The Best Pool Cleaners We’ve Ever Tested

Best Overall

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner

$749 at Amazon View on Walmart

To keep your in-ground pool looking shiny and fresh at all times, consider this robotic cleaner from Dolphin. We found it to be a highly effective cleaner that's much easier to use and faster than the brand’s previous versions, and its pool mapping technology gets better with every turn.

A fairly compact and lightweight cleaner, this device comes with a handle that you can use to take it in and out of the pool as well as a user-friendly instruction manual. It has strong, easy-to-replace filters that can vacuum up tons of leaves and sediment in a two-hour window, and it skillfully climbs pool walls and scans the bottom for debris using its smart navigation system. Just plug it into an outlet and drop it in the water; it’ll do the rest of the job itself.

On the downside, it is a fairly pricey pool cleaner, and it doesn’t come with Bluetooth, so you can’t control it via an app on your phone. Still, it saved us many hours spent cleaning the pool, and if you have an in-ground pool, we think you will be happy you spent the money.

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: In-ground pools up to 40 feet | Cord Length: 60 feet | Weight: 19 pounds

Best Budget

WYBOT Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

$116 at Amazon

If you want to keep costs down, check out this affordable robotic pool cleaner from Wybot. In addition to being budget-friendly, it is cordless, lightweight, and compact, making it easy to handle and store. And because it’s robotic, you don’t have to do the work yourself to get your pool looking great—just drop the device in the water for instant cleaning.

This pool cleaner has a sleek, stylish design available in six colors and an impressive runtime of about 50 minutes. It operates on dual motors, and despite its compact design, this robotic pool cleaner has ample suction to pick up debris like dirt and pebbles, as we found during our testing. 

One downside of this device is that it can only clean pool floors, not walls or stairs, and it also might not be the best option for pools with heavy-duty debris. Still, this is a simple robotic cleaner at a low cost, with a helpful auto-reverse feature, handle, and an easy cleaning process.

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: All types, up to 500 square feet | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 7.9 pounds

Best In-Ground

Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner

$1,299 at Amazon $1,399 at Target

This powerful, easy-to-use robotic pool cleaner provided us with a thorough clean time and time again. It comes with three scrubbing brushes and two types of filters, as well as a long hose that never got twisted or bent during use. It’s also WiFi-enabled, so you can control the settings and timing via a helpful app. Plus, the setup is super simple: All you need to do is plug it into a power outlet, place it in the pool, choose your cycle, and let it work—freeing up your time to tackle other chores. 

The Nautilus CC Supreme is also fairly lightweight relative to other robotic cleaners, with a large handle to help you keep a firm grip on it as you take it in and out of the pool. Additionally, we found the instructions for each cleaning mode to be very easy to understand and use, and the filters are also simple to remove and clean.

Our one complaint is that this cleaner did have a hard time climbing stairs, so you may need to rely on a manual cleaner or brush to tackle them. This is also one of the most expensive pool cleaners on our list, but if you can swing it, we think it’s worth the splurge for its convenience and consistent results. 

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: In-ground pools up to 50 feet | Cord Length: 60 feet | Weight: 24 pounds

Best Above-Ground

Dolphin Escape Robotic Pool Cleaner

$699 at Amazon

This above-ground pool cleaner can collect and hold plenty of debris despite its smaller-than-average size and light weight. It uses robotic scanning to locate dirt, leaves, and sediment, with a roller design that helps it navigate the space of a pool and even straightens out the liner a bit as it circulates throughout the pool area. 

This cleaner features a large top-load filter (for easy removal and exchange) and an active scrubbing brush, along with an instruction manual that comes complete with videos to help with set-up. Size-wise, the cleaner is relatively compact and just needs to be plugged into an outlet to work. The price tag is a little high, and it doesn’t fold up, so it’s a bit tricky to store when not in use. Yet all in all, this is a practical and efficient cleaner that saves time and cleans above-ground pools thoroughly. 

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: Above-ground pools up to 30 feet | Cord Length: 40 feet | Weight: 14.2 pounds

Best Cordless

Polaris Freedom Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

$1,699 at Amazon View on Polarispool.com View on Lesliespool.com

For a cordless pool cleaner that requires minimal effort, we recommend the Polaris Freedom Robotic Pool Cleaner. This handy robotic device does all the work for you, and because of its small size and cordless design, it’s easy to store and takes up barely any space.

This pool cleaner has a high price tag, which may be out of reach for some shoppers. But if you can swing the cost, we think it's worth it, thanks to the device's excellent features including four cleaning modes and a connected app that tracks the cycles, battery life, mode, and more. 

The machine’s battery life is also longer than average at an impressive 2.5 hours, and its internal navigation is so good that it never got stuck during our testing. Best of all, it can climb pool walls, saving you the hassle of using a hook to retrieve it yourself. Also, its blue-and-black design is sleek and attractive, so you won’t mind the look of the cleaner in or around your pool.

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: All types, up to 50 feet | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 32 pounds

Best Smart

Dolphin Explorer E50 Robotic Pool Cleaner

$1,549 at Amazon View on Poolwarehouse.com $1,599 at Lowe's

WiFi-enabled pool cleaners can be helpful because they allow you to control them from the convenience of your phone, and we love this option from Dolphin. You can choose from three different cleaning modes (quick, regular, and ultra), check the water temperature, and schedule cleaning cycles using the accompanying user-friendly app, which makes the cleaning process truly a breeze.

This robotic cleaner has strong suction power that can easily pick up large and small debris in your pool. It runs on four-wheel drive so it moves very easily on the bottom of the pool and has a great grip for climbing pool walls. It can handle stairs and benches, too (unlike many other pool cleaners), and its scrubbers will leave your waterline looking pristine.

Other than the setup, it requires little effort to get going—all you need to do is plug in the cable, put the cleaner in the pool, press start, and let it run. The app lets you know when the job is complete, but you can also check the control panel for updates.

During our long-term testing, we used this pool cleaner twice weekly to clear out every type of debris. It worked seamlessly regardless of the material or mess it was tasked with, and quickly became the easiest, most efficient pool cleaner we’ve ever tried. This cleaner is admittedly a big investment, but its ease of use and effectiveness make it worthwhile if you can swing the cost.

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: In-ground and above-ground pools up to 50 feet | Cord Length: 60 feet | Weight: 19.2 pounds

Best for Spot Cleaning

Poolwhale Pool & Spa Vacuum

$23 at Amazon

If you need an inexpensive pool cleaner for occasional spot cleaning, look no further than this pick from Poolwhale. It’s an ultra-compact, pressure-powered vacuum cleaner that uses suction and pressure from a standard garden hose to collect debris into a mesh filter bag. You can connect the three-bristle vacuum head either to the included six-section pole or attach it to one of your own if you want a longer reach (we did find the included pole to be a bit short).

One of the biggest benefits of this low-priced cleaner is that it’s very small and lightweight, taking up minimal space for storage and making it easy for anyone to use. Because of its tiny size, it does take some time to vacuum up a whole pool, so it’s best used by people with small pools and pools without filters (like Jacuzzis or hot tubs). Still, its suction works surprisingly well and picked up plenty of debris in our testing. And because it needs to be attached to a hose, it can conveniently double as a filter when water levels are low.

Type: Pressure vacuum | Pool Type and Length: In-ground pools up to 25 feet; above-ground pools (up to 4 feet deep) | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 1.3 pounds

Best for Floors

Pentair Kreepy Krauly Pool Cleaner

$386 at Amazon $398 at Walmart View on Lesliespool.com

If cleaning your pool floors is your main focus, consider this strong option from Pentair. In our testing, we found that this automatic pool cleaner’s suction hose cleans up smaller debris extremely well, and it’s especially good at getting rid of salt/chlorine stains on pool floors.

Setting up this cleaner isn’t the easiest, though. The instructions aren’t as intuitive as we’d like, so the setup took about 45 minutes, and it’s a bit tricky to bring it into the pool once it’s attached to the water pump. But once you get it going, you’ll be pleased with the quality of its work. The device’s directional system helps smoothly guide it around the pool, and its side wings guide leaves and other debris into the skimmer basket. Plus, the cleaners’ valve automatically adjusts the water flow, so it can work at just the right speed.

If you’re hoping that your pool cleaner will be just as thorough with stairs and walls as it is with floors, then this won’t be the product for you, unfortunately. It also doesn’t work as well on large debris unless you purchase the leaf catcher separately. But for a cleaner that works wonders on pool floors, this is still an excellent choice.

Type: Automatic | Pool Type and Length: In-ground | Cord Length: 60 feet | Weight: 9.8 pounds

Best for Walls

Aiper Scuba S1 Pool Cleaner

$700 at Amazon View on Aiper.com

After testing, we became fans of this robotic pool cleaner from Aiper and its impressive effectiveness at cleaning pool walls. This robotic pool cleaner can easily scale walls and remove debris, unlike other devices we tested that only clean pool floors. Plus, this cleaner comes out of the water to clean the tile around the pool.

This cleaner has an impressive 150-minute battery life and charges quickly. You can pick from four cleaning modes (auto, eco, floor only, or wall only) and relax as the device navigates your pool with its durable treads. The filter basket is large and easy to clean, the set-up process is simple, and the navigation technology is top-tier. During testing, the robotic cleaner rarely got stuck and returned to its starting spot when finished, saving you even more effort.

While this cleaner has a stylish look, it is heavy. This might make it difficult for some people to remove it from the pool. Truly, this is our only complaint about this efficient and powerful cleaner, which tackles pool walls and other areas with impressive ease.

Type: Robotic | Pool Type and Length: All types, up to 1,600 square feet | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 20 pounds

Best Suction

Hayward The PoolCleaner Suction Cleaner

$429 at Amazon $429 at Target $449 at Lesliespool.com

This highly effective and reliable suction cleaner uses two-wheel drive and tire treads to get around the pool with ease. It relies on the pool’s pump to suction up debris using the hose connected to the skimmer. You can pick from three interchangeable flow settings and take advantage of the cleaner’s self-adjusting turbine vanes that ensure all debris is collected without jamming up, as well as its pre-programmed steering sequences.

Although this isn’t the fastest pool cleaner on the market (you’ll have to be okay waiting around for it to finish up), it does a thorough job, cleaning all areas of the pool and climbing up the side walls without any issue. It’s also very simple to set up and the bright white hose helps it stand out in the water.

Price-wise, it’s right about average, and worth the cost if you want a cleaner that doesn’t require you to do a lot of work. As long as you’re fine with the longer-than-average run time, you’ll be glad you picked up this top-notch cleaner.

Type: Suction-side | Pool Type and Length: In-ground pools up to 32 feet | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 12 pounds

Best Pressure

Polaris Vac-Sweep Pressure Inground Pool Cleaner

$599 at Amazon

For a high-quality pressure pool cleaner that won’t disappoint you, we recommend this pick from Polaris. It’s powered by a booster pump and uses dual jets to create its powerful vacuum, which will thoroughly tackle all areas of your pool and pick up debris of all sizes. We found that it did a great job cleaning the pool’s surface and floor of debris of all sizes, thanks in part to its large filter bag.

This cleaner takes just a few minutes to set up and about three hours to clean from start to finish, depending on your pool size. It’s good with stairs and walls, not just floors, and it doesn’t get stuck easily, thus eliminating the need for manual help. Plus, you can schedule cleanings and change up the settings via the app, and the device is easy to keep clean due to its detachable bag.

Overall, this is a very solid pool cleaner that comes at a relatively average price, and we were very impressed with the quality of its work and the features it offers. 

Type: Pressure | Pool Type and Length: All | Cord Length: 31 feet | Weight: 6.2 pounds

Best Brush

Poolaza Pool Brush and Pole

$34 at Amazon

For a simple but efficient way of keeping your pool clean, opt for a brush, such as this one from Poolaza. With its tough and durable nylon bristles, comfortable rubber double grip, and included aluminum cleaning pole, this product will make a big difference in freshening up your pool. During our testing, we were impressed by the brush’s ease of use and high-quality bristles, which are strong enough to get even hard-set debris moving, but still gentle enough to not damage the pool liner. The brush has curved sides that are especially ideal for getting into tough corners and angles, and it glides easily along all pool areas. 

As for the cleaning pole, it’s a bit more lightweight than we’d like and also a little tricky to put together. Still its adjustable design (it ranges from 2.7–10.5 feet tall) was helpful for reaching the floor in the pool’s deep end. If you want a sturdier pole, you may want to buy your own and just use the brush, but considering the unit’s low price, we still think it’s well worth the purchase.

Type: Manual brush and pole | Pool Type and Length: All | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: Not listed

Best Vacuum

Pool Blaster Catfish Ultra Pool Cleaner

$120 at Amazon

A great vacuum pool cleaner should be able to suck up plenty of debris and require minimal effort to use, and this model from Pool Blaster does all that and more. The cordless, battery-operated device has seriously strong suction power, and it easily captured tons of leaves and dirt during our testing without any of the hassle expected from typical filter cleaners.

Using this lightweight cleaner is a breeze — all you need to do is charge it up for a few hours and place it at the bottom of the pool. After the push of a button, the device activates and gets the job done effectively during its 45 minute runtime. It comes with its own pole that’s fairly short at just 5.5 feet, but it’s also compatible with other poles in case you want one with more reach.

One downside of this cleaner is that you can’t adjust it to accommodate different pool sizes, which (when combined with its short pole) can make cleaning larger/deeper pools difficult. Also, the dust cup is fairly small, requiring frequent emptying of heavy debris. Still, we recommend this cleaner for its durable make, sizable (and removable) vacuum head, and overall effectiveness.

Type: Vacuum | Pool Type and Length: All | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 6 pounds

Best Skimmer Net

U.S. Pool Supply 6 Foot Leaf Skimmer Net

$14 at Amazon

If you’re mostly concerned with picking up smaller debris from your pool’s surface, this skimmer net from U.S. Pool Supply is a fantastic choice. When we tested the skimmer out, we were highly impressed by how much debris it gathered off the top of the pool, and its size — the mesh net covers around six feet of surface area, and the included aluminum pole adds another six feet to the length. 

The netting has very small holes that don’t let the debris fall through, and the pole’s sturdiness allowed us to confidently gather up leaves, dirt, and more. Additionally, the set-up process is extremely easy, and we really liked how you can change the length of the pole as needed by just detaching and reattaching the sections. Both the net and pole feel durable and well-made, and the product’s low cost just adds to its value. 

Of course, due to its design, it’s not going to be the best option for anyone looking to clean their pool floors or get fully in the deep end. But for surface-level cleaning, this skimmer is an absolutely worthwhile pick.

Type: Skimmer net | Pool Type and Length: All | Cord Length: N/A | Weight: 13.1 ounces