Pool Robot Cleaner - Best Value for Money

popcornready on 01/11/2025 - 10:04
Last edited 01/11/2025 - 13:14 by 1 other user

Hi everyone, I need to purchase a new pool cleaner robot

The pool is mid-size (around 8x4). I am thinking of trying the new brands on the market (Aiper or Wybot) but concerned it’s just junk with a heap of Facebook and Insta advertising. I am not too phased re: wired or cordless but probably prefer cordless as often the cord gets tangled and impacts on where the robot cleans. It needs to have a good filter (I.e. a dual filter) to capture finer particles in the pool

What is the best value for money at around $1000-$1200?

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  Jimothy Wongingtons on 01/11/2025 - 10:11

  I personally think corded is superior. Not relying on battery packs which inevitably will degrade for capacity and run time/ and or fail - and not forgetting to charge.

  In using a prowler 920 had it for quite a few years. There’s prob a better version now, I haven’t checked. Runs once a day most days.

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    popcornready on 01/11/2025 - 11:02

    I agree corded is best in most instances. I just find that the cable tangles and the stops the machine from going everywhere.

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      altomic on 01/11/2025 - 13:36

      if you detangle the cord, stretch it out and leave it in the sun , then it will be less "knotty"

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  pwnd on 01/11/2025 - 11:13

  I would definitely go corded. We have a corded Zodiac that is 5 years old and still going strong.
  Cable has very rarely tangled as it's pretty thick and sturdy. Occasionally do need to untangle before putting it in

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  BeijingBob on 01/11/2025 - 12:33

  +1

  I've been using aiper s1 pro for about a year. It worked well in my 7.5x3m pool, in a leafy environment. Battery hasn't been a problem. Im happy with its overall performance.

  Downside:
  When I did pool decking work, a large amount of dirt spilled into the pool. The machine struggled with picking up the dirt (but then I suppose this would be a challenging environment for many other machines).

  Also heard from a mate using a more advanced x1 model, the ultra-fine filter is too fine that it literally filtered everything thus making the cleaning of filter a headache.

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    popcornready on 01/11/2025 - 13:18

    Why did you chose the s1 over the x1?

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      BeijingBob on 01/11/2025 - 14:05

      Price. When I bought s1 pro last Nov, x1 was newly released and I think it was sitting at over $2k price point while s1 was only $1200.

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        popcornready on 02/11/2025 - 16:35

        Thanks. I will certainly consider Aiper

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  Stealtho on 01/11/2025 - 12:34

  $700 Wybot has lasted me a year so far, no issues. Had a cordered one sold it and went back to hand cleaning, was a pain, till I got the Wybot, easy as. 8 x 4m pool.

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    popcornready on 02/11/2025 - 16:35

    Maybe worth the gamble at a lower price than Aiper and others

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      Stealtho on 02/11/2025 - 16:40

      +1

      They go on sale on Amazon, can always return it if don’t like it.

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  Euphemistic on 01/11/2025 - 12:41

  We have a 'pool cleaner ii' sucfion cleaner. Lives in the pool except when swimming. Just wanders around cleaning the pool when the pump is on. Occasionally a large leaf or palm frond will stop it, but otherwise its pretty much mainenance free.

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  cashless on 01/11/2025 - 13:39

  I’m using Dolphin S100 on a similar size pool. Corded, but only single stage filter, which suits my place due to lot of surrounding trees.
  Have been running it twice a week for 3 years, hasn’t skipped a beat yet

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  TurboTortoise on 01/11/2025 - 14:58

  Have dolphin S100 as well. Had 12 months. works well. picks up lots of leaves. easy to clean filter basket. It replaced a Zodiac that lasted 5 years then died.

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  altomic on 01/11/2025 - 15:02

  i started with a creepy crawly
  moved to a zodiac mx8 because….it was very popular here. that worked well but a tree next to the pool kept dropping small twigs in the pool so I upgraded to a corded Robo Plus - Robotic Pool Cleaner.

  that was good but the cord irritated me.

  then a friend gave me a Zodiac Freerider FR2000 Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner.

  it was okay.

  my pool died whilst i was aay for a month.

  i emptied the pool, cleaned it, refilled it, and have cut down all the largest branches from the surrounding trees, and have gone back to the zodiac mx8 .

  i'm happy with that,

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  dbdave303 on 02/11/2025 - 08:31

  +1

  I’ve been getting barracudas from Bunnings
  They work well but not reliable at all
  They have a 2 year warranty, so far it’s broken down every time within the 2 year warranty - they replace, warranty resets, continue until it fails again.
  Sometimes I upgrade the model if the upgraded one is on special- been going for around 8 years this way. Staff know they have a high failure rate so don’t add any friction
  I currently have an adventurer

  I consider this extremely good value - kind of like swap and go gas bottles, but free exchange

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  djandymarc on 02/11/2025 - 11:16

  I have an Aiper scuba S1. In my pool its hit and miss but i think that due to the shape of the pool (its a pebblecrete kidney shaped pool). I certainly would not buy one at the advertised price. Got mine for like 500 bucks last year in the black friday sales.
  I also think the filtration is crap. If your pool is dirty the mesh of the basket clogs up too quick. So i put aquarium filter wool in mine which seems to improve things. If i had my time again i would buy a dolphin corded or something like that.

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    popcornready on 02/11/2025 - 16:34

    I was considering the X1, but probably worth waiting a week till BFCM sales start

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  ChickenK on 02/11/2025 - 19:43

  I bought a Dolphin S400 2 years ago. I know it’s not in your budget range but I do want to highlight I’ve been having major issues with it. Brought it back to fix 3 times and now I need to bring it back again. Everytime it gets fixed, a new problem occurs. I will never buy Maytronics again.