the nearest outdoor electrical outlet, and all that’s left is to start a cleaning job. It has one cleaning mode and cycle time of two hours, so you don’t get a lot of leeway with selecting the type of cleaning your pool needs.

The M200 in the Water
We put the M200 into a challenging environment. Our test pool was a 20’x50’ in-ground gunite pool with tile at the waterline and several underwater obstacles: protruding drains, steps, a tanning ledge, and an in-ground table base next to an underwater bench. Obstacles aside, this was also the first time the pool had been cleaned in a few weeks. Seasonal wind and rain had left dirt and leaves littering the bottom, and the water was cloudy from local topsoil being blown in. Needless to say, the M200 had its work cut out for it.

Dropping the robotic pool cleaner in was simple, and it quickly sunk to the bottom and started its cleaning job. One of the first things we noticed was how powerfully it moved underwater. It plowed over the drains with ease, as opposed to getting caught on them or having to back up and reroute like many other pool cleaners. The M200 moved steadily and smoothly from the get-go, unhindered by unnecessary frills.

M200 Mobility
One of the most promising features of the M200 is its ability to climb and clean walls. We were interested to see how it actually performed in this area, as many robotic pool cleaners may climb walls – but they fail to keep from falling backward.

The M200, however, climbed like a mountain goat. It powered vertically up all of the sides of the pool, and it never fell back once. It even reached the waterline in most areas. We weren’t expecting this because Dolphin doesn’t list waterline cleaning as one of the M200’s abilities. But lo and behold – it cleaned it.

Steps are also a common challenge. The M200 approached the first underwater step of our test pool without lingering or pausing to figure out where it was or what it was supposed to be doing. Instead, it powered right up the first step without hesitation, then the next, and then the next. To be honest, we have seen some robotic pool cleaners that cost twice as much as the M200 fail in this category. But it didn’t fall or linger from the tricky underwater steps.

There were also several trouble spots we were interested to watch the M200 tackle. Our test pool had a table and bench area in the shallow end, with the base of the table rising from the floor of the pool to the stone tabletop that sits on top of the water. The bench looks like one giant underwater step, rising about two feet from the pool floor. It looked like it might be a tight squeeze for the M200 to clean between the table base and base of the bench, but it managed to fit. Since it is a circular obstacle, the M200 had to pause and back up a few times before moving forward. It also took it a few minutes to figure out how to reach the top of the bench (which sits about two feet below the water’s surface). But it did it. The M200 even inched up to clean the waterline above the bench.

We weren’t expecting the M200 to perform nearly as well as it did in these tricky areas. But it powered through those underwater obstacles and left us impressed.

Cleaning Ability
We described how durable and heavy duty the M200’s brushes looked, but we were eager to see their brushing power in action.

The M200 progressed across the bottom of the pool and left behind streaks of clean flooring. It sucked up larger debris like leaves and small twigs, but we were particularly impressed with the smaller particles it grabbed. Since windy weather had left a considerable amount of silt on the floor of the pool, we assumed it might have trouble dislodging it from the rough gunite texture. Instead, it grabbed all of it and then some.

As it climbed the walls, we could see the scrubbing brushes spinning rapidly, especially when it poked above the water to the waterline. The cleaning job lasted two hours, and the clarity of the water was improved after only one hour. We thought we may need to run the M200 a second time to fully clean the dirty test pool, but one cycle was all we needed.

Inside the Filters
The M200 has convenient top-loading cartridge filters. These are infinitely easier to handle and clean than bottom-loading internal filter bags.

When you open the top of the M200, you’ll see the top of the filter cartridge poking up. Just grab it and pull, releasing the cartridge from inside the robot. To clean it, just snap it open to release any larger debris, then rinse the filters themselves until they are bright white again.

We opened the cartridge to see quite a bit of debris. The M200 had gathered twigs, acorns, and leaves with gusto. The filters themselves were rather dirty from all of the silt that had settled on the bottom of the pool, so it took a good rinsing to get the filter clean again. The dirtiness of the filter was a vote of confidence for the M200’s capabilities, though. It not only grabbed the obvious debris – it actively scrubbed the grime from the pool, too.

The M200 comes with standard fine filters for the cartridge. But if you’d like the option to do a deeper cleaning, you can purchase ultra-fine filters to change out in the cartridge based on your pool’s needs.

What the M200 Does Right
Strength and Durability
The M200 isn’t bogged down with unnecessary frills and features. It truly is a workhorse that gets the job done. The way it powered across the pool’s surface and maneuvered through tricky problem areas was remarkable. Plus, its solid construction and Dolphin’s reputation mean it might be the last robotic pool cleaner you buy.

Filtration Performance and Maintenance
We are all for easy maintenance. And the M200 is about as low maintenance as they come. In terms of filtration especially, it couldn’t be simpler to remove the filter cartridge, empty it, rinse it, and put it back. If you’ve fumbled with filter bags or have had to shimmy finnicky cartridges back into place, you’ll appreciate this filtration system, too.

Swivel
Again, we were pleasantly surprised to see the swivel feature included on the M200, especially for its low price. It prevents all kinds of headaches from a 60-foot cable knotted into one impossible heap.

Three-Year Warranty
Finding a robotic pool cleaner with a three-year warranty is tough. Most last for 12 months only, and some of the more expensive ones will last up to two years. But three years? That’s another tic in the durability box for the M200. Just be sure you purchase yours from a certified Dolphin dealer, otherwise the warranty doesn’t apply.

Where is Room for Improvement?
We’re going to go out on a limb here…. Nowhere. There’s really no room for improvement.

Is the Dolphin M200 the best robotic pool cleaner on the market? No. But based on its price and performance, it’s the best at what it does. Without unnecessary bells and whistles, the M 200 can devote all of its design and energy into doing the hard work you don’t want to do anymore. It’s a solid climber, scrubs deeply, filters like a champ, and powers through obstacles like a tank.

The M200’s performance even outshines its affordability. For all pool owners looking for an economical workhorse to do the dirty work for them, look no further than the M200