Hayward TigerShark

We’ve had ours for about 2.5years. Stopped working after a month, and had to have it replaced. Worked well for about 6 months then had to bring it back. They replaced the external cables. It stops working for no reason and then will start again after afew days. We have a square pool, and constantly gets stuck in corners or on steps. Spent about $150 getting the tracks replaced because they kept coming off. That still happens and pushes the trap door clips open, so when I take it out of the pool, all the crap falls out the bottom back into the pool. For $1500 spent, I expected it would last 5 years..... going to have to replace it over the holidays. Not a happy customer

Tried several pool robots, and finally had to choose between the dolphin and Tigershark. The Tigershark was cheaper, less complicated, much lighter to carry, and the rep (in my case) more reasonably. Works flawless since 3 years. I don't believe it actually learns your pool layout, but its random program in the end gets everywhere, and frees itself of any entanglement, not necessarily in the most efficient way though. I have a Fiberglas pool and the climbing capability are enormous, too much really. I had to use various ways of limiting the waterflow and put balast on the robot, otherwise it climbs to high. After a year, when the filter become slightly clogged, it works actually better and now its just right. I would wish for a program the keeps it on the bottom, because for me it spends to much time cleaning the waterline. The dirt container is big and it is pretty good in also collecting larger depres. Fairly easy to clean. The main problem is squeezing out the air of the rollers to make it sink to the floor, best not to let them dry out. Another problem is that somtimes the lock for the dirt compartment can dislodge, and release the dirt as you lift the robot out. One needs to watch that. On the whole I am happy with it and think its simplicity is its strength. It keeps the pool floor, walls and steps very clean. The two programs take 90 or 180 minutes, but you can always take it out earlier.

[Has this product improved the appearance of your pool?]
I cannot work out what pattern it uses - seems to be random. But, when I go away and come back, the pool is spotless, so can't complain.

[Do you find the pool cleaner easy to use and maintain?]
I do not have a lot of debris coming into the pool from trees, so I sometimes do not need to empty out the compartment. Our pool is also fairly modest at 7m x 3m.
I set it up for my neighbour recently, who does have many trees around their larger 13 x 4m pool. The debris was filling up the compartment quickly, so based on that, I am not sure if it will handle a larger pool.
As I generally keep the cleaner next to pool, the plastic outer shell is noticeably being affected by the sun.

[How does the pool cleaner handle leaves and other debris?]
Handles debris well, but compartment could be a little bigger.

The quality and customer service of this product is so good it has lead to my second review. My robot (Ronnie) has worked hard for 5 years with very few problems, 1 broken track and some new filters is all the repairs needed. The track broke 2 months after warranty finished 1 phone call to Haywood and a new one was sent asap at no cost. Truly a great cleaner!

Worked brilliantly for about 1.5 years then went wrong so stopped cleaning the floor and just gets stuck in 1 corner of the pool. Took it in under warranty claim to be told because the retailer changed hand, it is not covered. $700 to repair or $1400 for new with $200 back for trading it in. No thanks! Tigershark seems to refer to the hayward attitude to customers as well as being the product name.

When it was working it was great - picked up heaps of leaves as well as gumnuts and liqid amber seeds. The terrible service now has put me off. As another user mentioned, pebblecrete takes a heavy toll as does the sun (to be expected). Hose kinks but changing the handle before I put it back in the pool each time helps.

Advice to anyone buying it: Ignore warranty, budget for 1.5 years use then replace. Keep it out of the sun and clean filter after use. When on, allow to do its thing - when it was working properly, it was very effective.

Terrible product, spends more time climbing walls than picking up debris from bottom and ledge area. Machine has broken protective coverings over pool filter inlets. All in all a waste of money that has not made pool maintenance any easier, and as well as damaging pool, the cleaning job is inferior.

It took 20 minutes for the TigerShark QC to get stuck on one of my two drains the first time. I then took it out of the pool, and added the plastic "increased suction" piece to the bottom of the unit which the manual advises may help with this problem.

In the middle of the very first cleaning cycle after that, it got stuck on a drain again, and was spinning in circles on the drain. Each time it spun around, the cable became more tangled. I can only imagine how destroyed the cable would have been if I had not been there to turn the unit off.

I packed it up and returned it. Useless piece of garbage.

I spent a long time looking for a great pool cleaner and don't think there is one. That aside this is the best of the bunch.
After three months I did have a warranty problem and the retaile was difficult to deal with. However after some strong language the manufacturer stepped in and dealt with magnificently , arranging shipping, repair and return magnificently.

Cleans the pool of sand and cleans the sides very well. Handles leaves and larger debris OK.
Easy to handle and pretty care free.

Have had a tiger shark for 3 years. Excellent at cleaning even heavy deposits of gum leaves after storm events.
However, this is outweighed by the deterioration of the cleaner over the 3 years to the extent it now needs replacing.

The rubber drive belts have broken twice, the lower body on each side has worn through due to rubbing on the pool wall when cleaning in the corners. This has caused the fixing bolts of the rotating traction rollers to come loose.

The first time it happened it was just out of warranty but Hayward fixed under warranty but the second time with no warranty I had to attach a 6mm strip of HDPE to each side of the cleaner to secure the traction rollers and protect the plastic sides from wearing away.

This has worked but the cleaner has just worn out and its time for a new one which will not be a Tiger Shark.

If you have a square pool with pebble finish it acts like sand paper on the body of the cleaner so I am on the hunt for cleaner with side protection which I may have to add myself.

Had a Zodiac Baracuda T5 before this unit (check out my review on that little Gem) so anything would be a step up. I am however very happy with the Tiger Shark. It was a toss up between this unit and the Dolphin. I primarily went with this unit because of it's extra large leaf litter collection area. Must say it is huge and does a great job. Cleans all of the pool, up and over the water line. It climbs so high, if the water level is not right I reckon it would climb out of the pool. Very impressive. There is nothing this thing will not pick up - long palm frondy things, palm nuts, every conceivable leaf - large and the smallest possible. I have even emptied construction rubbish inadvertently flicked into the pool. Emptying and cleaning is a breeze - takes about 2 minutes and we are ready to go again.
I use the unit only once a week - seriously don't need to run it anymore and coming from a world of having that stupid Zodiac thing running all the time and constantly cleaning leaves and kicking the thing when it stops - this was quite a difficult concept to come to terms with.
I no longer have pump suction issues, the filter is just doing the job it was designed to do, filtering the water. My pool has been cleaner or the water cleaner. The skimmer basket actually works again! I have reduced my operating hours and I feel the entire pool thing is working and can actually be efficient.

What I am not too impressed about (which is why it is not quite perfect)

I understand that the floating arm thing is there for a reason and it does work well in letting the unit creep along the water line, but I can never remember which side I had the thing on the last time around.

The power cable seriously needs an anti-twist device. This is the one thing that the Dolphin has over the Tiger Shark.

Initially the unit did experience some trouble. Maytronics was great with their support - send me out immediately some additional components to help regulate the high water flow so the unit ran more effectively. I find that the unit works better as it gets older - I put this down to the unit's filtration system (not the robot learning) placing a slight limiting factor on the units water flow which was too strong to begin with. Hard to imagine a manufacturer making allowance for componentry wear.

The other thing that annoys me now - I have leaves on the surface of the pool that I now notice - the bottom is clean, the water is clear and now I actually notice the water surface - great, fix one thing and it leads to something else needing fixing. There is nothing useful on the market to actually solve this problem - but I am working on this one myself - can't wait for someone else to come up with that solution. Before you respond, yes I know there is a product that claims to solve this problem - but try purchasing one.

Recommendations for any robotic pool cleaners:

DON'T WATCH IT - just let it go, don't study it's progress and think it misses things let it roam free and wild.

As the manufacturer states, it does take time for the unit to settle in from new. I wouldn't begin to suggest that I believe that the unit actually learns the layout of the pool - I try my best to put it in the pool in different locations just to prove this point.

Take it out of the water after cleaning. The leaves and crap collected in the collection bin will deteriorate if left in the pool. I made a custom storage box for the cleaner, which allows it to properly drain and keeps it out of the sun - tried to purchase something to do this job - absolutely nothing out there.

The caddy - completely useless, unless you can't lift 10kg and move 3m away from the edge of the pool.

Make sure you get all the air out of the unit before it sinks to the bottom - it certainly will not work well if it has any air inside the unit.

Hope that helps.