Which is the best pool cleaner? Suction, robotic, and battery pool cleaners

When you’re trying to figure out: “what sort of pool cleaner should I buy (robotic v battery v suction)?”, the options can be overwhelming.

While robotic and battery operated cleaners get a lot of attention, there is also a lot to love about fully automatic suction pool cleaners.

Let’s break down the three main types of pool cleaners for the average homeowner to help you buy the perfect pool cleaner for you.

Suction pool cleaners

Suction cleaners are the only fully automatic cleaner. They connect directly to your pool’s skimmer or a dedicated suction line and are powered by your existing pool pump. This creates suction, which allows them to vacuum debris and move across the pool floor.

Why choose a suction pool cleaner?

• Value and affordability: Suction cleaners are affordable to purchase, making them accessible to almost every budget. Unlike a robotic, which can cost four to five times as much, a suction cleaner is a minimal initial investment.
  
• Superior filtration and proper circulation: Suction pool cleaners actively circulate all the water in your pool through your specially designed main pump and filter system. This ensures a larger volume of water is constantly filtered and treated, significantly contributing to overall pool hygiene and reducing dead spots.
  
• No fuss operation: There’s no programming, no apps and no electrical connection needed. It sends all the leaves and debris to your skimmer basket which means you don’t need to retrieve the pool cleaner to empty it.
  
• Light lift/less effort: Whereas a water-logged robot can weigh up to 10kgs, a suction cleaner will typically weigh less than 1kg and good ones can be left in the pool 365 days a year. You would only need to remove it if shocking your pool.
  
• Always swim-ready: You can leave a suction pool cleaner to operate 24/7. It will run whenever your pool pump is operating. This means your pool is always swim-ready.

The drawback:

• Connecting the hose to the pool cleaner and the skimmer basket requires some initial set up.
  

Robotic pool cleaners

Robot cleaners operate independently to your pool pump, using electricity to power their own motors and internal filtration.

Why choose a robotic pool cleaner?

• Plug-and-play convenience: Robotic cleaners require no installation—just plug in the power supply, drop the unit into the water, and press start.
  
• Smart scheduling: Many modern robots feature programmable weekly timers or smartphone app connectivity, allowing you to schedule cleanings remotely.

The drawback

• They have the highest upfront price and are by far the heaviest to lift out of the pool. You also need to empty its basket regularly. A robotic pool cleaner requires an electricity supply.
  
• You aren’t using that specially designed pool pump, filtration and sanitation system to properly clean and sanitise your pool’s water.

Battery-powered pool cleaners

While all robot cleaners offer great convenience, the cordless robotic pool cleaner takes automation and ease-of-use to the next level. It eliminates the single biggest hassle associated with traditional robotic models—the cord.

• Zero cord management or tangles: This is the primary and most compelling advantage. You completely eliminate the need to deal with a long, heavy, and often tangled floating cable that can interfere with swimming, look messy, and require manual unwinding after every use.
  
• True drop-and-go operation: Cordless models don’t need to be plugged into a power source near the pool, meaning you simply drop the charged unit into the water and it starts cleaning.
  
• Safer pool deck: Removing the floating cord eliminates a major trip hazard around your pool deck.

The drawback

• They are not a set-and-forget solution for an entire pool. They need constant recharging and can’t provide the daily, autonomous cleaning required for general maintenance. A small basket means they can only collect a small amount of dirt and debris before they need to be emptied making them unsuitable for pools with heavier leaf and dirt matter. And your pool may not be swim ready when a pool party happens spontaneously!
  

Pool cleaner comparison:

Feature	Suction cleaner	Robotic cleaner	Battery cleaner
Upfront cost	Lowest	Highest	Medium
Weight	Light	Heavy	Light
Pool water hygiene	Full water circulation and proper utilisation of your pool’s filtration and sanitation equipment.	Adjacent water filtration only	Adjacent water filtration only
Power source	Nil* Automatic. Powered by pool pump	Electrical	Battery
Leaf and debris basket storage	Large	Medium	Small

For the average pool owner who wants a reliable, effective cleaner without the high initial expense, the suction pool cleaner offers the best bang for your buck. It’s the smart, economical choice that ensures a clean pool without breaking the bank.