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Pool cleaner reviews

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Last updated: 13 March 2024
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Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Who wants to spend time scrubbing the bottom of a pool and scooping out leaves and dirt before you can finally take a dip? A pool cleaner that does all the dirty work for you surely seems like a better idea.

Our experts test and review a selection of pool cleaners from brands like Baracuda, Kreepy Krauly, Zodiac, Pentair and more to help you find the best performers.

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Our test results will tell you which pool cleaners:

  • are best at picking up debris from your pool
  • experience no or minimal blockages and stoppages during cleaning
  • are easiest to use
  • are suitable for your pool type.

Our interactive comparison tool tells you the dimensions of the pool cleaner, as well as the maximum usable pipe cable length. It also lists which pools each cleaner is suitable for. Our Recommended list will help you quickly see which models come out on top.

Note: We don't test pressure pool cleaners as this type requires a separate hose connection in the pool.

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Brand

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List of brands we tested in this review.

    Price

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    Recommended retail price at the time of testing.

    enter value/s in increments of 1 between 249 and 2485

    Recommended products

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    Member only

    This test score is for members only. Join now to unlock our expert results.

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    Performance score

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    The two main performance assessments are cleaning and stoppages. For cleaning, we measure how much of the debris is removed from the pool at the end of the cleaning cycle. We also record the number of stoppages and blockages, time out of service and the cause of the stoppage.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 3 and 99

    Ease of use score

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    We assess the quality of the instructions, ease of assembly, ease of clearing blockages and ease of adjusting the pool cleaner if required.

    enter value/s in increments of i between 65 and 98

    Type

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    There are three types of pool cleaners: robot, suction and pressure. In this test we've only tested robot and suction types. Inertia driven suction cleaners are the creepy-crawly-looking cleaners while geared suction cleaners have wheels or tracks.

      Included in this review

      Members-only access
      • Good points
      • Dimensions (cm, LxWxH)
      • Pebbles pick-up score
      • Weight (kg)
      • Maximum cleaning length of pool cleaner (m)
      • Type
      • Suitable pools
      • Supplied items
      • Recommended
      • Pipe cable length (m)
      • Sand pick-up score
      • Suitable pool size (m)
      • Performance score
      • Leaves pick-up score
      • Ease of use score
      • Twigs pick-up score
      • Warranty (years)
      • Bad points
      • Overall score
      • Price

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