Betta SE Review

Anyone with a pool knows that moment. You step outside and instantly see the mess—leaves floating everywhere, a few bugs doing backstrokes. So you grab the pool net, start scooping, and by the time you're done, you’re sweaty, wet, and you still didn't get all of the leaves? Well – I may have found the perfect product for you.

Welcome back to the Pool Nerd. I’m Justin, your resident pool aficionado. And today, I’m reviewing the Betta SE Solar Pool Skimmer – a skimmer that does all of that for you.

One of my friends recommended this product to me, so I thought I would test it out.

So I threw the Betta SE Solar Skimmer into the pool without much expectation. I figured it might help, but I was a little skeptical of a $300 skimmer. But, this skimmer blew my expectations out of the water.

It started cruising like it knew exactly what it was doing. Bugs? Gone. Leaves? Scooped. It floated along the surface quietly picking up everything before it could even think about sinking.

Should I get a skimmer or robotic pool cleaner?

If you’re trying to decide between this and a robotic pool cleaner, I’ll save you the trouble: you need both. I get it—budget, priorities, whatever—but if you want a seriously clean pool, the floor and the surface both need attention. And these two handle totally different jobs.

Now if I had to pick just one? I’d say it’s easier to scoop junk off the surface manually than it is to vacuum the floor. But the whole point of this skimmer is you don’t have to wait for the junk to sink in the first place. It grabs it right away—before it ever hits bottom.

Read the best robotic pool cleaners of 2025 →

They’re a tag team. This handles the surface, your robot handles the pool floor, and together they keep your pool looking like you actually take care of it. If you haven’t grabbed a robotic pool cleaner cleaner yet, I’ve got a full breakdown of the 30+ models I’ve tested and letting you know which is best for your pool. Go check that out if you haven’t aleady.

Betta Lineup Rundown

Betta offers three models in their surface skimmer line:

• Betta SE – about $370
• Betta SE Plus – about $400
• Betta Flex – around $500

I’ve tried all three, and I’ve got separate reviews on each if you want to nerd out. But for most people? The SE is more than enough. Especially when you compare it to other surface bots, such as the Beatbot iSkim Ultra that can run close to a thousand bucks. This thing holds its own at a third of the price.

Setup And Start

No cords. No apps. No cryptic startup sequence. You literally just take it out of the box, peel off some protective stickers, and toss it into the pool. That’s it. The remote pairs instantly. It floats upright. It starts cruising on its own like it’s been waiting all winter for this exact moment.

The only thing I’d suggest is giving it a good initial sunbath before you toss it in. Let that solar panel get a nice charge in full sunlight, especially if it’s been boxed up a while.

Performance And Results

So, how well does it clean leaves? Well, just watch as the Betta SE rakes in the leaves into its basket.

Within a few hours? Clean. Not just kinda clean—like, actually clean. It didn’t miss corners. It didn’t stall out or do donuts in place. It cruised slow and steady, changing direction whenever it got near a wall.

With obstacle avoidance, it starts to turn before it runs into the wall – so it isn’t aimlessly bumping into every wall of your pool.

Propeller Size

Size matters.

With 2.5" propellers, the Betta SE doesn't have the biggest propellers around. Compared to the Dolphin Skimmi's 3 inch propellers, they are smaller.

But the SE makes up for it where it counts. Thanks to its lightweight design, I noticed it still moved very fluidly in the water. It got the job done like a pro still - despite the average size.

Charging And Solar

Now, I’ve ranted before about cordless robotic pool cleaners cleaners. They’re fun until they’re dead… which is constantly. That’s usually the tradeoff with cordless anything—freedom, but you’re always babysitting the battery.

The Betta SE dodges that entirely with a big solar panel. So what does that mean?

Well, you never have to charge it. In fact, this little guy never left the pool. It stays in 24/7 and cleans continuously. And I have to admit – not having to charge it is pretty awesome.

So yeah, the “always needs recharging” complaint? Not here, thanks to its solar charging

Filter And Basket

The filter design here is pretty straightforward. When it’s time to empty the filter basket, you just pop the lid up, grab the basket, dump it, and slap it back in. No screws, no weird twisting lock mechanisms, no water gushing all over your deck. It’s genuinely easier than cleaning a skimmer net.

And the basket holds plenty of leaves. You don’t need to empty it every five minutes. I check mine every few days unless there’s a major windstorm or something.

Corded Robot Compatibility

One of my big questions going in was whether this thing would constantly get tangled or stuck on my corded pool cleaner. But, it almost never got stuck. Maybe once it nudged the cord, but it figured it out and backed off.

Navigation And Sensors

With dual sensors and bumpers, it doesn’t just randomly bump into the side of the walls.

It gently nudges, slows down, and pivots—like it’s actually thinking about where it’s going. That alone puts it ahead of a few competitors I’ve tested that act more like pinballs than robots.

Build And Design

The build is all-weather plastic, which is exactly what you want. Lightweight enough to float effortlessly, but solid enough that it doesn’t feel cheap. The solar panel is recessed and protected, so it doesn’t scratch or fog up easily. After weeks of use, mine still looks brand new.

There are also two colors to choose from, blue and white.

Comparisons And Alternatives

Out of all the surface skimmers I’ve tested, the Betta SE still feels like the sweet spot. It’s cheaper than the Flex and Plus versions, but honestly? It covers the basics just as well. Same solar charging, same twin motors, same 24/7 cleaning routine. The Flex gives you some nice upgrades—like soft-touch casing and shallow water protection—but unless your pool is unusually shallow or you're just chasing the bells and whistles, I didn’t find those features essential.

The Betta SE Plus adds plug-in charging if you want a backup to the sun, which is useful in cloudy climates but not something I’ve needed in Texas.

Compared to the Dolphin Skimmi? The Betta SE’s just more refined. The Skimmi feels like a first-gen prototype—louder, clunkier, and has a few more quirks. But it performs like a pro. Ranking #1 for the best robotic pool skimmers, the Skimmi is a step up, but it also comes at a bigger price tag.

And the Beatbot iSkim Ultra? Honestly, I still don’t get the $1000 plus price tag. It looks futuristic but doesn’t really clean that much better. If anything, it just overcomplicates what should be a dead-simple task. The SE, in its simplicity, actually wins. It’s quiet, reliable, and doesn’t try to do too much—which might be why it works so well.

Long Term Use

Now that I’ve had it in the water for a while, I can say it’s not just a novelty that fades after the first week. I still use it every single day. It hasn’t jammed. It hasn’t stopped working randomly. It just keeps cruising and cleaning.

The only maintenance I’ve had to do is empty the basket, clean some gunk off the underside every now and then, and make sure the solar panel stays clear of heavy debris. That’s it.

Who It Is For

If you have a pool that constantly picks up random debris on the surface —especially stuff like leaves, pollen, grass, or bugs—this thing will save you time every day. It’s ideal for folks who already have a robotic pool cleaner and want to complete the setup.

Final Verdict

What's my final verdict on the Betta SE?

It’s Pool Nerd Approved

It’s the surface robot I didn’t know I needed. I didn’t expect to love this thing. I thought it’d be a gimmick. But here we are, several weeks in, and I haven’t touched my pool net once. I just glance outside, see it gliding across the water, and feel like I’ve tricked the universe into doing my chores.

If you’re on the fence, don’t be. Especially for the price, it’s one of the most useful pool gadgets I’ve tested in a long time. Not flashy. Not over-engineered. Just quietly excellent.

And honestly? I’ll take quiet excellence over hype any day.

As always, if you wanna keep nerding out over your pool, head on over to my deals page at ThePoolNerd.com/deals where I post the best deals on automatic pool skimmers and other top pool equipment.

Your resident pool aficionado.

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.