Dolphin Pool Cleaners - what do you have for your pool?

Well...some people like to get something a little less aggressive for their vinyl liners.

If you are specifically wanting a Dolphin...Depending on your budget...you could get the Doheny's Discovery for around $600. It is just like a Dolphin S200. I don't think it comes with the cart. The Dolphin S200 is probably around $750. The S300 and S300i are a little more feature packed and cost a bit more. I hear that people like any of these on vinyl.

The M400 runs about $1000. It has caddy but no remote.

The M500 runs $1295 and has caddy and remote. It also features a longer cleaning cycle option for extra dirt/leaves in larger pools. It is about the closest you can come to a commercial cleaner without going over $1500.

Hope that makes things clear as mud.

Crystal

Hi Crystal, which robots are considered more aggressive for vinyl liners?

Monique


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Well...some people like to get something a little less aggressive for their vinyl liners.

If you are specifically wanting a Dolphin...Depending on your budget...you could get the Doheny's Discovery for around $600. It is just like a Dolphin S200. I don't think it comes with the cart. The Dolphin S200 is probably around $750. The S300 and S300i are a little more feature packed and cost a bit more. I hear that people like any of these on vinyl.

The M400 runs about $1000. It has caddy but no remote.

The M500 runs $1295 and has caddy and remote. It also features a longer cleaning cycle option for extra dirt/leaves in larger pools. It is about the closest you can come to a commercial cleaner without going over $1500.

Hope that makes things clear as mud.

Crystal


Crystal .... is this your model without caddie and remote? .... I see where newest model has BlueTooth ...


https://www.amazon.com/Dolphin-Premier-Robotic-Ground-Cleaner/dp/B01BP8PLMM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1493655109&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=Dolphin+Supreme+M500
 
Hi Monique,

I have a plaster pool and only have personal experience with the Dolphin M500. The reason I suggested that aggressiveness could be something to consider is because I read it in a thread here when I was shopping robots. Unfortunately, I do not remember the thread that I saw that discussion in. But, as I recall, the poster was replacing an older model robot that had been rough on their vinyl. The brushes on the all the Dolphins I've seen in person are softer than they look in pictures. But, perhaps the poster was referring to the suction power being too strong for the liner. I believe that the poster who was talking about this ended up with a Dolphin S300 and said that it was working better for their vinyl pool.

I remember that post because I was looking for the most aggressive I could get!

It probably would not hurt to consult a dealer or even a vinyl installer about which models are best for any particular liner and of course check with people here at TFP who have vinyl pools and use robots. A robot is a big decision!

Hope that helps!

Crystal
 
Hi Monique,

I have a plaster pool and only have personal experience with the Dolphin M500. The reason I suggested that aggressiveness could be something to consider is because I read it in a thread here when I was shopping robots. Unfortunately, I do not remember the thread that I saw that discussion in. But, as I recall, the poster was replacing an older model robot that had been rough on their vinyl. The brushes on the all the Dolphins I've seen in person are softer than they look in pictures. But, perhaps the poster was referring to the suction power being too strong for the liner. I believe that the poster who was talking about this ended up with a Dolphin S300 and said that it was working better for their vinyl pool.

I remember that post because I was looking for the most aggressive I could get!

It probably would not hurt to consult a dealer or even a vinyl installer about which models are best for any particular liner and of course check with people here at TFP who have vinyl pools and use robots. A robot is a big decision!

Hope that helps!

Crystal

Ok, phew! I just bought the Pentair Prowler 920 (similar to the Dolphin S200) which my PB recommended but I still like to hear the opinions of others. I have had it for a week and so far so good. It doesn't have the bells and whistles that I wanted but it beats me standing out there and vacuuming in 90° weather so I'll take it. Lol. Thank you for your explanation!
 
Hi offthefront,

The Dolphin Premier as shown in the Amazon link you posted is not the same as a Dolphin Supreme M5 or M500.

Maytronics makes so many different models its dizzying. I remember being very confused trying to wade through all the specs and model types when I was shopping. It took me about a month to finally make a decision. They make certain models that are available for online sales from outlets such as Amazon and some online pool supply stores. Then they make models that are sold exclusively in certain markets and only at authorized service dealers. The M500 that I have is only sold at authorized service dealers.

The model that is most like the M500 that is available on Amazon is this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Maytronics-Dolphin-Triton-Robotic-Cleaner/dp/B00Q8M0OGE/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1493693818&sr=1-2&keywords=dolphin+m500

I almost bought it, but I decided to spend a bit more and get the local service. I also wanted the third brush on the M500.

The Premier model that you refer to is a bottom loader. The M500 is a top loader.

The model that comes with bluetooth is the Dolphin S 300i which is a very fine piece of equipment. I considered it at length, but I went with the M500 because of the dual motors, split cleaning brushes, and the 3 1/2 hour cleaning cycle option. The S300i has a 2 1/2 hour max cleaning cycle. Again, my pool is quite large. It was important to me to find a good match for my particular pool

Best of luck in your search!

Crystal
 
Hi there, new person here that is looking to buy my first Dolphin robot. The dealers around my area only seem to have the DX-series, I've seen one M400. Is the DX6 a good model? I wanted one of the newer models, so if I need to broaden my search area I can. I have a large L-shaped vinyl liner pool. I wanted to look at the Premium line first, so the s300i, M500, or DX6. Since I can only get the DX6 locally, would I be losing any key features? I just want something that maps my pool accurately and I think I would like a remote to get spots that might have been missed. I think I would also prefer the cartridge filters instead of that bag that is in the DX6, that bag looks to be a pain. Thanks!
 
I just saw an MX6 when I was in a pool store over the weekend. It sure looks like an older model. I would highly recommend expanding your shopping. The S series are newer and very good. The Doheny's Discovery is very popular. The M series is super.

Best of luck!
 
I went through this last year when the original owners Polaris died. After a couple of weeks of research...review reading, I didn't know right from wrong here..

Dolphin Triton Plus - is what settled on:
1) top loading was a requirement
2) cart was a requirement - though it spends a lot of time in the pool and runs almost daily.
3) remote is a cool feature and has its uses
4) dual filter setup is a great bonus for these using micro screens and larger screens really help me things clean

We do not have a vacuum so this little dude does it all! Highly recommend this brand and model
 

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I did a bunch of research and just ordered a Dolphin E10 refurb from poolpartz.
I didn't want to spend a ton of dough on a robot, but this one seems like it
will fulfill my needs.

Can't wait to see how it does!
 
No caddy here. I store Earl in a deck box 10 feet from the pool. He sits on his side in there. Couldn't imagine using a caddy for his commute. [emoji4]
 
I was able to find a local store that let me borrow the s300i for a few days and it worked just like I had hoped, so I think I'll will buy my own tomorrow when I return the loner. They have a M500 instock too, but I like the basket on the s300i more i think :)
 
Purchased the Active30 a week ago and the pool has never been so clean. Can't get any more accessible than the top load basket. Cleaning and changing filters is easy. The cord will wind up a little over a cleaning cycle but i remove the cleaner and clean filters between cycles. So far a great investment.
 
I have a Dolphin S300 , and would never go back to a bottom bag system. I have a fully functional Aquabot with the bottom bag , just collecting dust now. After using the two types of filter systems (bottom bag vs top loading filter "box" style ), the top loader is far superior and 100% easier to clean .

Have a question also .............
My S300 did not come with a caddy as I purchased it from Pool Partz , as a refurbed unit.
Is it safe to store these sitting on the bottom rollers/tracks when out of the water ?
I saw someone posted they store theirs sideways , and it got me thinking if there could be any long term damage/problems if these are stored resting on the bottom (like as it would be running in the pool) .
 
I don't know if they still carry it, but I bought a Nautilus Plus 2 years ago and love it. Very well designed and manufactured. No caddy. The only thing I may use occasionally that it doesn't have is a remote.
 
I have a Dolphin S300 , and would never go back to a bottom bag system. I have a fully functional Aquabot with the bottom bag , just collecting dust now. After using the two types of filter systems (bottom bag vs top loading filter "box" style , the top loader is far superior and 100% easier to clean .

Have a question also .............
My S300 did not come with a caddy as I purchased it from Pool Partz , as a refurbed unit.
Is it safe to store these sitting on the bottom rollers/tracks when out of the water ?
I saw someone posted they store theirs sideways , and it got me thinking if there could be any long term damage/problems if these are stored resting on the bottom (like as it would be running in the pool) .

It's "safe" to store on the rollers but not a good practice. Extended storage will flatten the rollers over time and will make the unit less effective. Much better practice to store it on its side or upside down.
 
I have the Doheny Discovery which they say is is equivalent to the S200. If I could change anything I would add longer run time, currently 2 hours which doesn't cover my entire pool. I usually run it twice 3 times per week. It also misses spots so I need to direct it sometimes using the cord. I guess this is when a remote might come in handy. Overall not perfect but half the price of Maytronics other products.
 

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