The Dolphin Cayman robotic pool cleaner was introduced to the online marketplace in 2017. I try to determine its best and worst features.
Introduction
I at first thought that Cayman referred to the small crocodile, but that was an error on my part. The crocodile is called caiman and lives in South America, not in your inground pool. Then again, the name might be a reference to the Cayman Islands, which are located in the Caribbean Sea. Nevertheless, the Dolphin Cayman is not going to turn your swimming pool into a tropical beach with the Caribbean blue water and picture perfect palm trees.
Best Features
- DC motors with direct drive systems.
- A single rotating active brush rubs off dirt and green algae.
- Top-access filter basket is easy to reach and clean.
- Wheels have been replaced with continuous rubber tracks for better traction.
- The robot uses pool mapping technology to decide where it needs to clean.
Worst Features
The power cable does not have a swivel device to help prevent coiling problems. Therefore, the cable tends to get tangled up during normal operation, which is an annoying issue.
The Dolphin Cayman is also like most other robotic pool cleaners when it comes to cleaning steps: that is, it has problems with cleaning swimming pool steps.
Which pool types can the Dolphin Cayman clean?
It cleans the floor and walls of residential inground swimming pools of up to 33 feet in size, due to its 50-foot power cable. It is compatible with the following pool surfaces: concrete, fiberglass, gunite and vinyl.
Does the Dolphin Cayman clean walls?
It has the traction to climb and clean pool walls. However, wall climbing performance seems to differ from pool to pool and from owner to owner. Moreover, the active brush does not always make good contact with the wall while the robot is climbing: as a result, it might do a poor job of brushing the walls.
What type of filter?
The Dolphin Cayman has a top-load filter basket with a handle that is accessible from the top of the pool robot. The sides of the basket have extra-fine filter screens which can be unlocked, removed and cleaned. Lock them back into place before returning the basket to the pool cleaner.
What are its power requirements?
The power supply is plugged into a standard 115-volt power outlet. The power supply has a weekly timer. The timer has settings for cleaning every day, three times per week, or two times per week. Each cleaning cycle lasts two hours.
The Dolphin Cayman robotic pool cleaner is connected to its power supply with a 50-foot cable. The cable does not have an anti-tangle swivel device. The robotic pool cleaner uses only 180 watts. It has two 24V DC motors that provide power for the tracks and the brush. A direct drive system is used, so there are no belts or chains that can break.
Does it come with a caddy?
No, it does not have a caddy. Nevertheless, the standard Dolphin robotic caddy might work for storing and moving it around the swimming pool area.
Dolphin Cayman vs. Quantum
These Dolphin robotic pool cleaners have a similar design and therefore share key features such as the top-access filter, rubber tracks and SmartNav 2.0 navigation. They both have floating power cables without an anti-tangle swivel device and might suffer from twisted cords that require untwisting after every cleaning cycle.
The Dolphin Cayman costs a few hundred dollars less than the Dolphin Quantum. However, the Quantum has a larger top-loading cartridge filter basket and two scrubbing brushes. It also has power jets which increase its mobility (read my Quantum review).
Dolphin Cayman: Verdict
In brief, the Cayman robotic pool cleaner brushes the floor and climbs walls. However, it appears that the filter screens of the basket are not durable: you might have to replace it after only a few months. Moreover, the lack of an anti-tangle swivel device causes the cord to twist and tangle.
At the end of the day, its best feature might be the affordable price tag. The Cayman is cheaper when compared to other Dolphin inground robotic pool cleaners (check price on Amazon).