Which Inground Pool Vacuum.
There are lots of different types of pool cleaning solutions, and you should choose the one which is most convenient for you. The three types that are available on the market are automatic, suction, and pressure vacuums.
It is a costly option to buy a robotic pool vacuum, but I personally think it’s worth the price. They are one of the most convenient and easy-to-use options. Having a good auto-robotic pool cleaner can save you a lot of time and energy.
What to Consider Before Buying An Inground Pool Vacuum:
Before buying an automatic pool cleaner, you need to know what are the features you should be looking for, do you actually need a cleaner or just a skimmer? When you are going to spend a fair amount of money then you need to check if it will be worth the price. In comparing all of the available models you need to be looking for the cleaning ability, features, and maintenance costs of the pool vacuum.
Pool Type & Size: Pool cleaners are either for inground pools or for above-the-ground pools. Some pools may be big in size and some may not. It is better to go for a top-notch pool vacuum if you have one of those large lavish types of pools. If your pool is small, then you can go with a low-cost robot pool vacuum.
Besides that, the pool’s structure can be made of different materials like; tiles, vinyl, concrete, or any other type. You need to check the pool cleaner if it properly functions able with the pool size, structure, etc.
Cleaning Efficiency: Modern pool cleaners can efficiently clean the pool wall, waterline, and surface by cleaning debris and dust from your pool but ideally you want a pool vacuum that can scrub every inch of the walls, pool surface, and stairs.
Energy Efficient: As you will probably need to have your vacuum switched on for a long time period, it is better if you go for a pool vacuum that is energy efficient. The latest technology pool vacuums come with 24-volt DC motors that are 80% more energy efficient than the old motors.
Tangle-free Swivel Cable: All pool vacuums usually come with a long cable. You will find many pool vacuums that come with a swivel cable that prevents the cords to get tangled. It is a better choice to have those with swivel cable technology.
Navigation Technology: Usually robot vacuums are cycled to clean a pool within a specific amount of time every day. The pool vacuum goes randomly to clean the surface and no matter if your pool needs cleaning or not, it keeps operating. This can obviously waste a lot of energy and an unnecessary operation every day which can reduce the lifespan of the unit. Modern robot vacuums come with an intelligent navigation system. It divides the surface of the pool and easily tracks where the vacuum needs to operate and where it has already been cleaned.
Filtration: It is better to have a pool vacuum that contains good filters. The filtration system can vary in how clean the water will be and how effectively your pool will be cleaned.
Timer: If the cleaner contains a programmable timer, then you will be able to set a cleaning cycle for it. You can set it for when should it run and for how long. It is a good convenient option for automated pool cleaners.
Our Top 5 Inground Pool Vacuum Cleaners:
The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is one of the best robotic pool vacuum cleaners available on the market. With powerful functions and the latest technology, it is one of the best automatic inground pool cleaners from the well-known pool cleaning brand Maytronics.
Scanning Pool Area: It is one of the smartest pool vacuums because it can successfully map a pool after the first time it runs. If your pool’s shape is different and your ordinary robot vacuum is unable to cover the whole area then this vacuum does it. It has sensors to map the pool area so that it can develop a time and energy-saving plan for the next time you let it clean the pool. This technology is called the CleverClean navigation system. It scans the total area of your pool so that not a single inch remains untouched by the cleaner.
Active Brush: The Nautilus features an active brush that spins at twice the speed of the unit itself. The brush ensures that most of the hard grime gets loosened from the surface and cleans it perfectly on the first pass.
Walls & Waterline: One of the annoying things about most robotic pool vacuums is that they can’t clean the walls properly. This powerful Dolphin Nautilus vacuum has been designed to actually climb up the vertical sections of your pool. A technology called PowerStream is used to make it more efficient to clean the pool walls and the waterline. Multiple powerful water jets push this pool cleaner towards the wall and that pressure along with the spinning brush cleans the walls easily.
Quick Clean Mode: It will usually take 2 hours to clean the whole pool effectively but this pool cleaner comes with a feature that is one of my favorite options. Once the quick clean mode is activated, it will clean the pool within 1 hour.
Anti-Tangling Technology: The dolphin pool vacuums come with a swivel technology that prevents the cord from getting tangled in pools that have an unusual shape. Well, in newer models of Dolphin pool vacuums, they have upgraded this technology. This new Dolphin pool cleaner comes with anti-tangle technology, which is actually pre-installed software. This allows the robot vacuum to roam around the pool without getting the cord tangled.
Filters: This pool vacuum carries four ultra-fine filters with an oversized basket to let in any size of debris while cleaning. So, this auto pool vacuum easily catches tiny algae, dirt, or fallen left that are bigger than 2 microns in size.
Bluetooth Remote: It is one of the newest and most amazing additions to pool vacuum cleaning. This device comes with Bluetooth control, so you can use a phone app to run your pool cleaner you get much more control by using the “My Dolphin Plus App”.
Timer: This pool vacuum comes with three easy buttons to let you set the weekly timer. If you are not at home every day of the week but you want your pool to be cleaned every day, then this feature is for you. You can set it to clean the pool every day, every alternate day, or once every three days.
Indicator: The cartridge filter comes with an indicator that tells you when it is full of dirt but has a large opening so you can easily clean the cartridge. The filters are also easy to clean, and it has a built-in release system to easily flush out the dirt from the basket.
This model is much lighter than the older models from Maytronics. It is one of the most efficient robot pool vacuums I’ve seen but like most automatic pool vacuums, this one is costly.
- Cleans pool effortlessly with superior scrubbing and filtering capabilities
- Energy-efficient and does not rely on your pool pump or filter to get the job done
- Easy to use and compact, making it ideal for small swimming pools
- May not climb all the way to the top of the pool walls every time
- Does an 80/20 job, so you may need to do some manual cleaning for a perfect cleaning
- Not compatible with 240V power in Australia
The Dolphin Nautilus is one of the most popular robotic pool vacuums among users. But Maytronics, the manufacturer has upgraded a lot of their technology on the newer models of pool vacuums. If you are thinking of having a Dolphin Nautilus, then you should check the updated version first.
Budget-Friendly: The Nautilus with CleverClean or Nautilus CC has a convenient design and a budget-friendly price. If you need a good-functioning auto pool vacuum that fits your budget, then this Dolphin Nautilus CC is a great option for you.
Cleaning Ability: This vacuum comes with most of Maytronics’ latest technologies and it smartly cleans up your pool no matter if it’s rectangle or kidney-shaped. This pool cleaner comes with a 50-foot-long cord and it is best for inground pools.
This pool vacuum comes with Clever Clean technology as I earlier said, which makes it precisely scan and navigate the pool size and shape to clean every inch. It is also an energy-saving option so after scanning, the software determines the most efficient path for cleaning.
Active Scrubbing Brush: The upgraded Dolphin Nautilus has an active scrubbing brush that spins at double the speed of the pool cleaner itself. This scrubbing brush effectively cleans the pool surface and wall algae that are hard to clean with a usual robot vacuum.
Cleaning Time: The manufacturers claim that the new Nautilus CC will clean an entire pool within 2 hours. Though it may not clean the entire pool within 2 hours, the time of cleaning has been significantly reduced from the old model of Dolphin Nautilus.
Weekly Timer: You can easily set the time and days when you want this robot vacuum to clean your pool. Just set the interval when you want the vacuum to operate and you are good for one week.
Swivel Cable: The long 50-foot cord comes with swivel cable technology which prevents your cord from getting tangled. However, some consumers have reported that sometimes it can get tangled after a few days of automatic use on the weekly timer.
Weight: This unit has a weight of 14 pounds only. It is much lighter than many pool vacuums and is easy to carry.
Overall it is a great alternative for those who love the old Dolphin Nautilus pool vacuums. It comes with a 12-month warranty and it is a value-for-money option for anyone looking for a good pool vacuum cleaner.
- Convenient weekly scheduler for automatic cleaning
- Anti-tangling swivel technology for uninterrupted cleaning
- PowerStream mobility for intense wall and waterline scrubbing
- May not cover the entire pool surface
- Control box limits cleaning options
- Longer cleaning time than advertised
This remote-controlled pool cleaner is a great solution for in-ground pools with different shapes. It can automatically clean your pool without any assistance, pre-installation, or hassle. This pool vacuum comes from the popular robot pool cleaner manufacturer Aquabot, which has been on the market for over 35 years.
It comes with Aquabots’ latest technologies and it is one of the most loved automatic pool cleaners by customers. It comes with a 75 ft long cord and it is great for a 25ft x 55 ft size pool.
Cleaning Ability: The Aquabot comes with an active brush that efficiently cleans the pool floor, walls, and waterline. The grip over the walls is good enough to clean up the walls and the waterline thoroughly. The dual-motor technology is great for cleaning and moving over the surface. It comes with one of the largest debris capacity units in the market.
Active Deep Clean Brush: The active deep clean brushes are great for scrubbing algae and fungi from the surface after they have been loosened by the built-in water jet.
Never Stuck Rollers: The unit is driven by rollers that are built into the base to ensure that the cleaner never gets stuck on underwater obstacles like bottom drains.
Smart navigation: Unlike many of the old models, this Aquabot comes with a smart navigation system to clean the pool in the most efficient time spending the least energy.
Remote Control: The remote control for an auto pool cleaner is a great feature and one of my favorites. This turbo T4RC comes with a remote that lets you operate the unit not only on the surface of the floor but also around the walls and waterline of your pool. Just set it and forget it.
Programmable Schedule: You can program this pool vacuum to operate from 1 to 7 hours with the remote. The schedule cannot be set on a weekly basis. Once the cleaning cycle has been completed and missed a spot then you just direct the unit to the area instead of starting a new cycle.
Filter: Aquabot robot vacuum comes with 2-micron filters that efficiently catch bacteria to larger size debris from a dirty pool. The dirtbag is a decent size and very easy to clean afterward.
This pool vacuum is a great addition to the Aquabot Turbo series and makes it one of the best inground pool vacuums.
The Polaris F9450 Sports Robotic Pool Cleaner is a lightweight and efficient pool vacuum solution. It’s comfortable and easy to use and does a fantastic job, making it one of my top choices for robot vacuums.
Cleaning Ability: This Polaris pool vacuum is great for any shaped pool up to 50 ft. It comes with vortex vacuum technology which gives it a heavy-duty suction that can easily clean up the debris, pool algae, and fungi from the toughest area. It features an Active Motion Sensor which helps to automatically speed up the accelerator to operate in hard places.
Wall Cleaning: Its four big wheels are great for any type of pool surface. The manufacturer claims that its 4WD technology is able to clean the pool floor and walls and scrub the waterline. Although, cleaning pool walls and the waterline could be tough with this unit. There are mixed reviews about this pool’s ability to climb 90-degree walls.
Large Filter Canister: It comes with a large filter canister, to carry a lot amount of debris and dirt at a time. It is also very easy to open and clean the filter.
Timer: You can set a 7-day cleaning cycle to keep your pool clean even if you are not in the house.
Easy to Use: It is a handy easy-to-use pool cleaner, that has a weight of 16 pounds. It comes with a powder-coated alloy caddy.
Easy Clean: After using this pool vacuum you can easily clean it. It is because of the easy lift system. This robot pool cleaner comes to the desired location and waits for you to grab it. After you lift it from the pool, it evacuates all the water from it. So, no need to carry the heavy unit filled with water and manually clean it.
Polaris is a good option as a pool cleaner. It may not come with all the latest features but is good enough to keep your pool debris dirt free.
No matter what the depth or size of the pool is, Pentair 360032 Kreepy Krauly is a great option for pool cleaning. This advanced-design pool vacuum can efficiently clean a pool within two and a half hours.
Cleaning Ability: The Kreepy Krauly Power 830 can run smoothly in tough areas like stairs and ladders and removes even the hardest algae from your pool. This efficient inground pool vacuum provides superior suction power to suck up all the dirt and act as a great secondary filter for your pool.
Auto Reverse Technology: This unit comes with auto-reverse technology, which can help the cleaner to not get stuck on steps or in the corners. It runs smoothly over the edges and scrubs the surface with rotating brushes. Though it may not be a good choice for high 90-degree pool walls because it cannot climb up to the walls and clean the waterline.
Remote Control: This pool vacuum comes with a wireless remote that lets you easily control the unit. It also lets you schedule the time and cycle of the cleaning.
Filter: The integrated filters are great for capturing small debris and dirt without having to empty it while operating. Obviously, that depends on how dirty your pool is!
Maintenance: This robotic pool vacuum is easy to maintain. The filter cartridge is simple to clean and contains a filter full indicator.
Overall, I like this pool vacuum because of its proper functioning ability and handy use. It may not be my top choice for a robotic pool vacuum because it does not contain many of the latest technologies that come with the newest models. Still, it is a good option for any in-ground pool owner.
FAQs
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How do I use an inground pool vacuum?
To use an inground pool vacuum, you will need to attach the vacuum hose to the vacuum head and the other end to the skimmer basket or suction port on the side of your pool. Then, you will need to turn on the pump and filter system, which will create suction that allows the vacuum to pull debris off the bottom and walls of the pool. Slowly move the vacuum head along the bottom and sides of the pool, being sure to cover all areas.
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What types of debris can an inground pool vacuum clean?
Inground pool vacuums are designed to clean a variety of debris from your pool, including leaves, dirt, sand, and algae. Some models may also be able to pick up small pebbles and twigs.
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How often should I vacuum my inground pool?
The frequency of vacuuming your inground pool will depend on factors such as the size of your pool, the amount of debris that accumulates, and the type of filter system you have. In general, it is a good idea to vacuum your pool once a week, or more frequently if needed.
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Can I use an inground pool vacuum on an above-ground pool?
Inground pool vacuums are designed to be used with in-ground pools and may not be suitable for use with above-ground pools. There are specific above-ground pool vacuums available that are designed to be used with these types of pools.
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Do I need any special equipment to use an inground pool vacuum?
To use an inground pool vacuum, you will need a vacuum hose and a vacuum head. Some models may also require additional equipment, such as a booster pump or a separate filter system. It is important to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions for specific requirements and recommendations.