Updated on Oct. 15, 2024
Swimming pools don't clean themselves, but a great pool vacuum can make cleaning a pool much easier and faster. Our editors tested and reviewed the best pool cleaners.
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What’s a pool vacuum, anyway? It’s an automatic, cordless pool cleaner that keeps your in-ground pool free of dirt and debris, which is essential for the health and safety of your family and for ensuring its longevity. However, to homeowners’ dismay, swimming pools are not self-cleaning.
Rafi Friedman, CEO of Coastal Luxury Outdoors, says, “While a good pool filter will get a lot of the stuff that falls into your pool, it can’t get all of it; some things will sink to the bottom. Vacuums are ideal for these things that the filters will miss and can also help prolong the life of your pool filter by keeping it from working too hard due to clogs.”
Fortunately, automatic or manual pool vacuums make the task of cleaning your pool much easier. You can spend a bundle on a high-tech model, stay old-school (and low-cost) with a handheld vacuum or find a happy medium with a mid-range model.
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We chose Hayward’s The PoolCleaner as our best overall pick for several reasons, not the least of which is its mid-range price, which puts it within reach of many pool owners.
Content Director Nicole Doster tested The PoolCleaner, which took her less than 10 minutes to assemble and set up. “This pool vacuum is perfect for pool floors and rounded corners,” Doster says. However, it’s not designed to climb steps or scale walls. The device attaches to your existing pool pump and filter and sucks debris into the skimmer. Programmed to turn every six to 10 feet, it’s recommended for pools up to 16 by 32 feet.
“This device is slow and steady,” Doster adds. “Give it a few days, and it will clean the whole pool—it’s quite thorough!”
We love The PoolCleaner for its straightforward, no-frills design. Operating requires little to no physical effort, and it’s affordable, reliable and efficient. Others agree with our testing, as it draws mostly five-star reviews on Amazon, including those from consumers who say their pool services recommended The PoolCleaner.
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Pool vacuums don’t come more budget-friendly than the PoolWhale, which we found on Amazon for under $30. The simple, manually operated device attaches to a garden hose (not included). The force of water creates a suction, pulling debris into a mesh bag.
“It’s best for smaller pools due to its small frame and lightweight design,” says Doster. “It can handle steps and tight corners but isn’t great for walls.”
While the PoolWhale is a great budget pick for small pools, especially those above ground that you put up and take down seasonally, there are a few drawbacks. The pole attachments are only five feet long, and the vacuum will only suck up debris, not scrub the pool surface.
“I found the pressure was so strong that it blew around finer debris without catching it, which can be frustrating,” Doster says. “For small pools, it’s minimal effort. It can be a workout for larger pools since it’s a manual cleaner.”
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The Pool Blaster Max HD handheld, cordless pool vacuum combines the ease of a hose- and cord-free model with as much potency as some robot cleaners. A powerful, fast-charging lithium battery provides added suction power when compared to other Pool Blaster models.
“This manual, handheld pool vacuum is a suction-type cleaner with impressive power,” says Doster. “It’s very versatile and suitable for any flat or curved surface, including steps and sides of pools. It worked on all pool surfaces.”
Its triangular head reaches into corners, and the scrub brush loosens debris. Though it requires some manual effort, our product tester, Nicole Doster, found it super easy to use. Plus, it’s powerful suction picked up small and large debris in one go.
As with other cordless models, it must be fully submerged when running. One drawback: It doesn’t come with a telescopic pole, though any one-inch-diameter pool pole will work.
This handheld vacuum was one of our absolute favorites during testing. “I highly recommend this cleaner for both large and small pools,” Doster says. “It’s a great investment for anyone looking for a reliable and powerful manual cleaner.”
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If you’re looking for a cordless option, the Aiper Cordless Robotic Cleaner is automatic and kicks in as soon as you place it into the pool. Plus, there’s no getting tangled up in hoses with this one, and assembly takes less than 10 minutes. It’s just a matter of attaching the wings and securing the filter.
“This pool cleaner is really easy to set up and start. It’s designed for pool floors and rounded corners,” says Doster. “It climbs up a few inches on walls but not any higher.
“The challenge is getting it out of the pool, especially if it’s at the far end when the battery dies,” she adds. “While you can adjust the angles for different pool layouts, it sometimes gets stuck.”
However, the cleaner requires minimal work apart from retrieving it from the pool and cleaning the filter. If you want a pool cleaner that’s hose-free, automatic, and has adjustable navigational features, then the Aiper Robotic Cleaner is one to consider.
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The Wybot Pool Cleaner is easy to use and even has a companion app that allows you to change the selected cleaning area of the pool. The app also lets you add multiple profiles, which can come in handy if you own or clean multiple pools.
“Users can select what surfaces they’d like cleaned (for example, floor only or walls and floors),” says product tester Allison Bean. “You can also select the pattern that the robot moves in.”
During testing, Bean found that the Wybot cleaned the pool thoroughly. However, it did have a little trouble cleaning some areas of the floor where the pool liner was bunched up. It also couldn’t fit behind the pool ladder.
The pool cleaner lasts about two hours when fully charged (it takes about two hours to charge). It also has an upgraded motor for enhanced suction, dual scrubbing brushes, a large filter basket and the ability to clean the pool drain without getting stuck.
“I haven’t run into an issue where the robot stops during cleaning due to a full basket,” Bean says. “The filter basket mesh is very fine, so it captures small debris and insects.”
While some users note frustration with the app, we still think this pool cleaner is a top pick. “It does a great job of cleaning the pool with little to no effort on the user’s part,” says Bean.
Check out Bean’s full review of the Wybot Pool Cleaner here.
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Dolphin is a marquee brand of robotic pool cleaners, and its products appear on the top of many best-of lists. The Nautilus CC Plus delivers exceptional vacuuming and cleaning while taking care of fine debris.
Our Deputy Shopping Editor, Reina Galhea, tested the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus in an eight-foot-deep pool, which is a standard depth for backyard in-ground pools. The pool cleaner’s cord is 60 feet long, so it is more than long enough to clean a standard pool. The cleaner weighs about 20 pounds but is heavier when filled with water. However, its handle makes it easy to grab and pick up out of the pool.
“Our favorite features on the Nautilus CC Plus are that it can navigate forward and backward and climb walls and steps to clean every corner of your pool,” says Galhea. “It’s outfitted with textured rollers to scrub grit from the pool floor and scale walls. It even cleans chlorine buildup on the surrounding tile!”
Dolphin vacuums come with their own power unit, for which the manufacturer recommends installation on a caddy (sold separately). The Nautilus Plus is programmable, but the filters (which catch a lot of gunk!) must be cleaned with a hose.
Check out Galhea’s full review of the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus here.
As you shop for the best pool vacuum for you, keep the following considerations in mind:
At Family Handyman, we’ve gathered a team of lawn and garden care experts. If it can be found in your backyard, we’ve explored it, including backyard pools. For this piece, we researched, sourced and tested the most popular pool vacuums on the market so we could tell you if they’re worth your money. We tested each pool cleaner on this list and determined which are best suited for your individual pool needs.
We sent the six best pool vacuums we could find to our expert editors, who also happen to be pool owners. They’re not only experts when it comes to product testing, but they’re also experts when it comes to home pools. They assembled each product on this list and tested it for months on end. No stone (or should I say floaty?) was left unturned. They ranked product packaging, assembly, cleaning coverage, ease of use, design and value to score each product before we recommended it.
Depending on the size of your pool, you’ll likely need to vacuum about once per week. If you notice a lot of debris before a week, we recommend vacuuming before the week mark.
You should vacuum your pool before shocking it to get rid of debris. Shocking your pool only gets rid of things like bacteria and algae (and not things like leaves and sticks).
According to Friedman, “The key to picking up algae is scrubbing the sides and bottom of the pool.” He suggests looking for a pool vacuum with rotating scrubbers in addition to a powerful vacuum if you want to tackle algae.
“Different models have different requirements, but anything cordless will need to come out of the pool to charge,” says Friedman. “I recommend removing a pool robot from the pool when it’s not in use, even if it says you can leave it in. Prolonged exposure to chlorinated water will wear out even highly resilient plastic.”
