Reviews
Dolphin Sigma Robotic Pool Cleaner Review
Maytronics most advanced pool cleaner yet. Gyroscope, Triple Motors, Wi-Fi, Quad Brushes, and so much more.
Dolphin Sigma
Maytronics most advanced pool cleaner yet. Gyroscope, Triple Motors, Wi-Fi, Quad Brushes, and so much more.
Looking for the best of the best from Dolphin? Well, look no further. The Dolphin Sigma is Dolphin's best robotic pool cleaner yet. The Sigma is the top of Dolphin's residential pool cleaners. So far at the top in fact, it's basically a commercial robot, which is a robot meant for use in schools, public pools, etc. because of their extreme cleaning power and toughness. We have wanted to try this robot for a long time, because it's one of Maytronics' newest cleaners with triple motors and a gyroscope.
The Dolphin Sigma includes the following:
The Dolphin Sigma is ready from the moment you unbox it. Simply just plug it in and you're good to go. We love how simple and easy it is to connect the Sigma to your phone. From there, you can control the Sigma from anywhere!
Let's start by looking at that cleaning power I just mentioned. The first standout feature responsible for the Sigma's power is its three DC motors. These 3 motors are larger than most other residential pool robots. This is an easy feature to miss because it's completely internal, and unless you have experience with pool robots, you would never know about this key difference.
To start, there are the Sigma's split spinning brushes. Most mid to premium tier robots add on a second brush to double its scrubbing power, but the Sigma uses its third motor to power four split spinning brushes. Split sinning brushes enable the Sigma to rotate on a dime. Most robots need to tilt back or execute a three-point turn to get where they need to go, but the Sigma looks effortless underwater when it simply pivots in place and gets back to cleaning. This means the Sigma can get into all those pesky spots in your pool as well as clean the rest of your pool very efficiently.
The second area where my eye caught the third DC motor at work was when the Sigma reached the wall. It was incredibly impressive to see it seamlessly transition from the floor to the wall as if it was just cleaning a completely flat surface. The third motor truly gives it an insane level of power that makes wall climbing a breeze.
Now what about how it performs once it reaches the waterline? The Sigma treats the waterline just like it treats the floor. It can stay at the waterline and shimmy along, cleaning deeply thanks to its split spinning brushes the whole way. This is amazing because some “premium” robots, such as the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus, can't clean the waterline. While the other units may occasionally reach most of the wall, it won't sit at the top and scrub away tough debris. This leaves you to clean it by hand, which totally defeats the purpose of getting a hands-off robotic pool cleaner.
You can attribute a lot of the Sigma's cleaning coverage to its onboard gyroscope. This detects and measures the bots orientation and location as it moves, so its movements are way more precise and effective.
One more thing to note about the Sigma's pool cleaning coverage is its filter media options. The Sigma includes a fine and ultra-fine filter, which means it can do both standard cleans and micro cleans to clear up your pool water. This is all that's needed for most pools, and it'll deliver a great clean. I will say though that if your pool has a lot of leaves, it might be better to look at the equally impressive Dolphin Premier and its oversized leaf bag.
So the Sigma can clean all of your pool deeply with ease thanks to its three motors, split spinning brushes, gyroscope, and two filter options. But how is it to use? While the performance is that of a commercial robot, I'm happy to say that doesn't mean the Sigma loses any residential user friendliness.
The Sigma's power supply is just one simple button. That's because it has a wealth of features on the myDolphin app. With this app you can do everything from set cleaning schedules to manually drive the robot to clean a particularly stubborn area. The wealth of options in this app is amazing, and its design makes it pleasant and easy to use. This app connectivity really makes this cleaner hands off. You can even control it from your couch.
Finally, there's the Sigma's 3-year warranty. This is one of the best warranties I've seen on a residential pool robot, and it brings a lot of peace of mind when you decide to invest in the Sigma. This 3 year warranty is so important. Maytronics has excellent customer service and is able to turnaround the unit very quickly. Alongside that, Maytronics has hundreds of dealers and service center across the country. So in the rare event something does happen, the unit can be fixed super quickly wether it is sent direct to Maytronics or to your neighborhood Maytonics dealer!
Okay, so what's my final verdict on the Dolphin Sigma from Maytronics?
It's Pool Nerd Approved
It's an amazing robotic pool cleaner that offers the cleaning coverage and power of a commercial robot, while maintaining a user friendly experience through its app's connectivity. If you want the best of the best in residential pool robots, then this is the bot for you.
You can shop the Dolphin Sigma Robotic Pool Cleaner here. One of the best parts is that Amazon offers 2-Day Shipping and Free Returns so you don't have to worry about anything.
The Sigma comes with everything needed to get started. However, there are a few optional accessories you may want to check out. We recommend getting a caddy for the Sigma in order to protect your cleaner!
While the Sigma is at the top, we understand you may want to look around and find alternatives. Here are a few things to consider:
Luckily we have some alternative robots for these questions and more!
If you struggle with leaves, this is the robot for you. With Multi-Media, the Dolphin Premier comes with not 1, not 2, but 3 filter options included with it. One being the oversized leaf bag. We cannot emphasize this enough, but it is the only Dolphin with a Leaf Bag.
The Premier comes in at a lower price point as the Sigma as well. While it does not have the gyroscope and app connectivity, it does the a Smart Programmable Timer with Media-Alert. Learn more about the Dolphin Premier by reading our review here
If the price tag is discouraging, but you want nearly all of the same essential features found in the Dolphin Sigma. Check out the Dolphin Quantum:
Less traditional than the Premier & Sigma, the Dolphin Quantum opts to using its PowerJet 3D Mobility to climb and adhere to the waterline. With an easy to clean & oversized top loading filter basket, the Quantum can hold a ton of debris. While it cannot rival the Premier's Oversized Leaf Bag, it can still hold a ton!
If you have an above ground pool, the Dolphin Premier is still going to be the best choice! However, if you're looking for an alternative that is cheaper, we recommend the Dolphin Escape.
While you won't have essential features like waterline cleaning, multiple filter options, and more, the Dolphin Escape still gets the job done. In our testing, this is the best robotic pool cleaner for above ground pool cleaners.
Yes it does! It comes with everything needed to get started and more!
No. The Sigma is a class of its own. At the top of their residential pool cleaner line, the Dolphin Sigma is a top performer.
Yes! The Dolphin Sigma works on above ground pools and any other type of pool including, but not limited to: gunite, fiberglass, tile, vinyl, and more!
If you're looking for similar performance, but looking to save a couple bucks, check out the Dolphin Premier and Dolphin Quantum.
Looking to spend less than $800? Check out the Dolphin Cayman! While it won't have waterline cleaning, it is a great basic cleaner to dive into robotic pool cleaners!
Shop the Dolphin Sigma on Amazon Here
Advanced Pool Navigation. Whole new level of cleaning power.
Control Dolphin Sigma from anywhere using MyDolphin Plus App
Includes Ultra-fine Filter & Standard Filter
Vector Advanced Waterline Cleaning Ability
Calculates optimal cleaning route for faster cleaning & improved efficiency
Updated Microprocessor controlled SmartNav 3.0 learns subject pool
Vacuums leaves, debris, pollen, twigs, algae, & more
Delivers superior agility, manueverability, & climbing performance
Reduces energy costs up to 90% over AC powered cleaners
Power scrubs and vacuums doors, steps, walls, and water line
Filters 75 gallons per minute for remarkable water quality
2 micron - removes thet smallest contaminants, even green algae
Learns water line elevation for superior water line cleaning
Dual 24 volt brushless DC energy-efficient, long-life motors
It's the world's only true cable swivel, a patented Dolphin exclusive