To keep your pool looking its best, you should vacuum it at least once a week, and to keep the water free of bacteria and safe for swimming, you need to maintain the correct water chemistry. Fortunately, smart home devices can help you with both tasks. At PCMag, we’ve been reviewing robot pool cleaners and pool water monitors for the better part of a decade, and we put every device below through its paces in our own pools at home. Polaris models dominate this list of the best robot pool cleaners, while the WaterGuru Sense is our favorite pool water monitor because it accurately tracks chlorine and pH levels and lets you know when you need to add chemicals and how much to add. Check out all of our recommendations below, and be sure to read our individual review of each model you’re considering.
Polaris Freedom Plus Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner (Credit: John R. Delaney)
Every pool has a filter that removes surface debris and uses either sand, diatomaceous earth, or some other agent to filter out fine particles and return clean water. But most filters don’t deal with the bugs, leaves, dirt, and other debris that collect on the floor and walls of your pool. To clean those parts of the pool, you need to vacuum them. Unfortunately, that process could take several hours each week depending on the size of your pool. If that sounds all too familiar, consider a robot pool cleaner. Robot pool cleaners are available for every kind of pool and many are specifically designed for certain types so it’s important to check the specs before you buy. For example, you don’t want to buy a cleaner designed for above-ground pools if you have an in-ground one, and vice versa. When it comes to in-ground pools, make sure you choose a cleaner built to handle your pool’s construction material. Some cleaners are ideal for granite or plaster pools, while others are specifically made for ones with vinyl liners. Additionally, verify that the cleaner can handle the size and volume of your pool. The two most popular types of automatic pool cleaners are robotic cleaners and pressure cleaners. We only test robotic pool cleaners because they offer more smart features than those in the latter category and are simpler to set up and use. Both types do a good job of keeping your pool clean, but pressure washers rely on your pool’s filter pump (or in some cases an additional booster pump) to provide power, whereas robotic cleaners use electricity. Pressure washers don’t require any electrical power and, as such, lack Bluetooth and Wi-Fi radios for connecting to a companion app. Robot pool cleaners, on the other hand, are self-contained and work independently of your pool’s pump. They use motorized wheels or rollers and rubber brushes to traverse the pool floor and scrub the walls and waterline, picking up debris along the way. They collect debris in an onboard filter canister and return clean filtered water to the pool. What to Look for in a Robot Pool CleanerSmart robot pool cleaners typically consist of the actual robot, a head unit that controls everything, and a long waterproof data cord that connects the robot to the head unit. The head unit lets you program the cleaner to run at specific times of the day and days of the week, plus usually offers multiple cleaning options, such as floor and walls or floor, walls, and waterline. A cleaner that scrubs the waterline can greatly reduce or eliminate the time it takes to brush your pool’s sides. Some cleaners come with a caddy that holds the head unit and stores the robot and data cord, but, in some cases, you have to pay extra for this option. Either way, a caddy makes it much easier to move and store the cleaner, which can weigh anywhere from 10 to 25 pounds.
Polaris Freedom Plus app (Credit: Polaris/PCMag)
The best smart pool cleaners equip Bluetooth or Wi-Fi radios. A Wi-Fi radio connects the robot to your home network and lets you control the device from anywhere through a mobile app, while Bluetooth enables local control. Look for a model with an app that lets you stop and start the cleaner, steer it to dirty areas for quick spot cleaning, change cleaning modes, and create cleaning schedules. One of the most important features of any pool cleaner is the debris canister. Some models come with a canister that uses a cloth filter to catch debris, while others use a fine mesh screen for filtering. Cloth filters capture fine particles, but you have to remove the cloth and clean it, which can be messy. Mesh canisters are easier to clean because you can simply spray them down with a hose. Keep in mind that the cleaner not only picks up dirt and leaves, but also any dead bugs and funky debris that comes to rest at the bottom of your pool. Look for a cleaner with an easy-to-remove canister that you can empty and clean without touching any of the nasty stuff inside. Advanced cleaners integrate mapping technology that allows them to learn your pool’s dimensions and contours to calculate a precise custom cleaning cycle, a button that sends the cleaner to the side of the pool and expels excess water for easy removal, and water temperature reporting.Are Robot Pool Cleaners Worth It?Robotic pool cleaners aren’t cheap and, as always, you should expect to pay more for premium features. You can get a no-frills robot that cleans the floor of 28-to-32-foot pools for around $500, but don’t expect Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or a mobile app at this price; you likely also have to pay extra for a caddy with these models. Midrange robotic cleaners that scrub the walls and waterline cost around $800 and likely include Wi-Fi and a mobile app. If you want a top-of-the-line robot with all the bells and whistles, prepare to pay $1,300 or more.
Sutro Smart Pool Water Monitor (Credit: Sutro)
Keeping your pool free of debris is important, but you also need to balance the water chemistry correctly for it to be safe for swimming. The two most important readings are your sanitizer (free chlorine) and pH (acidity) levels. In most cases, the pool water should have a free chlorine level between 2 and 4ppm and a pH level between 7.2 and 7.8 (on a scale of 0-14). If your pH level is too low, it can lead to cloudy water and result in itchy skin and burning eyes. If it’s too high, it can cause skin and eye irritation as well as damage plumbing components. Moreover, a balanced pH is necessary for the sanitizer to do its job effectively. There are several ways to check your water’s chemistry including test strips, drops, and bringing a sample to your local pool supply store for analysis. You can also find digital measurement devices that tell you all you need to know about your water, but they tend to be expensive. If you would prefer not to physically test the water with a kit and don’t have time to wait in line at the pool store, consider a smart water monitor with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi that takes daily measurements and sends the results to your phone. Most can measure your pool’s pH and sanitizer levels, while some also determine hardness (calcium), TDS (total dissolved solids), and alkalinity levels. A few monitors advise you as to how much of each chemical you need to balance your pool water and offer online shopping links for pool chemicals via a mobile app. For all the details on what features a monitor offers, check out our in-depth reviews of each one.
