Best Automatic Cleaner choices 2023

Suction Side Cleaners:

This is the most familiar type of cleaner to most consumers and the most popular type. A suction cleaner works off your pool's existing pump and is attached to the skimmer or a side/ vacuum port in your pool. Depending on the pool and type of debris this can be the most effective and cost-effective cleaner type for you. Most suction-side cleaners retail for $500 or less.

The Suction side cleaner is the one most popular on my pool route as they are affordable, effective and there are a lot of different models to choose from. In most cases, I will suggest a good suction side cleaner since they are also easy to set up and easy to repair when something breaks.

Pressure Side and Return Side Cleaners:

Pressure Side cleaners are extremely effective. They have a large debris opening and a large bag on top of the debris. They can clean a large pool in 2- 3 hours or less. The drawbacks are that they need a separate booster pump installed and a dedicated return line. So usually Pressure Cleaners are installed when the pool is constructed or remodeled.

I have several pressure cleaners on my pool route and they leave the pools spotless each week. If you are having your pool built or remodeled maybe, consider a Pressure Cleaner.

The Return Side cleaner is a great option if you have a newer pool with 1 1/2" threaded return lines. This cleaner connects right to your existing return lines and works much like a Pressure cleaner with the exception that no booster pump is needed. I have these on several accounts and love them.

The only major drawback is that since you need to restrict one or more return jets to generate enough pressure the skimming action of the pool is reduced. It is not a deal breaker but something to be aware of. So, if you have lots of large debris in your pool and think a Pressure Side cleaner would work, try a non-booster pump Return side cleaner as an alternative to remodeling your pool.

ROBOTIC POOL CLEANERS:

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 3-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. Now with several cordless models, you don’t even need to worry about a cord at all!

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 costs less than $1.00 a day as it converts 120 volts of 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.

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 it. The dry weight of the cleaners has also gotten lighter 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.

One distinct advantage is that robotic cleaners are self-contained units. They operate separately 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 than a poorly running suction side cleaner.

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