Beatbot Sora 70 Review

Beatbot just dropped the Sora 70 — the new flagship of their cordless Sora lineup. Surface skimming. A water jet. A 3-year warranty. And at a reasonable price tag, you may be wondering if it is the right cleaner for your pool.

So we bought one, ran it in our test pool for two weeks, and are here to share our thoughts. Is it really worth it? Or are there better options out there? By the end of this review, you'll know exactly whether to spend your money here — or on something a lot better at the same price.

After testing all 3 of the new Sora series, the Sora 70 didn't really blow me away. It had the same fundamental problems carried right over from the rest of the lineup: build quality that didn't feel premium to me, confusing feedback, disappointing filtration, and a heavy body that's a back-breaker to retrieve.

If you have the budget for the Sora 70, you have the budget for a corded robot. In my experience, a corded robot outperforms it in the areas that mattered most to me: filtration, automation, and cleaning performance.

Hey there, I'm Justin, your resident pool aficionado. We've tested over 40 plus robotic pool cleaners across the past 5 years. And today we're diving into the Sora 70.

What Is the Beatbot Sora 70?

The Sora 70 is the flagship of Beatbot's new Sora line, sitting above the Sora 10 and Sora 30. Compared to the Sora 30, you're getting a propeller and water jet for active surface cleaning, a dedicated Surface Mode, an inner filter alongside the main basket (which is 6 liters vs. the Sora 30's 5 liters), and a 3-year warranty.

Within the Sora series, the Sora 70 is the top model. It does everything—floor, walls, waterline, and even the surface. That's the one thing the 10 and 30 just can't touch. It also keeps the full 10,000mAh battery and handles shallow areas down to 8 inches, so from a feature standpoint, this is the top of the top in the Sora lineup.

But even here, the same limitations apply. You're still dealing with a basic mesh filter, so while it'll grab leaves and debris, it's probably not going to give you that polished, crystal-clear look. And while they claim it filters down to 3 microns, that is with an optional filter that isn't even for sale yet at the time of making this review. And there's still no weekly timer—so even at the top of the lineup, you're manually starting it every time. That's where it starts to fall behind.

Now if you compare that to something like the Clear UV setup, it's a completely different philosophy. Instead of trying to do everything in one robot, you split the job. A strong corded cleaner handles the floor, walls, and waterline with real suction power and NanoFilters, while the Clear UV system works in the background helping keep your water clean at a microscopic level with ultraviolet light. It's effective—and more importantly, it's consistent.

So yeah, the Sora 70 is the best of the Sora lineup, no question. But if you're chasing true automation and the cleanest water possible, I'd still lean toward a corded unit paired with something like Clear UV. That combo just works better long term.

Build Quality and Setup

Let's talk build quality—because this is where things went sideways for me.

The side panels on the tracks literally popped off while I was unboxing it. I hadn't even put the robot in the water yet. Just picking it up, moving it around… and plastic trim pieces are already coming loose.

That's not a great start.

Because if parts are falling off before the first cleaning cycle, what is this thing going to look like after a full Texas summer? Heat, UV, chlorine… that's when pool equipment gets tested.

And this is where it lost me a bit. Even at the flagship price point of the Sora lineup, this thing just doesn't feel like a flagship. In my hands, it felt noticeably cheaper than other cordless robots I've tested—even compared to Beatbot's own AquaSense line.

Now to be fair, it is cheaper than most of the AquaSense models. But still… when you're at the top of the Sora lineup, I expected a step up in build quality—and I just didn't see it.

That's really the theme here. On paper, it looks solid. The design looks sleek. But actually using it, handling it, pulling it in and out of the pool… it just didn't give me that premium, confidence-inspiring feel I expect at this price point.

The Power Button and Setup Quirks

This is where the Sora 70 inherits the same baffling design as the Sora 30. You push the mode switch left for Pro Mode or right for Preset Mode and release within a second to power on. Hold left for about three seconds to power off.

Sounds simple. In my testing, the button gave almost no immediate feedback. I'd hit it and nothing obvious would happen. The robot then floats on the surface for up to five minutes — yes, five minutes — while it releases air from the floating chamber before settling on the floor. The first time I used it, I thought the bot was defective. But, right on page 1 of the Quick Start guide, it says it.

That's noticeably worse than the Sora 30's already-too-long two-minute wait, in my opinion. The status light does communicate battery level, but the placement and feedback of the actual switch — in my opinion — is just not great.

The App and Connectivity

The Sora 70 connects to the Beatbot app via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for initial pairing. You can add the bot via Bluetooth, by scanning the QR code, or by selecting the model manually. In my testing, the app worked fine for switching cleaning modes and pushing settings.

Here's the major caveat — and it's the same one the Sora 30 has: the robot disconnects the moment the bot is submerged, so real-time monitoring during a cleaning cycle isn't a thing.

The connection only restores when the bot returns to the surface or comes out of the water. Compare that to a corded Dolphin Sigma, where the app actually works in real time the entire cleaning cycle. That's the difference between a smart product and a product that just happens to ship with an app.

Cleaning Modes and Filtration

This is where the Sora 70 actually earns its flagship spot in the lineup. It supports Pro Mode for floor, walls, waterline, and surface; Preset Mode with Standard defaulted to floor, walls, and waterline; and Surface Mode — a dedicated cycle that begins skimming the moment the robot enters the water using the water jet.

There's also an ECO Mode that settles the bot on the floor and runs an automatic cycle every other day. But don't confuse this with a weekly timer. This just splits the battery life up over a few days, you won't get a full cleaning cycle every day – which is what most pool owners need.

The water jet and propeller are the headline additions over the Sora 30, designed to skim leaves, pollen, and floating debris. Beatbot specifically warns not to lift the bot during Surface Mode because the water jet is active and will spray you.

The Filter

This was honestly the most disappointing part of the Sora 70—because on paper, this is where it's supposed to improve.

You get a larger 6 liter basket which is a clear upgrade over the Sora 30's 5 liter basket.

Beatbot advertises filtration down to 3 microns on the Sora 70—which sounds incredible. That's NanoFilter-level performance. But if you actually dig into the specs, you'll see that 3-micron filter is NOT included. At the time of filming, it's listed as an optional accessory that isn't even available yet.

So what you're actually getting today is still basic mesh filtration, not true fine filtration.

That's a big difference.

Pool Nerd Tip: NanoFilters Are the Standard for a Reason

This is exactly why I keep coming back to cleaners like the Dolphin Premier. With NanoFilters, you're filtering down to around 2 microns—that's pollen, silt, and all that fine dust that settles overnight.

Side by side in my pool, it's not even close. A mesh basket might look clean at a glance—but a NanoFilter shows you what you were actually missing.

And it doesn't have to be Dolphin's NanoFilters. Other brands like Clear have their own – like the UltraFilters. But these pleated, dense filters are something you really want. Once you see what these filters pull out of the water… you won't go back.

Battery and Retrieval

The Sora 70 runs the same battery setup as the Sora 30 — 21.6V, 10,000mAh lithium-ion. On paper, you're getting up to 5 hours of runtime and about 4.5 hours to fully charge.

Sounds great, right? Well… here's the reality.

Day in and day out, you're hauling this thing in and out of the pool. And if you've ever owned a corded robot, you'll notice it immediately — it's a completely different experience.

To keep your pool clean daily, you're going outside every single morning to pull it off the charger and drop it in… then going back out again that night to take it out. That's 14 interactions a week.

Now compare that to a corded cleaner with a weekly timer. You set it once, it runs automatically, and you walk outside maybe once a week to clean the filter. That's the difference nobody talks about. Cordless sounds convenient — until you actually live with it.

Retrieval and Drainage: A Back-Breaker, in My Experience

Like the Sora 30, the Sora 70 is heavy—and in real use, that matters more than the spec sheet.

On paper, it's supposed to make your life easier. It "auto-parks" at the pool edge when it's done, starts draining when you lift it out, and they give you a retrieval hook in the box.

Sounds great. But in my testing? It just doesn't play out like that.

The auto-park only really works if the battery lasts all the way to the end of the cycle. And that's the catch. If the battery dies early—or you don't get to it in time—it doesn't stay parked. It just floats right back down to the bottom of the pool.

And let's be real—no one is standing outside waiting for their pool robot to finish so they can grab it at the exact time it finishes.

So what happens? You come back out later, and now you're fishing a 20+ pound waterlogged robot off the bottom with a hook. Every single time.

Even when it does park correctly, you're still dealing with a back-breaking lift. And because of that larger 6L basket and the surface plumbing, it takes a solid 5 minutes to fully drain. So you're standing there holding this soaking-wet robot, waiting for it to stop dumping water everywhere before you can even move it. It just turns into more work than it should be.

Surface Mode and the Cordless Reality

This is the big selling point of the Sora 70—Surface Mode. Water jets, propeller, dedicated cycle… it sounds like it's going to replace a skimmer.

But in my pool? It didn't. If you're buying this specifically for surface cleaning, I'd rethink that.

In my experience, you're way better off running a dedicated surface skimmer like the Betta SE, and pairing it with a strong corded cleaner for the floor, walls, and waterline.

The Cordless Reality Check

Same case I make in every cordless review: in my opinion, cordless robots are still an inferior solution to corded ones.

Lithium-ion chemistry is known to degrade over time, especially in heat — and the Sora 70's battery is sealed and proprietary, so a swap isn't a simple at-home job.

And cordless isn't the automation story it sounds like. "Cordless" sounds convenient until you realize you're babysitting it daily — charge, drop in, retrieve, charge again. A corded robot with a Weekly Smart Timer runs on autopilot. Press one button on the power supply and walk away.

What I'd Buy Instead

If you have the budget for the flagship Sora 70, you have the budget for a better corded robot. Here's exactly what I'd steer you toward — and why.

Dolphin Premier — My #1 Pick of the Year

If I had to pick one robot to recommend to every pool owner watching this, it's the Premier. This is the one I run in my own pool, and it's been going strong for over three years. USA Today consistently picks it as one of the best robotic pool cleaners on the market — and after testing 30+ robots in my own pool, I agree.

The Premier is built on the same commercial-grade platform as the Dolphin Wave series. You're getting the exact same ProLine commercial motors that clean resorts and public pools — at a residential price. Dual commercial motors deliver over 4,500 gallons per hour of suction.

And then there's the filtration. The Premier is the only Dolphin in the lineup with the Multi-Media system — four interchangeable filters in the box: NanoFilters for the deepest clean, Standard Cartridges for everyday debris, an Oversized Leaf Bag for fall, and disposable bags as a backup. Swapping between them takes seconds. It's the only robot on the market that adapts to whatever your pool throws at it.

It also has Media-Alert — a light on the power supply that blinks when the filter is full and needs cleaning. No other Dolphin has this. Not even the Sigma. Add the Weekly Smart Timer built into the power supply, the 60-foot anti-tangle swivel cord, and a 3-year warranty, and there's nothing else in the residential category that competes. This is my top pick.

Dolphin Sigma — For the Tech Lovers

If you want every bell and whistle, the Sigma is the top of the Dolphin ProLine. It's the only residential robot I know of with three commercial-grade ProLine motors — even more suction than the Premier. Add gyroscopic SmartNav 3.0 for precision navigation, full Wi-Fi connectivity through the MyDolphin Plus app, real-time control while it's cleaning (something the Beatbot can't do), and even Siri voice control.

It costs more than the Premier, and you give up the Multi-Media system in the process — but if you're the kind of pool owner who wants to schedule, monitor, and command your robot from your phone or smart speaker, in my opinion the Sigma is in a different league than anything else. Same 3-year warranty as the Premier, same commercial motor platform.

The Clear UV

There's a new robot in my test pool right now that I have to mention. The Clear UV is a high-powered, commercial-grade corded robot — and it includes something I've never seen built into a residential pool cleaner before: ultraviolet disinfection. A UV light at the bottom of the robot disinfects the surface of your pool while it cleans. Same technology used in Olympic pools and commercial aquatic centers, now built into a residential robot.

In my early testing, this thing is a beast. Four motors, quad scrubbing brushes, a top-loading UltraBasket, proprietary UltraFilters, a polished app with a weekly timer and pickup mode — and it has cleaned to the brim of the basket every cycle so far. It's the most innovative robot I've tested in years by a longshot.

But if you want to see what the next generation of corded robots looks like, in my opinion this is the one to watch. Compare any of these three — Premier, Sigma, or Clear UV — to the Sora 70, and the cordless story stops making sense fast.

Final Verdict

So what's my final verdict on the Beatbot Sora 70?

It's Pool Nerd Disapproved.

The Sora 70 is the top of the Sora line — and in my testing, inherits the same problems as its smaller sibling, just with bigger features bolted on top. The 3-year warranty and Surface Mode are improvements over the Sora 30, but in my opinion they don't move the needle far enough to recommend this over a corded Dolphin Premier or Sigma at the same price. And with the Clear UV now in the mix, the gap between top-tier corded robots and flagship cordless is only getting wider. In my opinion, this is the wrong place to spend your money.

Conclusion

If you want to keep nerding out over your pool, head over to ThePoolNerd.com/deals for the best deals on robotic pool cleaners and other pool equipment. Thanks for watching, and I'll see you on the next one!

---

Related Reading

• Best Robotic Pool Cleaners — Our top picks after testing 40+ robots
• Beatbot Sora 30 Review — The Sora 70's smaller sibling
• Clear UV Review — The first pool robot with built-in UV-C
• All Robotic Pool Cleaner Reviews — Every robot we've tested