A pool in your backyard is a precious feature that will not only make your home attractive but also valuable. A pool adds functionality to your home as you can hold poolside parties with your friends or spend quality time with your family as you enjoy swimming. Unfortunately, for every attractive pool that is out there, there is a lot of maintenance and cleaning that happens in the background to keep it attractive and functional. Dust, leaves and impurities tend to find their way to the pool, making cleaning an essential aspect of every pool. Purchasing the best suction pool cleaners can lessen the burden of cleaning your pool by making the cleaning process hassle-free. The best pool cleaners will not only get rid of leaves and dirt, but they are capable of getting rid of germs and odors.
The best suction cleaners are easy to install and use. They remove dirt, leaves and debris among other junks in the water using hoses to suction and deposit them into your filter basket. With the top cleaners, your only role in the cleanup process will be to empty the filter basket when necessary. The frequency will depend on the size of your filter basket and the amount of dirt in your pool. A bigger basket will require less emptying frequencies and it will keep the cleaner working longer due to the large capacity.
In addition to the size of the filter basket, you will also need to factor aspects of the cleaner such as efficiency of cleaning, features and the type of the cleaner. You should also keep in mind that different pools have different cleaning needs and thus, you must first analyze your pool cleaning needs before you can start looking for the best suction cleaner for your pool. In this article, you will find a review of the best suction pool cleaners and the important things you must know when selecting the right cleaner for your pool.
What Types Of Pool Cleaners Can You Buy?
Looking for the best pool cleaner can be confusing due to the wide array of choices and options available. Whether you are buying in an online store or your local store, you will come across cleaners of different sizes, shapes and colors, but that should not scare you off from finding the best. Despite their unique features and shapes, the pool cleaners can be categorized into three groups based on their functionality.
Suction Pool Cleaners
The suction cleaners rely on pipes and fittings to carry water that needs cleaning to the filter pump. The pump also the pool skimmer sucks the water from the pool towards the filter for cleaning. Older models have a dedicated line that functions as the vacuum line. The suction hose is connected to the cleaner by a hole in the skimmer that is beneath the basket. The efficiency of cleaning depends on the individual cleaner, but they work by randomly moving around the pool, sucking dirt that is then taken to the strainer basket. The smaller debris gets cleaned by the pool filter.
The suction cleaners are popular as a result of their affordability and ease of operation. They are easy to set up and use. They work best for cleaning medium-sized pieces and small particles like leaves, grass, sand, bugs and dirt. They do not come with a lot of features and they are not fully automatic as you will have to set them up for cleaning. But the level of your input varies by the model you choose.
Pressure Pool Cleaner
Pressure pool cleaners are not very different from suction power only that they use pressure as opposed to suction to clean the pool. The robotic cleaners use pressurized water to create suction that collects dirt. They are more expensive than suction cleaners, but they pick larger debris better than the suction cleaners. They come with different features that vary from one model to another. Some units run on the filter pump through a dedicated cleaner line or a wall return fitting, but they rely on a pool filter to keep your pool clean. Some models use a separate booster pump, but that can increase your electricity bill.
Robotic Pool Cleaners
Robotic cleaners are usually the best option if you would like a device that can clean your pool on its own. You will only need to choose the right setting and put in the work to clean your pool. You will not need to attach them to pool pumps, but you may have to plug them into a socket. They come with highly advanced features such as remote control to help make the cleaning process as effortless as possible. They have superior built-in sensors, which help them navigate the pool surface. The sensors help them cover every square inch of the pool irrespective of the size. They do not need to use a pool’s filtration system as they come with their own filter bags.
Why Choose A Suction Pool Cleaners ?
If you are wondering whether a suction cleaner is the best option for cleaning your pool, you should keep in mind that they are the most popular types of pool cleaners. People buy them as they are economical. They are the cheapest in the market, which makes them attractive to individuals with restricted budgets. They are also highly convenient. They can be used for both above and in-ground pools and they are built to handle all types of debris, including algae and harmful bacteria.
They come in a wide array of options that make them suitable for various individual needs and pool surface types. If you need more power, the automatic suction pool cleaners is highly effective in cleaning pool steps, corners, stairs, and walls. They are also designed to tackle any obstacles during the cleaning process, which makes them perfect for any pool shape and size. If you are looking for a small portable option, the handheld suction cleaners that use a reachable battery gives you convenience and flexibility. At a glance, the benefits of suction cleaners include:
- Affordable
- Easy to maintain
- Easy to use
- Handles debris efficiently
How Does Suction Pool Cleaners Work?
To use the suction cleaner, you will need to attach the hose to the skimmer port. You may also attach the hose to the fitting lines if available to facilitate the process of water filtering. Once you install the cleaner properly, it will start moving randomly on your pool floor while sucking dirt out of your pool. As the water flow pushes the cleaner around, it sucks all dirt and debris. The dirt goes through the suction port into the pipes. The large pieces are kept in the skimmer basket, but the smaller particles pass on to the filter where they are filtered.
However, to keep your cleaner functioning properly, you will have to ensure that it is in its best state. You may have to change the suction valve regularly to ensure that the cleaner has enough power to push around the pool. Depending on your unit, you may also have to turn the pool pump on to keep it working. Once the unit finishes cleaning, you will need to empty the skimmer basket.
Review Of The Best 8 Suction Pool Cleaners
1. Zodiac MX6 In-Ground Suction Pool Cleaners
The Zodiac MX6 is a powerful pool cleaner that will clean every section of your pool thanks to its climbing ability. Although it only has one turbine, the turbine is powerful enough to remove debris and dirt from the bottom of your pool as well as clean your pool stairs and walls. It is also easy to install and use as it comes with useful hooking up hoses that make it easy to set up. The hoses come with a swivel design that improves their durability by reducing tear and wear. The cleaner further comes with a flow regulator valve that ensures optimal performance irrespective of your pool size. Whether you have a large or a small pool, you can configure it to your cleaning needs with a variable speed pump.
The Zodiac MX6 is highly energy-efficient and will keep your utility bills low irrespective of your cleaning needs. An ergonomically designed grip makes it effortless to handle and carry the cleaner. The X-drive navigation means the cleaner will accurately clean every part of your pool.
Highlights of Zodiac MX6
- Low-flow design that makes it perfect for pools with variable or two-speed pumps
- Quick-connect swiveling hoses for quick assembly
- Capable turbine blade for exceptional wall climbing
- Powerful vacuuming
Shortcomings
- It can be clogged up while cleaning pools with a large amount of debris
2. Zodiac MX8 Pool Cleaner
The fact that it is a Zodiac cleaner tells you that you are buying a brand with proven quality. The MX 8 uses a powerful maX-Drive navigation system that helps to clean every part of your pool thoroughly. The navigation system is perfect for all types of pools, irrespective of their sizes or shapes. The system makes sure that the floors, waterlines, and walls are not left out during the cleanup process. The cleaner is a quick working machine that will clean your swimming pool in a few hours. Unlike other cleaners with only one-directional movement, the MX8 supports forward and backward movements to clean your pool, resulting in a cleaner pool. Despite covering more ground, the cleaner works harder, reducing the time it needs to clean your pool.
The unit is easy and quick to assemble. You only need a few steps to get the cleaner started. It comes with a twist locking hose that easily connects to your pool’s filter in a few minutes. With a 39 feet long hose, the cleaner will effortlessly cover a huge swimming pool. The five separate modes let you customize your cleaning experience. The small debris mode removes sand, dirt and stones while the large debris mode comes in handy when removing large debris like twigs and leaves. It is ideal for variable-speed, two-speed, and solar pumps. It has a flow regulator valve that limits the high flow of water through the cleaner.
The Highlights of Zodiac MX8
- It works for all types of pools
- It has a dedicated vacuum line that eliminates the need for a booster pump
- It comes with add-on features like flow regulators, hose locks, valve cuffs, elbows and a hose float for convenience
- It supports dual cyclonic suction for a faster and better cleaning
- Adjustable intake lets you customize the cleaning process based on the size of debris
Shortcomings
- The increased performance increases tear and wear and thus, you may need to replace the gear drive system regularly.
Key Features
- Adjustable Intake: The MX8 has the ‘Convertible Debris Intake’ which facilitates the consumption of larger debris.
- Dual Cyclonic Process: This develops a larger path for cleaning along with a huge vacuum power to help the pool cleaners in efficiently bringing out all kinds of dirt particles from the pool.
- The Drive Navigation: An advanced directionality of 360 degrees covers the entire pool with no visible hang-ups. The amazing design enables the exceptional manoeuvrability along with the extreme capability of wall climbing along the floors till the waterline.
- Energy Efficiency: This heavy-duty product is designed to conduct an ultra-efficient cleaning operation even with low flow or energy pumps.
3. Hayward PHS41CST AquaNaut Cleaner
This pool cleaner by Hayward is built to clean some of the toughest conditions. The adjustable roller skirt will make sure that your pool is spotlessly clean irrespective of its condition. The adjustable skirt ensures that the cleaner offers consistent pressure even in areas with uneven surfaces. Cleaning an area with a wrinkle or an obstacle is not a problem as the skirt will adjust automatically without sacrificing suction power. The PHS41CST 400 pool cleaner has three throats that enable you to customize the cleaning process to meet the different sized debris and flow rates.
Climbing your pool walls will not be a challenge for the Hayward 400 AquaNaut cleaner thanks to a four-wheel-drive feature that makes it the best suction pool cleaners for cleaning sloppy surfaces. The V-flex technology eliminates clogging by allowing large debris to move down the suction tube without getting stuck. It has a multi-programmed steering system that makes sure that all areas of your pool are clean irrespective of their depth, including walls.
The Highlights of Hayward PHS41CST
- A multiple pre-programmed steering system that cleans walls, shallow and deep ends equally
- It comes with V-Flex technology that enables cleaning of different sized debris
- The Adjustable roller skirt helps to maintain suction power on uneven surfaces
- It has a four-wheel-drive that makes it easy to clean slopped surfaces
Shortcomings
- It struggles to climb high steep walls
Key Features
- Manages Large Debris Easily: The device is quite popular for handling the larger debris efficiently without clogging the vanes of the cleaner.
- Navigates All Types Of Surfaces: Use of robust ‘tire treads’ make the equipment efficient enough to climb on all possible surfaces skillfully. It can manage to pass any type of obstacles on its way like the main drains.
- Maintenance Of Constant Suction: The adjustable roller ‘skirt’ makes sure that the machine never loses the suction on the uneven surfaces or whiles it encounters any type of obstacles.
- Optimal Suction Process At Any Flow: There are 3 interchangeable throats that help to improve the suction performance at the lower flow to allow all the debris to pass out.
4. Poolvergnuegen PV8965584000013
The best pool cleaners are known for their helpful features and exceptional durability. This Poolvergnuegen suction cleaner has features that make your pool cleaning seamless. It can be hectic when you have to manually adjust the turbine vanes of your cleaner to allow cleaning of different sized debris. This cleaner comes with self-adjusting turbine vanes that adjust themselves to enable large debris to pass based on their moving ability. The unit has an automatic steering system that enables cleaning of the maximum area efficiently. The system powers the wheels to turn and change direction periodically to ensure coverage of a large area.
The Poolvergnuegen PV8965584000013 does not shy away from obstacles. It comes with strong tire treads that enable the unit to climb over obstacles and walls easily for a thorough cleanup. The tire treads allow the cleaner to clean the difficult to reach areas, including pools of all sizes, shapes, and surfaces. It further features three interchangeable throats that facilitate bigger particles to pass based on the requirement.
The Poolvergnuegen PV8965584000013 Highlights
- It features an automatic steering system that increases cleaning area coverage
- It has durable tire treads that make it easy to climb walls and obstacles
- The self-adjusting turbine vanes allow different sized debris to pass effortlessly
- It comes with three interchangeable throats for an optimized suction performance
Shortcomings
- The weight causes portability issues
- You will need to adjust settings manually
Key Features
- High Performance: The product comes in 2 and 4-wheel drive that is suitable for many kinds of pool. There are a few patent features which make the performance level go high such as the adjustable turbine vanes, adjustable skirt, as well as tire treads, manage to deliver the best cleaning processes for the pool.
- Turbine Vanes: The self-adjusting vanes have made the device very flexible and easy to use. Its ability to ensure the easy movement of the large debris makes sure that each and every corner of the pool is cleaned properly.
- Robust Treads: The use of efficient tire treads enhances the ability of the product to climb through the main drains. This makes the product ideal for all types of pool surfaces.
- Steering Systems: There are a variety of pre-programmed steering sequences that manage to help the device in turning into various directions. This feature ensures the complete pool coverage along with an efficient cleaning process.
- Interchangeable Throats: There are 3 interchangeable throats which allow proper optimization of the suction performance at both the lower and larger debris flow.
5. Zodiac Baracuda G3 W03000 Advanced Cleaner
If you are looking for a pool cleaner that will help you clean your pool quickly and quietly, the G3 Zodiac Baracuda brings versatility to the in-ground pool cleaning. It offers superior cleaning performance that is compatible with different speed pumps for greater efficiency. It is also quick to set up the cleaner and easy to clean small and medium debris, whether it is cleaning walls, floors, and steps. The wheel deflector ensures continuous cleaning of all areas, including the tight corners without getting stuck. It is built for all types of pools, and thus, you can sure of perfect results whether you have a vinyl, tile, or concrete pool.
The Zodiac G3 W0300 also comes with a 36-finned disc that offers a wide cleaning path while adhering to the needs of different surfaces. The large cleaning path reduces the time needed to clean a pool with noticeable and reliable results. The unit further comes with a long-life diaphragm with a quick-release cassette for increased durability.
The Highlights of Zodiac Baracuda G3 W03000
- Quiet, powerful cleaning performance with maximum efficiency
- It comes with a FlowKeeper valve that automatically regulates water flow
- It features a wheel deflector for easy navigation around tight corners
- The scuff-resistant hoses eliminate scuffs on surfaces
Shortcomings
- It may get clogged up when cleaning large debris
Key Features
- Single Moving Part: G3 has a ‘Long-Life Diaphragm’ which provides superior reliability. The ‘Quick Release Cassette’ manages to make it an easy access product whenever required.
- Versatility Is The Key: One of the most attractive things about this device is the versatility of the product. It delivers superb performance and manages to be compatible along with a variety of pumps. You would be able to install it in an easy manner where it would inhale all kinds of debris from the walls, steps, and floors.
- Fits All: Whether it is tile, concrete or vinyl, G3 manages to work on all of them. The Disc with 36 fins provides a huge cleaning path which is compatible with all types of surfaces as well as suction results for noticeable and reliable results.
- Easy Movement: G3 is known to navigate through the tight corners to enhance the agility. The ‘Wheel Deflector’ effectively prevents the pool cleaner from getting itself stuck somewhere and ensures a continuous cleaning process.
6. XtremepowerUS 75037 Pool Cleaner
Sometimes you may not be interested in the most fanciful cleaner but a unit that does its job perfectly without unnecessary complications. The Xtremepower US 75037 is a high unit that is convenient for all types of surfaces. It does not require any tools or electricity as it works with your existing filtration system.
Highlights of XtremepowerUS 75037
- It works with your existing pool filtration
- It does not require electricity or tools to function
- It is easy to install
Shortcomings
- You must have an existing filtration system
- It does not clean stairs
Key Features :
- Smart Design: There is no doubt that the adjustable diverter and cleaner make the cleaning pattern smoother for the user. You can use it in a hassle-free manner in a variety of positions by making a few initial adjustments.
- Removable Flapper: This feature-packed system manages to prevent any kind of debris from getting lodged inside the flapper. You just simply remove the flapper and clean it regularly for better results.
- Adjustable Hoes: The suction pool cleaner comes with an ergonomic design. It has extra hose sections that help to reach the end of the pool. You can adjust the hose length by removing or adding these extra hose sections as per your need. Such avenues would make the entire cleaning procedure easy and smooth.
7. Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Pool Cleaner
This pool cleaner by Pentair comes with a smart track steering system that makes sure that your pool gets cleaned without any manual input from you. The programmed system is flawless and highly functional to ensure that it leaves your pool spotless without any touching. You can be sure that not even the tightest places like corners and stairs will be spared during the cleanup exercise. It uses a bristle brush mechanism that thoroughly cleans all dirt without causing any damage to your fiberglass, granite, vinyl pool.
Highlights of Pentair GW9500
- Agile turning mechanism for cleaning the hard to reach areas
- 15-inch cleaning path for quick cleaning
- Easy to setup
Shortcomings
- You may experience less cleaning frequencies on the shallow end
8. Vingli Automatic Pool Cleaner
Easy to install and low noise are some of the highlights that make Vingli automatic pool cleaner a popular option for most homeowners. With this automatic pool cleaner, you will not have to stay and watch as the pool gets cleaned. It also does not need electricity to clean your pool but the filtration system that already exists.
Highlights of Vingli Automatic Pool Cleaner
- Easy to set up with quiet operation
- Durable and scuff-resistant hoses
- Powerful suction to remove dirt and debris
Shortcomings
- You may experience stuck issues while cleaning stairs
Things To Consider When Choosing Suction Pool Cleaner
- Type and size of the cleaner: Pool cleaners come in three types that include suction, robotic and pressure pool cleaners. The suction cleaners are the most affordable, while the robotic cleaners are the most expensive. You should also keep in mind the power of individual cleaners as some with more power are ideal for big pools, while others are ideal for small and shaped pools.
- How fast and efficiently it cleans: You should consider how quickly the cleaner cleans a pool, especially if you have a large pool. It can be frustrating when you have to wait for hours before you can take a swim because your cleaner cleans slowly.
- How much it costs to run: Some cleaners do not use electricity to run while others can have a negative impact on your energy bill. You should always look for a unit with the highest energy rating.
- Booster pump: A booster pump is not a necessity, but it helps during the cleaning process. If you are not buying a powerful unit, you should ensure that it has the option of a booster pump.
- Noise: A quiet unit is always the best as it does not distract you from relaxing as you wait for the pool to clean.
- Hose: It is essential to look for a cleaner with a long hose that swivels. A long hose gives you flexibility, while the ability to swivel increases durability.
- Installation: You should make sure that the cleaner is easy to install and setup before purchasing.
FAQs
How to Use Suction Cleaner
You will need to set up the device depending on the manufacturer’s guidelines. You may only need to turn the cleaner on to get cleaning started if you have an automatic cleaner. Once the unit is on, you may not have to do anything else other than to get rid of the waste after cleaning, but that also depends on your model.
Robotic Vs. Pressure Vs. Suction Pool Cleaner
The best option depends on your budget and needs. Robotic cleaners are handsfree cleaners, but they are expensive while the suction cleaners are affordable and convenient.
Should Suction Pool Cleaners Run All Day?
No. You should turn them off once they are done with cleaning to increase their durability. Some have smart features that allow them to switch off automatically.
Closing Thought
Although they may turn out to be a bit expensive, it is priceless to look for the best suction pool cleaners. The best cleaners will not damage your pool and they will not experience the frustrating clogging. They also tend to clean the pool quickly, allowing you to enjoy a swim in a few hours.