Not understanding the lure of robotic cleaners..

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doug527

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2019
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For the price point robotics do not seem to be worth it. $700 plus and you are lucky to get a couple trouble free years out of them from everything I have read. Maybe it's the cool factor of having new technology clean your pool, but they just don't seem to be there yet and worth of the cost. With such small filters, I can't see them cleaning any good amount of debris. On the other hand looking at the suction vacuums they all seem to have their problems. Units costing $ 400, 500 seem to have issues...Any recommendations? I don't mind spending $500 for something that works, I would spend $700 on a robotic if I knew it would work trouble free for many years.

Thanks
Doug
 
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My Polaris 280 pressure side cleaner (w/booster pump) has been performing well since I bought it in May 2012. Back then it cost me $380. Over the years I’ve replaced a few parts, but nothing major.

I have no experience with robotic cleaners, so maybe I just don’t know what I’m missing. Given the high cost of robots and all the posts about expensive issues, dying after a few years, performance that sounds much like I’m getting from the Polaris, etc, I’m just not convinced they are all that and a bag of chips.
 
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I have a 5 year old Dolphin DX3. We live on the east side of a lake (so west winds have easy access to property), lots of tall trees, short trees and shrubs that shed. I would backfill this pool, if robotic cleaners didn't exist. I run once a day and the bag is always full. Even removes my need to brush the sides except during slam.

It has been flawless until this last week. Started dropping ball bearings in the pool. $40 for the replacement iddlers and 10 minutes work, back in business.

This might help you choose and or compare. Robotic cleaner comparison.
 
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Doug,

I am hoping mine will work 3 to 5 years.. I went all out and bought the best one they had, the Active 60/M600... So far it is a beast and my pool has been the cleanest it has ever been... That along with Ariel skimming the pool constantly all day, I have no bugs what so ever..

I had a suction side cleaner, The pool cleaner, and it worked flawless for 7 years.. I had to change out the gears for the wheels once last year... It kept all the debris off the floor and the walls if the pump rpm was up.. if it was running low it would stay on the floor only...

It does not scrub the pool like the new robots, that had to be done manually 1 to 2 times a week...

I still have my the pool cleaner as backup and it still works...

I would never recommend a pressure side cleaner as that requires another pump running at high rpm.. A suction side cleaner is a great one as long as you have the suction port in your pool... If you have none of those then you are stuck with a robot or yourself :)

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I could live with a life span of 5 years...But I see where tracks continually fall off, boards fry in the machines.. Worst part of it is even when under warranty users are getting the shaft...I have been hand vacuuming for two years and dont mind until we have company and I have to do before arrival along all the other prep...
 
I guess it all depends upon what you think your time is worth. I have never had a suction side cleaner so I can’t comment about that, but I have a Dolphin M400 in its 4th year and so far it has worked flawlessly. I mostly leave it in the pool unless there are swimmers and run it everyday. It keeps my floor and walls spotless. If it went I would replace it without question.
 
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doug527 said:
I could live with a life span of 5 years...But I see where tracks continually fall off, boards fry in the machines.. Worst part of it is even when under warranty users are getting the shaft...I have been hand vacuuming for two years and dont mind until we have company and I have to do before arrival along all the other prep...
Click to expand...

You’re better than me. 😁

I would not be happy at all if my $700-$1000+ machine only lasted 5 years! 😖
 
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Saturn94 said:
I would not be happy at all if my $1000 machine only lasted 5 years! 😖
Click to expand...
I look at it this way. When we got the pool, I hired a 'pool guy' to simply clean the pool once a week. Cost $70 a month. So $840 a year.

The robot completely replaced them, and it keeps the pool cleaner. I only pull it out of the pool once a week or so and clean the filters. It lives in the pool. It is in its 5th year of operation. It will need a new cord soon. $100 at Marina.

A bargain.
 
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doug527 said:
Why is the

Poolvergnuegen pool cleaner so much? It has good reviews and looks like Haywards pool cleaner.​

Click to expand...
because it works and works and works... mine is still working after years... I had to replace the wheel gears once.. It worked when the pool is 50 degrees and at 90 degrees, dirt leaves and you name it...

The robot has lots to live up to but they scrub also so I am loving that :)
 
If my Dolphin T45 died tomorrow, and I couldn't fix it (it is totally serviceable), I would replace it immediately. Never going back to manual vacuuming. My pool has never been cleaner.
 
mknauss said:
I look at it this way. When we got the pool, I hired a 'pool guy' to simply clean the pool once a week. Cost $70 a month. So $840 a year.

The robot completely replaced them, and it keeps the pool cleaner. I only pull it out of the pool once a week or so and clean the filters. It lives in the pool. It is in its 5th year of operation. It will need a new cord soon. $100 at Marina.

A bargain.
Click to expand...

Good way of looking at it. 👍
 
Plettschner said:
If my Dolphin T45 died tomorrow, and I couldn't fix it (it is totally serviceable), I would replace it immediately. Never going back to manual vacuuming. My pool has never been cleaner.
Click to expand...

This I agree with! Any type of automatic cleaner is better than manual vacuuming. 😁👍
 
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My Pentair Warrior SE is a year old and is so much better than it’s predecessor, the Jandy Ray Vac
pressure side cleaner, that I used for almost 10 years (yep 🤷‍♀️). It was kinda like the day I tried a
Dyson on my carpet and wondered what the heck I had been "vacuuming" with up until then! The
difference is amazing and I’m very happy with my SE.
 
Let's put things in perspective. Pools are a luxury item and so are the various automatic cleaners. When it becomes a necessity because you got used to the ease of throw "Benjamin" into the water to clean up while you can relax with a beer, you know you're never going back eventhough it cost $$. So then it becomes I'll replace that in a heartbeat because you can justify the expense. You need to have one to experience that comfort level.
 
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