Dolphin E10 Review: Does It Score Ten Out Of Ten?

The Dolphin E10 is one of the myriad robotic pool cleaners that the Maytronics company creates for cleaning residential swimming pools. Should you care about yet another Dolphin pool cleaner? Do I give it ten out of ten for cleaning an above ground swimming pool? You may read my review of the Dolphin E10 robotic pool cleaner to find out.

What are the key features of the Dolphin E10?

The first feature you might notice is the scrubbing brush. The Dolphin E10 has an actively rotating brush which scrubs the pool bottom to dislodge algae and bacteria.

The second salient feature are its rubber tracks, which provide better traction on pool surfaces when compared to plastic wheels.

The third terrific feature might be its top-loading filter basket. No more turning over the pool robot to get to the debris filters! A top-access filter basket is simply easier to clean than a bottom-access filter bag.

A quick note about the filter canister. It is a standard mesh filter that is best for catching normal debris, but not fine sand or silt. Unfortunately, you have to buy a Dolphin ultra-fine filter basket separately if you have problems with fine sand, silt and algae in your swimming pool (view the ultra-fine filter on Amazon).

Dolphin E10 has an easy to clean top load filter basket
Top-access filter basket collects debris.

Who might want this robotic pool cleaner?

It seems like the Dolphin E10 is only suitable for cleaning above ground residential swimming pools. It cannot clean large inground swimming pools because it only has a 40-foot cable. For example, the Dolphin Nautilus Plus has a 60-foot power cable!

The Dolphin E10 is a lightweight robotic pool cleaner that does not climb walls or steps, it can only clean the bottom of the pool. It probably performs the best in above ground swimming pools.

If you have an inground swimming pool, then you are going to need a bigger pool cleaner. You might try another Dolphin pool robot, such as the very popular Nautilus pool cleaner series.

Dolphin E10 vs. Explorer E20

Unlike the Dolphin E10, the Explorer E20 is designed for cleaning inground swimming pools up to 33 feet in size, due to its 50-foot-long floating power cable.

The Dolphin E20 has similar specifications when compared to the E10 model, even though its cleaning cycle time is 2 hours long instead of just 90 minutes. In addition, the E20 has a weekly scheduler. Moreover, it cleans both the floor and the walls of an inground swimming pool.

Dolphin Explorer E20 Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Explorer E20 is an inground robotic pool cleaner.

Dolphin E10 vs. Escape

The Dolphin Escape looks similar to the E10, and it is also designed for above ground swimming pools. These robotic pool cleaners both have top-loading filter baskets, continuous rubber tracks and active scrubbing brushes. They also have the same 1.5-hour cleaning cycle. The Dolphin E10 seems to be cheaper than the Dolphin Escape, so you might save a few dollars by getting the E10.

Dolphin E10: Questions And Answers

Does it climb the walls of an above ground pool?

No, the Dolphin E10 can only clean the floor of a swimming pool: as a result, it does not clean the walls or the waterline. Unfortunately, you will have to brush the sides of the above ground pool yourself.

What voltage is required for the power supply unit?

The power supply is plugged into a 120V, GFCI power outlet that should be available near the pool. Keep in mind that the power supply is only water-resistant and not waterproof, so do not leave it out in the rain or where it can get wet. You definitely do not want to drop it into the swimming pool by accident. Please try to keep it dry. Furthermore, never plug the power supply into an extension cord, and avoid using a surge protector.

Will the Dolphin E10 work for my inground pool?

This particular model is not designed for cleaning an inground swimming pool. It is made for cleaning above-ground pool sizes up to 30 feet. In spite of this, there are people who have said “Nuts!” to that, and used it for small inground swimming pools. Just keep in mind that its 40-foot cable length restricts the maximum pool size that it can clean. Even so, the automatic pool robot is not going to know whether it is cleaning an above ground, hybrid, or inground swimming pool. Be that as it may, it still does not climb pool walls or clean the waterline, no matter what kind of swimming pool it is.

Is it suitable for vinyl or fiberglass surfaces?

The Dolphin E10 works well for above ground swimming pools with either vinyl or fiberglass surfaces. However, its cleaning coverage is only for the floor, not the walls.

Dolphin E10: Pros And Cons

Similar to other above ground pool robots, the Dolphin E10 has both good and bad points that require consideration. Here is my list of the pros and cons of the Dolphin E10 robotic pool cleaner.

  • 90-minute cleaning cycle might be too short to get all the dirty spots.
  • Cleaning coverage is floor only: thus, you have to brush the walls yourself.
  • Pool robot does not require installation, a booster pump or extra hoses.
  • Robotic pool cleaner is easy to use, quick to clean, and energy efficient.
  • The floating power cord might get tangled, because it does not have an anti-tangle swivel device.
  • The pool robot is heavy in the water, so be careful when pulling on the cord.
  • You have to buy an optional ultra-fine filter basket to capture very tiny particles.

Overall, it seems like the Dolphin E10 above ground robotic pool cleaner has more benefits than problems.

Verdict

The Dolphin E10 is a lightweight robotic pool cleaner for above ground swimming pools. It cleans the pool bottom, but it does not make it up the walls. It also does not clean the stairs.

The top-access filter basket is so much easier to clean than the clumsy cloth bags of older robotic pool cleaners. The only problem is that you might need to buy an ultra-fine filter canister to trap tiny particles.

The Dolphin E10 has a 40-foot power cable without an anti-tangle swivel. You might need to untangle the cord after using it a few times. The short cable length also limits the size of the swimming pool that it can clean to about 30 feet.

The Dolphin E10 is not necessarily better or worse than other above ground robotic pool cleaners. I do not rate it ten out of ten, more like eight out of ten because it is so easy to use and simple to clean. I just wish it had an anti-tangle swivel cable, and that both the fine and ultra-fine filter baskets were included in the package (click here to check pricing on Amazon).