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If you are the kind of guy who lets a pool service take care of your pool, then I am sure that the suction side cleaner is all you need.
If the pool is like your baby and you are going to be looking after it more than every now and again, then robot might be a better choice.
There is no 'right' answer as everyone has a different opinion of what works best for them.
I have three pools that I look after about 3 times per week. All three pools have Dolphin S200 'style' robots because that is what works best for me. Two of the three pools do not have a dedicated suction line and only one skimmer. This all but eliminates using a suction cleaner on an ongoing basis. The pool at my house does have a dedicated suction port, but I have never used it, as I have always had robot cleaners.
At my house, I like the idea that I only have to see the cleaner in my pool when I want to use it. I don't have a lot of junk getting into my pools, so I tend to only use it two or three times a week, except when all the leaves in the neighborhood are falling.
The S200 style robots were about $700 dollars a few years ago and they are now about $850 or so. My last robot lasted over 7 years, but based upon the feedback from this site the S200 style robots do not seem to be as robust. My last robot cost about $1,300, so, it appears that the price reduction might have come with some longevity drawbacks.
None of my current batch of robots have failed, but none of them are over 3 years old yet. Time will tell.
I can say that if one of them goes South today, I will have a replacement on my porch within a couple of days.
Thanks,
Jim R.
