How to choose a pool robot

The 6 pool robots I track, side by side

US market only: prices in US dollars on each maker’s own US store, before tax. One row per version sold, so each price sits beside that version’s own figures; each robot I track has one price on its maker’s store today. Every figure is the maker’s; “Not stated” means the maker doesn’t say on the pages I read. In price order, not ranked.

Step 1: Check that the maker names your pool: type, finish and salt

Check first that the maker names your kind of pool. Of the 6 pool robots I track, 3 list both above-ground and in-ground pools, their makers say; Aiper Scuba X1 and Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus list in-ground pools without mentioning above-ground ones; MOVA Rover X10 doesn’t state a pool type.

For a salt pool, look for a maker that states saltwater use and a salt limit: 3 of the 6 do (below 5,000 ppm), 3 don’t say either way, and none says not to. 3 of the 6 list the pool finishes they work on; 3 don’t.

How to use it: rule a robot out only if its maker says it doesn’t suit your pool. Where the maker doesn’t mention your kind of pool or finish, that’s unconfirmed, not a no: ask the maker before buying. For a salt system, check the salt limit the maker gives against your pool’s salt level. What ppm means

Step 2: Compare your pool’s size with the maker’s figure

Compare your pool with the maker’s own size figure, and note what that figure measures. Of the 6 pool robots I track, 5 state a largest pool size, as floor area, cleaning coverage or pool length, which aren’t the same thing; MOVA Rover X10 doesn’t state one.

How to use it: measure your pool’s length and width. Length times width gives the floor area in square feet (1 m² is about 10.8 sq ft). Compare area with area and length with length. A “cleaning coverage” figure isn’t the same as a floor area, so ask the maker how it’s measured. Rule a robot out if your pool is bigger than its maker’s figure for the same measure.

Step 3: Match what it cleans to the job you need done

Check the waterline separately from the floor and walls. Of the 6 pool robots I track, Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus lists the floor and walls, and the other 5 also list the waterline, their makers say; Beatbot Sora 70 and MOVA Rover X10 also list the water surface. These are the makers’ lists of what a robot reaches, not test results.

How to use it: if the line where the water meets the tile is what you scrub most, look for the waterline in the maker’s list; walls alone don’t mean the waterline. If leaves sit on the water, look for the water surface.

Step 4: Choose a battery or a cord, then compare like with like

Decide between a battery and a cord first, then compare like with like. Of the 6 pool robots I track, 5 run on battery and Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus plugs in, their makers say. Battery runtimes are each maker’s own claim, in its own mode, from 3 h in Eco mode (Wybot C2) to up to 6 h on the floor (MOVA Rover X10). Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus states “2 h cycle”: a cleaning cycle, not a battery runtime.

How to use it: a battery robot needs charging between cleans, so check that its runtime, in the mode you’d use, covers your pool. Don’t compare a battery runtime with a corded robot’s cleaning cycle. A corded one runs off a power supply at the pool’s edge, so check its manual for where the outlet and supply must go. Cordless and corded

Step 5: Check for a paid plan, then the price and warranty

Check whether a paid plan is needed, and read the warranty terms. Of the 6 pool robots I track, Aiper Scuba X1’s maker says no subscription is needed. For the other 5, I didn’t find a paid plan mentioned on the maker’s pages I read (Nov 3, 2026), which isn’t the same as the maker saying there’s none. Each warranty is the maker’s own wording; read its terms for what’s covered.

Below: the price on each maker’s own US store in US dollars, before tax. Not counted: tax, a caddy, a charging dock, filters and other parts. In price order, not ranked.

Step 6: Read the safety rules and the recall check

Read the manual’s safety section before the first clean. Of the 6 pool robots I track, I found a user manual on the maker’s own site for 3 (Wybot C2, Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus and MOVA Rover X10), and each warns against people in the pool while the robot is in it. One line from each is below, in the maker’s words. For the other 3 (Beatbot AquaSense 2, Aiper Scuba X1 and Beatbot Sora 70) I didn’t find a user manual on the maker’s pages I checked (Nov 12, 2026), so there’s no quote: read the one in the box.

Before you buy: what the makers don’t say

Ask the maker or seller about these before you buy. For each of the 6 pool robots I track, these are the things this guide covers that its maker doesn’t state on the pages I read. “Not stated” isn’t a no: it means I didn’t find it.