Maytronics S300 initial impressions.

[Geebot]

Compared to my old Dolphin Diagostic it's:

• Much lighter
• Filters water that drains back into pool upon removal of unit
• Caddy ensures that rollers don't compress on one side
• Very quick cycle (2 hours on long cycle is far better than Diagnostic; also has 1 hr quick cycle)
• Very effective coverage of pool floor.

So far only con is that Bluetooth connects/disconnects randomly. Not deal-breaker but I'd like the connection to stay on.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Geebot,

I like the idea that it doesn't let debris fall back into the pool when it is removed.

How well does it clean the waterline and walls?

I find cleaning the air cleaner like filters harder than it should be. Does the 300 use the same ones?

Jim R.

 

[Geebot]

Geebot,

I like the idea that it doesn't let debris fall back into the pool when it is removed.

How well does it clean the waterline and walls?

I find cleaning the air cleaner like filters harder than it should be. Does the 300 use the same ones?

Jim R.

You raise two of the "strong plusses" about the S300.

It climbs effortlessly to the waterline and the forward brush is completely above the water. It does a pretty vigorous scrub at the point the tile meets the top of the pool wall and scrubs the lower 1" of the tile band.

The reason I stuck with this model is because of the basket. It has a fairly substantial capacity and cleans easily. The top of the unit flips open to reveal the basket handle and the whole assembly lifts out easily. The top of the basket is completely open once removed and the bottom flips open to allow for easy dumping of contents. Then it's a simple matter of about a 30-second spray of the interior basket surfaces and another 30 seconds of the exterior. I pulled the hose off the reel yesterday and it didn't have a nozzle attacked but the pressure from placing my thumb over the hose end was more than sufficient to get a good cleaning.

Here's an image of the basket with the bottom closed (click through to the third image): Cartridge filter dolphin S200 - S300 - S300i maytronics

 

[Chrissykr]

I love my s300i.

It is much lighter than the Z5. My back thanks me every time I pull it out of the pool. It also is so much more gentile on my liner than the Z5.

I don't have any issues with the bluetooth, sorry to hear that happening for you.

 

[SSgt93]

I also don't have issues with the Bluetooth dropping with my S300i. I love it!

 

[laff66]

It looks like there are pleated filters around the side of the basket. If so, do they need replacing periodically?

 

[Geebot]

It looks like there are pleated filters around the side of the basket. If so, do they need replacing periodically?

It comes with two sets of filters, the standard ones are a fine nylon mesh and the pleated ones come in an enclosed bag within the shipping box (I've put them aside for the time being). They will likely need to be replaced eventually (looks like a full set runs about $50), but it does not appear to be a frequent requirement. They rinse easily and despite the fineness appear to be pretty durable.

To my knowledge all models that use cartridge filters will need to replace them eventually. The bags are certainly longer-lived, but I've only had experience with the older version which was a constant maintenance headache.

 

[laff66]

I'm ok with any costs, provided the bag/filter/cartridge is easy to clean!! I had a smart pool nitro, and it worked great, and held a ton of leaves, the floppy bag was a pain to clean!
I was going to buy the Polaris 9350 strictly because of the big top loading basket, but the local dealer said they're expensive to maintain. Im almost ok with that but the S300 looks like a good alternative

 

[Geebot]

I'm ok with any costs, provided the bag/filter/cartridge is easy to clean!! I had a smart pool nitro, and it worked great, and held a ton of leaves, the floppy bag was a pain to clean!
I was going to buy the Polaris 9350 strictly because of the big top loading basket, but the local dealer said they're expensive to maintain. Im almost ok with that but the S300 looks like a good alternative

Check out the video at 1:35:

Dolphin S-series - quick user guide - YouTube

 

[laff66]

Yep, saw that. Looks great!

 

[Geebot]

I'm very happy with my purchase but on the flip side, I don't know that I'd be less happy had I purchased the M400 or any of the other models. As I posted in another thread, the bajillion-model Maytronics lineup is needlessly convoluted, making it nearly impossible to make a reasoned comparison. The basket in the S-series is clearly superior to all their other options and should be the default on all their models. You'd think simplifying components across all models would make sense on some level. Clearly they know something I don't.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Geebot,

I think the S300 will be my next purchase.. How about the cord? My older Dolphins have a problem with the cords twisting. My new one has a swivel which seems to have eliminated the cord twisting problem. The video makes it appear that the S300 has no swivel. Is it built in or ?????

Jim R.

 

[Geebot]

As posted elsewhere, Maytronics claims that the S300 is aware of its orientation relative to the cord and makes its movements and turns to avoid tangling. So far I haven't encountered any problems but, then again, it was never a big issue with my Dolphin Diagnostic, or at least not that I ever noticed.