About Automatic Pool Cleaners
5 things to know about Automatic Pool
Cleaners . . .
1. They aren’t cheap, so don’t cheap out.
Automatic pool cleaners are designed to save
you time, and as always, you get what you pay for. Buying an Aquabot or a Polaris is
going to be a somewhat significant investment for most people, but it
is a long-term investment. Buying the cheapest automatic cleaner you
think you can get away with is probably not going to be the best
decision in the long run. For instance, if you are interested in an
Aquabot, consider the version with the remote control. Basically, go
for the nicest model you can afford.
2.
Replacement parts aren’t cheap either.
Regardless
of manufacturer or design, replacement parts are not going to be cheap.
It might be best to think of an automatic pool cleaner as a little car.
Careful attention and treatment will go a long way towards preventing
expensive repair bills. On the other hand, if you let the poor machine
fend for itself, you’ll be spending some time (and money) having your
cleaner fixed.
3.
You get to choose between electric and pneumatic cleaners
For
most people, this is going to be an easy decision. If your pool is
plumbed for a pneumatic (water-powered) cleaning device, then a Polaris 280
or similar cleaner would be a viable option for you. If your pool is
not plumbed for such a cleaner, then you’re really left with electric
cleaners (and cheaper pneumatic cleaners).
Electronic
cleaners are generally going to provide a superior cleaning. The
pneumatic cleaners simply can’t operate the kind of scrubbers, suction
and filtration that an Aquabot can. However, electronic cleaners
require a little more attention when cleaning the pool than a Polaris
would. For instance, we have a Polaris 280 in our pool, and it is set
up with a timer so that it runs automatically for 2-3 hours every day.
We only have to empty the bag out occasionally. If we had an Aquabot,
we would have to manually put it in the pool once a week or so and,
depending on the model, either check on it every so often or use a
remote to clean the pool.
It’s all better than vacuuming/sweeping
manually, though.
4.
Almost all pool cleaners have quirks.
For
the most part, pool cleaners will operate randomly. When cleaners run
randomly like this, they are going to occasionally do quirky things
like catching on their own cord. They will get caught in the corners.
They will sometimes get caught by a ladder. I don’t think the perfect
cleaner has been designed yet, so, for now, it’s just the way they are.
5.
You will still have to do some work.
We
all wish that an automatic pool cleaner would automatically clean the
whole pool, but you’ll still have to go to a little, although far less,
effort. If you have a pneumatic cleaner, you should still brush the
walls every so often, and the steps, too. If you have an Aquabot (or a
cleaner that climbs the walls), you should still brush the steps. Also,
you’ll have to move the cleaner in and out of the pool.
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