Dolphin M500 Pool Cleaner VS Dolphin Nautilus Pool Cleaner
$1599.00
 Highs |
|---|
| Multiple Cleaning Cycle Times |
| Excellent Mobility and Coverage |
| 3-Year Limited Warranty |
| Comes with a Caddy |
| Easy-to-Clean Filters |
 Lows |
|---|
| Remote Control Lags |
| Unreliable Bluetooth |
| Financial Investment |
| Coverage | 
Excellent |
| Filtration |
Excellent |
| Cleaning |
Excellent |
| Intelligence | 
Fair |
| Usability | 
Good |
| Bluetooth Usability | 
Poor |
| Maintenance |
Excellent |
| Value |
Good |
$699.00
| Highs |
|---|
| Anti-Tangle Swivel |
| Easy to Use |
| Energy Efficient |
| Excellent Filtration |
| Durably Built |
| Lows |
|---|
| Only 1-Year Warranty |
| Intake Can Clog |
| On the Heavy Side |
| Struggled on Steps |
| Very Long Standard Cycle |
| Coverage |
Good |
| Filtration |
Excellent |
| Cleaning |
Good |
| Intelligence |
Fair |
| Usability |
Fair |
| Durability |
Excellent |
| Maintenance |
Good |
| Value |
Good |
Head To Head Review Analysis
The Dolphin M500 robotic pool cleaner meets or exceeds all of our expectations. Many higher end pool cleaners that tout modern features and smart technology are often bogged down by the extra bells and whistles, and their performance suffers. But the Dolphin M500 has struck a fine balance between features and performance. Its powerful motors and complementing navigation software ensure complete coverage, and it can propel itself in every direction. The real kicker is how much the M500 is able to pick up, thanks to its scrubbing brushes and filtration system. More than just cleaning the pool, we will go so far as to say it actually took a step toward purifying it. That coupled with its energy efficiency and easy maintenance makes it a robotic pool cleaner that goes above and beyond our expectations. As the top of the M Series line, it is certainly an investment. But it simplifies pool maintenance and lowers the cost of running your pool in the long run. If you ask us, the Dolphin M500 is a class act you won’t regret buying.
All in all, the Dolphin Nautilus is a great value that does the hard work for you. The few places it is lacking, like covering every hard-to-reach spot, are negated by its efficiency and ability to clean deeply. You’ll find more nasty stuff in your filter cartridges than you realized was in your pool, and the easy maintenance is a breeze compared to most robotic pool cleaners on the market today. The Nautilus is a solid choice of robotic pool cleaner, especially for those pool owners who have been trying to tackle cleaning their pool themselves. This machine will take most of the hard work off of your plate, leaving you wondering why it took you so long to buy one in the first place.
Dolphin M500 Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Cleaner
Customer Reviews
Based on 32 Reviews
How would you rate Dolphin M500 Pool Cleaner?*
Based on 74 Reviews
How would you rate Dolphin Nautilus Pool Cleaner?*
5 Stars
Worth Every Penny! Never had an issue and clean up is a cinch
5 Stars
Amazing product! And quick response!
5 Stars
Purchased a m500 works great does not get stuck on my drains. Great price also.
Dolphin M500 Best Decision to buy ever
My wife persuaded me, following in-depth research, to purchase the Dolphin M500. Fascinating to watch it operate in the pool, the remote control was an option we are thankful we chose to include in the purchase. Accolades to your Maytronics design/engineering team. The only added feature I wish the M500 had would be a flip down cover to shield the operating screen from the sun. It is recommended we protect that area which necessitates covering it with a lounge cushion or BBQ cover while the M500 is in operating cleaning our salt water pool. Great design … excellent choice. Would highly recommend it … money well spent! Very Happy Customer – Bill (Kingston ON Canada)
Best darn pool cleaner on market
This product is reliable, durable , and simply gets the job done . It cleans the walls perfectly and the bottom spotlessly. Easy to change/clean filters, only drawback is that it is slightly heavy when removing from pool, otherwise it lives up to its reputation as a real workhorse that keeps your pool pristine. I would certainly recommend this product as I have used it for three seasons now with zero problems.
Great pool cleaner
It’s nice to just plop this machine in the pool and let it do it’s job!
Excellent Product
This is by far and away the best pool cleaner I have ever owned. It cleans all the debris, leaves and dirt that can blow into a pool. Especially given the Santa Ana winds we can get here during our winters.
You get what you pay for.
My pool is 20×40 liner that’s 9? at the deep end. I started out with a Spirit Dolphin 13 years ago. I loved it but had to replace it around year 8. I went to a Hayward model. The Hayward is what my pool guy recommened, but I came to assume he got his for free from Hayward after using so much Hayward equipment on his customers’ pools. But the Hayward robot was was horrible; the roller washers kept coming off, and the roller treads and drive belts wore out after only 1 or 2 seasons, the suction was nowhere near comparible to the Dolphin and so it couldn’t climb the walls, and the instructions made it very clear that you shouldn’t leave it in water for more than a few cleaning cycles. The New Dolphin M500 has far better suction, climbs walls up to the surface, the rollers are more robust, and it can be left under water for days if not weeks with no worry of water leaks. The M500’s software is better at covering the entire area; the Hayward was always very spotty and seemed to stay in the deep end most of the time. The M500 costs more than the others, but it’s well worth the price if that’s what it takes to actually get the job done without requiring high maintenance and compromise. With pool equipment, you get what you pay for. The M500 is a class act.
Great Vacuum
I’ve had this for most of a year and am very satisfied. It does a great job of collecting all the debris, including the visible stuff, plus fine dirt that you can’t see looking at the pool. I leave the fine filter on all the time. I never use the vacuum hose anymore. Cleaning the filters is fairly easy and takes only a few minutes. I’m fairly small and the unit is heavy to lift In and out of the pool, but manageable. So far no problems and worth the cost
Excellent device
I bought last season and found that It fully replaced manually vacuuming the pool. It’s runs quietly and the remote comes in handy for spot cleaning. I couldn’t find documentation regarding leaving the Dolphin in the pool for several days, even though there is a timer. Maybe I shouldn’t be, but I’m just worried about possible water damage.
Love my Dolphin
Efficient easy to use and always leaves the pool clean.
This robot is fantastic
Had my Dolphin in the pool within an hour of purchase. It replaced a high end pressure side cleaner from a major builder. I was shocked at how much better the Dolphin cleaned the pool and found watching it the best entertainment of the evening. Called the pool store and told them they should double the price. It is that good. Thanks for a great cleaner that exceeded my already high expectations.
5 Stars
This product exceeded my expectations. In the Fall, I put the bag in, and the leaves that fall to the bottom of the pool are picked up. It cleans the bottom, the sides and scrubs the water line. I no longer put a cover over my pool, as I do not need to worry about debris….The Dolphin does the clean-up work quickly and easily. I recommend this product to anyone who is shopping for a reliable, efficient and high performance pool cleaner.
Easy
Just the best thing I have got for cleaning and making pool ownership easy.
Mayronics M500 is AMAZING!
I must me truthful, I have been in the swimming pool business in Florida my entire life (30+ years) and have always favored suction type cleaners (ones with vac hoses). I’ve installed for customers and also personally tried almost every different type/brand automatic cleaner made over the years and all I have to say is that a Maytronics M500 is now whats in my pool doing the best job EVER! Mayronics Rocks! This M500 is unbelievable!!! PS: Its fun driving it around the pool with my iPhone too, you can’t do that with non-robotic cleaners!
My Dolphin
Cleans great. Loads of features. Didn’t expect a problem within the first couple of months but did have a problem. The robot would move a few feet then shut down. After calling the local service provider and trying a few suggested fixes, I took it back. They tried a few tests and asked me to pick it up and see if it was fixed. No luck so I took it back. They then contacted Maytronics and it needed a new motor which was sent to the store where it was installed. It has been working fine for the last few months but I still am a bit anxious. We will see???
Pays for itself!
This is my second Dolphin in 10 years. It gets plenty of use and pays for itself in one season! Easy to use and reliable.
We love Flow
We named her Flow because she is amazing and does a great job. No more hassles with vacuum hoses. Thanks Flow
Buy one for your pool
I am going into my third season with the M500. I does a great job of cleaning the pool including the walls. Filters are easy to clean and traps small debris. The extra set of mesh filters are great when pick up leaves etc. after opening the pool or before closing (especially when living in New England). Also, the new swivel cord does not tangle in the pool.
The GOAT - Greatest Of All Time!
We’ve had many pool bottom cleaners since 1992. The M500 is by far the best of all of them.
M500 Just Awesome
We have now used our M500 for 3yrs. We had another brand prior to the M500. The 500 just outperforms to a highest level. It has been trouble free other than a few of the rubber scrubbing cleats are falling off. Just replacing the filters this year. It has scratched off the color pattern of our liner in both deep end corners but not sure this is not a liner issue. Would buy a Maytronics device again.
Dolphin M500
This is the GREATEST invention for pool cleaning. I am handicapped and the Dolphin M500 helps me keep the pool clean for my grandchildren’s pleasure. Love having the remote to bring it closer to me when I need to take it out or it needs cleaned. Very easy to clean. Do wish it had an easier way to get it out of the water, since I can’t bend down to grab the handle. Definitely worth every penny it cost. Would highly recommend.
Amazing!!
I have had my Dolphin 500 for over 3 years. It still performs and exceeds my expectations each season. Simple to operate and maintain. Drop her in, run cycle, rinse filters and Done! Carolina sunshine is strong and harsh so i shield the electronic control with patio umbrella while operating. Excellent investment and time saver.
Dont have to clean the pool again
Great works every time and does a great job
I thought my pool was clean
Ever since I started using the Dolphin M500 I am amazed at how much better it cleans than my old pressure side/booster pump cleaner. The pool looks perfectly clean but the M500 filters catch stuff that you can’t see with the naked eye. It is almost disgusting what it manages to find. And to think, I was swimming in that before I started using the M500. Filter cleaning is hassle free and this thing uses much less electricity than a booster pump. I will never go back to a pressure side cleaner again.
Great investment
This is a great investment for a pool owner. I would highly recommend.
Dolphin M500
Absolutely the most efficient pool cleaner I’ve ever used. Easy to use, easy to clean and does a remarkable job cleaning and keeping the pool sparkling clean.
8 years going strong
ur M5 is 8 years old and we have been very happy with it. We have learned if you watch it cleaning it’s frustrating as it doesn’t go where you expect or do what you think is an “orderly way” to clean a pool, it’s definatey random. If you leave it be and come back when it’s done the pool is always beautifully clean. We run it on the longest cycle as we are never in a hurry. It (usually) gets up onto our long wide swim out ledge and will (usually) go along the length of it. It will only clim
M500
Picks up fine silt and works best with plastic mesh filters. They rip over time, so being gentle with them when removing / installing is important. Suction is good and reliability is high it seems with this unit. I REALLY wish it would climb in and out of the pool by itself. That would be a fantastic addition to this cleaner. I’m sure most people probably leave it connected and in the pool all the time. Leaving cleaner on an automatic cleaning schedule would be a HUGE help and having a WiFi connected app to notify when it’s filters are full would be fantastic. Cord gets a little wrapped up around itself, swivel on it helps immensely tho! Do I need to lubricate swivel over time? Sugar maple seed pods (brown spiky balls) get caught in tracks and can jam mechanism and filter slits.
3 yrs of use
Excellent cleaning first and 2nd year. Remote worked well. 3rd year less able to clean and remote not working well. Perhaps it needs a tune up. Maybe dealer can do it.?
Great device!!
I love the M500, had it about 2 years now, best money we spent on pool stuff hands down! Does a great job, does full coverage on our pool (excluding stairs and sun deck, but never figured it could do that) I would easily give it 5 stars other than the remote doesn’t really seem to change its cleaning parameters as it claims so I don’t use it.. instructions are not so good on remote either. But all in all the Dolphin M500 is a great addition, If I had it to do over might have gotten the M400 instead.
Not happy
I have had the Dolphin for a number of years now and just not happy with the performance of the unit. I have had to replace the computer once and the line once. I have a kidney shaped pool and I have never seen it clean the water line or steps. Unit never seems to stay in the shallow end, always in the deep end. It will climb about 3 feet up the wall, sit and spin the brushes turn around and down it goes. I have tried to adjust the arms a million times and nothing seems to work. I’m spending more time then ever manually vacuuming the pool and that’s not why I have a robot cleaner! Wondering if any recalls are out?
Pool Owner's best friend!
I bought this little robot 2 years ago when we bought a new house with a pool. I think I've sold at least 4 more for Amazon to friends and family that have pools. The secret to having a pool is owning the pool and not letting the pool own you. To me it's all about spending the least amount of time with cleaning and maintenance. I now have my kids trained to plop this thing in the water a couple times a week and press the button. It runs for 3 hours and then we take it out (even my 10 year old daughter can do it), take out the filters and rinse. It climbs all the walls up to the waterline. We have had no issues with this product in 2 years and has done an excellent job. Pair with a PoolSkim found here on Amazon and we have almost no manual maintenance.
Buy this one
I did a lot of research and have owned several robots over the years. I've had this pool vac for a few weeks. We have a pebble tech/kidney shaped pool. I've spent between $450(sucked) and $1200(great) on previous cleaners. This one cost $551. This one climbs walls and stairs effectively, filters the water, scrubs just as good as the one that was over twice the price. It hasn't ventured to the little seat in the deep end and neither did the $1200 one. The parts, should/when I need to repair are cheaper as well. The construction is sturdy. I will definitely buy this again. Furthermore, I ordered it on a Friday...they said they'd ship it on Monday...but it arrived the next day after I ordered it. My pool sparkles and I've already reduced the chlorine by 40%.
Effective and fun to watch!
We have used our robot about 4 times in 2 months with super results. Total labor no more than about half hour to set up and clean up. We tote ours from storage area to pool on a red metal kids' wagon. It does our 16x 32' pool (with 8 ft. deep hopper in one end) in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Yes it climbs the walls and the slopes. I take out any leaves collected in the pool deep part (hopper) first. To set up, attach hose to power unit, plug in power unit, lower robot into pool, let it "dangle" by the cord on its side so the bubbles come out, and then let it settle on the bottom. Push button on power unit. It's fascinating to watch! It has neutral buoyancy so it's easy to pull it up toward you in the water to remove it. Grab by the hand hold on the end and slowly lift it out, while the water drains out. I am a 74-year-old "little old school teacher" and can easily manage this. Our pool is cleaner because we don't avoid the vacuuming chore, thanks to this robot. Second season: still chuggin'. It seemed to get stuck in the angle of the 8 ft-deep end "hopper" but in about 30 seconds it backed off and redirected itself. Easy to to squirt off filter frame and panels w garden hose and reinsert.
Great purchase - Dolphin Nautilus
We've used this several times after a recommendation from a friend who bought one. It is worth it!! It is easy to use, does a very thorough cleaning, and is easy to store. The cord does NOT get tangled - just make sure you don't have any tangles in the cord when you place the 'bot in the pool, and you'll be fine. It is pretty hefty, but doesn't weigh as much as some of the pool 'bots, so I don't find it hard to lift out of the pool. You can gently pull the 'bot to the shallow end with the cord and lift from there. You may have a few pieces of debris, but nothing to complain about (as some reviews have done), and easy to catch with the net. Also, this has NOT gotten hung up on the bottom drains. The filters can be easily removed after each use to rinse the debris out. It grabs the small stuff as well as leaves very well. It runs for 3 hours - mine runs for 3 hours EXACTLY. It does climb the wall (I have a vinyl, in-ground pool), but I haven't seen it get up the stairs. No problem - I brush those off into the pool first. : ) I would highly recommend this product.
This Pool Cleaner does exactly what I want it to do
I have had the Nautilus for about a month. I purchased two other pool cleaners before I bought this one. They did not work at all. I read some good reviews about the Nautilus and decided to buy it. My pool was filthy because I had refurbished it after 5 years of no use. THE NAUTILUS WORKS LIKE A POOL CLEANER SHOULD. It picks up the dirt and leaves and is easy to clean and operate. It climbs the walls of the pool, climbs the steps, goes horizontal around the pool, and never gets stuck in a corner. If the longevity of this machine is as good as the performance I will be even happier. I would encourage anyone who wants a cleaner that works to buy this one.
Ermergerd I LOVE MY DOLPHIN-BOT
I watched a set-up video online and was able to assemble this quickly and efficiently when it arrived. We bought a house on short sale and the pool had been neglected by renters. We are still struggling to get it in shape. We chose this robot because it was self sufficient and had the capacity to make its own cleaning path decisions. For this quality alone I give this item 5 stars. We have leaves and algie and God knows what else down there. I have been running the dolphin-bot 2 cycles daily since we got it 3 days ago. It's coming up with less and less debris, and it's making its rounds and we can now see the white bottom of the pool and the water is getting clearer and clearer. We have been able to balance out the chemicals and maintain good chlorine levels since it's Maiden voyage; we have a salt water pool. Best pool purchase we could have made. If you have a disgusting pool and can't seem to get it under control, this thing is a life and time saver. We were out there for 2 weeks with the skimmer vacuum and we just couldn't see enough to get it cleaned out. My only recommendation is not to run the pump and the dolphin-bot at the same time...the deep end suction drain captures it and all hell breaks loose! The video didn't warn me about that!
Makes Life Easy
After struggling to keep our pool clean with vacuuming once a week, I decided to see if a pool robot would work. I started out with a Polaris, but quickly realized, I needed the Polaris with the booster pump. Not wanting to add yet another piece of equipment to my pump system, I decided to try an electric vacuum. I read the reviews and settled on the Dolphin. I couldn't wait to get it! It arrived when expected. I unpacked it and read the instructions. I noticed that it came with two sets of filters and opted for the strainer type rather than the accordion filter, just to see how it worked. It is awesome! It picked up sand and grass on the bottom and even scrubs the sides of the pool to help keep the algae down. It doesn't pick up the large magnolia leaves that tend to end up in the pool, but those are easy enough to scoop out with the net. The accordion filter set is even better! It not only vacuums the pool, but also helps filter the water...taking a little work off of the main filter. The only downside is that the power pack went out on day 2. I called the company and had a new one on my doorstep in less than 24 hours! Since then, it's been working perfectly! Don't hesitate, just buy it! You'll be so glad you did!
The cleanest and clearest our pool has been since we filled it over a decade ago
I've been waiting for something like this! Our pool is about 13 years old and I've always struggled to keep it clean. I've had two Polaris pool sweeps that never did a great job. They would pick up leaves, but would generally scatter smaller particles even with special tight-mesh bags. We've got a sand filter and I just accepted the fact there would always be some light debris on the bottom of the pool. After the second Polaris broke, I ordered the Dolphin Nautilus based on its popularity on Amazon. The thing showed up three days ago and the pool has never looked better. It climbs the sides all the way up to the waterline and the four filters are picking up stuff the Polaris would have left behind. I'm using the robot in combination with a clarifier and the water is crystal clear. Although it's a bit of a hassle placing the machine into the pool each time to run a cycle and then removing it for storage, the upside is you don't have the unsightly hose and sweep mechanism always sitting in your pool. My only complaint so far, and it's a minor one: The documentation (including the "quick start" sheet) doesn't mention the two styrofoam blocks that are packed inside the filter chamber. I assumed they were to keep everything in place during shipping, but it would be nice if the company offered some guidance.
Highly recommended!
I previously owned both a Nitro pool vacuum and a Hayward, -- the Nitro lasted one season and the Hayward Shark Vac lasted two. In the end I was actually glad that the Hayward (which cost approx. $600) died, because it led to my getting this Dolphin Nautilus, now in its 3rd season of use and going strong: it's a workhorse, does an excellent job in 2 hours, vacuums up quite small particles as well as larger leaves, and is easy to clean. The design is simple and unfussy -- uncomplicated to use. It's a little heavy to lift out of the pool -- but far less so than the Hayward which, incredibly, dropped everything it had vacuumed back into the pool when one lifted it out. Since apparently many reviews come from individuals who have been given the product in exchange for a review, I should say that I bought this vacuum on Amazon after having researched many on line! UPDATE in June '16: now in its 4th year, this vacuum is still working efficiently and reliably. It has saved us untold time and effort. I wish it were a little lighter, but on the plus side, it's extremely solid and sturdy. Hard to believe the negative reviews are about the same product - I would buy this again in a minute. Really couldn't ask for better.
I am so pleased with this device
I placed it in the pool and started the robot up. I am so impressed with it. It is only 50% through its first time cleaning cycle and the pool is so much cleaner already. I was impressed when it climbed up the side of my pool and then broke the water line, lowered itself just under the tile line, then started cleaning just at the water line. I noticed it was in a strong vacuum mode to hold itself onto the side wall as it crawled along for about four feet. It then detached itself and maneuvered itself to the bottom by using its vacuum to get a jet flow to stay upright. I watched it climb the steps and clean them. When it got into a corner where a lot of debris collects it went into a super sucker mode (my scientific name for it) for about 45 sec. and just stayed there and cleaned out that corner. Really I was not expecting to be so excited about this device. I am excited though. My wife and I are both in our 60's and cleaning the pool is getting to be a bit of a job. This is going to really make our job easier. Grand kids are only so much help before they just give up trying to do a good job. You know what I am talking about if you have grand kids. To excited to get in the pool and drop all cleaning stuff and get in while your back is turned. giggle. My wife will be going in for back surgery soon so we decided we really needed some help with the pool cleaning. My work schedule does not allow me to be as regular about pool vacuuming as I we would like it to be. This is going to help tremendously. We love it even on our first use.
So long Pool Man!
First time pool owner. I have heard from many good pool cleaners aren't cheap. Friends told me you buy a cheap one it will just break.. And I heard a lot of complaints on the ones that hook up to your skimmer. The lines rot out plus you have to run them all the time. I don't know about you but I have swam in friends pool with their Kreepy Crawly cleaner in there and I think its obnoxious. After reading a ton of reviews on many pool cleaners. I made the Leap and let my pool guy go. My 16,000 gall
Purchased in 2014 and cleaning like a champ
I purchased this little Dolphin Nautilus robot in 2014 after reading some glowing reviews on the Trouble Free Pools blog. We have a schedule that doesn't allow us to invest the time required to manually brush and vacuum our pool to remove sand, dust and small pea gravel every day - not even every other day. We've had to replace the climbing rings twice and the cartridge frame once. Thankfully, this is fairly easy for a DIYer to repair and parts are available all over the internet. After 4 years of year-round use, we're still very happy with this robot.
1 Day In
We were thrilled that this showed up 3 days earlier than expected! We just moved in to a new to us house with a nice pool. Since the previous family was moving out, and we were busy moving in all the beautiful trees decided to fill our pool with leaves. Our dog, who enjoys swimming, also decided to contribute his summer shed to our blue water. It was a big job for our new robot, but man did it get the job done. 2 hours after dropping our Dolphin in the pool was IMMACULATE! It was also fun watching it roam around the pool and climb walls. After researching and researching all the pool cleaning robots, we are very happy with our decision. I will update this review if something changes during our ownership, but for new we are completely satisfied!
"So Easy Even My Husband Can Use It"
After much debate, review and research we finally decided on the Dolphin Nautilis as our very first automatic pool vacuum. We purchased a home 4 years ago with a 30,000 gallon swimming pool. I really enjoy taking care of it. ("Pool piddling" as I call it.) I did NOT however enjoy vacuuming it. Along with the swimming pool we also got a 3k sf house. Oh did I mention the 5 kids, 3 cats and many stray neighborhood kids? I hate vacuuming the HOUSE much less the pool...lugging out the hose, filling i
I would not get into the pool if there was one worm in there.
My husband had to clean the pool with the hose, hand brush about every other day. (for years). Finally for fathers day this year I seen on line the video on the Dolphin Nautilus and decided to purchase it. It was the best thing he ever received for fathers day. It is so easy to use. When it is finished cleaning it automatically turns off. The only thing I wish I bought was the Dolphin with the timer. My son and daughter-in-law has the same one only with the timer. Of course they are working and we are retired so we can turn it on anytime. We get up every morning and the first thing we do is look in the pool and it is so clean. We love it. And if there is (even one worm in there) we turn on the Dolphin and my grandson who is 3 loves to watch it clean the pool. We were amazed on how it climb the walls and we thought it was going to climb right out of the pool and it turns around and goes along the wall. We also watched it climb the steps and did a great job. We just started using it so we hope and I'm sure it will continue to amaze us for a very long time. I would definitely recommend this product.
I love this thing
I am writing this review after owning this for several years. This pool sweeper saves us so much time. No more using two people to hook up a bulky manual sweeper. It might miss a spot here and there but for the most part this sweeper does a great job. We have a salt water pool so we do rinse it and empty it's filters regularly. It is such a huge time saver. We just drop it in the pool in the morning and by the time we use the pool in the late morning or early afternoon, it's clean and ready to swim. It gets hung up in our corner once in a great while for some reason. We just pull it back out of the corner and off it goes to finish the job.
Does a good job!
This little bot climbs my pool walls! Some other reviewers with above-ground pools stated that it would not. We just replaced our pool and we used lots of sand to make a nice, smooth, 8" cove. This Dolphin eagerly climbs the pool walls and scrubs our pool thoroughly. It helps keep the slime down in extreme summer heat. The previous pool-bot we owned had the cotton bag. Honestly, I think the bag does a better job at cleaning than either of the filters included with this product; however, I'm not going back to any cleaner with "the bag". Nasty! Hard to clean! Messy! The filters with this unit do a good job. I like having one set soaking in soapy water while the other set is in the bot, cleaning the pool. If I need a second run at the cleaning, I'll just switch out the filters and put him in again. EZ PZ. Several years ago I borrowed a $1300.00 pool bot from a friend to clean our pool. It did a good job, but had the nasty cotton bag. Honestly, this unit at about 1/2 the price does just as well as the mega-dollar machine of 5 or 6 years ago. My first season with this bot has been good. I did buy the Amazon extended warranty. These products seem to wear quickly. We'll see how it lasts......
Works like a charm!
This product is fantastic! Just started our second season using it on our 16x32 inground vinyl liner pool. Gone are the days of waking up early to backbreaking manual cleaning and back washing. The dolphin climbs walls, remembers your pool layout, and picks up most dirt/leaves. Brushing is still recommended but this thing does 80% of the work for you. Operating and cleaning are simple. Runs for about a 3 hour cycle. The only down side is that it occasionally gets stuck trying to climb awkward corners in the pool...a simple tug on the sturdy power line breaks it free. Well worth the money!!
Wow! This thing is amazing!
This was a big purchase for me and my wife so we tried to go cheaper beforehand and do manual vacuuming. The problem was my pump was leaking air through the seals so every time we would try and utilize suction for it a huge air bubble would develop and kill pump prime. I needed something 100% independent of any filter/pump to clean this pool. My friend had bought it and was raving about how automatic it was and how now he had time to spend with his family vs spending hours cleaning the pool. I finally went for it and I have no regrets. Well made, super smart technology,the ability to climb vertical walls, easy to empty out, multiple filter options, it picks up sand, so many things. I set this in the pool at night and push the button and it roams around while I sleep, I wake up and the pool looks awesome, I pull it out, clean the filters when i get home and then repeat every day. Make sure you are still brushing your pool. Don't use this as a replacement for good water maintenance. You still need to brush buildup so the filter can get it and you will still need to maintain good water pH, chemistry etc. The hard white wheels may show up squished but that is OK, those are actually foam and they will turn spongy once this gets put in the water. Also this ships with the screen filters intact. If you are trying to clean sand and heavy particles they work great but if you are working on clarity and finer stuff switch to the included finer filters
Best Investment I could make for my pool!
I have now had this pool cleaner for 2 years now and I'm just finally getting to a review. This cleaner has held up, I have not had ANY problems with it, and it works just as good as the day I bought it! We fortunately have an outlet near by to plug it in so that is convenient for us. I like it much better than the kind I had to attach to my pool pump. The pool vacuum has been tucked away in my shed to never see the light of day, it's never needed. It's a little heavy pulling it out of the pool, but I'm a very small woman and it's never been a problem for me. This is hands down the best investment I made for my pool!
This thing is awesome! I had a $2000 vacuum like this for ...
This thing is awesome! I had a $2000 vacuum like this for 6 years so I was worried about buying this cheaper one but it works better and faster than my old expensive one- hands down well worth the money goes up walls steps picks up big leaves pine needles and then even the little fine stuff like pollen piles on pool floor... hope this review helps ppl but I'm 100% happy with it
Best Investment Ever
We purchased the dolphin a year ago and we love, love, love our dolphin! It is a work horse and with minimal chemicals, the dolphin keeps our pool debris and algae free. The pool was built in 1956 and prior to the dolphin purchase we thought the pool needed to be resurfaced. Now, our pool looks crystal clear…top to bottom.
Should have bought this a long time ago!
I love this product. Used it for one full year last season and the results were great. Does a thorough job on floors and walls (not so great on steps though). Fairly light weight, no hoses to hook up; just drop in the pool. Easy to access and clean filters. Though I expect many more years out of this unit, I think it paid for itself in time saved just last year alone. I would have manually vac’d twice a week for two to three hours/week. I ended up NEVER hooking up the manual vac all season. If you’re looking to save yourself time and still have a clean, clear pool, this is a great buy.
Great Product!
I’ve had my cleaner a year and have no complaints so far. I am a 66 year old woman with shoulder problems and am able to lift it from the pool with little difficulty. I would definitely recommend this cleaner.
3 Years use
This cleaner is way better than my old Polaris. It climbs, cleans and has less maintenance.
Customer Review
I live in Texas and within a city that has many mature trees, especially in the back yard where my swimming pool is located. The Dolphin has made my job, keeping the pool clean and efficient. I cannot do without it. I’ve owned it for almost 2 years. Recently it’s started to stop after ten minutes of operation. The Dolphin seems to be clean and everything in place, I just don’t know the maintenance involved and that’s where I’m currently at.
Great robot
Keeps my pool very clean. Also, had an issue that customer service was quick to handle. Extremely happy with my purchase.
Its great
Very good
No Regrets
Looked at different pool cleaners, looked at different reviews and decided on this one.I made the right choice.
Dolphin
This has been a lifesaver; I love it and it works perfectly.
Wow, what a cleaner. It makes my old Polaris hide in shame.
The very first time in a newly lined and filled pool, it cleaned the bottom of all sediment and debris after nothing had been done to it in over a week. Wonders never cease. I have a 28,000 gallon pool 39 feet long and it did this in less than 3 hours. I can highly recommend this unit.
So worth it!!!
The dolphin is amazing, it has saved me so much time and not to mention saved our filters, etc., while keeping the pool way cleaner than we were previously able to – I highly recommend purchasing one of these, you will not regret it!
Year 4 still perfect
4 years of daily/seasonal use and this unit still works flawlessly. Best pool vacuum i’ve Ever bought!
Amazing pool cleaner
We have had this cleaner for 4 years. It is so easy to use and has never given any trouble. Love it!!
Best Thing I Ever Ordered !
I have been using cheaper automatic pool cleaners that never did even a decent job of cleaning my inground 16 by 32 Inground pool. I have been looking for an automatic pool cleaner and saw great reviews for this one. I decided to invest and it is wonderful. The filters are super easy to clean and the unit goes right up the sides of the pool. My only complaint is that the unit is a little heavy for me. I also purchased the caddy that comes with the unit. The caddy is wonderful for storing and moving the unit around. All in all, I love it and would not be without it. Even my daughter has borrowed it for her pool. Also, I use it either once or twice a week.
Why did I wait so long ?
I should start out saying I have used my Dolphin Nautilus one season. I previously had a Polaris 360 which did an adequate job cleaning my pool but my new Dolphin Nautilus does a great job keeping my pool clean. It is also very easy to operate. My only issue is when taking it out of the pool, It seems heavy when filled with water. Not really a big problem but I thought worth mentioning. I just wish I would have purchased it sooner. Well worth the money.
Dolphin Nautilus
This is my second Dolphin purchase, the first was factory refurbished and lasted 5 seasons. The machine works great and cleans my in ground pool fairly well allowing me to tackle other chores. My only wish would be an extended run time. I would highly recommend over the other products available.
Great cleaner
Have been using the Hayward navigator for over twenty years and this vacuum out performs that by a long shot. Climbs the walks and steps without a problem and is very easy to put in and take out. This will be our second year of use and hope it will last along time.
Awesome product
I have had the nautilus now for about 2 years. It has worked flawlessly. I’m always amazed at how it cleans the entire pool every time. When watching it in the pool, it looks like there’s no rhyme or reason to it’s pattern. But it picks up every speck. I do have queen palms and sometimes it doesn’t get the palm frawns but they are 2 to 3 feet long, so that is understandable. But sometimes it does. It is a very powerful machine. Very easy to clean. It has cartridges that collect the debris and easy to get to and easy to clean. One set of cartridges picks up any debris you can see, the other set has a really fine filter for picking up dust sized debris. I don’t leave it in the pool. I put it in when the pool needs it and take it out, clean the cartridges, rinse it thoroughly ( pool chemicals are tough on equipment). I store it upside down to keep the rollers in good condition. Just an awesome tool.
Wonderful robot!
I use my pool robot cleaner every afternoon to keep my inground pool spotless. It does a great job and easy to clean. I couldn’t do without it! I love it just drop in in and let it do all the work!
Great product
Awsome, does great job and so simple to use and clean
Love It!!
We purchased this vacuum last summer and just love it. It is so easy to use and does a great job. The cleaning process is so easy you just remove the cartridges and spray with a garden hose. Would recommend this product very highly.
Love it!!
Cleans very well, and is easy to clean after use. Very, very happy with the product! Had an issue with the power supply when I first tried to use it, called the help line and they sent me a replacement immediately.
Well Worth it's Weight in Gold
Absolute God sent item!! Wish we would have purchased initially when our in-ground pool was put in. We also bought the caddy which is a must, great for transportation to pool side and storage. First robotic pool cleaner, did a lot research before purchasing – was manually cleaning previously for a few years before this. Now, I can place it and go and be more efficient with my time and get many things done while it cleans. It not only saves on my time but, previously the PH and other chemical imbalances do not happen now. We save on additional cost (not only of the chemicals but, over time exposure of the pool surface to the chemicals) and time spent purchasing the chemical to keep the water clean and clear. This does it all, we used it every 2-3 days. We have an in ground fiberglass, irregular pool shape, w/steps, seats, ledges and coves. Will not do the coves unless I begin by placing it in the cove otherwise, this would be a feature I wish it performed with out the added “trick” to get it to clean them. Overall, extremely satisfied with it’s performance!!
Love this pool cleaner
We bought this pool cleaner a year ago. It does a great job cleaning the pool and is easy to use. We plug it in, throw it in the pool, push the start button and about 2 hours later the pool is clean. It is a bit heavy pulling out of the pool when it is full of water but rinse everything and put it away and you are ready to go for the next time. I also love the option of the 2 types of pool filters (1 for leaves and 1 for dirt). I would definitely buy another.
No more Polaris anything!
I bought this cleaner to replace several Polaris products which I noticed were becoming more cheaply made and designed with each new iteration. I was skeptical about an electric cleaner, and I had misgivings about how safe and reliable they might be in sustained usage. You see, I have an outdoor pool which lies underneath a 75 year-old live oak, which is an extremely dirty tree, and never ceases filling my pool with its mess. I am pleased with the Nautilus; it works tirelessly, cramming its collection baskets full to bursting, and I can rely on it to sweep the pool clear within several applications if the debris is particularly bad. For example, March is the month when this tree attempts to reproduce, thus shedding leaves, empty pollen sacs, acorns and clouds of spore. The pool can turn livid green overnight, but I am patient, and I just keep cleaning the sweep baskets every couple of hours, and let it do its job. Invariably, the pools returns to its beautiful aqua-blue state, something no Polaris product, even when they were properly made and constructed, was ever capable of doing. So long as Maytronics keeps its quality control and engineering practices at this level of quality, I will continue to support them with my purchases and my praise. God bless’em, they make a superb product!
Great robot
Was tired of having to clean the pool every week and wanted to try the new robot’s. Had tried a different one years ago and would not work in our pool. Did not want to spend a fortune but did want a good unit. Have been very impressed with the total operation of the unit. Had the clorinator tied with a piece of 100 lb fishing line to the side of the pool and forgot to take it out and started the robot. I looked out a little while later to see the unit hung up on the line. After ten minutes of work to remove the line I was surprised that there was no damage and has worked great ever since. So easy to clean great design absolutely love it. Thanks.
Great Pool Cleaner
My Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus has been a great and dependable pool cleaner. It’s easy to clean debris from it and it does a good job vacuuming the leaves from the pool.
Easy pool cleaning
We’ve had 2 different pool cleaners previously and we like this one the best! I like that I can program it to clean at any time without running the pool pump and filter.
Satisfied customer
The nautilus exceeded my expectations in my first year of use. The ease of use, thorough cleaning capabilities and quick access to removable screens make this product a great value.
Naitilus
Vacuum works great, no issues at all but the computer only lasted two seasons with about 30 vacuums total. I maintained it perfectly, bringing inside for winter and only light debris use. Now have to get another computer.
Good product does what it says, plus some, I'd recommend it.
I had a hell of a time choosing this as there are so many models and so little information out there. I relied on Amazon buyer reviews. By and large it was properly reviewed. It does what it says it does, and does it well. After using it, I think the bad reviews were mostly user error. One can pay a lot less or a lot more, I found this was a good compromise, not cheap, but not expensive compared to what it does and what one can pay. I have an above ground round 27' diameter pool. the bottom is a
Don't Spend More For Less
I have struggled with the idea of spending money on an automatic self-contained cleaning unit for a few years. They always seemed like a very expensive purchase. I hated spending an hour or so every week to manually vacuum my pool. I looked around and saw this unit. It was half the price of other cleaning units I was looking at. It is a fully self-contained unit. You do not have to plug it into your filter. I was tempted to just pass it by, but I wanted to give it a shot. I am very glad I did. T
Good vacuum with some work arounds....
The Dolphin was recommended by a lot of people so I took the chance and bought one (this is my first robotic cleaner). I have to say I use it almost every day. It seems to clean the pool well with a few caveats: 1) it does seem to get stuck a lot on the side of the pool. The wheels on the bottom get stuck up against the side of the pool and the bottom kind of in a catty corner arrangement. It just sits there for a few seconds spinning its wheels and then stops. 2) Turning the unit back on is not as easy or intuitive as it should be. Just pushing the button off -on doesn't work...you have to wait about 10-15 seconds and then turn it back on. 3) I am a big guy and this thing gets heavy lifting it out of the water. I don't want to pull it by the cord but sometimes that is the only choice. A handle would be really nice. 4) Once you do lift it out get it out fast because the water running out will allow all of the stuff that was sucked up to fall back in the pool. So that is it just get to know the stuff you buy I guess. I am working around the problems and may figure out a way to make a handle...hmmm.
4 Years old snd still going, sorta, with some minor issues.
Purchased in 2015 and this year it is starting to have issues with gears sticking and finding it stranded in pool. A tug on wheel frees it and then it resumes but now unreliable. In general it has done a great job. The only complaint is that the design is labor intensive to open, remove filters, clean, etc.. GREAT at filtering small stuff but it has such a tiny capacity that fall leaves kill it within minutes. I am actually about to buy a new one and the designs look much improved. This unit has run well for 4 years but would not expect much more than that. I have a 25ft saltwater "kidney" shaped pool and it always did a good job getting most areas, although a few corners always seemed to get missed.
Very satisfied at the end of day 2
Day 1. Pool had way too many oak leaves, small branches and to my amazement, some gravel on the bottom (Dolphin picked it up) Unpacked this robot, carefully read the instructions, although there aren't many included, and launched the robot. As advertised, it stated then stopped for a few seconds, not sure why, then started up again and took off. Due to the significant number of leaves in the pool, I stopped progress after about 45 minutes and emptied the debris area. They were both almost full s
Good, not great.
According to Amazon, I have had this for 7 years. I like it. It cleans well, but I will occasionally have to go into the pool area and flip it over when it turns itself over in the corner. If it is not flipped over in the corner, the Dolphin has a tendency to get stuck on one of our two intakes located at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. It can be annoying, but, generally we are outside nearby when I decide to put it in. SO FAR, I have not had to replace anything, although this year looks like I will have to get new filters for it and my power supply seems to have quit (but i still have to take a look at it). I wish I had a better model to refer to, but being my first pool, I have only had this one model to clean our pool. As I said, for the most part, it works, it cleans well, In between cleanings I try to maintain all the parts, keeping them clean and not letting anything get stuck, not letting any hair get caught in the impeller. That is key to keeping the cleaner working.
New concept paradigm : Pool Bot
Very efficient. No mechanical problems after 1 year. Negative: Scuffs pool surface on steps.
Works well
I purchased a Dolphin Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Cleaner with Top Load Filter Basket one year ago. It is good at cleaning up leaves from the bottom of the pool. It can’t get everywhere as the pool has curves, but I don’t believe there is any robot that can. I have a lot of foliage in my back yard, and the robot helps a ton. I probably use it 2 to 4 times a week all year long and its still working. The only problem I had was the filter basket latch stopped latching correctly so when I would pull out the basket, the bottom would open and dump the debris into the robot. Maytronics provided a replacement basket under warranty. The model I have does not have a swivel so the power cord get wound up every time it is used, and it needs to be regularly “unwound.” This is not a big deal, but buying the one with a swivel would eliminate this extra step when using the robot. Overall, the robot is a huge help and I would buy again.
Great
Love everything with the exception of the cord continues to tangle and it does not climb the wall very well
Mostly good but there are few bad issues
This robot cleaner does the job most of the time. I had it for two years now and I found 3 issues that I am not happy about. First, the foam wheels in front and back seem to have larger diameter than they should causing the brush not to be able to properly scrub the pool. This improved over time as the foam starts to wear out. The second issue is the rubber track between the front and back wheels keeps coming off causing the robot to stop and I have to pull it out of the water, put the rubber track back in the grooves and continue. This happens very frequently. The 3rd issue is the top fan casing window cover broke after 2 times of opening it to remove some leaves from the fan compartment. It seems the plastic latch degrades so much due to chlorine or other chemicals in the pool that it loses its elasticity and just breaks.
4 stars
Product does a pretty good job but I wouldn’t say excellent. Customer service is very poor. I tried calling them and leaving message, sent an e-mail but no response.
Best pool cleaner
Very satisfied with this product and our pool has never been cleaner.
A review of swimming pool cleaner
My wife and I were looking for an easier way to vacuum our residential swimming pool. We had been using the old hose, extension pole and weighted vacuum head and laboring to clean our pool. We had reservations about these “automatic” pool cleaners and decided to shop around and research them. We were not looking for the cheapest nor the most expensive and decided on this one after looking into them. We have to say this thing does a great job and it takes very little effort. Of course it has to be put in and taken out and cleaned but all you have to do is wash the filters with a water hose spray. We are very happy with it and highly recommend it to anyone wanting to reduce pool maintenance.
Works as advertised
The product works as advertised. The basket lasted one season before it started dry-rotting and tearing when cleaning it out. Will have to see where I can get another one.
Easy to use and not super heavy to put in and take out of pool
WELL...... this was our third Maytronics pool cleaner and the last two cleaners were wonderful. We sold those two houses with pools and left the cleaner with pools. I decided to repeat history and order a third one but sadly, it turned out to be defective. First run in the pool and the unit kept shutting off. That said, I am not afraid to reorder yet another because our other cleaners had no problems whatsoever.
Does an ok job.
I've had this robot for about a month now. Overall I'm some what satisfied. As soon as I opened the box I found a piece of plastic popped off which was discouraging but fixable. I turned it lose for the first time and my Initial reaction was this thing is awsome. But now after using it several times I'm not as pleased with it. It gets stuck in random places as you can see in the picture. I've watched it run and I dont buy into the whole mapping of the pool. The anti tangle piece on the cord somewhat works but the cord after the full run time is always tangled up. And now that leaves are starting to fall I've discovered it wont pick a whole leaf up. Pieces yes, whole leaf no. It does do a good job of picking up dirt and small objects off the bottom. The filters are easy to clean but dont appear like they are going to last through to many cleanings. Overall I'm satisfied but I was expecting more for the price. It's an upgrade from a suction vacuum but not much
Mislead on power supply
No complaints about the robot itself. The issue I have is with the power supply provided. The ad stated 1 button operation, which is somewhat misleading. This is not a programmable power supply. Other robots come with the same power supply (1 button) but through additional button presses can be scheduled to clean every day, every other day, or weekly. This unit must be manually started each time you want to clean the pool, which seems pointless if I’m purchasing a robotic cleaner to do the job for me. The Maytronics website even lists a power supply that schedules cleaning with this unit. I would return it but it actually cleans well so I suppose I’ll live with it. I’ll probably purchase from a different company next time though.
Works well for 3-years of regular use
Worked well for 3 years. Problems: 1) It gets stuck on top of the dome-style drain grid (regulation for new or resurfaced pools in Southern CA). It will sit on top of the grid until it is noticed and manually pushed off. It can get stuck early in its cycle and if I'm not there to see it, no cleaning is done. 2) We have a large 40,000 gallon pool with a bend in it's shape (partway between a rectangular shape towards L-shaped). The Nautilus seems to have a very random cleaning pattern. It does a bit in the shallow end then works on the deep end for a while, it is not doing its cleaning with any uniform or recognizable logic. When there is a lot of dirt, following our Santa Ana winds for instance, it leaves slim triangular areas at the end of its long 2.5 to 3 hour cycle. 3) It completely died 3-years from the day of purchase. No power is getting to the motor. I've since upgraded to the Nautilus plus which has initially made a good impression with it's double filter system, stronger wall-climbing ability and hasn't yet been stuck on top of the drain grid. One person found this helpful
Awkwardness of unit prevents a higher score
The cleaning goes well; have never had cable tangling issues. The real problem with this unit is the incredible amount of debris it dumps back into the pool when pulling it out after a cleaning cycle. “Just flip it over before you take it out of the water, to minimize debris loss.” How about designing a system that doesn’t regurgitate?
Filter issues
The machine works very well however i have had it for less than a year and the filter screen material is coming unattached. It does not fall under warranty and I cannot find a replacement for under $100.00.
Consider a different brand or higher end model.
I bought the Dolphin Nautilus to replace an aging Aquabot that came along with the purchase of our house. Based on the reviews I was expecting the Nautilus to run circles around my ancient Aquabot system. Unfortunately this bot doesn't clean nearly as well as my old system. The Nautilus fails to clean the water line even under perfect conditions. It takes several cycles to clean a simple 5ft deep fiberglass 15,000 gallon pool. My Aquabot did the job within a single cycle. The Nautilus seems to get stuck on stupid and will continuously run the perimeter of my pool. It typically requires frequent manual inputs to redirect it. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a pool bot in the first place. Finally, after less than a month of ownership the power supply box has already failed on me. The Nautilus is stored in my garage between cleanings so there's really no excuse for this. At this point I severely regret buying the Dolphin. I should have stuck with my tried and true Aquabot. I guess it wasn't as antiquated as I thought.
It is good while it works
My robot quit working after about a year. This is the second robot I purchased from Maytronics. Verified there is no debris or anything that could clog the wheels. The funny thing is they both exhibit the same issue. Applied power light came on, but there is no response from the robot. It appears that other users might have similar issue.
Constantly Flips Over!!!!
Cleans well, but is constantly on it’s back in my pool. Never makes it through a cycle. Stay away!