I have been reading on here and it doesn't seem many people use suction side cleaners? From the minimal topics I was able to find via search, it seems ThePoolCleaner is tops. Is this still the case as many of those threads went back to 2008. I just read a post about the Zodiac MX8 which seemed good, but there were some quality issues in the beginning. Could you please point me in the right direction for the best suction side cleaner for a 16x32 IG Vinyl pool with a 3.5 foot shallow end and 7.5 foot deep end? Thanks in advance!!
Is ThePoolCleaner still the best suction side cleaner?
- Thread starter D_Nyholm
- Start date
As I may be in the market for a suction cleaner soon, the 2 you mentioned are what I have it narrowed down to as well.
I have had my 2-wheeled ThePoolCleaner for 2.5 years now and I'm extremely satisfied with it. My tires are worn down some and need to be replaced, but that will be the first thing that I will need to replace. From the reviews of the MX8 it seems to be a very nice cleaner as well. Probably couldn't go wrong with either choice.
I am thinking about it, and went to their website to check it out. They label them as small pool and large pool but don't say what a small or large pool is! I checked all the documentation they have on the site and nothing says any specs or anything. Their product catalog on the site is from 2006 too! If they can't update their site, I am worried their customer service may be terrible. Does anyone have any experience with that? It is a little disconcerting!
From what I have heard is that their customer service is great. I have an 18 X 30 16,000 gallon pool and the 2-wheeled model is a good match for my pool. They also have tires that are designed for vinyl so you might check that out. Give them a call and see what they say. That would be a good way to check out their customer service.
I know this thread is a bit old but its the most recent on this subject. I am having a hard time choosing between a generic $100 Kreepy Krauly knock off with great reviews on Amazon or ThePoolCleaner.
My pool is older and the bottom drain just ties back to the skimmers so I have the advantage of decreased worries of a KK getting stuck to the bottom drain. But considering this pool has never seen an automated cleaner of any kind (1972) and we just bought the house I am not sure which direction to go.
My pool is older and the bottom drain just ties back to the skimmers so I have the advantage of decreased worries of a KK getting stuck to the bottom drain. But considering this pool has never seen an automated cleaner of any kind (1972) and we just bought the house I am not sure which direction to go.
A link to the knock off would be helpful to see which one you are looking at, but you do get what you pay for most of the time. Most likely I would stay away from the Kreepy Krauly knock off and choose ThePoolCleaner. I'm approaching three years of use with only the tires being replaced a little while ago. Depending on how large your pool is, you might want the 4-wheeled cleaner instead of the 2-wheeled one.
If you don't have a manual vacuum, I suggest buying one of those. Every now and then I enjoy vacuuming manually and they are real handy when you need to clean up a mess in a hurry.
If you don't have a manual vacuum, I suggest buying one of those. Every now and then I enjoy vacuuming manually and they are real handy when you need to clean up a mess in a hurry.
Link to knock off.
At a 4th the price compared to the 4 wheeler which I will need, I can buy one a year and still come out about even with the ThePoolCleaner.
I am not arguing for it, just trying to determine what the additional costs gets me. Either way I have to buy a leave canister.
I have a full list at Amazon of brush, vac, and pole. I think what we have is the original stuff and the plastic is so brittle its funny.
At a 4th the price compared to the 4 wheeler which I will need, I can buy one a year and still come out about even with the ThePoolCleaner.
I am not arguing for it, just trying to determine what the additional costs gets me. Either way I have to buy a leave canister.
I have a full list at Amazon of brush, vac, and pole. I think what we have is the original stuff and the plastic is so brittle its funny.
It is not just how long the cleaner will last, but also how well it works. Who cares if it is 1/10 the cost, but does not actually move around everywhere and pick things up ... I am not saying the knock off won't, but who knows how well it really works.
Another note is the the PC can run on a lot lower water flow than most other cleaners, so that is a benefit of either being able to run a VS pump at slower speeds or being able to continue to have skimmer actions while the vac is running (assuming you do not hook the vac into the skimmer port).
Another note is the the PC can run on a lot lower water flow than most other cleaners, so that is a benefit of either being able to run a VS pump at slower speeds or being able to continue to have skimmer actions while the vac is running (assuming you do not hook the vac into the skimmer port).
Agreed. That's why I did not jump on it. Although as a big Amazon Prime guy, 4.5 stars is not something to ignore, it means it really is doing something right.
Guess I need to discuss this with the boss of the house and just decide. She will probably pick based on "cuteness" factor.
Guess I need to discuss this with the boss of the house and just decide. She will probably pick based on "cuteness" factor.
If you need the 4-wheeled cleaner then the knock off will be too small for your pool, it is rated for a pool size of 16X32. A 2-wheeled PC will do fine with a pool up to that size.
Reading most of the reviews I notice that very few, if any had a substantial amount of time owning it before the review was written. Also, most of the people seem to have been previous users of the Kreepy Krauly and switched to this knock off, so they are comparing it to the KK. The KK is like a dinosaur compared to the newer cleaners. I also noticed that a good amount of them came damaged from shipping and that does not give me a good vibe and they say most parts are replaceable, but a few of the reviews had parts damaged that could not be replaced.
Reading most of the reviews I notice that very few, if any had a substantial amount of time owning it before the review was written. Also, most of the people seem to have been previous users of the Kreepy Krauly and switched to this knock off, so they are comparing it to the KK. The KK is like a dinosaur compared to the newer cleaners. I also noticed that a good amount of them came damaged from shipping and that does not give me a good vibe and they say most parts are replaceable, but a few of the reviews had parts damaged that could not be replaced.
OK...well you pushed me to more expensive way of course. I need the 4 wheel due to the skimmers being on the end of the pool and its a dive pool form the reviews I read.
Nothings ever the CHEAP option! Still have to get cuteness appeal approved.
Nothings ever the CHEAP option! Still have to get cuteness appeal approved.
this might not work but you may want to call poolvernugen and see if you can participate in their try me program and get the vacuum significantly cheaper. The pool cleaner and the mx8 are the ONLY suction side vacuums that are worth buying in my opinion