When it comes to the beauty of our homes, one place that really makes a big difference is the swimming pool.
This is one of the reasons we are constantly looking for the best pool cleaners on the market.
But, where do you start when you are bombarded with all the different brand names and designs?
Well, in this article, we will be discussing 9 of the best pool cleaners you can choose from. The cleaners were selected based on their durability, cost-efficiency, and performance.
Let’s get started…
The Top 9 Best Pool Cleaners
Model Type Hose Weight Price XtremepowerUS Automatic 
In-Ground 30' 12.0 lb. Check Price Baracuda G3 
In-Ground 36' 18.2 lb. Check Price Hayward Poolvergnuegen 
In-Ground 33' 4.9 lb. Check Price Dolphin Nautilus Robotic 
In-Ground 50' 19 lb. Check Price Polaris Vac-Sweep 
In-Ground 31' 6.2 lb. Check Price Pentair Automatic 
In-Ground 32' 14.0 lb. Check Price Zodiac Automatic
(Editor's Choice)
Above-Ground 34' 17.5 lb. Check Price Intex Pool Cleaner 
Above-Ground 24'7" 15.3 lb. Check Price Dolphin Premier Robotic 
In-Ground 36.2 lb. Check Price
1. XtremepowerUS Automatic Pool Cleaner
If you are tight on budget, then this XtremepowerUS may just be what you’re looking for.
This is the cheapest cleaner on our list, costing less than $100. Just because it’s cheap, does not mean that it won’t get the job done.
The pool cleaner efficiently cleans the bottom surface and the wall. The cleaner comes with 10 hoses. The hoses are suitable for swimming pools that are 30 feet or less.
So, if your pool is bigger than this, then this may not be the best cleaner for you.
For the cleaner to work effectively, it needs 1600 GHP or at least 1 HP pump. You can attach it to your pool’s filtration system.
A weighted stabilizer has been added to help you maintain your balance in the water. The stabilizer uses seal clips. For every 3-feet of your pool’s depth, you have to use a single clip.
- Easy to set up
- Adjustable hose lengths
- Value for money
- Great vacuum power
- Doesn’t clean shallow ends that are less than 3 feet deep.
- Gets stuck occasionally
2. Baracuda G3 Advanced Pool Cleaner
This is for all those who love a quiet, yet powerful suction pool cleaner.
The cleaner works great with low-speed pumps maximizing efficiency. It is able to clean floors, walls as well as the steps of the pool.
Unlike most cleaners, this one can clean tiles, concrete and vinyl surfaces.
It gets rid of small and medium-sized debris. The cleaner has a FlowKeeper Valve that regulates the flow of water. This valve enhances the cleaning performance of the cleaner.
There is also a Wheel Deflector that allows the cleaner to move smoothly around tight corners.
The cleaner is made from the one-moving-part-technology. This technology works by moving only one part of the Long-Life Diaphragm. The pool cleaner, therefore, does not require any wheels, flappers or gears.
- Quiet
- Easy to set up
- Efficient
- Durable
- Versatile
- Cost-effective
- Some parts wear out with time
- Fails to clean large-sized debris
3. Hayward Poolvergnuegen Pool Cleaner
This 2-wheel drive pool cleaner is suitable for pools that are up to 16 feet by 32 feet.
The tire treads climb and deal with obstacles such as uneven surfaces. If your swimming pool has a unique shape, then this cleaner will come in handy.
The adjustable roller skirt improves suction on surfaces that are uneven while the self-adjusting turbine vanes offer great power. The turbine vanes also allow passage of large debris.
The steering system of the cleaner works by periodically making the left wheel to move in reverse direction. This ensures full coverage of the pool.
The cleaner has 5 different programmed turns that range from 90 degrees to 450 degrees. This makes it possible for it to clean both the deep and shallow end of your pool.
- Low maintenance
- Great performance
- Excellent steering system
- Can clean pools of different shapes
- Durable wheels treads
- Full pool coverage
- Easy to set up
- Has no brushes for rubbing
- Not efficient at removing algae
4. Dolphin Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner
This robotic cleaner is great for people who have large swimming pools.
The cleaner can work on pools that are 50 feet or less.
The filter system has 2 full sets of filter cartridges that are responsible for filtering out both small and large debris. The cartridges can be accessed with ease.
There is a swivel cable that allows complete coverage of the pool. The cable enables the cleaner to spin and rotate 360 degrees.
One amazing feature of this cleaner is that it is not dependent on your pool’s filter and pump. This makes it be energy efficient.
Unlike most cleaners that just swirls around your pool, this cleaner uses CleverClean Technology to scan and completely clean your pool.
It can scrub, vacuum and filter swimming pools that of different shapes and surfaces. In addition to this, the cleaner uses the Dolphin Swivel Technology to prevent tangling.
- Easy to clean
- Does not tangle
- Quiet
- Easy to set up
- Functions independently
- Durable
- Advanced filtration system
- Does not clean the steps
- It is heavy
5. Polaris Vac-Sweep 280 Pressure Pool Cleaner
This pressure pool cleaner is suitable for in-ground pools.
First thing’s first, for the cleaner to work it requires a Polaris Booster pump that you have to buy separately.
The cleaner comes with a 31 feet hose and has a 3-wheel design. It vacuums, sweeps and scrubs the bottom of the pool as well as the walls.
The cleaner is driven by double jets. This provides maximum vacuum power and enhances faster cleaning. The backup valve of the cleaner frees it when it encounters an obstacle.
It has a filter bag that removes the debris before they reach the filter or pump basket. This prolongs the shelf life of the filtration system.
The pump has an excellent power that allows the cleaner to work optimally.
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Powerful
- Has a sleek design
- Comes with a filter bag
- Easy to set up
- Booster pump is sold separately
- The swivel tends to tangle
- It doesn’t clean steps very well
6. Pentair Automatic Pool Cleaner
This is yet another cleaner that is great for in-ground pools.
The durability of the Pentair Automatic Pool Cleaner is what sets it apart from most pool cleaners on the market.
This easy to use cleaner has an effective vacuum that will leave your pool clean and free from any debris.
The cleaner uses the Smart-Trac steering system to move smoothly around tight corners and any other obstacle. This system results in a fast and maximum cleaning performance.
If you are looking for a pool cleaner that will get the job done in the shortest amount of time, then this is it.
The cleaner has been fitted with a Vac-Port Door that has a spring-loaded cover. This feature makes the cleaner to be safe.
- Easy to install
- It cleans stairs
- Efficient
- Effective vacuum
- Safe to use
- Not ideal for large pools
- Randomly floats at the surface
7. Zodiac Automatic Pool Cleaner
This pool cleaner has a low-flow design that makes it perfect for pools that have 2-speed.
The cleaner is also ideal for pools which come in different speed pumps.
One word that sums up this cleaner perfectly is ultra-efficient. The cleaner comes with a Weir Valve, Twist Lock Hose Lengths, Twist Lock Elbow, Floe Regulator Valve, Hose Protector, and a Hose Float.
The cyclonic suction provides powerful vacuuming. The turbine blades, on the other hand, can effectively climb the walls of your pool.
The flow of the water is controlled by the Flow Regulator feature.
As great as this cleaner is, it is only suitable for people who have small or medium-sized pools. So, if you have a big pool, then you will have to pass on this one.
- Ultra-efficient
- Powerful
- Easy to set up
- Can clean the side walls
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
- Not ideal for large pools
- Hose tends to disintegrate after some time
8. Intex Pool Cleaner
If you have an Intex pool, then you’ve probably heard of this cleaner.
The Intex Pool Cleaner was designed for Intex above-ground swimming pools.
The first thing you have to do before using the cleaner is to ensure that you have a filter pump with a flow rate ranging from 1600 to 3500 gph. The cleaner comes with a 24 feet hose. For maximum performance, make sure that the cleaner is set up well and the pockets removed from the hose.
When it comes to the price, this is the second cheapest cleaner on our list. You can get the cleaner for under $120.
For an automatic pool cleaner that works effectively, this price is just perfect. One setback of the cleaner, though, is it only works on surfaces that are smooth.
- Value for money
- Fully automated
- Easy to use
- Durable
- Easy to set up
- Not suitable for inground pools
- Only applicable to Intex pools
- Only works on smooth surfaces
9. Dolphin Premier Robotic Pool Cleaner
This is by far the best Dolphin pool cleaner in the market.
The cleaner comes with unique features such as 4 different types of multimedia, an oversized bag, and dual filter cartridges. You can switch between the different types of media to suit your needs.
The DC motors of this cleaner reduce the amount of energy you use by up to 87%. The cleaner has a Smart-Nav software that is controlled by a microprocessor.
This software provides optimized scanning. With this feature, the pool cleaner increases its pool coverage resulting in a clean pool.
There is a swivel system that provides 360 degrees of rotation. This system prevents the cleaner from tangling. Another great feature of this cleaner is the dual scrubbing brushes.
The brushes scrub the surface of the pool and effectively vacuums it away.
- It is tangle-free
- Energy efficient
- Easy to use
- Easy to maintain
- Automatic
- Multimedia system
- Heavy
- Doesn’t clean steps
- Expensive
How to Choose the Best Pool Cleaner
We all know it, cleaning your pool is an absolute pain. Most of us would fight by hook or by crook until our gums bleed out just to not have to do it.
This is why pool cleaners are such a desirable product, they make the task of pool cleaning all that much more bearable.
You can just sit back, relax while it does the work and laugh at everyone doing it by hand, however, these are expensive machines, and it’s important to know which one to get.
There are 3 Main Kinds of Automatic Pool Vacuums:
These cleaners are plugged into a hose and just suck up whatever’s making your pool dirty. There are inertia driven and robotic suction cleaners, the inertia ones are by large, an outdated product, as it takes them much, much longer to clean the whole surface of the pool than it does a robotic.
They are also by far the cheapest variety of cleaner to maintain, this means that if maintenance costs are what worry you, you should probably get a suction cleaner. These are also good because they don’t require any extra facilities to work, they just work straight out the box.
Pressure cleaners are powerful, more so than suction cleaners, requiring an extra booster pump is most of where their flaws stem from. They require either an additional hose connection on the pool wall or some models will connect straight to the connection you already have on it.
However, due to the large amount of pressure that pressure cleaners require, this may affect the filter in the pool negatively and wear it out much quicker than if you were using a different kind of cleaner.
Depending on the strength of your filter, and whether or not you have the secondary connection on your pool wall to put a hose without one in, these can be the most expensive sort of cleaner to maintain.
There is a brand-new method of pool cleaning which has been introduced to the pool cleaning world recently, robotic cleaners could be said to have made a minor revolution since their debut.
They are effective at all sizes, being able to clean out any pool you put them in, as well as having the debris cleaning capabilities that are entirely unrestricted by the size of the debris.
The engineering within these machines is top-notch, coming with an integrated microprocessor that scans the pool surface and allows the robot to decide the most efficient and thorough cleaning of your pool.
There are even pre-programmed models and those that come with a remote, almost like a several thousand dollar RC cars. However, this type is not without its flaws, being unable to function without electricity is a deal breaker for many pool owners, as they don’t want electricity near their pool.
Conclusion
All the pool cleaners discussed in this article have different purposes and functionalities. But one thing’s for sure, you can never go wrong with these 9 cleaners. So choose the cleaner that best suits your need, and enjoys a debris-free swimming pool.
