Dolphin E10 Review

Hey there, and welcome back to the Pool Nerd. I’m Justin, your resident pool aficionado. And today I’m talking about the Dolphin E10 robotic pool cleaner from Maytronics. Built primarily for above-ground pool owners, this is the entry level Dolphin pool cleaner. After putting it to the test, let's see if it is the right choice for your pool.

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Above Ground Pool Design

This robot is especially for all you above ground pool owners. The E10 is one of the few robotic pool cleaners designed specifically for above ground pools. So if you’ve been doing any research on robotic pool cleaners for your pool, you’ve probably come across this model. Let’s put this Dolphin E10 to the test and see if it will make your life easier as a pool owner. Let’s get started.

Will the Dolphin E10 work in an inground pool?

Yes, it does. We tested it in an 8ft x 20ft vinyl pool. Our pool is completely flat. However, if you're an inground pool owner, this probably isn't the robot for you. Why? 3 Things:

1. Smaller Cord
2. Only cleans flat pool floors
3. No Weekly Timer

These are 3 things you'll want, even for some above-ground pool owners. So make sure to check out the best robotic pool cleaners list or check out some alternatives that have longer cords, clean the walls, and even have a weekly timer - such as the [Dolphin Cayman].(/dolphin-cayman-review)

Coverage Limitations

First, there is its coverage. The E10 will only clean your pool’s floors. And this is where the whole “above ground pool design” comes into play, because it doesn’t do walls and is limited to small slopes.

So to summarize this unit's wall coverage: there is none. The E10 sticks just to the floors, and it won’t climb and clean pool walls. The Dolphin Cayman will climb your pool walls and provide a better performance for not that much more.

For the next level, the Dolphin Quantum even climbs to the very top of the dirty waterline to scrub it clean with its waterline cleaning. Wall climbing and waterline cleaning are things that you’ll want as a pool owner, whether you have an above ground or in-ground pool, as they will save you tons of time. So make sure to keep your eye out for bots that have these two features.

Cord Tangling Concerns

I do like the tracks on the E10. They help it adhere to the pool floor while it cleans. But the lack of an anti-tangle swivel is cause for concern. Even if you have a regular-sized in-ground pool, like 20-30 feet, the E10’s 40-foot cord can still get tangled. When it does, that can seriously affect coverage and its ability to clean. Unless you untangle the cord on a regular basis, the E10 will likely miss spots or get stuck because of the cord holding it back.

Filter Options

While the filter basket gets a thumbs up for easy access and cleaning, I don’t like that it has just one filter option - the fine filter. That may be fine for everyday cleaning jobs, but the fine filter can’t grab all the tiny particles that can make your pool water cloudy.

NanoFiltration, like the one that comes with the Dolphin Quantum and an optional accessory for the Dolphin Cayman, can filter out particles as small as two microns.

That includes algae, pollen, silt, sand, and a bunch of other tiny particles that make pool water murky and unclear. I really prefer the Dolphin Quantum here. It comes with both the fine and ultra-fine filter liners, and you don’t have to purchase any extra. Combine the filter options, waterline scrubbing, and superior performance, and there is a lot more to love.

Ease of Use and Warranty

Now for what I think is the most crucial part of any pool cleaner review: What’s it like to use? And more importantly, will it make my life easier as a pool owner?

The power supply is a simple on/off button. So when you want the E10 to start a cleaning job, you have to go out and manually start it up. I much prefer a weekly scheduler, like you’d find on the Dolphin Cayman or Dolphin Quantum, but if you are willing to go out to the backyard and turn it on daily, it works just fine. But this sort of defeats the entire purpose of automatic pool cleaning.

Finally, there is the E10’s 2-year warranty. This is pretty standard for robots in this price range, and it is nice to see it here. What isn’t so nice to see though is the legacy restocking fee that catches buyers off-guard. If you buy the E10, try it out, and decide to return it, online sellers are going to charge you up to a 50% restocking fee. And if you buy it and don’t even take it out of the box before returning it, they can charge you a 20% restocking fee. If you decide to buy the E10, you’re out several hundred dollars no matter what just because of this hidden cost.

Final Verdict

Okay, so what’s my final verdict on the Dolphin E10?

Buy with caution.

The E10 will clean flat pool floors well, and it’ll keep water circulated. But that’s a fraction of the cleaning that an above ground pool really needs. With better options out there, you may want to invest a little more to fully automate your pool cleanings with a robot with a Weekly Timer.

Your resident pool aficionado.

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