Best Robotic Pool Cleaners

I've seen lots of positive reviews for this pool cleaner. They are either fake reviews or I was just unlucky enough to buy a dud machine. About to… Read more

take it for 2nd repair in 10 months since I bought it. Poor cleaning performance, poor wifi and Bluetooth connectivity, which regularly drops out and won't reconnect. Add to that cheap plastic internal components that have broken several times...all in all a very disappointing pool cleaner which has put me off Maytronics/Dolphin completely.

Where to start? Bulk and heavy compared to other products. Filters are very fiddly to replace. The foam rollers get hyper-dried out, turning them… Read more

into flotation devices. Before the machine will sink and do its job, you need to spend quite a while first "massaging" the rollers to get them to start soaking up water. Both drive belts snapped. The cord twists around itself in normal operation *very* quickly, and is very difficult to straighten out (hint - for goodness sake, buy a cordless model of whatever brand you get). The constantly twisted cord reduces the robot's operational range and at times threatens to pull the controller into the water. The connector housing where the cord goes into the body of the controller became loose very quickly, and with all the cord twisting, it eventually severed the electric wires completely, thus rendering the machine unusable. The carrier supplied by Robotek began rusting almost immediately. The climb function can't deal with curved steps, and would often get hung up at an awkward angle. The mapping function is poor, with the machine focussing on one half of the pool and largely ignoring the other half. The device can't handle leaves from palm trees and struggled with slightly larger leaves such as those from some magnolia trees nearby. At the end of the day, any labour time the device saves you is cancelled out by the the effort of managing this device and the fact I had to finish the job properly with the traditional pool vacuum/brush. Positives: the filter bags, though painful to install, picked up fine dirt and sand well, and are machine washable.

I hate mine. It spends half its life stuck on my pool steps not moving. I have a long pool with steps at one end. Every time I look outside it’s… Read more

there stuck on a step. If you have steps I don’t recommend the M400 at all. The pool power cord is forever tangled and as soon as you unplug it and untangle the cord it just tangles again. My steps have dirt and sand blown in and I will have to buy a manual pool cleaner to clean them.

I have heard today poolbot went into liquidation hence lack of response. Duncan Shirley Show details

This is my first robotic pool cleaner and I purchased it on the recommendation of someone who already had one and loved it. Not sure if it is an old… Read more

model but couldn't find a new one in stock so brought an ex demo that still came with the 2 year warranty. Have used it 4 times now and I am impressed, a great little machine. My pool doesn't get overly dirty but it can get a lot of small leaves in there, due to surrounding hedges if it is windy, which is what happened this weekend. There were small leaves all over the pool so was keen to see whether the robot would get them all and am pleased to say it did. I do have a ledge along one side of the pool and although the robot does climb up it, it is not sophisticated enough to move along in a straight line and clean the whole ledge so I just sweep this first. It does climb the walls and does the first two steps of the pool but not the top one as the water is too shallow. Was a bit concerned as the model I purchased was not designed for tiles and although most of the pool is pebblecrete, I do have a few rows of tiles at the water line but it still gets up that high and cleans them. I would definitely recommend it and it sure beats cleaning the pool manually which is what I have been doing for the last 3 years.

My beloved next door neighbours planted bamboo along our adjoining fence. My pool was always getting leaves in it as well as seeds from palm trees.… Read more

Three things sold me on the cx50 model, the two filters, the trolley for storage, and the ease of removing it from the pool by simply pressing a button to make it come to the surface. It’s very easy to operate. Lower it into the pool by the handle, (otherwise it can take a couple of minutes to sink), and press the “play” button. There is a choice of modes, one does the floor only, the other, walls and floor. It makes no noise whatsoever when running. When you want to get it from the pool, press the “lift” button and hold it down. The robot will turn on its axis. When it points to your favourite wall, let your finger off and it will drive up the wall. Then grab the handle and pull it out. The filters are easy to remove, just open the cover, lift them out and hose them. Then place it back on the trolley. I’m very happy with my purchase.

Cleaner does a reasonable job but continually misses the same areas of the pool. The app is a PITA to use. Everytime you log in you are sent an email… Read more

code and need to enter that into the app just to login to get the cleaner out of the pool or anything else that’s required. Most annoying and frustrating. The filter basket is good and easy to clean, the robot always turns the same way so tangles the power cord quickly, the amount of suction is a little poor and generates a cloud of fine dirt as it goes. For the cost of this cleaner I expected more.

RX-Tank Tracks failed within 3 years....not great!! I ordered new tracks from the www.kreepykrauly.com.au website for $88 for 2 pieces of rubber… Read more

(seems way over the top, but anyway.....), plus $17.50 postage (again seems expensive for 2 pieces of rubber - maybe Express Post??..............then heard nothing!? Called their number on their website 1800 777255 and they have no idea about my order?? They kept asking me for my company name - I said no, not a company, a private individual who has placed an order on your website and received a confirmation email, and have since heard nothing? Order number #18802. This is not a great customer experience, what am I supposed to do?? Very frustrating experience.

Average at best. It feels the same as very early vacuuming robots—it works, but not very well. There's nothing smart or sophisticated about it, aside… Read more

from the very high price tag for what this robot is. The app is just for viewing, really, as its functions are limited to setting the cleaning time and choosing whether to clean the walls or not. You can do all of that from robot panel as well. When the robot is underwater, it doesn’t connect, making it useless. I would only recommend it if you have a large pool (ideally square for the robot convenience is not the smartest robot) with lots of debris sinking to the bottom, so you need constant vacuuming. You still have to take it out for charging quite often, which isn't the most convenient thing to do—it really defeats the purpose for me, at least. Update: The robot is dead after a year. I'm currently waiting for Medimac's warranty will see what happens.

Update: The warranty process was very smooth, which was a huge relief after the frustration of dealing with a faulty product. I’ve been upgraded to a current model, and it is much better—many of the previous issues have been addressed and rectified. It’s great to see a company not only standing behind its product but also making an effort to improve it. In a nutshell, the replacement is smaller, lighter, and more powerful. The improved cleaning patterns are making a real difference. My only criticism is that the warranty does not reset; it remains tied to the original purchase date. I believe every product should last for at least a full warranty period, and if a replacement is required, the warranty should start over from the date of replacement.

Absolute rubbish with absolutely NO support from Robot My Life. I have made over 10 requests by phone and email, for warranty help, all of which… Read more

remain unanswered. The only positive thing I can say is that when it worked (briefly )it did a good job of keeping the surface clean but the on/off switch failed early on, (fortunately I guess in the on position) and the filter screen disintegrated shortly thereafter. Only gave one star because you can’t give none. If you are thinking of buying one, take my advice and don’t !!! Money down the drain!

My Robo Plus has lasted a good five or six years. The caddy is a shocker - zero for ergonomics. I reckon a cheap removal trolley would be better.… Read more

Inside the control unit the wires between the power supply and the socket are incredibly light duty. At a guess they must be rated for five amps tops. As a result the joints between the wire and the lugs on the socket appear to have deteriorated, causing the socket and plug to become so hot that the plastic melted. You can easily check for this problem by feeling the socket where the robot plugs into the control unit. If its hot get an electronics repairer to replace the flimsy wites before the unit dies, or worse. The video shows the old plug and socket, and the more robust Narva plug and socket

I have been using the RX-1 since 2018. It is pretty hardy and works well on our quartz surface pool. The rubber on the edges has worn off and Im not… Read more

sure if you can get spares - but I glue some bicycle tire tube pieces there bcos if I dont it seems to get stuck in one place.

Recently the yellow Impeller broke- I have ordered a replacement and hopefully can get it working again.

Very easy to use and I dont have any issues with this product.

If you own a swim spa and you’re tired of dealing with tangled cords, bulky pool robots, or manual vacuuming, the Zodiac Spabot promises something… Read more

refreshingly simple:

Drop it in. Walk away. Come back to a clean spa in 60 minutes.

After running it in our standard swim spa — and comparing it to our previous Dolphin robotic cleaner — here’s what I found.

What It Is

The Zodiac Spabot is a cordless, battery-powered robotic cleaner designed specifically for spas and swim spas — not swimming pools.

Key characteristics:

• Fully cordless • 60-minute autonomous cleaning cycle • Designed for floors, seats, and lower walls • Self-contained filtration canister • No hoses, no external pump required

It’s positioned as a convenience cleaner for spa owners who want automated maintenance without the complexity of traditional pool robots.

Build Quality & Design

This feels engineered — not adapted from pool equipment.

The casing is solid and well sealed, with a sturdy integrated carry handle. The wheels are stable and the brushes feel durable and purpose-built for textured spa surfaces.

The most important design advantage?

No cord.

Our previous Dolphin robotic cleaner performed well, but the cord frequently tangled and, over time, began to perish from exposure to the elements — meaning an expensive replacement cable was inevitable. Managing the cord every clean became frustrating.

The Spabot removes that entire problem.

Design highlights:

• Compact footprint ideal for swim spas • Integrated lift handle • Easy-access filter lid • Balanced underwater movement

It feels purpose-built for spa environments rather than a scaled-down pool robot.

Performance – Real World Testing

On Paper:

• 60-minute cycle • Autonomous navigation • Floor and lower wall cleaning • Water detection sensor (activates when submerged)

In Reality (Standard Swim Spa)

Submerge it, release the trapped air bubbles as instructed, and it activates confidently.

In our swim spa:

• It navigated methodically and consistently • It made clearly visible cleaning passes • It handled fine debris and sediment well • It climbed lower wall sections effectively • It floated to the surface at cycle completion

Unlike our previous corded cleaner, there was no cable drag influencing movement. It moved freely and predictably.

The 60-minute cycle felt perfectly matched to the spa size — not rushed and not excessive.

Noise is minimal and operation is unobtrusive.

Battery & Charging

Charging is straightforward:

• Standard 100–240V charger • One full cycle per charge • Must dry fully before reconnecting to power

Battery life aligns closely with the advertised 60-minute run time. In a standard swim spa, that duration feels appropriate and effective.

This is a cycle-based maintenance tool — not a continuous-duty cleaner.

Ease of Use

This is where the Spabot genuinely excels.

Start process: 1. Turn on. 2. Submerge. 3. Release bubbles. 4. Let go.

That’s it.

No hose setup. No external power supply. No cord management.

When finished, it floats to the surface for easy retrieval.

Filter cleaning is simple: • Release latch • Remove canister • Rinse • Reattach

Maintenance is intuitive and low-effort.

Cleaning Effectiveness in a Standard Swim Spa

This is where I was most impressed.

In our swim spa:

• It removed settled sediment effectively • It reduced manual brushing • It noticeably improved clarity • It maintained a clean appearance between deeper cleans

It won’t replace proper filtration or water chemistry management, but as part of a regular maintenance routine, it delivers real, visible results.

For a standard swim spa, the coverage and cycle time feel well balanced.

What could be improved.

(To stay balanced)

• No app control or cycle customization • No spot-clean mode • Not designed for large leaf debris • Must dry before charging

That said, these are trade-offs that keep the system simple and cordless.

Value Assessment

You’re paying for:

• Cordless simplicity • Zero hose or cable management • Drop-and-walk-away cleaning • Reduced manual vacuuming • Freedom from expensive replacement cables

After dealing with a perishing Dolphin cord and ongoing tangles, the convenience factor alone adds significant value.

For swim spa owners, this feels intelligently priced for the problem it solves.

Verdict

Buy it if:

• You own a swim spa or spa • You’re tired of corded robotic cleaners • You want simple, repeatable maintenance • You value compact, purpose-built design • Great price

Skip it if:

• You want pool-level robotic power • Your spa regularly accumulates large debris • You want smart app integration

Final Rating (Standard Swim Spa Context)

Build Quality: 8.5/10 Ease of Use: 9.5/10 Cleaning Effectiveness: 8.5/10 Convenience Factor: 9.5/10 Value: 8.5/10

Overall: 8.5/10 — A Smart, Cordless Upgrade for Swim Spa Owners

We sourced our Zodiac Spabot through LJ and Kirrily at Heater & Spa Parts, and the experience made the purchase even better. They’re knowledgeable, attentive and genuinely invested in helping customers choose the right equipment for their specific spa setup. Having a supplier who understands not just the product, but the broader spa system and maintenance requirements, adds real confidence to ownership. Even their resident dachshund, Chip, contributes to the welcoming experience.

On to my second machine in a month – Purchased the GT560 in Nov 24. It worked well first time I used it, and I was really pleased with the power and wall cleaning. However I tried to use… Read more

it 3 days later, and it wouldn’t work -lots of error messages, basically the machine wasn’t getting power to it from the control box. It turned out the swivel was faulty, you could see a burn mark on the swivel when I tried to run the GT560 again for a warranty video. Madimack after sales service team were good to deal with and I got a new GT560 sent out to me around 10 days later. Next one has worked twice, so fingers crossed it keeps working. Interestingly this one came with a warning attached to the swivel about avoiding knocks to it etc. I really love the power of this robot, does an excellent job on the walls. I think Madimack no longer make this model or any corded robots, they only seem to now do cordless. I’m not sure if this is their strategy or they’ve had a lot of problems with the GT560 and needed to phase it out. "

This unit failed 2 times. Water get into battery and electronic. Do not buy. Unit completely stuffed and corroded Show details

I had an old model of this brand (Dolphin X40 Plus) that had a cord which efficiently cleaned my pool and spa without issue (except the cord… Read more

disintregated). In January this year 2026, I replaced with a new FR2000 iQ cordless latest model. Unfortunately the new model does not clean the spa as the spa has right angles. It just gets struck and doesnt move. Feeling very frustrated that the company doesnt explain that the new "iQ" 2026 model doesnt do what the old 2016 model did, I tried calling the company and getting some advice. I purchased in January this year and have rang 3 times and cannot get anyone to call me back. Each time I have rung there is no apology. Just "the technicians are busy and will call you back when they can"! 3 months is a long time to wait for a call back! I then thought I may need to bite the bullet and buy a specific spa cleaner. However the one the have on the website says it does not clean right angles (in other words it is not smart enough to know when it stops moving to reverse or go up etc). Of course I would be able to ask about this if they ever called me back. But they just wont. My advice is to buy one of the cheaper models out there as this one does less than my old one. It doesn the pool just fine - but that is the least you would expect. Not worth the money and incredibly poor after sales service.

This is the second tiger shark we have purchased, after a positive first experience. Unfortunately the electrical unit kept shorting out (issue… Read more

confirmed not from our end) and as requested by Hayward, we sent it back under warranty. It’s now been over 6 weeks and many more phone calls, where return calls have been promised but never actually happened. They still have the unit and have not provided any return calls or updates or any communication at all. It is incredibly poor warranty management, terrible customer service and some product issues, so we do not recommend at all any more. Steer clear.

Never buy Baracuda brands – Constantly stopping have clean it and now flashing red light Not worth the money. These companies with no support should be band. Total rip off. Tech came and fixed it few weeks later and it is working ever since Show details

This robot was able to work in 300mm of water which most don't, I had an X-25 Dolphin that got stuck 6 out of 8 times on the bench seat between the… Read more

bench & coping tile, that was 400mm deep. The extra motor give the zodiac the ability to power out of any tough situation, only just got it after trialling one, but not sure how it can get negative reviews, also the double filtration is a winner.

Great Pool cleaner that does the job – Scrubs the waterline, climbs the steps and ledge. Leaves the pool immaculate. Easy to clean. I have a 7x4 Concrete pool and I opted for the wonder brush. Bought for $999 on a boxing day special Show details

$1000 for less than 2 months use – Not good so far. purchased in September. less than 2 months ago and it has stopped. i have asked for assistance so we will see what happens. if good… Read more

outcome I will let you all know.

Zodiac were very quick to respond and the cleaner was replaced today. I think Zodiac need to be commended on their customer care. also Best pool supplies were excellent. well done

This is the first time I've ever written a negative review. This product is not even worth the $799 I paid back on 12/12/22 from Best Pool Supplies… Read more

in Yatala. I've already had it repaired once for whatever the fault was to clean my 23,000 litre pool and now the 4 LED lights just keep coming on saying revert back to 2 LED lights under Troubleshooting in Section 5.1. What can I say - I won't be buying another one after lasting 3 yrs? Give me a break...

Buyer Beware: Serious Quality and Customer Service Issues with Barracuda/Zodiac Robotic Cleaners and anything to do with the associated myfluidra… Read more

brand. ​ ​I am writing this review to warn potential customers about critical issues with product longevity and customer support. ​1. Consistent Failure Just After Warranty Expiration ​I have now owned two top of the range robotic pool cleaners from this brand, and both have failed shortly after the warranty period expired. ​My most recent unit, the Barracuda Adventura, has stopped working entirely, displaying the flashing 'i' light error. After troubleshooting, the core issue appears to be an internal failure. When I contacted the company for assistance, they immediately quoted their policy, stated the cleaner was out of warranty, and offered absolutely zero support or repair options. ​This pattern strongly suggests a serious quality control issue where the product is designed to fail shortly after the coverage ends. ​2. Absolutely zero customer service and no care factor ​The response from the customer service person (both via email and phone) was cold, unhelpful, and purely transactional. Despite clearly explaining that this was my second unit to fail in the same manner and asking for genuine troubleshooting help or discounted repair, I was met with boilerplate responses quoting policy, terms and conditions, almost robot like reading from a list bullet point responses. ​There was no attempt to understand the history of the product, offer a pathway to a resolution, or even show basic customer care. This lack of support for a premium-priced piece of equipment is unacceptable. They simply do not stand behind their product or value repeat customers. ​ ​​You are better off buying a cheaper, no-name brand with similar features, as the level of support you will receive from this company is effectively zero anyway. Lesson learnt, i'll never purchase another product from MyFluidra,Barracuda,Zodiac Pool Systems again.

Unfortunately I have to report that I am thoroughly disappointed by this pool cleaner. I purchased one of the more expensive ones based on the pool… Read more

shop's recommendation. It came with 2 years warranty. The first repair was required after approximately 12 months when the land power unit irreparably failed and needed a complete replacement. The second failure occurred just before its warranty expired and was the robot itself, it needed extensive repair/replacement to all its parts (control panel, motor, tracks etc). Now, another 6 months on, it has another complete failure. Given it is out of warranty, likely the cost of the repair will be cost prohibitive. Also, given its track record, it is likely to fail again soon after. Please do not buy this unit. It appears to be made of low quality components (all plastic bleached and started cracking after only a year, now at 2.5 years old it looks like it will disintegrate if you look at it a bit strong) that not only look aged quickly but fail quickly too.

I bought a brand new Aiper Seagull pro. It worked very well and the switch would fail just under 12 months. It was still under warranty. I was… Read more

provided with another new unit which failed after 13 months. There is no new warranty period on the new unit, as the 2 year warranty applies as from date of purchase of the first unit. I am very disappointed as it has been a great unit. I will be straying away from Aiper products from now on.

The unit seems to be made a bit flimsy even though I've heard from Pool techs that they don't last, I've had mine for a year. It's main problem is… Read more

lack of support in the app. There is no scheduler or timed program which means you will constantly recharging it every day or so. It does a reasonable job of picking up surface debris but can get caught going in a loop. The temp sensor never worked on mine also.

Purchased the unit and after three months it completely failed, just stopped working, likely due to water ingress. I received a replacement, and… Read more

after eight months it failed again with the exact same issue. I always remove the cleaner from the pool after each cycle, so it’s not a misuse problem.

Aiper have offered another replacement, but only with the remaining few months of the original warranty. That’s not acceptable, twice bitten, not going for a third. This is clearly a design fault, and reading other customer experiences across multiple models, it seems to be a very common failure pattern.

My pool technician warned me about Aiper’s reputation, and I should have listened. Slick marketing and videos, but very poor design and reliability. Hopefully this helps someone avoid the same frustration and expense I’ve gone through.

Relatively happy with the purchase. Have a rectangle-shaped pool with seating up one end in each corner. It climbs the walls and makes its way onto… Read more

the seats. The only issue is fine dust & sand. The 150micron basket is very average for this price point and struggles to pick this up. Ideally, it should manage particles less than 100 microns with ease. Overall, I still need to use the pool broom to suck up the finer debris. Hy-Chlor offers upgraded fine filter pads (50 microns) at an additional cost. The catch is that they only work effectively when the machine is running in ground-only mode.

Rubbish – Both my father and I bought 1 2.5 years ago and have had nothing but issues. Gears keep breaking, slows down, or doesn’t move at all. Can not take… Read more

back for warranty check second time, as they say it’s my fault for using chemicals etc in pool. I don’t think so!

Failed twice and then drama with the warranty. Had to push them to make good on their product. Shame I had to do that to but in the end they repaired… Read more

it at their cost. More than most would do. So, 4 stars for doing the right thing, 1 star off given it fails so often