Let’s face it, the worst part of owning a pool is dragging out the manual vacuum when leaves, bugs and rocks collect on the bottom. The good news? Robotic cleaners are smarter, more reliable and more affordable than ever. So keep reading because CNET is diving in to find the best robot vacuums and pool cleaners for 2025.
Ask just about any pool owner (myself included), and they’ll tell you a robot cleaner is as essential as the water itself. We put over a dozen robotic pool vacuums to the test — corded, cordless, big, small, and everything in between — to help you find the perfect model to keep your pool sparkling with minimal effort.
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What is the best overall robot pool vacuum?
Dolphin’s $799 Nautilus CC Plus is the best robot pool cleaner for most people. The Dolphin quickly picks up rocks, gravel, sand, bugs and leaves. After every 2-hour session we ran with it, it left a spotless pool and never got tangled or flipped. It also costs under $800, which is less than similar corded robots in its performance class, including other Dolphin models. Though most people opt for a corded model for good reasons, a cordless pool robot may be a better fit for others. The best cordless robot pool cleaner was Aiper’s Scuba S1 Pro. After weeks of testing and analyzing the suction power, filtration, battery life and ease of use of 14 models, we give you the five best pool robots to buy in 2025 — both corded and cordless.
Just a few of the robot pool cleaners we evaluated for this list.
David Watsky/CNETPros
- Cleaned pool floor and walls efficiently
- Anti-tangle device keeps cord from knotting up
- Great value for the performance
- No concern about recharging or battery losing steam over time
Cons
- Track treads occasionally slipped off
- Doesn’t clean waterline
Why I like it:
A corded robot vacuum is the safest, most reliable type, since there’s no worry about the battery losing oomph over time. For that reason, coupled with its nearly flawless performance, Dolphin’s Nautilus CC takes the top spot for its ability to thoroughly clean a really messy pool in under 2 hours. It’s simple to operate, with a schedule setting, and the anti-tangle cord design with attached buoys worked just as promised.
In several tests we ran with the Nautilus CC, it sucked up every single leaf and piece of gravel in the 25,000-gallon kidney-shaped test pool.
Who is it for?
With exceptional cleaning power, easy app control to trigger cleaning cycles, and a manageable price, this robot vacuum is a good pick for in-ground pools of any size.
Though the Nautilus struggled at times to clean stairs without toppling back down and didn’t cover every section of the wall, it did as well as most of the other robots, and those deficiencies weren’t enough to keep it out of the top spot.
Who shouldn’t get it?
At almost 35 pounds, it’s one of the heaviest pool robots we tested, so people without the ability to lift heavy objects should opt for a lighter robot. Because of the weight, it’s also not the best option for cleaning an above-ground pool without a deck, since it could be difficult to lift.
Pros
- Exceptional suction power
- Simple app control
- Cleaned our pool faster than other robots in this price range
- Long run time for a cordless vac
Cons
- Heavy
- Doesn’t filter out superfine debris
Why I like it:
In a word: power. Of the cordless robots tested, Aiper’s Scuba S1 Pro cleaned house, sucking up every leaf and nearly all the gravel we placed in the pool. The Aiper was also fierce competition in the battle royale, where we pitted it against every other cordless robot to see which could pick up the most gravel. In that test, the Aiper sucked up nearly 40 pieces of gravel, only its more powerful cousin, the Aiper Scuba X1 Max, collected more.
The Aiper has a sharp look and sturdy build — none of the parts feel like they could break easily. The filter is easy to empty, clean and replace. The Aiper rarely got stuck or flipped over without being able to right itself. It also cleaned the pool evenly in most cycles.
Who is it for?
If you prefer an effective pool vacuum without a cord to trip you up, Aiper’s sturdy pool vacuum is the best cordless model to buy. The powerful vacuum has an excellent battery life among the best we tested. Only the $2,000-plus Beatbot AquaSense robots and the $2,300 Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max lasted longer. And if you want your pool really clean, not just sort of clean, Aiper’s nanofilters capture sand, dirt and grime in addition to larger pieces of debris.
Who shouldn’t get it?
At nearly 26 pounds, this is one of the heavier pool robots. You’ll need strength to haul it out after each cleaning session, so we don’t recommend this model for people with certain physical limitations. It can also be tricky to lift out of an above-ground pool without a deck.
One thing to watch out for is debris spilling out the back as you pull the vacuum from the pool. This only happened when the robot was pulled slowly to the pool deck.
Pros
- Cleaned pool floor consistently
- Light and easy to empty
- Feels solidly built
- Cheaper than others with the same performance
Cons
- No option to set daily cleaning schedule
- It’s a little slow
- Doesn’t filter superfine particles
Why I like it:
For just $500, this corded robotic pool vacuum performed on par with more expensive models. Though it took longer to do the job than top-of-the-line robots, it didn’t leave behind many pieces of gravel or many leaves. Its cord also never tangled, and the robot stayed upright the entire time it ran.
Who is it for?
The E10 is also one of the lightest robots we tested, at 14 pounds. This makes it a perfect pick for people with above-ground pools who need to hoist the robot up and out without the leverage afforded by a pool deck. At $500, it’s a great value buy.
Who shouldn’t get it?
Folks with larger in-ground pools might find that this robot vacuum takes longer to clean a messy pool than others on the list. It cleans only floors, and won’t clean walls or stairs, so don’t get this model if you need coverage in those places.
Pros
- Good suction power and cleaning proficiency
- Lightweight and easy to use
- Quick charge time
- Great value
Cons
- Occasionally flipped over or got stuck in spots
- Wall cleaning was mediocre
What I like:
The Niyar Sonar performed particularly well considering its moderate price for a cordless robot. It sucked up almost all the leaves we dropped in the pool and about 80% of the gravel.
I liked the look of this robot, and it charged faster than other models in the test group. The basket, which sat snugly in the robot’s body, was easy to empty and clean.
Niya is an offshoot of Maytronics, the company that makes the Dolphin line, so you know design smarts are at work. A two-year warranty from Maytronics is also appreciated for peace of mind.
Who is it for?
The Niya boasted a long battery life, of well over 2 hours, and it left behind few leaves or pieces of gravel. It’s light, at just 19 pounds, so it’s a good pick for people without hulking strength.
Who shouldn’t get it?
If you’re hoping for premium performance, this budget-friendly model might come up short. It occasionally got stuck trying to climb stairs or in one of the rounded corners of our test pool, but not as frequently as other models in this price category. Another drawback is its mediocre performance on walls and at the waterline, but its ability to suck up everything on the floor more than makes up for it.
Pros
- Unmatched power
- Exceptional navigation and spatial awareness
- Beat every other model in pure suction performance
- Longest battery life of any cordless
- Solidly built
- Loads of in-app features to schedule cleanings and control modes
Cons
- Expensive
- Aiper is a newer company with less of a reputation to bank on
- Skimmer mode is just OK
What I like:
To call this a beast would be an understatement. The X1 Pro Max sucks in 8,500 gallons of water per hour, more than any other robot we tested, and it boasts double (!) the suction power of many of those ‘bots. It crushed the competition, picking up every leaf and piece of gravel in under an hour. It also had the second longest run time of any cordless robot, at just under 5 hours, though it does take longer to charge than others.
It was easy to operate and control from the app. It also features a surface skimmer mode to collect debris floating on the surface, something most cordless robots don’t have.
Who is it for?
If you want cordless pool cleaning without having to recharge to get the pool spotless, go for the X1 Pro Max. It can clean even large pools in one cycle, and its fine nanofilter will capture even the smallest debris.
Who shouldn’t get it?
The most powerful pool robot we tested is also the most expensive, so this isn’t a good pick for people seeking a budget buy. It’s also more power than you’ll need for smaller pools and above-ground pools.
Pros
- A self-docking cordless robot you won’t have to remove from the pool charge
- Cleaned efficiently despite the short battery life
- Won’t affect your electric bill
- There’s a backup cord charger for overcast days
Cons
- Expensive if you buy the solar dock
- It didn’t always connect to the app
- Short cleanings between charging
- Not good for saltwater pools
What I like:
This innovative robotic pool cleaner uses a solar charging dock on the pool’s side so it never has to be removed for charging. Cleaning sessions are managed through an easy-to-use app. When activated, the Wybot cleaned efficiently and quickly before redocking for more juice.
While the solar charging takes longer than electric charging and won’t work as well on cloudy days, there’s a backup electrical cord to recharge the lithium battery if needed.
Who is it for?
If you want the freedom of a cordless vacuum without having to manually charge the device after each use, Wybot’s S2 with solar dock is a good pick. It’s also the most eco-friendly model we tested, requiring no electricity to charge as long as there’s enough sun.
Who shouldn’t get this?
People with a saltwater pool. Because this robot is designed to live in the pool and charge underwater, it’s not recommended for use in saltwater pools, which can corrode the robot if it’s left in the water without regular rinsing in fresh H2O.
A word of warning:
The first several times we used the Wybot, it responded to the app command, released from its dock for a roughly 1-hour cleaning cycle, and then returned on its own and redocked for more charge. After a few cycles, the robot began having trouble syncing to the app, so I had to manually remove it from the dock and start the cleaning cycle using the on-robot buttons. Since then, it’s been hit or miss in responding to commands made from the app. It’s great when it works. When it doesn’t, it must be hoisted back into place in order to charge.
The Wybot with solar charging dock is a winning idea. But I’m a bit wary about how long it will hold up.
David Watsky/CNETWybot C1: This pool cleaner did OK in tests, and it’s priced attractively, but the Niya Sonar 30, produced by Maytronics, the clear industry leader in pool robots, seems like a safer budget buy.
Polaris Pixel: This small robot was the lightest we tested, at 2 pounds, and it performed well when put through its paces (though it did better with leaves than gravel.) It would be good pick for small and above-ground pools, but the $529 price is high for such a compact robot.
Polaris Freedom: This cordless robot had good suction performance, but it also had noticeable glitches. Several times it turned off during a cleaning cycle, and before the battery had run out.
Dolphin Liberty Cordless: Dolphin’s corded pool cleaners are top of class, but this cordless model is well behind competitors such as Aiper, Polaris and Beatbot. This pool cleaner’s suction was just mediocre, and its cleaning was inconsistent, as it missed several pieces of debris during our tests.
Dreame Z1: Though the Dreame is big on suction power, second only to Aiper’s Scuba X1 Pro Max, the navigation was a bit wonky. This is also one of Dreame’s first robot pool cleaners, so we can’t speak to the brand’s longevity. A one-year warranty (most have two- or three-year) only underscores that uncertainty.
Beatbot AquaSense Pro: This pricey cordless robot performed well in our tests and sported a long battery life, but Aiper’s models had markedly better suction.
Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro: At nearly $3,000, this robot pool cleaner just didn’t live up to its billing. There’s no shortage of features, and the battery life was great, but it took more than 5 hours to clean the floor and the wall. It also struggled to skim the surface for floating debris.
| Model | Type | Weight (lbs) | Suction rate (gallons per hour) | Run time on full charge | Time to charge (hrs) | Cleans | Warranty | Number of leaves picked up (out of 10) | Number of rocks picked up (out of 15) | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max | Cordless | 33 | 8,500 | 4 hrs, 35 mins | 4 | Floor, walls, waterline, surface | 2 years | 10 | 15 | $1,830 |
| Aiper Scuba S1 Pro | Cordless | 26 | 6,000 | 2 hrs, 51 mins | 3 to 4 | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 10 | 13 | $955 |
| Beatbot Aquasense Pro | Cordless | 27 | 5,500 | 3 hrs, 25 mins | 3.5 | Floor, walls, waterline | 3 years | 10 | 13 | $1,861 |
| Beatbot Aquasense 2 Pro | Cordless | 25 | 5,500 | 4 hrs, 30 mins | 4.5 | Floor, walls, waterline, surface | 3 years | 10 | 15 | $2,599 |
| Dolphin Nautilus CC | Corded | 15 | 4,000 | N/A | N/A | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 10 | 11 | $599 |
| Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus | Corded | 24.5 | 4,500 | N/A | N/A | Floor, walls | 2.5 years | 10 | 14 | $799 |
| Dolphin Liberty 200 | Cordless | 18 | 4,000 | 2 hrs, 23 mins | 6 | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 9 | 10 | $849 |
| Dolphin E10 | Corded | 14.5 | 4,000 | N/A | N/A | Floor only | 2 years | 10 | 12 | $499 |
| Dreame Z2 Pro | Cordless | 36 | 8,000 | 2 hrs, 36 mins | 4 | Floor, walls, waterline | 1 year | 9 | 11 | $1,099 |
| Niya Sonar 30 | Cordless | 19 | 3,592 | 1 hr, 53 mins | 2.5 | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 10 | 13 | $529 |
| Polaris Freedom | Cordless | 32 | 4,200 | 2 hrs | 4.5 | Floor, walls, waterline | 1 year | 10 | 13 | $1,399 |
| Polaris Pixel | Cordless | 2 | N/A | 1 hr, 41 mins | 3.5 | Floor only | 1 year | 8 | 6 | $599 |
| Wybot S2 Solar | Cordless/solar | 18 | 2,642 | 1 hr, 23 mins | 3 | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 10 | 9 | $1,800 |
| Wybot C1 | Cordless | 17.5 | 2,642 | 1 hr, 45 mins | 3 | Floor, walls, waterline | 2 years | 10 | 9 | $480 |
The tiny Polaris Pixel had difficulty staying upright when it encountered stairs and other obstacles.
PolarisWe ran several tests to evaluate each pool cleaner’s ability to remove gravel, sand and leaves. We also tested app function, sturdiness, general ease of use, and for cordless models, battery life.
We ran slightly different tests on cordless robot vacuums than we did on corded vacuums. For instance, with cordless vacuums, we wanted to see how much cleaning they could do in one cycle, since after one cycle, your robot cleaner needs to be charged again, which can take between 2 and 4 hours.
Corded pool vacuums don’t need charging, so we evaluated how much debris they could clean in 2 hours. However, that speed is slightly less critical with corded models, since even after the 2-hour cycle, your robot can continue to clean without stopping. For corded models, we also homed in on how easy they were to use, whether cords got tangled, and whether they were unable to pick up certain types of debris, such as larger rocks or fine sand.
Corded vacuums have distinct advantages over cordless, especially if you have a large pool that may take more than one battery cycle to clean.
David Watsky/CNETLeaves and gravel test
In the most important test for each pool robot, we dispersed 10 leaves and 15 rocks of varying size throughout a 25,000-gallon saltwater pool.
We used a drone to capture the pool before and after each robots did its thing.
David Watsky/CNETNext, we placed a single robot in the pool on full charge and ran it on a floor cycle until the battery died. Afterward, we pulled the robot from the pool and counted how many leaves and pieces of gravel it picked up and how much was left behind. We used the same leaves and pieces of gravel for every test.
Our top-performing robots cleared the pool of leaves and gravel in less than 2 hours.
David Watsky/CNETWe also timed how long the vacuum ran on a single charge, and we looked for any problems, including the robots getting stuck, flipping upside down or exhibiting erratic, redundant or inefficient cleaning patterns.
For corded pool robots, we ran the same test, cleaning only the floor, but we limited the cleaning time to 2 hours. After the 2 hours, we pulled the robots and counted how many leaves and gravel they picked up.
During the test, we also noted whether the robot got tangled in its cord, got stuck in certain parts of the pool or attempted to climb the walls or stairs unsuccessfully. We used a small drone to take before and after photos of the pool to see general cleanliness from a bird’s-eye view.
Robot pool cleaner test results
| Vacuum | Type | Run time on full charge | Number of leaves picked up (out of 10) | Number of rocks picked up (out of 15) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max | Cordless | 4 hrs, 35 mins | 10 | 15 |
| Aiper Scuba S1 Pro | Cordless | 2 hrs, 51 mins | 10 | 13 |
| Beatbot Aquasense Pro | Cordless | 3 hrs, 25 mins | 10 | 13 |
| Beatbot Aquasense 2 Pro | Cordless | 4 hrs, 30 mins | 10 | 13 |
| Dolphin Nautilus CC | Corded | N/A | 10 | 11 |
| Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus | Corded | N/A | 10 | 14 |
| Dolphin Liberty 200 | Cordless | 2 hrs, 23 mins | 9 | 10 |
| Dolphin E10 | Corded | N/A | 10 | 12 |
| Dreame Z1 Pro | Cordless | 2 hrs, 36 mins | 9 | 11 |
| Niya Sonar 30 | Cordless | 1 hr, 53 mins | 10 | 13 |
| Polaris Freedom | Cordless | 2 hrs | 10 | 13 |
| Polaris Pixel | Cordless | 1 hr, 41 mins | 8 | 6 |
| Wybot S2 Solar | Cordless/solar | 1 hr, 23 mins | 10 | 9 |
| Wybot C1 | Cordless | 1 hr, 45 mins | 10 | 9 |
In another test of suction power, we put all the fully charged cordless robots in a WrestleMania-style deathmatch, with more than 150 pieces of gravel. We noted which robots died first, and when the last robot was standing, we counted the gravel inside each basket to see which vacuum had the best haul.
We let all the cordless models battle it out in a pool robot battle royale.
David Watsky/CNETIn this test, the Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max won handily, picking up more than 70 pieces of gravel. The next closest, the Aiper Scuba S1 Pro, scooped up 35.
Both Aiper models excelled at picking up gravel from the test pool.
David Watsky/CNETCorded vs. cordless
Dolphin’s Nautilus CC Plus impressed us with its cleaning power, and the anti-tangle cord worked as advertised.
David Watsky/CNETThere are advantages to having a corded robot vacuum, most notably not having to worry about recharging the device or about the lithium battery losing steam over time. Corded pool robots are recommended for most pool owners, because they’re less prone to problems or to motor malfunctions. Corded robots also don’t need to be pulled from the pool and recharged after each use, unlike all the cordless models on our list, with the exception of the Wybot S2 with solar charging dock.
That said, cordless robots are ideal if your pool isn’t near an electrical power source. Running a long extension cord through the yard, in places prone to moisture, isn’t advisable long term.
Cordless vacuums performed just as well as corded ones. We’ve been testing some of these cordless models for two years and haven’t noticed a decrease in battery life.
Suction power and battery life
If you opt for a cordless model, consider the battery life and suction power along with the size of your pool. A larger pool demands a longer cleaning session, so it might be worth it to splurge on a pricier model with longer run time and more power. Power is measured in the gallons per hour, or gph, that the vacuum takes in. Lower-end models start at around 3,000 gph, with the best pool cleaners topping out at about 7,000 or 8,000 gph.
Filter type
Most robot pool cleaners will filter out the large debris, but the finer stuff requires a nanofilter.
David Watsky/CNETAll robotic pool cleaners should catch large debris such as gravel and leaves. To sift out finer debris and keep your pool water from getting cloudy, you’ll need a nanofilter. Your pool’s main pump and filter are meant to catch much of this finer stuff, but a powerful robot with a nanofilter will help.
Type of pool
The larger robotic pool vacuums we tested cleaned faster and had better suction than smaller models.
David Watsky/CNETThere are small pool robots designed for smaller above-ground and in-ground pools, and large robots made to handle up to 40,000-gallon pools on a single cleaning cycle. Depending on the size of your pool and the amount of debris that regularly ends up in it, choose a robot that can effectively and efficiently clean it in a single cleaning cycle. This is especially important to consider with cordless robots, since they’ll need to be charged between each use.
There are pool cleaners made specifically for above-ground pools. They’re typically smaller and less powerful, since they have less ground to cover. An above-ground pool cleaner should also be lighter, because it’s more difficult to remove from the pool after use.
Sides and stairs
Brushing the walls and stairs of your pool manually doesn’t require a ton of effort, so we didn’t weigh those cleaning modes as heavily as we did floor cleaning.
David Watsky/CNETAbout half the models we tested could clean the sides of the pool, and some even had modes to clean stairs. This is a nice feature to have, but brushing the debris on the steps or side of your pool down to the floor, where it can more easily be cleaned by the robot, typically takes no more than a few minutes. For that reason, we weighted the robot’s ability to clean sides and stairs less heavily than its ability to clean a pool floor.
If you don’t want to do even that small brushing chore before activating your robot, choose a model that has a side-cleaning mode.
Cost and value
Beatbot’s AquaSense line has premium features and long-running batteries, but with price tags to match.
David Watsky/CNETReliable pool robots start at around $500 and go up to about $2,000. We found that robots between $700 and $1,200 were perfectly acceptable for cleaning a 25,000-gallon pool. Choose a robot above $1,200, and you’re mostly paying for special features that aren’t necessarily worth it.
For cordless robots, the battery life was superior on more expensive models, but the cleaning performance was often similar to that of less expensive vacuums.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mischaracterized suction power. It’s measured in gallons per hour.
Most pool owners I spoke to agree: Whether you’re dealing with leaves, fine silt or grime, the right robot cleaner can save you hours of effort while keeping your water crystal clear. I myself have described a robotic pool vacuum as a game-changer, and many pool owners I’ve spoken to share the sentiment.
With proper care, robot pool cleaners can last five to seven years, though this can vary depending on the brand and model, how often you use it and how well you maintain it. In general, a corded robot vacuum will last longer than a cordless vacuum, since it doesn’t use lithium batteries, which tend to lose power over time.
Yes. Most companies will accept returns within 30 days, even if the pool cleaner has been used. Some charge a restocking fee for opened items, which can be as much as 50% of the original cost. Sometimes it pays to buy from a retailer you’re familiar with, such as Lowe’s, Leslie’s Pool Supplies or Amazon. Read the fine print before you buy if you think you may need to return the item.
Most robotic pool cleaners have a two-year warranty, but a few pricey models from premium brands such as Dolphin and Beatbot carry a three-year warranty. Others offer only a one-year warranty, which is a significant risk to the buyer.
- Rinse the robot and filters after every use.
- Avoid leaving it in the pool when it’s not cleaning, especially in a saltwater pool.
- Store it out of the sun and cold temperatures.
- Replace worn parts such as brushes or belts.
Most robot pool cleaners are designed for use in saltwater pools. Salt can corrode parts over time, so it’s recommended to rinse the robot thoroughly after each use.