By Justin D. • May 17th, 2024
Hey there, and welcome back to the Pool Nerd. I’m Justin, your resident pool aficionado. Today I am looking at the top robotic pool cleaners Dolphin has to offer and picking my favorites. There are a lot of brands and cleaners on the market, and Maytronics’ Dolphin is the top of the market when it comes to robotic pool cleaners.
A robotic pool cleaner can be a lifesaver if you’re a pool owner like me, and Dolphin creates some of the best robotic pool cleaners there are. After testing and reviewing so many cleaners, their quality and build are currently unmatched.
Why a Dolphin robotic pool cleaner?
They are simply the best robotic pool cleaner option out there right now. Known for their reliability and powerful cleaning ability, I haven't had an issue with any of my Dolphins after years.
I've tested nearly every Dolphin pool cleaner
After buying, reviewing, and testing all of the best robotic pool cleaners, I am fairly confident in proclaiming Dolphin as the best robotic pool cleaner brand out there now. While other brands such as Aiper and Polaris are catching up, Dolphin is still the gold standard I've found.
Backed by a longer warranty than other robotic pool cleaners, Maytronics really has set the gold standard in robotic pool cleaners in the past few years. And it doesn't look like it will change anytime soon.
Dolphin Premier
Let’s start this off with the best and my favorite cleaner, the Dolphin Premier. If you want a truly great cleaner that can do everything and more, then the Dolphin Premier is the best robot you can buy. This is the most value-packed cleaner there is.
With three different filter options included, it has dual scrubbing brushes, Smart Nav 2.0 navigation, a programmable timer, a full filter indicator, waterline cleaning, a 3-year warranty, and most importantly: Multi-Media filtration.
The Premier is more powerful thanks to its commercial-grade motors, which helps each of these features do a better job of cleaning your pool. Waterline cleaning also sees a big improvement with the Premier thanks to its dual stabilizer, which helps the Premier stick to your waterline and clean it deeply. It is really impressive to watch as the Premier moves along the waterline like it was just the floor. It makes it look that easy.
Multi-media filtration is what really puts the Premier at the top of the Dolphin line-up for me, as it means that the Premier has a filter type for any debris. You have four filter options with the Premier: the standard fine filter, the NanoFilters, an oversized leaf bag, and a disposable debris bag. The standard fine filter is perfect for your average clean, and the NanoFilters are great for clearing up cloudy water.
My favorite of the bunch has to be the oversized leaf bag, as it can expand to hold a large amount of leaves and twigs. This is the only Dolphin robot that utilizes a leaf bag. My pool has always had issues with leaves and large debris. Filter baskets and cartridges just cannot get all of it in one cleaning, but the leaf bag definitely can. For a few dollars more, you can also pick up a disposable debris bag, which I use to clean my pool at the beginning of the season because I can just throw it out once it is all full.
There’s one other little feature I would like to mention because it is something I love, and that is the full filter indicator. This little light lets you know when it is time to clean your robot’s filter. In the past, I always forgot to clean my robot’s filter, which meant it never cleaned as well as it could have. This little light reminds me to clean out the filter though, which means I can have it cleaning at the highest level all the time. Not to mention the robot will last longer because there will be less wear on its equipment.
The Dolphin Premier is the best Dolphin robot I’ve tested and one that should definitely be on your list of pool cleaners. It can clean anything and everything with ease, but what if you want a robot that is a little cheaper?
Dolphin Quantum
Now if you want a similar robot with almost all the same features, take a look at the Dolphin Quantum. The Dolphin Quantum has the same great navigation thanks to Smart Nav 2.0 and ease of use thanks to a programmable timer, Power Jet 3D Mobility, and NanoFilters.
The second brush doubles the scrubbing power of the Quantum, but the real star is Power Jet 3D mobility. This feature allows the Quantum to reach the waterline and scrub deeply. The waterline is where a lot of gunk can build up, so being able to clean that area means the Quantum saves you a lot of time. While the waterline cleaning is just a step below the Premier, it is still fantastic and gets the job done.
And speaking of saving you time, the Quantum also includes NanoFilters, which will help you to clear up cloudy water in no time. If you’ve ever tried to clean up your cloudy pool water, you know how annoying it can be to get chemicals and constantly measure your water to make sure everything is perfect.
With NanoFilters though, the Quantum can filter out all these microscopic particles, which makes your pool much easier to clean. So if you need a great cleaner that can clean a little bit of everything and includes NanoFilters and a programmable timer, the Quantum may be the robot for you.
Dolphin Sigma
Now if high tech and ease of use is the most important part of a cleaner to you, then the Dolphin Sigma is the robot I would recommend. The Sigma has Smart Nav 3.0, waterline cleaning, NanoFilters, three powerful motors, and app connectivity.
Smart Nav 3.0 and three powerful commercial-grade motors mean the Sigma is the most powerful and efficient cleaner on this list. It offers great waterline cleaning and superior coverage, but the real star is its app connectivity.
The Sigma’s app allows you to do a little bit of everything, from scheduling cleanings to manually controlling its cleaning path. You can schedule your robot to clean from anywhere, which is a nice touch. All the little features and adjustments you can do in the app allow you to clean your pool exactly as you want, without wasting any time or energy. It will even let you know stats such as gallons filtered, cycles ran, and kilowatts saved.
If you would like to learn more about the Premier, Quantum, or Sigma, go and check out my reviews on each. Or go and check out some of my comparison videos to see how they compare to other units on the market.
Dolphin Cayman
Now, if these robots are out of your budget, but you still want great wall climbing ability, a programmable timer, an oversized MaxBin, and more, look no further than the Dolphin Cayman.
The Cayman can deeply clean the walls and floor of your pool thanks to its fantastic wall climbing ability, SmartNav 2.0 navigation, HyperGrip tracks, rubber scrubbing brush, and 2-year warranty. These features mean the Cayman will calculate the best cleaning path for your pool and then scrub away all the stuck-on debris, leaves, and more up and into its MaxBin.
What really puts the Cayman above other robotic pool cleaners in its price range is the fact that it offers a programmable timer. With this timer, you only have to walk outside once a week to set its cleaning schedule.
You can set the Cayman to clean every day, every other day, or every three days, so you can ensure your pool gets the exact cleaning it needs. So whether you own an inground pool or above-ground pool, the Cayman is a fantastic value for any pool.
Dolphin Escape
The Dolphin Escape is another great option, especially if you’re looking for an entry-level robotic pool cleaner. The Escape comes with SmartNav 2.0, HyperGrip tracks, and an oversized MaxBin, making it a solid choice for above-ground pools.
The Escape lacks some of the advanced features found in the Premier or Sigma, such as waterline cleaning and app connectivity, but it still offers reliable cleaning performance at a lower price point.
If you’re considering the Escape, keep in mind that it’s part of the new Max-Series lineup, which includes the Quantum, Cayman, and Escape. These models are designed to offer high-quality cleaning performance while fitting different budgets and needs.
Final Verdict
If you want the best of the best, the Dolphin ProLine series, including the Quantum, Premier, and Sigma, is my top recommendation. I love these models for their commercial-grade motors, NanoFilters, and longer warranties. These are the most powerful and efficient cleaners you can buy, and they offer everything you need to keep your pool spotless.
For those looking for excellent performance without breaking the bank, the new Max-Series is a great alternative. The Quantum, Cayman, and Escape provide a range of options that cater to different budgets while still offering the quality and features Dolphin is known for.
How I Tested
Every product we review, we have personally tested in our swimming pool. We review every product by hand.
At The Pool Nerd, we are committed to bringing you the best possible review. Our testing process involves rigorous, real-world usage to ensure each product meets our high standards. We evaluate based on performance, ease of use, durability, and overall value. By putting each product through its paces, we can provide you with an honest and thorough assessment, helping you make informed decisions for your pool care needs.
If you want to keep nerding out over your pool, be sure to hit that subscribe button to keep learning how to make pool maintenance way easier. Head on over to thepoolnerd.com to view my comparison page and see all the differences between the many robotic pool cleaners out there. Until then, enjoy that pool and check back soon for more pool maintenance tips and insights.
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For over 4+ years, The Pool Nerd has been a leading source in the swimming pool industry. With years of experince owning a swimming pool, our hope here is to guide and help making owning a swimming pool easier.
