The Benefits of a Robotic Pool Cleaner

In this article I highlight some of the benefits of owning a robotic pool cleaner. The latest generation of Robotic Pool Cleaners are more efficient, more reliable and the price point has now dropped to a level where they are an affordable option.

My opinion of Robotic Cleaners has changed over the recent years and now I would suggest them along  with Suction Cleaners and Pressure Cleaners. One reason is that robotic cleaners are more reliable and the manufacturers signify this by offering up to a three year limited warranty, some offer a two year bumper to bumper warranty if purchased from a retail pool store. The overall design of robotic cleaners has improved so the motors, belts and drives all are longer lasting.

Cord or cable tangling used to be a big issue with robotic cleaners. It is very annoying to have to untangle the cord every hour and the engineers of these cleaners have heard your cries. Now many models come with cord swivels or alternate ways to prevent tangling. The Aquabot cleaners use a thick cable that by it's nature prevents tangling.

Robotic Cleaners can generally pick up larger debris than many suction Side Cleaners. Their debris chambers are large  in capacity so they are great for pools with a lot of dirt and debris. The Aquabot cleaners featured here filter down to 2 microns.

Another great benefit is that running a robotic cleaner in your pool cost less than $1.00 a day as it coverts the 120 volts power down to 12 volts, so they are the most affordable cleaner to operate. Since they also pump anywhere from 60 to 80 gallons of water per minute, you can run your filter less as the robotic cleaner circulates your pool water. For a larger pool this is a great bonus.

The fact that there are no hoses in the pool all day and week is also a great feature. You just put the cleaner in when needed and take it out when finished.  It gives the pool a much cleaner look all week long.

Of course with any product there are some drawbacks also. The first one is that robotic cleaners can be heavy to remove from the pool for some people. I like to pull it up and lean it on the pool coping and let it drain out before lifting.  The dry weight of the cleaners have gotten lighter also over the years - most now weigh under 20 lbs.

Another drawback is the maintenance. of the cleaner. The tracks, brushes and drive belts are easy to change but if something goes wrong with the motor and electronics you will have to send it out to a service center.  With a suction or pressure cleaner you can usually fix everything yourself.

And last, the price point though lower is still high when compared to a suction side cleaner.  Although there are some $400 robotic cleaners without a lot of bells and whistles, a robotic cleaner is still a big investment.

The overall cleaning ability and the convenience of robotic cleaners still makes them a solid option when comparing automatic pool cleaners.

One distinct advantage is that robotic cleaners are self contained units. They operate separate from your pool's filtration  system. So that means your pool filter stays cleaner and all the dirt and debris is trapped inside the robotic cleaner.  Also if you have old or undersized pool equipment a robotic cleaner would be a way to keep the pool clean in a more effective manner then a poorly running suction side cleaner.

I think regardless of the cost factor robotic cleaners are more of a preference cleaner. If your pool equipment is good and you can add a suction or pressure cleaner then it becomes of a matter of which cleaner type is best for your budget and pool.  I used to sell my customers just Suction Side Cleaners and occasionally a replacement Pressure Side Cleaner but I am now actively selling Robotic Cleaners to certain customers. They have now become good enough to be a third option.

To touch on the Warranty of the cleaners I want to point out that almost all of the manufacturers offer a one year bumper to bumper warranty. You can take it into a service center or ship it back for service. The only caveat is that in most cases the owner pays for shipping costs. But if you make a big enough stink you can get a shipping label sent out to you.

Manufacturers would also like you to purchase their cleaners at a retail pool store. So some offer a 2 year bumper to bumper warranty if you purchase it at a store verses online. Many offer a three year limited warranty - year one full coverage and year two and three just parts but not labor.  As a rule I would say that the cleaner should run trouble free during the warranty period. So with proper maintenance,  changing the belts and tracks in most cases you should not need to use the warranty but it is definitely good to have it.

So if you are in the market for a cleaner, don't rule out the robotic cleaners entirely,  as one may be a good option for your pool.