The desire to buy a cheap automatic pool cleaner for your residential swimming pool seems like a reasonable idea in these difficult economic times. However, you might run the risk of struggling with a poor-quality pool cleaner that provides a substandard cleaning performance. What you need is a cheap, but good, automatic pool cleaner.
Introduction
You want to buy a dirt cheap automatic pool cleaner to save money, but you do not want a shoddy pool cleaner that just sits on the bottom while the dirt multiplies around it. You need an affordable automatic pool cleaner that can keep an above ground or inground swimming pool mostly clean. My cheap automatic pool cleaner buying guide attempts to find the best inexpensive suction, pressure and robotic pool cleaners that can be bought at a bargain price.
Why would you buy an inexpensive pool cleaner?
The most obvious answer is to save money. You could pay a lot of money for an expensive automatic pool cleaner that might last for a year or two before it becomes too costly to repair and maintain. However, you might also buy a low-cost pool cleaner and save money on maintenance and parts. Even so, you will still need to sweep the stairs and the corners whether or not you buy an expensive pool robot or an inexpensive pool vacuum cleaner.
The cheapest automatic pool cleaners are usually suction-side models. It is easy to find low-priced generic imitations of the very popular Kreepy Krauly pool vacuum cleaners. However, finding inexpensive imitations of pressure-side or robotic pool cleaners is like trying to convince a cat it wants to go swimming.
In brief, I might consider buying a cheap automatic pool cleaner. In light of that, I think it is time to look at a few of these dirt cheap automatic pool cleaners in more detail.
Cheap Automatic Above Ground Pool Cleaners
Let us start with the quirky, but moderately priced, Hayward Aquabug above ground pool cleaner. It is a suction-side pool cleaner that relies on the swimming pool’s pump and filtration system for its continuous operation. The Aquabug is only able to vacuum the floor of above ground swimming pools. You may read my Hayward Aquabug review to find out if you want that pool cleaning bug.
There is probably only one suggestion when it comes to low-priced pressure-side above ground pool cleaners: it is the Polaris Vac-Sweep 65. It can clean above ground swimming pools that are no more than five feet deep. The swimming pool pump provides all the pressure that this automatic pool cleaner needs to collect large debris such as pebbles and leaves into its attached filter bag. You may learn more about it by reading my Polaris Vac-Sweep 65 review.
How about a reasonably priced above ground pool robot? The only example I can think of is the Aquabot Pool Rover. In particular, there are more than one model that you might consider getting: the Pool Rover S2-40i, the Pool Rover Hybrid and the Pool Rover Junior. These above ground robotic pool cleaners are actually very similar when it comes to price, features and performance. However, there is some concern over whether you will find an online retailer that still has it in stock. Regardless, you might read my review of the Aquabot Pool Rover S2-40i to see what it is all about.
Cheap Inground Pool Vacuum Cleaners
The cheapest inground pool vacuum cleaners are usually generic versions based on the Kreepy Krauly suction pool cleaner design. They are a dime a dozen. For example, XtremepowerUS makes a generic suction-side pool cleaner that is a popular alternative to the original Kreepy Krauly cleaners. Let us consider the basic features of the XtremepowerUS suction pool cleaner vacuum:
- Cheap setup: works without booster pump and without electrical outlet.
- Designed for cleaning inground pools up to a 30 feet size.
- Easy installation: no tools are needed.
- It cleans the floor and walls, but does not clean the stairs.
- Minimum requirements: 1 HP, 1600 GPH swimming pool pump.
- Suction pool cleaner relies on the existing pump filtration system for operation.
- This pool cleaner vacuums away dirt and algae, but gets clogged by tree leaves.
Its operation is very simple: the pool filtration system provides the suction power that moves the flapper wedge that moves the pool cleaner head. The dirt that is sucked up by the pool cleaner ends up in the pool filter. For that reason, you need to clean the pool filters more often.
The flapper is the only moving part that needs regular maintenance. It is cheap to maintain. However, the disadvantage of the flapper is that it might get clogged by stick and stones. This will cause the suction pool cleaner to stop moving. You should inspect the flapper regularly and remove any debris that might cause a problem (or replace the flapper).
The XtremepowerUS suction pool cleaner does not remove large leaves and debris. You need to remove large debris with a pool leaf net before using this vacuum pool cleaner. This prevents large objects from blocking the inlet mouth of the pool cleaner head.
The pool cleaner head comes with hose sections, hose weights and a pressure regulator. It includes everything you need to connect it to the skimmer or a dedicated vacuum line. It also comes with the deflector wheel, which helps it to navigate around pool ladders.
I suspect that an XtremepowerUS generic vacuum pool cleaner might last only for a year or two before it breaks down completely. Buy cheap, buy twice. You might have to do some troubleshooting to keep it working, and replace the flapper every season. If you do not mind making adjustments and doing some tinkering, then you might consider buying the XtremepowerUS suction pool cleaner (click here for current pricing on Amazon).
Cheap Dolphin Robotic Pool Cleaners
If you were looking for a cheap Dolphin pool cleaner, then you might be barking up the wrong palm tree. Those pool robots cost a pretty penny. Nonetheless, we can still have a look at which Dolphin robotic pool cleaners have the smallest price tag.
The cheapest Dolphin robotic above ground pool cleaner that springs to mind is the Dolphin E10. This pool robot only has a 40-foot floating power cable and a 90-minute cleaning cycle: because of that, it cannot clean above ground swimming pools that are larger than 30 feet. Furthermore, do not expect a moderately priced robotic pool cleaner to have an anti-tangle swivel cable or Wi-Fi connectivity. Click here to read my Dolphin E10 review.
The cheapest Dolphin inground pool cleaner is probably the Nautilus CC. This performance class, internet-only model has a 50-foot floating cable that allows it to clean inground swimming pools up to a 33-foot size. Its cleaning coverage includes both the floor and walls, and it has a standard 2-hour cleaning cycle. I discussed the Nautilus CC model along with the other Nautilus pool robots in my review of the Dolphin Nautilus robotic pool cleaners.
Other online only Dolphin robotic pool cleaners in this performance class include the Escape (for above ground pools) and the Advantage (for inground pools).
Conclusion
The automatic pool cleaners I discussed are keenly priced, but they are not worthless. Let me end this cheap automatic pool cleaner guide with a brief summary.
The XtremepowerUS suction pool cleaner is a cheap but popular alternative to the more expensive Kreepy Krauly pool cleaners. Definitely worth considering if you have a large inground pool, but a small budget.
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 65 is the only inexpensive pressure-side pool cleaner for above ground pools that I have seen. If you are willing to pay more, then the Polaris Vac-Sweep 280 is probably the next choice.
The Aquabot Pool Rovers were the best option in terms of cheap robotic pool cleaners for above ground swimming pools. Too bad, these Aquabot pool robots are now getting harder and harder to find. You might have to consider buying a costly Dolphin robotic pool cleaner.
Thank you for reading my cheap automatic pool cleaner buying guide.