Favorite Push Pool Vacuum Cleaner? AND BEST replacement pool vacuum head to use with hose/skimmer?

[The Houlagans]

Hi everyone! So much great info out here on the forum lists! Now that our pool is open for our very first full season as pool people, we are looking on best options to help keep the vinyl liner of our 24' round AG pool nice and clean of debris. We have 5 dogs that will all be swimming & I am sure they will leave alot of gunk behind. So, I have 3 questions:

1) Favorite Push Pool Vacuum Cleaner (battery operated) that we can attach to our pole? I am seeing alot of references to the Pool Blaster Max, but wanted to see if there is any newer/better model out there to consider?
2) BEST replacement pool vacuum head to use with hose and skimmer type vacuuming on our vinyl liner?
3) If I have the battery operated vacuum and use it on a pole will I even need to do #2 ever?

Thanks,
Newbie in NH

P.S. We can't afford a robotic cleaner right now, but maybe one day. For now, I am the pool gal

 

[kimkats]

I have not heard very good things about the battery cleaners. They don't tend to last very long.

My favorite head for manual vacuuming is the easy to use butterfly head I get from Lowes or Walmart. Easy to use, lasts a long time, does not hurt the liner on the walls when I get close vacuuming. 11.5" Swimming Pool Standard Weighted Liner Butterfly Vacuum Head with Bumper - Walmart.com

Now start saving up your pennies so you can get a Lil Kim cleaner (what my robot cleaner was named LOL).

Kim

 

[The Houlagans]

Thanks, Kim! I think this year (our first full one as pool owners) I will just be the "pool girl" and manually vacuum. Appreciate the link!

 

[kimkats]

Shhhhhhhh but I love to manually vacuum my pool. It is so peaceful to me. I get in the pool while I do it. Makes it even easier to do.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

I like the Pool Blaster Max. The smaller Pool Blaster models don't work very well; not enough suction, but the Max sucks things up pretty well. I don't think it can replace a real pool vacuum, though. I use mine for spot pickups that my Polaris misses.

I see there's now a newer version called Pool Blaster Volt. I know nothing about it other than what web searches reveal, but might be worth a look.

 

[tj__r]

You'll still need to do #2. Just don't do #2 in the pool

 

[DebbieO]

I love my Pool Blaster Max. My very first one lasted about 4-5 years. It was still relatively new to the market I think. My second one not so great, 2-3 years. My third has been going strong for at least 6 years. I did buy the Pool Blaster Max LI last year just because I got a great deal on it and it did out perform my current Blaster Max. I don't use a standard vac and hose set up ever. My Blaster even cleans up good after a storm. I have nothing but trees just west of my pool. (ouch)