1 of 4 pagesIt's a steaming hot day and you're about to cool off with a quick dip. A long, tall glass of your favourite tipple is waiting poolside. Only one problem: the pool is filthy. Are you going to spend the next hour laboriously cleaning the slime, grime and leaves? Or will you hightail it to the nearest pool shop for a pool cleaner? I think we all know the answer to that. We've not tested pool cleaners, but you can see our pool fence reviews here. Do your research before diving in Pool cleaners sit in sun and chlorine for most of their working life (which does sound a little like a good holiday…) and can clock up more than 1000 km a year. Some cheaper models may not last the distance. When CHOICE tested pool cleaners in the past, we found several were prone to getting blocked and others neglected some areas of the pool. Pool cleaners can't clean a very dirty pool, so you won't get out of this task altogether. Give the pool a good manual clean at the start of each swimming season or when you haven't run the pool cleaner for a while.

Suction, pressure or robotic? There are three types of pool cleaner out in the market: suction, pressure and robotic. Suction cleaners attach with a hose to your skimmer box and use the suction created by your filtration system to suck up grime. Most pool cleaners you'll come across are suction models. There are two kinds of suction cleaners: Inertia driven suction cleaners clean in a random pattern. While they will cover every inch of your pool, it may take some time. They work well in pools with curved walls and no sharp corners. The popular Zodiac and Kreepy Krawler models are this type. Geared suction cleaners, such as The Pool Cleaner model, move in a pre-determined pattern and will clean your pool surface in the shortest time possible. They can easily get into tight corners which makes them suitable for smaller pools with lots of steps and sharp ledges. Geared cleaners have more moving parts than the random pattern models, so they will probably need more maintenance.

Cheaper than other types of pool cleaners. If you leave them permanently in the pool, they fill up the skimmer box, meaning extra effort for the pump (and potentially damaging). When they are attached, the skimmer box isn't taking in anything from the surface of the pool - which means everything goes to the bottom, making more work for the suction cleaner. Pressure cleaners are more powerful than suction cleaners. Most models operate with an additional booster pump which needs a separate hose connection in the pool wall. These can be expensive to retrofit so look at another model if your pool doesn't already have one. Pressure cleaners that connect directly into your existing pool pump may put strain on the filtration system. Can reach into tight corners. Collect everything from fine sand to rocks and leaves. Can be faster than suction cleaners. More expensive than suction cleaners. Probably need more maintenance. Robotic or electric self-propelled cleaners

Robotic pool cleaners run on electricity so you'll need a power point close to the pool. Good for large pools. Can be inconvenient – you need to place them into the pool for a cleaning session and then remove them. Don't tend to filter water while cleaning. Probably the most expensive of the automatic pool cleaners. Other features to look for when buying a pool cleaner Your pool cleaner should be able to cope with different pool shapes and sizes by adjusting hose buoyancy and main flow. heaven best carpet cleaning caSome have a deflector so the cleaner is less likely to get stuck in one place.carpet cleaning spray gun Make sure the hose reaches from one end of your pool to the other, plus a metre or two.carpet cleaning services reading pa

Ability to navigate steps Some cleaners can climb steps if needed. Some cleaners can be used while there is a cover on your pool. Between $400 and $1200.Download our FREE guides and receive new posts every week. When it comes to cleaning your swimming pool, the best and most efficient tool in your arsenal is a pool cleaner. But not just any pool cleaner: a robotic pool cleaner! There are 3 types of automatic pool cleaners you can choose from: suction-side, pressure-side, and robotic. pool fence prices las vegasHowever, robotic pool cleaners offer the best of all these types of cleaners combined. vacuum cleaner best suctionThey run on electricity, so you don’t have to run your filter while it’s cleaning, and they use the power of suction (rather than water pressure) to clean up dirt and debris on the bottom of your pool.inground vinyl pool cleaners

So without further ado, here is what I think are the best of the best when it comes to robotic pool cleaning… 1. Aquabot Breeze XLS Hands down, my favorite robotic pool cleaner on earth. I had the pleasure of testing this cleaner out personally and I was floored by how easy it is to clean and how powerful it is. The Aquabot Breeze inground pool cleaner features high-powered suction to remove the finest particles of algae, bacteria, dirt debris, sand and hair from the pool’s floors, steps, walls, and even the waterline! We recently gave a very positive review for this cleaner and awarded it with the Swim University Smart Buy Seal. Buy Now On Amazon Aquabot Breeze 4WD Product Review Video The new Aquabot Breeze 4WD is a highly recommended robotic pool cleaner for inground pools that I'm sure you'll love. Click here to learn more » 2. Aquabot Turbo T2 The Aquabot Turbo T2 is a beast of a robotic pool cleaner. I’ve been selling it for years to my customers and they always came back to me with great reviews.

It uses unique four-way functionality to scrub, power wash, vacuum, and filter from floor to waterline twice as fast as the original Aquabot! 3. Hayward Tiger Shark The Tiger Shark robotic pool cleaner is made by Hayward, a company that I trust and has been around for a very long time. They build quality products and they’re now getting into the robotic market. It will calculate the size of your pool and pre-program itself to follow the most time and energy-efficient cleaning pattern. Will spotlessly clean every part of your in-ground pool including the bottom, walls, inclines and steps. 4. Aquabot Pool Rover S2-40 I’m a huge fan of the Pool Rover for aboveground pools, but this cleaner will also work on small inground pools. The Pool Rover S2-40 uses a linear jet and cleans moving backward and forward. It can climb an incline or wall cove with a radius. The two filters are accessible from the top and it uses a nylon fine filter that can filter down to two microns (as good as a pool sand filter)..

It includes a 40-foot kink free cable and a timer with an automatic shut off. The cleaner can cover 8,000 feet per hour and filter 80-85 gallons of water per hour. I’ve sold many Dolphin cleaners when they were owned by SmartPool, but the brand was bought by Maytronics, a company that’s making some serious headway in the market. The Dolphin Triton is an advanced robotic cleaner with exceptional features and patented technology at an affordable price. Cleans pool floor, cove and walls. Recommended for in-ground residential pools up to 50 ft. in length 6. Aquabot Breeze 4WD The Breeze 4WD runs on a true 4 wheel drive system. The drive system powers all 4 wheels as well as a rotating brush underneath the cleaner itself. The ROTATING SCRUBBING BRUSH loosens up stubborn dirt and debris and is removable for easy maintenance. LARGE DEBRIS BASKETS capture an extraordinary amount of debris and make for easy emptying and cleaning. 7. Polaris 9400 Sport 4WD Polaris is arguably the king of automatic pool cleaners.

For decades, they’ve dominated the market with their revolutionary pressure-side cleaners. Now, they’re in the world of robotics and they’ve produced quite an amazing cleaner here. The 9400 Sport 4WD robotic pool vacuum cleans pools up to 50′ long. It features 2 cleaning cycles, an active motion sensor to prevent tipping and cord tangling, and top access for debris removal. Weighing just 16 lbs., it comes with a heavy duty matching transport caddy and 2 year warranty. 8. Kreepy Krauly Prowler 830 The Kreepy Krauly is a classic automatic pool cleaner. The brand has been around for years making quality non-robotic pool cleaners. It’s no surprise that they would step into the big leagues now that they’re owned by one of the largest pool equipment manufacturers. Compatible with all pool surfaces, it runs independently of pool’s filter and pump and requires no additional equipment. It includes two re-useable filter cartridges, a 50′ reinforced power cord and 24v transformer.

This is the SmartPool 7i’s bigger brother. If you’re looking to step up in cleaning power, this is the way to go. The SmartPool scrubbing robotic pool cleaner cleans floors, walls and even scrubs the tile at the top of the pool (according to a friend’s grandfather). Features a Rapid Drain System that keeps debris in the filter while allowing water to quickly flow from the unit back into the pool. 10. Solar Breeze Robotic Pool Skimmer This is an incredible robotic pool skimmer that’s powered by solar panels on top of the unit. We did a full video review of the Solar Breeze and were blown away by how well it worked to keep the surface of the pool, while using NO electricity. The unit is a little expensive for just a pool skimmer, but it’s well worth the investment instead of manually skimming your pool every day (or every other day). Solar Breeze Review Video Looking for an honest Solar Breeze review? Our video for this highly recommended automatic pool skimmer will surely help you decide on buying one.

Dolphin Advantage Plus Remote Controlled RC stands for remote control. Yes, that means you can stand by your pool and drive it around yourself to hit those trouble spots that most cleaners will take a while to get to. You can use this cleaner to spot clean, and it’ll save engery — plus you can impressed your friends. The Advantage Plus RC delivers performance and reliability at an affordable price. Caddy for portability and storage If you’re looking for a starter robotic pool cleaner at a really great price, this is YOUR cleaner. I’ve also had the pleasure of testing it out personally. This dynamic robotic pool cleaner will scrub floors, walls, steps and waterline! Revolutionary robotic design features a wider cleaning path for 50% faster cleaning coverage and Dual Direct-Drive motors for greater traction and pin-point navigation. Now that you’ve read our list — and perhaps you still need a good reason to spend your hard-earned money on a pool cleaner…