Pool Cleaner Suggestions

[AustinPynes]

I am thinking under 700 should be very doable.

Good blog comparing model names...
The Truth About Pool Cleaners: What Your Pool Store Isn’t Telling You | Sunplay

 

[Patrick_B]

I have a Dolphin Nautilus and I run it literally every day from open to close. This is the beginning of season 4 and I have not seen any signs of it slowing down. (Now I've done it)

The latest trend is a top sided basket for easier access. Most people don't recommend remote control or "smart" features although I do wish I had a remote sometimes.

Nearly the same here on my fourth season with my M5 and it still runs like a champ. No Jinx!

 

[robl45]

How do you like the Smart Pool...how long have you had it...I am always looking for others experience.

Works excellent, For 600 dollars if it dies in 2 years I can't complain. Parts are resonably cheap and easy to replace too. Bag is huge and doesn't require cleaning every half a run like the cartridge dolphin did. Only problem I'm having at the moment is the bag tends to pop off the frame.

 

[leo1211]

I purchased a new Kreepy Krauly Great White last season and I think I vacuumed twice all season. My only complaint is that you have to turn off the skimmers while it runs, but otherwise, it cleaned my pool (a 19x38 10FT in the deep end with straight sides gunite) perfectly. This was the first automatic pool cleaner I have had in 10 years and I cannot imagine my life without one!

 

[chiefwej]

Works excellent, For 600 dollars if it dies in 2 years I can't complain. Parts are resonably cheap and easy to replace too. Bag is huge and doesn't require cleaning every half a run like the cartridge dolphin did. Only problem I'm having at the moment is the bag tends to pop off the frame.

Three hundred dollars a year for pool cleaner. Wow, that's More than my total to maintain the pool.

 

[Cmasty]

Ive been in the market for a cleaner. The Doheny's discovery is 799 now and is out of my price range. For grins, I went to the local pool store and they didnt have any robots/cleaners on the floor. I asked about the Dolphin S200 (a dolphin retailer, mind you)and they handed me literature for the M200 / M series. I said no this isnt it and they said well that's all we got. I left. No wonder people buy online. </rant>

 

[Geebot]

Three hundred dollars a year for pool cleaner. Wow, that's More than my total to maintain the pool.

That's not a typical lifespan, for whatever reason he's assuming it won't last past the warranty period. That's plainly not the case. First of all, if you buy with a credit card that extends the warranty you get a third year of coverage at no extra cost. Realistically, if these are cared for they'll last many years. As I've posted elsewhere I have a 16-year-old Dolphin that will still clean effectively (but I dread using it because it has an old-school bottom load cloth bag rather than a easy-access basket).

 

[robl45]

That's not a typical lifespan, for whatever reason he's assuming it won't last past the warranty period. That's plainly not the case. First of all, if you buy with a credit card that extends the warranty you get a third year of coverage at no extra cost. Realistically, if these are cared for they'll last many years. As I've posted elsewhere I have a 16-year-old Dolphin that will still clean effectively (but I dread using it because it has an old-school bottom load cloth bag rather than a easy-access basket).

You have an atypical experience, I have had a number of robots, and none of them last very long. I'm telling the realistic truth, expect it to last through the warranty period, if it lasts longer, thats great, but there is a decent chance it won't. I'll have to look into these cards. Last I checked my card does double the warranty but only if the warranty is 12 months or less.

 

[rking3]

I know the OP first mentioned suction side cleaners, but the discussion went toward robots.

I just want to add one of the huge values in having the robot cleaner is less work for the pool pump. The robot cleaner filters the pool as well and obviously does not run only from the pump running. This causes the life span of the pump to extend, allowing less time being used and a lot less debris going through the filter. Changing the basket from my robot is easier than changing the basket from the pump filter.

It is hard to calculate but getting off pump dependency was huge for me.

 

[cbaum]

I currently have a suction side pool cleaner but was leaning towards the robotic cleaner for the above reasons mentioned as well as not having a pool cleaner in my pool 24/7.

But on the other hand if the robotic cleaner is really only going to last 2 years I am not sure I want to drop 700 dollars on a cleaner that last 2 years, when I can get a suction side cleaner that will last much longer.

 

[robl45]

It could last longer. Many do and Many don't. You could get an extended warranty from square trade as well.

 

[rking3]

If it last less than the warranty then it will be repaired and should be expected to last that amount of time again. It will last longer with good care, I assume. Not using it in shocked pools, removing it from the pool and storing it correctly etc.

I got a brand new suction side cleaner when I bought my home, it lasted around 16 months before I began replacing parts. Although I only invested around $150 on replacement parts, one of those pieces went out again in a couple weeks.

Worse than that was the amount of times I had to clear out my pump impeller, the number of times I am replacing o-rings on the pump, cleaning out the pump filter, and all the times I had clean the pump basket and release air repeat over and over again.

I got tired of it all, and have rarely touched the pump this last month from having the robot.

But on the other hand if the robotic cleaner is really only going to last 2 years I am not sure I want to drop 700 dollars on a cleaner that last 2 years, when I can get a suction side cleaner that will last much longer.

 

[Geebot]

It could last longer. Many do and Many don't. You could get an extended warranty from square trade as well.

I don't get all this generalizing "many do and many don't." I'm sure that hundreds of thousands of units have been sold and if the standard was 2 years then there would have been a loud uproar by consumers. I have no reason to question your personal experience but of all the people I know with robots, 2 years is not an average life span. Most of my friends went for newer feature sets before their robots died. I certainly did. If my old Dolphin Diagnostic canvas bag wasn't such a pain in the butt to clean I'd still be using it, but the S300 was just so much better on all counts. It's only my second season with it so I have no idea how many more seasons it will last, but it looks and works like the day I bought it so no reason to suspect it will die soon. My dealer has no basis to maintain statistics on longevity but he's pretty confident that the average lifespan is much more than a couple of years.

 

[robl45]

Not generalizing. Real experience. Plenty of reviews on all these units to back that up too. I had a dolphin diagnostic too. It didn't die. I sold it because it wasn't a great cleaner.

As for the person that commented on replacement. You typically don't get a replacement. It gets repaired.

 

[chiefwej]

If it last less than the warranty then it will be repaired and should be expected to last that amount of time again. It will last longer with good care, I assume. Not using it in shocked pools, removing it from the pool and storing it correctly etc.

I got a brand new suction side cleaner when I bought my home, it lasted around 16 months before I began replacing parts. Although I only invested around $150 on replacement parts, one of those pieces went out again in a couple weeks.

I'm Worse than that was the amount of times I had to clear out my pump impeller, the number of times I am replacing o-rings on the pump, cleaning out the pump filter, and all the times I had clean the pump basket and release air repeat over and over again.

I got tired of it all, and have rarely touched the pump this last month from having the robot.

When using a suction side cleaner you should have a leaf cannister on the suction line. They only cost about $25, and prevent anything from clogging the suction lines or getting to the pump. I even line mine with a hair net or knee highs which collects all but the very finest debris.