It means we approve of the unit. In order for a unit to be "Pool Nerd Approved", it must pass a series of qualities needed in a robotic pool cleaner. This includeds a great warranty, superior cleaning power, is the top of their class for their respective type of pool, and so much more.
Which are the best robotic pool cleaners?
We are glad you asked! Read our list of Top 5 Robotic Pool Cleaners here
The best two robotic pool cleaners for in-ground pools would be the Dolphin Premier and Dolphin Sigma. While the best robotic pool cleaner for above ground pools is the Dolphin Escape.
Why isn't a pool cleaner listed?
While we have tested nearly all of the top robotic pool cleaners, we haven't gotten around to them all. If you would like us to look into testing a specific unit or want a recommendation, please feel free to contact us and we would be happy to help!
Picking the right type of cleaner for your pool is one of the most important aspects of finding a robotic pool cleaner. Above Ground robots tend to not have features such as waterline cleaning, smart timers, and less motors.
Read more about the difference between above ground and in-ground cleaners →
Pool Coverage often gets confused, especially in wall coverage vs waterline cleaning. We'll break it down for you:
Floor Coverage: This includes all of the floor of your pool. It won't go up the side of the walls at all, leaving a large amount of your pool unclean.
Wall Coverage: The robot will go partially up the wall, but usually no further than halfway up. While the unit may reach the waterline in some cases, it will not stick to the surface and actively attack the waterline. Leaving you to scrub the waterline by hand.
Waterline Cleaning: This robot does it all. The waterline is the upper portion of the pool where the water meets the surface. This is where most algae and bacteria is in your pool. With this, the unit will be able to cover every inch of your pool.
Waterline Cleaning is vital to pool health. It is where most of the algae and bacteria is in your pool. Without this, you'll be left to manually scrub away at the waterline by hand.
Dual Stabilzers are the item that look like a handle. While this acts as a handle for the unit, it double as stabilizers that pop up and allow the unit to cling to the waterline. This is what makes the top waterline cleaning units clean so efficiently along the waterline. Only a select number of units have this features, such as the Dolphin Premier and Dolphin Sigma.
These are what allow the robot to scrub away at tough debris and algae in your pool. Without these, the robotic pool cleaner would just hovering over the debris, rather than actively attacking tough and stuck on algae, debris, and bacteria.
Everyone hates a tangled cord. While other robotic pool cleaners may get tangled and stuck, an anti-tangle swivel allows the robot to clean without getting tied up. This allows the robot to reach every nook and cranny without ever having to untangle it.
One of the most important features. This is what allows the robot to clean different types of debris. Without this, the unit may not pick up certain types of debris in the pool.
Smart Navigation allows the robot to effective clean your pool. In certain cases, such as SmartNav, the robot will scan your pool and map the most effective cleaning path. We only recommend robotic pool cleaners with smart navigation, as the robot will be attack debris and algae and not aimlessly wonder around the pool.
