Looking to make first ever purchase of robotic cleaner

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dclynds

dclynds

0
Apr 29, 2016
91
Houston, TX
Pool Size
17500
Surface
Plaster
Chlorine
Liquid Chlorine
Hi folks. This is my first post here. I just severed ties with my pool guy yesterday after 2.5 yrs. I am going to take care of my pool myself from now on. I want to purchase a robotic cleaner since the live oak shading my pool is always dropping little sticks and leaves and dirt in the pool. Leslie's Pool Supply was touting the Polaris F945 and F955, but then I went on Amazon and saw the Dolphin 99996403-PC Nautilus Plus and the Dolphin Deluxe 4. I want the best machine to clean my irregular shaped pool (like an angular pac-man shape) and the most reliable one. Thoughts?
 
To refine my question: Of the models below, keeping in mind the details about my pool, which is better in terms of reliability, value, and ease of use (top filter access, caddy, etc.)? Is it possible to have "too much robot" for the size of my pool?
1.) Polaris F945 ($1,025)
2.) Polaris F955 ($1,255)
3.) Dolphin 99996403-PC Nautilus Plus ($820)
4.) Dolphin Deluxe 4 ($750)
5.) Maytronics 99991079-PC Dolphin Triton Plus
 
dclynds said:
To refine my question: Of the models below, keeping in mind the details about my pool, which is better in terms of reliability, value, and ease of use (top filter access, caddy, etc.)? Is it possible to have "too much robot" for the size of my pool?
1.) Polaris F945 ($1,025)
2.) Polaris F955 ($1,255)
3.) Dolphin 99996403-PC Nautilus Plus ($820)
4.) Dolphin Deluxe 4 ($750)
5.) Maytronics 99991079-PC Dolphin Triton Plus
Click to expand...

Impossible to predict reliability on recent models. Maytronics has made repairs easier on some of their models, including some user-replaceable parts. My old Maytronics model is over 12 years old (maybe 15?) and would have continued to work but the older-model power supplies were not great. I'm on week 3 of my new Maytronics which has more than met expectations. And buy with a credit card that extends the warranty, if you have one.
 
Be sure to get a caddy for whichever robot you choose. The robot can be quite unwieldy when out of the water and the caddy makes for easier transport. It also provides convenient storage for the cable and power supply. Another thing is that the caddy will store the robot with the tracks lifted up so that they don't flatten out.
 
gary300 said:
Be sure to get a caddy for whichever robot you choose. The robot can be quite unwieldy when out of the water and the caddy makes for easier transport. It also provides convenient storage for the cable and power supply. Another thing is that the caddy will store the robot with the tracks lifted up so that they don't flatten out.
Click to expand...

One aside for the caddy. It's built fairly poorly (not a heavy-duty item) and it doesn't navigate well on grass or up a step or two. We keep our pool equipment in a shed about 12' away from the most convenient power outlet for robot use (outlet is 10' from edge of pool, shed is about 12' past that). The shed is on a 6" high concrete pad and its doorway is about 4" above that. I end up pulling the cart backward to the shed after each use and then lift it over the two changes in elevation. I cannot then easily push it out of the shed because the wheels catch at the door sill, so I just lift the whole thing out of the shed and down off the concrete pad. Admittedly it's an awkward configuration but I can't be the only person who has to move this thing up and down a step or two. The cart's primary convenience is that the power supply snaps in and keeps it at a nice height. Other than that, unless you store the thing on the same level as you use it (and don't have to cross grass on the way) then the cart isn't all that handy.

(And yes, the proper storage position for the robot to prevent the flattening of brush fins is important but I accomplished the same thing with my old robot by storing it on its flat plastic side.)
 

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After studying the reviews I decided to buy a bot from Dolphin. I spent the off season trying to decide between a Z5, M400 and M500, buying on line vs retail store. I was about to buy an M400 but the new S300i caught my interest. It's lightweight, simple, Bluetooth remote app for smart phone. Big factor for me is I live on 4 acres with tons of trees. The S300i has a generous basket filter that should do just fine. I used the Maytronics website for dealers within 100 miles and called them all to get a decent price. Ordered one today.

BTW, the dolphin Active 30i looks to be the same bot as the S300i. Different color but the specs are the same.
 
Road scholar said:
After studying the reviews I decided to buy a bot from Dolphin. I spent the off season trying to decide between a Z5, M400 and M500, buying on line vs retail store. I was about to buy an M400 but the new S300i caught my interest. It's lightweight, simple, Bluetooth remote app for smart phone. Big factor for me is I live on 4 acres with tons of trees. The S300i has a generous basket filter that should do just fine. I used the Maytronics website for dealers within 100 miles and called them all to get a decent price. Ordered one today.

BTW, the dolphin Active 30i looks to be the same bot as the S300i. Different color but the specs are the same.
Click to expand...

I have the s300, which is pretty much the same model. The only difference seems to be that the s300i has a third "2.5hr" mode in addition to 1 and 2 hrs.Paid $1,100.
 
Road scholar said:
Geebot, how do you like your "S". You have your pool open already up there?
Click to expand...

Opened a couple of weeks ago but haven't been in yet. The s300 is great. Really light compared to my old Diagnostic. The basket is what Maytronics should have been using years ago instead of the old canvas bag. It also has a backflow filter that keeps the stuff you just vacuumed from escaping with the water that drains off when you pull it out of the pool (I would always swear in frustration when a few twigs and leaf bits would slip back into my freshly-cleaned pool with my old robot). And its thruster system helps it move aggressively to just above the waterline where it does a pretty decent job of scrubbing.
 
My s300 has a fairly huge basket and the pool would have to have a pound or two of leaves in it to fill the basket on a single cleaning. With any robot you get the best performance when you clean the bag/cartridge/basket after each use. The ease of cleaning of the s series combined with large basket capacity renders the "full filter" light fairly unimportant.

Check out the video at 1:35:

Dolphin S-series - quick user guide - YouTube

As an FYI, the s300 and s300i are essentially the same machine but the s300i adds delayed start and a 3rd option of a 2.5hr clean cycle (in addition to the 1 and 2hr cycles). So if you can get a better deal on the s300 than the s300i, you lose next to no functionality.

Comparison
 
My previous Diagnostic had no swivel and I had no issues with it. Maytronics claims that they left it off the s series because it senses its orientation relative to the cord connection and makes turns to avoid tangling (could be true; could be BS). In my less than extensive 2-week history with the s300, it hasn't been an issue.
 

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