Not understanding the lure of robotic cleaners..

[JoyfulNoise]

I'm not sure where the belief came that these robots only last a few years??

My robot is going on it's 5th full season and working the same as the day I got it. The only thing I preemptively did was replace the treads and brushes at the end of last season (season 4) which I was told by the pool shop i bought it from would be required every 2 years . The tread replacement parts cost me $50. I opted to do the brushes as well as the rubber bottom sweeps. All-in, it cost me like $120 in parts and about 45mins of my time with a Phillips head screwdriver to do the work. Many on the forum have gotten 10+ years out of their bots.

Now I admit there are some posts on TFP with some pretty sad bot failure stories but you have to understand that those are the exceptions, not the norm. It's kind of like online Amazon reviews - when you get the item and it works, few will post a good review. When you get an item and it fails miserably, 99% of the time people are going to flame that experience with a bad review. No different on TFP ...

 

[revitup]

So if I want to keep cost to a minimum what is the suggested Robo cleaner? 14 x 33, 4 to 7 feet deep.
I don't need bells and whistles but would like something that cleans well.
Local company Leslies, has the following with several others ..

Aqua Products - EVO 614IQ Robotic Pool Cleaner​

Dolphin - Proteus DX3 Robotic Pool Cleaner​

Aqua Products - EVO 604 Robotic Pool Cleane​

Polaris - P825 Robotic Pool Cleaner

Warrior SE

 

[wireform]

Warrior SE

The real answer is CALL MARGARET

 

[dianedebuda]

Many, many of us have purchased from Margaret because she REALLY knows her stuff and will tell you the truth. You tell her what you THINK you need and she'll tell you which models are appropriate. If she thinks you will be disappointed with some bell and whistle, she'll let you know before you waste $.

 

[Selenap]

I have a suction side vacuum. $100. It just meanders around on low speed. It climbs the walls. It will get stuck at the steps though. It picks up everything, including baby walnuts. A robot would be cool but finding a big enough one for a 43’ long agp that don’t cost more than my actual pool has been impossible. The cool thing about what I do use is that it rotates my water. That comes at the price of no skimmer use while it’s attached. I’ve thought about the pressure side types but since what I got is working fine, I can’t justify spending money until it breaks.

 

[markayash]

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.

My wife bugging me to hire a pool guy. it’s $175 a month here.
Instead o bought a SWG and robot both for around $1600 and on year 2.
Also comparing a Polaris to a robot is like sweeping your hardwoods vs vacuuming them. You just get the big stuff. I had several Polaris over a 25 year period and now that I have a S200 would never ever ever go back

 

[Kjp300]

I vacuum once a week normally and and twice if company is expected for a day by pool. $700 every three years isn't worth it to me. Can't imagine if I had to replace everything at that rate, appliances, tires for vehicle, etc. I'm betting they are purposely made to last X amount of time like air conditioners... Home a/c used to last 15 years easily, now you are lucky to get 10...I don't mind paying good money for quality items that last, I,e. I had no reservations spending $1800 on a two channel stereo amp for the home ,but that amp will last 20 years plus easily. Comparing the SWG to a robotic cleaner is apples vs oranges IMO. The SWG is a needed part of the pool. Yes lifespan is relatively short but I would not own a pool without one.

I think that three years is really on the low end of the time frame. Where did you come up with the three year figure? If you browse through the thread I think you will see that most owners are getting much more than three years out if their robots. Even if it were only three years that works out to 63 cents per day! How much more time do you spend brushing your walls? Cleaning your waterline? And I guarantee your pool is not nearly as clean a pool cleaned by a robot. All of that for 63 cents a day? Well worth it my book!

 

[Saturn94]

I vacuum once a week normally and and twice if company is expected for a day by pool. $700 every three years isn't worth it to me. Can't imagine if I had to replace everything at that rate, appliances, tires for vehicle, etc. I'm betting they are purposely made to last X amount of time like air conditioners... Home a/c used to last 15 years easily, now you are lucky to get 10...I don't mind paying good money for quality items that last, I,e. I had no reservations spending $1800 on a two channel stereo amp for the home ,but that amp will last 20 years plus easily. Comparing the SWG to a robotic cleaner is apples vs oranges IMO. The SWG is a needed part of the pool. Yes lifespan is relatively short but I would not own a pool without one.

Agreed!

 

[Newdude]

Comparing the SWG to a robotic cleaner is apples vs oranges IMO.

I disagree in the friendliest way possible. They are both consumables that will need replacing and were only bought for convenience. Pools got by for decades without either, but to save the pool owner from the chore part of pool ownership, both were invented.

Some, such as yourself will favor one and not the other but they really go hand in hand if you think it out.

 

[wireform]

I disagree in the friendliest way possible. They are both consumables that will need replacing and were only bought for convenience. Pools got by for decades without either, but to save the pool owner from the chore part of pool ownership, both were invented.

Some, such as yourself will favor one and not the other but they really go hand in hand if you think it out.

We can throw in the automatic pool covers too. If you don't call them a convenience then what is it.

 

[Plettschner]

Or a speed stir.

 

[Newdude]

We can throw in the automatic pool covers too. If you don't call them a convenience then what is it

Or a speed stir

Now, I cannot agree more with either of these sentences. But one is $15 and one is $15k. OP was balancing replacing $700- $1000 every few years. So while the cover and speed stir are super conveniences, They are both out of the discussed ballpark.

 

[Winger 03]

I am on year 8 of a rebranded Dolphin from Dohenys. I use it several times per week and like others would have one air shipped the next day if it broke.

 

[wireform]

I am on year 8 of a rebranded Dolphin from Dohenys. I use it several times per week and like others would have one air shipped the next day if it broke.

Living in MD will have much shorter seasons compared to out west but nevertheless you've done well.

 

[overdose]

had the same reflection as op.

Hesitating to get a robot cleaner, since here, pool season is about 60 days, can get more if you have a pool heater. Already nights are around 16°C (60°F) and we are in july...
But I have 5 mature trees over/near my pool, a electric robot cleaner is very helpful if I dont want to waste 1.5h every time I want to go in the pool...

I had the famous Hayward Navigator, this was shyt, 6 hours to clean a 24' round pool, and did a bad job.
Then I got the Dolphin Encore. No ragretsss

 

[Lineman7]

Many, many of us have purchased from Margaret because she REALLY knows her stuff and will tell you the truth. You tell her what you THINK you need and she'll tell you which models are appropriate. If she thinks you will be disappointed with some bell and whistle, she'll let you know before you waste $.

I called her yesterday. She was busy and it was take a name and number. Hopefully she calls me back today. I'm ready to give her some plastic.

 

[Newdude]

Hopefully she calls me back today. I'm ready to give her some plastic

Wait, or try again. I sent my Buddy to her. I love YALL tremendously but this was a real live buddy in person. She talked him out of the 600 and sold him the 200 for $200 less than he saw it elsewhere. His comments were along the lines of ‘WHO does THAT!!’ When it came it was a dud and the 200s were out of stock so she upgraded him to the 300/30 (rebranded as something else) and he is over the moon happy across the board. With the 300, with Margaret, all of it. Even considering the defective one.

 

[Lineman7]

Wait, or try again. I sent my Buddy to her. I love YALL tremendously but this was a real live buddy in person. She talked him out of the 600 and sold him the 200 for $200 less than he saw it elsewhere. His comments were along the lines of ‘WHO does THAT!!’ When it came it was a dud and the 200s were out of stock so she upgraded him to the 300/30 (rebranded as something else) and he is over the moon happy across the board. With the 300, with Margaret, all of it. Even considering the defective one.

Sounds like dang good CS.

My pool catches a lot of fine dirt and dust since I'm in West Texas. Lots of cotton farming out this way. Any windy days or storms... there is always fine dirt in the pool and it's red. Shows up really good against the blue plaster. I need a robot specifically good at picking this fine dirt up. We don't get heavy debris from trees or any of that jazz.

 

[Newdude]

Sounds like dang good CS.

Again, I know what I’ve read here time and time and time again. I didn’t doubt it one bit. But now I have real world personal experience, albeit through a Buddy. No question I’m going there soon myself after the build.

I need a robot specifically good at picking this fine dirt up

She sold my Buddy the fine filters on the 200 but they came standard on the 300. So now he has 2 sets and he’s still thrilled. Lol. Give her all your parameters and she’ll hook you up with whatever you need.

 

[Plettschner]

My T45 came with the mesh and the pleated fine filters. I bought the mesh pre-filter ($50 from Marina) that came with the next higher model and run it with that and the fine filters. Keeps a lot of the chonky debris out of the pleats.