10 Best Suction Pool Cleaners 2025 in the United States

The Polaris Vac-Sweep 280 is designed for in-ground pools of various shapes and surfaces, including vinyl, fiberglass, gunite, pebble, and tile. It is powered by a separate booster pump, which helps it clean your pool efficiently, typically finishing in about 3 hours. The 31-foot hose provides good reach for medium to larger pools, allowing the cleaner to navigate well across the floor and walls. Its dual venturi jets create strong suction, making it effective at picking up both small and large debris like leaves, acorns, and pebbles, which many suction cleaners struggle with.

The cleaner features a single-chamber filter bag that captures debris neatly, reducing the need for frequent manual cleaning. While it offers thorough coverage and solid cleaning power, it requires a dedicated booster pump for operation, which could mean extra cost and installation effort compared to cleaners that work off your pool’s existing pump. Also, professional installation is recommended, so it’s best suited for pool owners comfortable with some setup requirements.

Weighing just over 6 pounds, it’s relatively lightweight and easy to handle during maintenance. The Vac-Sweep 280 represents a strong choice for reliable, efficient pool cleaning with good debris handling, especially for medium to large in-ground pools, for those who don’t mind the extra pump setup.

The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi Automatic Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner is designed for in-ground pools up to 50 feet in length, making it suitable for medium to large-sized pools. One of its standout features is the Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to schedule cleanings remotely, which adds a layer of convenience to your pool maintenance routine. The wall-climbing scrubber brush ensures that the cleaner can navigate and scrub all surfaces of the pool effectively, including walls, making for comprehensive coverage and cleaning power.

The plug-and-play efficiency is another strong point, as it simplifies the setup process; you just need to plug it in, drop it into the pool, and start it up for a spotless pool in about 2 hours. Additionally, the easy filter care system allows for straightforward debris handling, as you can easily remove and clean the filter basket to keep your pool water clear.

However, it is worth noting that the cleaner weighs 35.4 pounds, which might be a bit cumbersome for some users when handling it. Furthermore, while the unit is praised for its efficiency and durability, some customers have pointed out issues with its navigation system occasionally missing spots. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus offers dependable performance and ease of use, making it a solid choice for those looking for an automated solution to maintaining a clean pool.

The Dolphin E10 Automatic Robotic Pool Vacuum is designed primarily for above-ground pools up to 30 feet, making it a good choice for small to medium-sized pools. Its active scrubbing brush helps remove dirt effectively without damaging pool surfaces, providing a thorough clean without extra manual work. The top-load filter basket is easy to access and clean, simplifying debris removal to help keep pool water clear.

Navigation is smart and efficient; the robot scans your pool to follow the best cleaning path, ensuring good coverage even in oddly-shaped pools. The cleaning cycle lasts about 1.5 hours, which suits pools of its supported size, although it might be slower compared to some other models. Weighing just over 6.6 kilograms, it is lightweight and easy to handle.

Highly rated by users and backed by a reputable brand with over 40 years of experience in pool cleaning, this model is best suited for smaller above-ground pools rather than large in-ground ones. For those seeking a simple, plug-and-play device that offers reliable cleaning without complex setup, the Dolphin E10 is a strong contender, though longer operation times or coverage for bigger pools may require considering other options.