time of publish: $650

_{Pool Type: Above-ground and in-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 120 minutes | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls | Brush Type: Rubber brush | Filter Type: Not listed | Smart Capabilities: No}

Best Smart

Polaris VRX iQ+ Robotic Pool Cleaner

4.6

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Our Ratings

• Design
  4/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  4/5
• Value
  3/5

For the ultimate pool-cleaning convenience, the Polaris VRXIQ+ 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. This high-end robot cleans even the largest in-ground pools, thanks to its 70-foot tangle-reducing cable. It’s important to note that a member of our testing team was using this cleaner in an above-ground pool, so she could not test its wall, step, or waterline cleaning ability. All in all, though, we were impressed by this cleaner’s capacity, which easily handled the pool’s floor, which was covered in algae and leaves. It also learns your pool's size and dimensions during the first automatic cleaning cycle, so that it can further enhance and expedite cleaning during subsequent cycles.

The four-wheel drive helps this cleaner clean the walls, floor, waterline, and even steps. Thanks to its rear water-cleaning system, it easily 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. This cleaner is quite heavy, weighing 21 pounds, but we thought it was still relatively easy to lift out of the pool thanks to the Easy Lift technology, which aids in most of the exertion of lifting from the bottom of the pool.

How It Performed Long-Term

We love that we can control this robotic cleaner entirely from the compatible smartphone app. After experimenting with its cleaning capability in a hot tub, we'd advise that this model be used in larger pools, as it's not great at navigating smaller spaces. However, its performance and app capabilities make it a worthy splurge for busy families.

Price at time of publish: $1,649

_{Pool Type: In-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: Not listed | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls, steps, waterline | Brush Type: Dual blade | Filter Type: Extra large filter canister | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for In-Ground Pools

Dolphin Explorer E50 Robotic Pool Cleaner

5

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Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Value
  5/5

We noted the Dolphin Explorer E50 Robotic Pool Cleaner seemed to be the Ferrari of pool cleaners and its price tag certainly reflects that. We actually had no complaints when setting up, using, or emptying this model from Dolphin. It doesn't even require charging because of its corded status, but that does limit its capabilities to a 50-foot-long pool. However, it's compatible with all pool liners including gunnite, fiberglass, and vinyl.

To start this pool cleaner you plug it in and connect the smartphone app, which is very user-friendly. From there, you can select from several cleaning modes including floor only, walls only, or a combination. There's also a quick clean mode, if you don't need the entire pool to be deep cleaned. Our favorite feature has to be the remote monitoring and cycle alerts, which pop up once the cleaner has finished a cycle. You can then instruct it to float to the surface of the pool for super easy retrieval.

On top of being able to clean walls and waterlines, this pool cleaner also cleaned a set of stairs in our testing pool. No matter the size of the debris, it picked up everything in its path, and it has a large enough filter basket that it doesn't need to be emptied mid-cycle. Once you are ready to empty the filter basket, a button on the unit pops the basket up and open, so you can easily pick it up and dump it out. We recognize this pool cleaner is one of the most expensive options on our list, but if you want a cleaner that can be left unmonitored and easily navigates the nuances of most pools, it's worth the splurge. Given its performance on a variety of debris and its thoughtful in-app features, the Dolphin Explore E50 is a busy pool owner's dream cleaning tool.

Price at time of publish: $1,599

_{Pool Type: In-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: 60 minutes or 180 minutes | Cleaning Coverage: Floor, walls, and waterline | Brush Type: Rubber | Filter Type: Top-load filter basket | Smart Capabilities: Yes}

Best for Above-Ground Pools

Dolphin Escape Robotic Above Ground Pool Cleaner

4.7

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Our Ratings

• Design
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5
• Effectiveness
  5/5
• Value
  4/5

The Dolphin Escape Robotic Above-Ground Pool Cleaner is designed for use in vinyl above-ground pools up to 30 feet wide. It easily navigates the floor of any above-ground pool and even smoothes out the liner. The vacuum head sucks up dirt and dust, and the large-capacity basket can accommodate larger debris like leaves. 

We appreciated how easy it was to dump debris from the top-load filter after a cleaning run, which took about three hours. You can also clean out the filter basket with a garden hose. This cleaner’s plug-and-play operation is easy to set up and use immediately. We loved how much time this cleaner saved us from having to manually clean a pool, especially since the pool this robot was tested in is covered by a tree, which frequently drops leaves. Overall, this unit may be simple in performance (and not able to climb walls), but it’s compact and effective, making it a top choice for an above-ground pool.

Price at time of publish: $679

_{Pool Type: Above-ground | Cleaning Cycle Time: Not listed | Cleaning Coverage: Floors | Brush Type: Active scrubbing brush | Filter Type: Top-load filter | Smart Capabilities: No}