What kind of pool vacuum should I buy?

May 31, 2005 12:44 PM

In the lazy slob vein, I would like to buy an automatic pool vacuum to replace the hours of manual labor needed to keep the pool nice and tidy. I'm looking at this suction model and this robotic "learning" model. Does anyone have any recommendations or experience in this area? That little robotic model sure looks cool but it costs a fortune.
posted by toomuch to home & garden (7 comments total)

I had a Kreepy Krauly in my pool growing up, in the mid eighties. It just sort of chugged around randomly, seemed to do a fine job. Paying through the nose for flashy new tech might not be warranted.
posted by gurple at 12:48 PM on May 31, 2005

Hi there. Former pool guy here. :)

In my experience, you can't get much better than Polaris for automatic pool cleaners. They're moderatrely priced, easy to maintain, and do a wonderful job in comparison to the other cleaners, in my opinion.

You might find that your type of pool and typical debris pattern will mean a different brand/model/style could be better for you, though.

There are a ton of variables, however. I assume this is an in-ground concrete pool? For in-ground concrete, the Polaris 380 is the Cadillac of pool cleaners. It works with vinyl and fiberglass pools too.

The Polaris runs off its own booster pump, not your main system pump. This is good for a lot of reasons - but mostly because it always has a motor working for the sole purpose of cleaning. It's also pressure based, not a robot, which basically means their are less moving parts. If I remember correctly, the Polaris only has one moving part to break.

Go to your local pool store (avoid Leslie's, IMO) and let a pool guy figure out what's best for you.
posted by nitsuj at 2:39 PM on May 31, 2005

thanks for the resopnse nitsuj. I went to Leslies and the told me that pressure cleaners don't work as well as suction in my area. Is this due to the pressure in my fresh water line? I was mostly looking at the robotic because it climbed the walls and scrubbed as well. Looks like the Polaris does too.
posted by toomuch at 3:01 PM on May 31, 2005

No problem. There a lot of local variables that you should consider before purchasing. I'd get several second opinions if I were you. I have personal experience repairing a ton of different types of pool cleaners, but always enjoyed working on the Polaris the most. My Dad has a Polaris 380 and never does much with it, aside from replacing the wheels and basket occasionally, and it keeps the pool really nice. He's older, and doesn't like to do a lot of work on it, and it's been great for him. Keep in mind, though: there might be a better cleaner for your specific pool and debris.

Also, ask Leslie's if they'll let you take a demo and try it out. Cleaners are typically a retail store's biggest sale (aside from things like heaters, which never sold well where I was at). The store I worked at had several old Polaris' and Kreepys laying around for customers to take home and try out.

And if I remember correctly... there used to be a Polaris model that didn't require a booster pump - it ran off the existing one.

I haven't been a pool guy for about 5 years - and I'm just now remembering just how much information there is out there about pool cleaners. I feel like I could type for hours about them. Your best bet is to talk to a local guy you trust.
posted by nitsuj at 3:14 PM on May 31, 2005

I would wait a few months; a guy at work tells me that the Upcoming Polaris 400 will accept a hacked firmware, which in turn will enable you to load a modified version of embedded Debian. Indeed!
posted by neilkod at 7:23 PM on May 31, 2005

I'm not a pool guy, but I've been a pool owner for about 10 years or so.

I can't speak for the 380, but I've had two Polaris 360s in that time, and I've never been pleased with how well they've worked. Part of that is that the 360s are tied to the pressure from the main pump, and it varies too much depending on how recently the filter was backwashed, etc., but part of it has just been the constant replacement of parts and the way it cleans.

I finally trashed my last one and went with a Dolphin (it's the next model up from the one you linked, which supposedly works better on odd-shaped pools like mine, but I suspect the difference is minimal).

I couldn't be happier. It does an excellent job, cleans much faster than the Polaris with much less fuss, and gets areas that the Polaris never came close to.

I wish I'd have done this to begin with rather than mess with either Polaris.

The only downside is the bag is a bit more of pain to clean, but that's not that big of a deal.

After doing a little scouting online, I decided to order mine (new) from one of the dealers on EBay -- several other sites said they'd done the same with no problem, and the dealer had a 100% positive feedback rating. There is no installation with this, and the difference in cost between EBay and Leslie's is immense. It arrived in five days, no trouble and as advertised.

One note, mine has the remote, which added a bit of expense -- it works, but I'm not sure it's worth the expense; had I to do it over, I'd have gone with the cheaper one.

Anyway, just my $0.02.
posted by nonliteral at 8:12 PM on May 31, 2005

One last note -- mine is an inground concrete (gunite) pool, with formed-in steps and benches (which it gets on and cleans).

I can't say how well the Dolphin might work on another type of pool, or one with metal steps/ladders vs. formed in steps.

One of the things I do like about it is that it does scrub right up to the waterline, and even cleans the tile at the waterline a bit.
posted by nonliteral at 8:16 PM on May 31, 2005