Best Robotic Pool Cleaners 2024: Real Person Review
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Today I am sharing the best pool vacuum robot and why I think it’s one of the best cleaners on the market. Not only does the Hayward AquaVac 650 climb walls, it’s an all in one pool cleaner that is easy to use, simple to clean and has amazing suction power .
Lets face it, pool maintenance can be a drag especially if you have a large pool. We have had many robotic pool vacuum cleaners in the past and the Hayward AquaVac is by far one of the best we have used.
We also have the Dolphin pool cleaner – The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus which is also a high quality cleaner but I found it a little heavier to pull out of the water.
Best Robotic Pool Cleaners
A reputable pool vacuum robotic cleaner is perfect for in-ground pools and pickup 95% of your pool debris (you will need to remove large pieces of debris like dirt or mulch after a storm) in under an hour allowing you to step away and not worry about cleaning the pool.
Are Robotic Pool Vacuums Worth It?
100% yes, our pool robot saves not only time but the ease of use is unmatched.
By the time it takes to hook up a traditional long hose vacuum and pump, your pool could be cleaned by a robotic cleaner.
- short cleaning time
- energy efficient
- doesn’t run with the filtration and pump system
- easy to remove
- smart features
- extra long cable length that connects to the your power source (great for larger pools)
- climbs pool walls effortlessly
I personally love putting the pool vacuum robot cleaner in the water a couple hours before we are having company or if I know we are using the pool that day.
It’s such a time saver and cleans the pool perfectly! No more standing next to the pool with a long vacuum pole vacuuming in the hot sun!
You may have noticed that we have a rock garden with shrubbery and trees that tend to dump debris into the pool.
Do Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaners Really Work?
Yes! Robotic pool cleaners 100% work but you need to make sure it has good suction power and the ability to climb walls.
That makes all the difference in the world between an ok pool cleaner and a great pool cleaner.
It can be tedious keeping robotic pool cleaners from getting clogged with debris but I am so happy to say that the Hayward AquaVac 650 had ZERO issues.
In fact, I almost felt like it was alive and could see if it missed something. -ha. That’s how good it cleaned.
Step 1 – place vacuum robot in pool
To start the cleaning process, I simply placed the pool cleaner in the pool and submerged into the water.
Step 2: Press start on control panel
Once the pool cleaner was submerged, I pressed the start button on the control panel.
You can also control the pool cleaner from an app on your phone (keep reading, more on that towards the end of the post).
The sides of our pool tend to gather debris at the water line so a pool robot vacuum that climbs walls effortlessly is important!
Hayward AquaVac 650 Series pool vacuum robot offers the latest innovation and technology in robotic pool cleaners.
Featuring Spintech™ Filterless Technology, this new addition to Hayward’s robotic pool cleaner lineup maintains constant suction power even when the canister begins to fill up.
The AquaVac 6 Series cleaners were designed with 18 hydrocyclones that form a swirling spiral of suction, creating more than enough strength to pick up even the most troublesome dirt and debris.
I have all of our pool supplies listed on our Amazon Storefront if you are looking for cleaning or maintenance items.
Robotic Pool Cleaner Review
With many industry-first features and functions, including the TouchFree™ Debris Canister that makes clean up effortless, the AquaVac 6 Series cleaners are an ideal solution for pool owners that want a premium cleaner with the latest innovation and smart technology.
What makes this pool cleaner the best pool cleaning robot?
The fact that it’s so easy to operate, sucks up all the debris with no issues and is easy to remove from the pool is huge for me.
I am not that technical so while this pool cleaner is super sophisticated and impressive, what matters to me most is the fact that I can actually operate it, it works good and I don’t almost fall into the pool when removing it.
Top Robotic Pool Cleaners:
- Spintech™ Technology maintains constant, maximum suction power until the job is done
- A TouchFree™ debris canister gets rid of the mess with the press of a simple quick release button—no filter or bags to clean, and best of all, you won’t have to get your hands dirty.
- Several cleaning cycles
- Cleans the pool floor and walls
- WIFI pool cleaning robot connects to smartphone app
- The HexaDrive™ adaptive traction expertly climbs and thoroughly scrubs walls, floors and coves with six rugged variable-speed-driven rollers that grip any pool surface making this the best pool cleaning robot.
The diagram below shows how the control panel works and the different cleaning features.
The pool cleaner is WiFi enabled which also allows you to remotely monitor and control the cleaning process with the dedicated smartphone app that is compatible with any IOS or Android device (available on the AV650 model only).
There are a few cleaning options to choose from which can be managed from the control panel or the app.
Once the pool cleaner was done cleaning, I simply grabbed the pull handle and removed the cleaner from the pool.
Our last pool cleaner did not have a handle and it was very difficult to remove.
If you struggle to lift heavy objects, this is one of the best options in a great price range.
The handle on this pool cleaner is by far one of my favorite features! If you have ever removed a pool cleaner full of water from the pool, you know exactly how important a handle is!
Simply open the canister and dump the debris out.
I honestly couldn’t believe how the cleaner climbed the pool’s walls and stairs effortlessly and literally cleaned sideways with no issue.
If you missed the start of our Summer Series with Hayward Pool, be sure to check out our Hayward VS Omni Variable Speed Pump with Smart Control blog post and our post featuring the Hayward AquaRite® salt chlorination system.
Where to buy a robotic pool cleaner?
Here is the updated model below.
Amazon also carries the Aqua Vac 650 and this one is also made by Hayward with great reviews.
Pool Robot
The storage caddy is easy to maneuver featuring wheels and a spot for the control panel. Simply pop the pool cleaner into the caddy and store in a dry place.
Don’t miss our previous blog posts about why we installed the Hayward VS Omni Variable Speed Pump with Smart Control and why we converted to the Hayward Salt Chlorination System.
How Much Do Robotic Pool Cleaners Cost?
There are a handful of suction pool cleaners under $500 but depending on your pool size, you may not be satisfied with the level of cleaning. If you have an above ground pool, a smaller less expensive cleaner may work.
Hayward Aquavac 650 Price
Our Dolphin pool cleaner was under $1000 (it’s 4 years old now) and the Hayward Aquavac 650 (the newer version) is closer to $1500. If you watch Amazon, they run sales all the time making this one of the best value cleaners on the market!
This Dolphin robot pool cleaner is the newer version (for cleaning larger pools up to 50′) of our older model and has similar capabilities as the Hayward.
You can find our Hayward pool cleaners along with a couple other favorites on our Amazon Storefront.
Best Pool Vacuum Robot
Equipment
Instructions : Step by Step
- Assemble the vacuum and control panel according to directions
- Plug in vacuum
- Remove any large debris from pool
- Submerge the pool vacuum robot into the water
- Turn on the control panel and set to desired cleaning level
- Once pool is cleaned, remove vacuum
- Clean cartridge by dumping debris into trash and rinse clean
- Store pool vacuum in a dry covered area
Video
Investing in a robotic pool vacuum, is crucial for pool owners. These efficient and time-saving devices ensure a cleaner pool with less effort, allowing pool owners to spend more time enjoying their refreshing oasis.
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I have an older aquavac and have taken it to be repaired 3 times under warranty. Love the warranty but discouraged by the amount of times I had to take it across town. How has it lasted for you now that you have had it for a while?
knock on wood ….ours is great 🙂 We had one at our old house that lasted 12 years (we had to have a used wheel spinner installed at one point) and this last one in the post is about a 1 year old.