If the Dolphin brand could have one robotic pool cleaner that its known for, it would probably be the Dolphin Nautilus. This top-seller is a renowned bread-and-butter machine, known for its pool-cleaning efficiency at a reasonable price. Pool owners are enticed by the Nautilus promise of long-term durability and cleaning performance, especially with an affordable cost of about $600.
What Makes the Nautilus Noteworthy? CleverClean Technology
Dolphins patented scanning software takes stock of your pools layout with each cleaning job. The CleverClean technology navigates the Nautilus intelligently over every surface, ensuring it doesnt miss any spots or focus too long on one area.
Fine and Ultra-Fine Filtration
The dual filter cartridges come with two options for filters: fine and ultra-fine. The choice between the two lets pool owners customize cleaning jobs to fit their pools needs, whether its a large debris pickup or a deep cleaning.
Climbs and Scrubs Floors and Walls
The Nautilus is fitted with two scrubbing brushes. The durable plastic bristles rotate rapidly under water as the robotic pool cleaner traverses surfaces. The scrubbing action happens on the floor of the pool, as well as when the Nautilus climbs the sides.
One-Year Warranty
When purchased from a certified Dolphin dealer, the Nautilus comes with a 12-month limited warranty. It covers vital parts like the power supply, cable, motor, and p
lastic pieces.
Swivel Cable
Dolphin developed a groundbreaking device when they created and patented their anti-tangle swivel. This little contraption keeps the robotic pool cleaners cord from tangling in on itself, thus saving pool owners time and energy from having to untangle 60 feet of cord.
The Nautilus in Action Test Pool Conditions
Our 20x40 test pool had a maximum depth of 10 feet. The pool is located beneath a large oak tree and near several cedar trees. With springtime in full effect, the oak tree in particular was shedding leaves, empty pollen sacs, acorns, and clouds of spore. The cedar trees also left the water tinged with green, with bits of cedar pollen floating on the waters surface as well as lining the bottom of the pool.
CleverClean Technology at Work
Once we plugged in the Nautilus and let it sink to the bottom of the pool, all it took was the push of a button to get it started on a standard three-hour cleaning job.
With the CleverClean technology, we expected the Nautilus to roam the pools surfaces in a grid-like pattern. We had seen other smart Dolphin robotic pool cleaners do this. However, we couldnt follow a cleaning pattern with the Nautilus. It did its own thing traversing the pool, but it did cover the majority of it. Unlike traditional pool cleaners, it didnt linger in any one spot, nor did it overlook obvious areas. While the cleaning pattern the Nautilus took was a bit sporadic, it got the job done in the end.
For a robotic pool cleaner at this price point, we didnt expect the Nautilus to climb walls nearly as well as it did. It surprised us with its maneuverability underwater. The Nautilus reached the surface of the water on nearly every cleaning pass-through, only falling backward about two or three times. Even when it did fall, it quickly rerouted and cleaned the same strip of pool surface again. It didnt scrub the waterline, but that isnt a feature the Nautilus has anyway, so we werent disappointed by that.
When it came to underwater steps, the Nautilus gave an average performance. Many robotic pool cleaners will stumble on underwater stairs, and the Nautilus did, too. It fell a few times but managed to eventually cover each step except the top one. Reaching that height was outside of the Nautilus abilities.
It also struggled in an underwater cove near the pools built-in waterfall. The wall of the pool slopes into a deep curve, and the Nautilus had a hard time climbing past the beginning of the slope.
After watching its performance in the water, its clear the Nautilus is a hard worker. However, we think most pools will require supplemental brushing to get those hard-to-reach spots.
After a Cleaning Job
Once the Nautilus completed its first run, a standard three-hour cleaning cycle with the fine filter, we pulled it out of the water. Its rather bulky and heavy, especially when loaded with water. It has a quick release of excess water when you pull it from the pool, but its still hefty. Lift with care, especially when you flip it upside down to access the bottom-loading filters.
Filter Performance
The Nautilus comes with dual filter cartridges with the choice of two filters. We pulled the cartridges from the robots cavity, and they opened with a quick unsnapping of the filter cartridges latch.
The insides of both cartridges were jam-packed: leaves, twigs, bugs, acorns, and a murky green sludge from fine pollen spores. We knew the pool was dirty, but we didnt realize it was quite this dirty. Both cartridges captured more than we were expecting.
Cleaning the filtration system is easy, too. We just dumped the bigger pieces out and rinsed the filters themselves with an outdoor water hose until it was clean again.
Round Two
Our test pool still had a small twinge of green that was clouding the waters clarity. Because of all of the pollen the nearby oak and cedar trees were releasing, we knew the Nautilus would have to be a miracle worker to get the pool looking pristine in only three hours.
We decided to trade out the fine filters for the ultra-fine filters and put the Nautilus back in the water. After two hours, we stopped the cleaning job to inspect the waters clarity and the state of the filters.
All of the green hues had disappeared from the pool, leaving behind crystal-blue water. When we opened the filter cartridges to see inside, there was hardly any large debris. However, the filters themselves were tinged with the greenish yellow they had filtered from the inside of the pool.
We were surprised by the ability of the ultra-fine filters to really grab the nitty gritty grime. Even though it took two runs to get the pool sparkling again, that was a combined five hours of hard work the Nautilus was doing not us.
Whats Just Okay About the Nautilus Clogged Intake
We noticed a few larger leaves get stuck on the bottom intake of the Nautilus. It didnt seem to interfere with the cleaners active suction or scrubbing ability, but we did have to pull them out by hand after the cleaning job.
Its Hefty
The Nautilus weighs about 17 pounds. When youre pulling it from the water, it feels like quite a bit more. If youre not interested in lugging it around, we suggest purchasing a caddy from Dolphin. This makes storage and transportation far easier.
Hard-to-Reach Spots
There were a few places in the pool that the Nautilus struggled to reach particularly the underwater cove and the top step of the underwater steps. This isnt a deal breaker in our opinion, but it does keep the Nautilus from being a one-and-done robotic pool cleaner.
Still Need to Brush
Like we just described, there may be some areas the Nautilus cant reach. So, pool owners will still need to be diligent about brushing those spots by hand to ensure a completely clean pool.
What the Nautilus Does Right Filters Work Hard
Honestly, the filtration system couldnt be better. The cartridges captured a plethora of large debris, and the filters sifted the finest bits of pollen, dirt, and grim from the surface of the pool. Plus, the fine and ultra-fine filter option make for a nice option depending on the pools needs.
Easy to Use
Plug it in, drop it in, turn it on, walk away. Thats about how much work is required of pool owners who use the Nautilus. It doesnt need your interference mid-job, and selecting a cleaning mode is painless since theres only one choice. Basically, you push a button and let it do its thing.
Energy Efficient
Unlike traditional suction and pressure cleaners, the Nautilus robotic pool cleaner wont make your electric bill skyrocket. Its 8x more energy efficient than old school cleaners, averaging about 5 cents an hour to operate.
Durability
The Nautilus may not win any beauty contests, nor is it the fanciest robotic pool cleaner on the market. However, it has the valuable promise of long-lasting performance. Its designed like a strong underwater tank with sturdy materials that dont weather easily.
The Aquatic Heavy Hitter
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. Youll 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 Nautilus Pool Cleaner - Bottom Line
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. Youll 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 Nautilus Pool Cleaner
Robot Class: Inground
Features
Precise Navigation
Powered by CleverClean Technology
CleverClean coverage is powered by an advanced navigation system. This technology ensures that the most efficient route is used to clean your pool floor. So smart, the system automatically navigates around obstacles and quickly returns to its route.
Energy-Saving Power Supply
Easy One-Button Operation
The simple, user-friendly power supply has just one button for easy on/off operation. Its low energy intake makes it the energy efficient choice.
Swivel Cable
Uninterrupted Hassle-Free Clean
The patented anti-tangling swivel cable allows the robot to move easily and efficiently around your swimming pool and make clean-up a breeze.
Pool Attributes
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Cleaner Specs
Pool Size
Up to 50ft
Pool Shape
All
Obstacles
Steps, Ladder, Drain Cover, Ledges, Pop-Ups
Surface
Concrete, Plaster, Gunite or Pebble, Tile, Vinyl Liner, Fiberglass
How would you rate Dolphin Nautilus Pool Cleaner?*
Pool Owner's best friend!
ACD -
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
SK -
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!
magmag -
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
T-runner -
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
Larry H. -
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
V. Sandoval -
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
Cyakker -
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
George Warren -
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!
Laura S -
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
B.A. -
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!
F.M. -
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
on Florida pool there was a lot of leaves and pieces from trees and neighbors plants. I put in the filters and let it go on the bottom the first time. I was it cleaned almost the entire pool minus the steps and one leaf. Once I opened it to clean it I was impressed and grossed out how much dirt came out of those filters. Though I could not see any "dirt" in my pool the filters were filthy. One quick rinse that's it. I have been giving the entire unit a fresh water rinse since chlorine is corrosive, I figure it wouldn't hurt. When taking it out of your pool turn up side down to avoid back wash of dirt ( this Is a big downside Maytronics should fix that.) It is heavy (35-40 lbs once wet) I don't imagine a older person could remove it once wet. Over all I am happy with my purchase and happy it only costs about 15 cents per cycle for the electric. I been running 2x a week for 2 hours (its normally cycle) It is large and I am going to have to buy some sort of out door bench to store it. Best part is it has a auto shut off switch so you just set and walk away so for a busy mom it can clean while I can get my work done
Purchased in 2014 and cleaning like a champ
E. Kuo -
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
Bhodges -
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"
AC -
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
t with water, attaching the vacuum head only to have it fall of 20 times..you know the drill. My husband suggested I "get a pool robot as a birthday gift". Great idea, hubs! I started the grewling process of trying to figure out which one to purchase. These puppies are NOT cheap. I narrowed it down to the Dolphin and Tiger Shark (? Hayward) I told hubs to surprise me and pick from those. The winner was the dolphin based off price and reviews. I haven't owned another vacuum so I'm no expert on the matter but it certainly did an excellent job! Didn't do great on the stairs (but I knew this from reviews) but got 98% of everything from the bottom and sides. (From a 2.5 hour run the first time. Was starting a horror movie and knew I wouldn't come get it out the pool in the dark lol) Navigated pool in a totally nonsensical matter but really got it all at the end of the day! Just a major tip here before I close: the box DOES NOT SHOW YOU HOW TO UNPACK IT. There are dummy filters inside that you need to replace (directions to replace filters ARE in the box) AND THERE IS A WEDGED PEICE OF STYROFOAM LEAVE IT BE. Hubs was gonna tear it out but I told him to chill while I looked it up. After some reading online; it's to remain intact and helps with the units bouancy. (According to representatives at Maytronics) Oh! And the reviewer who said "so easy a housewife can use it" frankly "it's so easy my husband can use it" (and no I'm not going to put my height and weight so you all can just picture the little housewife pulling the massive beast from the water lol
I would not get into the pool if there was one worm in there.
Shirley -
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
Missy -
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!
Mary H. Brauninger -
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!
Robert Frees -
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!
Gor-D -
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!
Holly -
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 ...
tony rattini -
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
Mary Boyd -
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!
Michael McGregor -
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 vacd twice a week for two to three hours/week. I ended up NEVER hooking up the manual vac all season. If youre looking to save yourself time and still have a clean, clear pool, this is a great buy.
Great Product!
KAREN G NASH -
Ive 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
W Crutchfield -
This cleaner is way better than my old Polaris. It climbs, cleans and has less maintenance.
Customer Review
Marco Ramirez -
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. Ive owned it for almost 2 years. Recently its started to stop after ten minutes of operation. The Dolphin seems to be clean and everything in place, I just dont know the maintenance involved and thats where Im currently at.
Great robot
Aaron Allsopp -
Keeps my pool very clean. Also, had an issue that customer service was quick to handle. Extremely happy with my purchase.
Its great
Kelle Gellar -
Very good
No Regrets
MORRIS W BURBANK -
Looked at different pool cleaners, looked at different reviews and decided on this one.I made the right choice.
Dolphin
Frank E -
This has been a lifesaver; I love it and it works perfectly.
Wow, what a cleaner. It makes my old Polaris hide in shame.
Troy Tripamer -
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!!!
Nick -
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
Todd -
4 years of daily/seasonal use and this unit still works flawlessly. Best pool vacuum ive Ever bought!
Amazing pool cleaner
C.M. -
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 !
Margaret Lapre -
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 ?
John -
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
Brian McDonald -
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
Ralph -
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
Manny -
I have had the nautilus now for about 2 years. It has worked flawlessly. Im always amazed at how it cleans the entire pool every time. When watching it in the pool, it looks like theres no rhyme or reason to its pattern. But it picks up every speck. I do have queen palms and sometimes it doesnt 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 dont 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!
Beverly -
I use my pool robot cleaner every afternoon to keep my inground pool spotless. It does a great job and easy to clean. I couldnt do without it! I love it just drop in in and let it do all the work!
Great product
Thomas Herzog -
Awsome, does great job and so simple to use and clean
Love It!!
Pam Ecker -
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!!
Cham Stamper -
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
Tina & Tony Rivera -
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 its performance!!
Love this pool cleaner
Kris -
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!
Michael Dugas -
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 blessem, they make a superb product!
Great robot
Pat Chisolm -
Was tired of having to clean the pool every week and wanted to try the new robots. 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
Chris Stoddard -
My Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus has been a great and dependable pool cleaner. Its easy to clean debris from it and it does a good job vacuuming the leaves from the pool.
Easy pool cleaning
Vicki Crawford -
Weve 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
Paul Pasternak -
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
Tom -
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.
R Jason Howell -
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
little bumpy cause its sand underneath a soft liner. My issue was after shocking the dead algae would float to bottom of the pool, and make the water look green. my suction vacuum took too much labor to go back and forth to get all the algae. I needed a tool that would scrub the bottom a bit. Its does that perfectly. The filters are easy to clean, they pop out and you just hose them off. I don't have a 6 dgree curve on the side of my pool so I expected this would not clean the walls, but it does (so it does more than advertised!), not every time but enough that I get my walls cleaned a bit. I don't really get much algae on the sides so its not an issue anyway, but a bonus that it can climb my walls 25% of time for some extra cleaning. It can get stuck, rarely, but it has always gotten out in no more than a minute or two. I've been using for about a month and it has not faltered. if it does I will come back and post an update. This product will not pick up bigger leaves or sticks, it will pick up smaller(regular sized) leaves and gravel and sand, but its best for algae. I think if you have lots of big leaves and stuff you have a bigger problem than vacuuming! If you need to pick up lots of leaves for spring cleaning this may not be the best product for you, I'll know in the spring. I'm not concerned as I trust it will do what I need at this point. I have to say I get a notion in my head and hope a product will work a certain way, of course it never does, but in this case it did. I needed it to clean algae so I pictured it swiping clean swaths across my green bottom, like a point brush, just like in the cartoons...it does do this, it leaves a nice clean stripe as it goes back and forth, completely squeeky clean. After its does and you get in, the bottom is squeeky clean...ahhhh. Gratifying to use this product and very easy to use. Ignore reviews about it getting tangled. with proper care, gathering it in a loop after use, the cord is easily kept non-tangly. Every 3 cleanings I stretch it across the lawn, as advised, and it gathers up just fine. I did not give it 5 stars only because I think part of the criteria for 5 stars would be it lasting several years before I need a new motor. Hey, in three years maybe it will still work and I can up it to 5 stars. The price doesn't even register with me now, if time were money it's almost paid for itself already. It easily saves me 3 or more hours of labor a week. Good product does what it says, plus some, I'd recommend it
Don't Spend More For Less
Avisso -
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
his is a good example of getting more than you pay for. First, it is incredibly simple to use. It is basically a plug and play. Take it out of the box. Plug it in. Put it in your pool. Walk away. It's that easy. It is amazing to watch it do it's magic. It cleans every part of your pool in two hours. It does not miss a spot. When it is done, you remove it from the pool, open the bottom, and take out the filters. Clean the filters out with a hose, and you are done. Easy. To remove it from the pool, you have to be careful because there is not a handle to use. Instead, there are two indents on the top sides of the unit that you can use to grab and lift. It seems like the company could have spent a few bucks and added a handle to the top, but that is a minor complaint. The cord is great because it does not get tangled. It does not clean stairs, which is not a surprise, but it still tries really hard to climb them. It is able to climb the walls of my gunite in ground pool, but then it loses suction and drifts to the bottom of the pool. This is the only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars. The good thing is that when it drifts down, it always lands on the bottom of the unit and keeps on chugging along. I really like this unit, and I am very happy to have the hours back that I used to spend vacuuming my pool
Good vacuum with some work arounds....
RickinCT -
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.
Noel Hastings -
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
Wes -
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
o it was a good move. Flushed the filter assembly then back in the pool to continue. At the end of this cycle the pool was almost completely clean. I say almost since I have three circular steps leading into and out of the pool and it could only get to the second step, obviously the first step could not be reached since the Dolphin would have almost been out of the water. By this time it was well into the evening so I took the Dolphin out of the pool, cleaned it and put it away for the night. Mid morning Day 2 I went back out to inspect the pool and was very satisfied with what it had accomplished. There was one area the it could not clean and that is at the junction of my kidney shaped pool and the built in Spa. The angle of this corner is less than 90 degrees and I had no false assumptions that this cleaner would be able to get it. No problem, I just brushed the corner out into the main part of the pool. Started the Dolphin again at noon and viewed its progress. I does climb my pools walls (Gunite) and it does get on top of the built in bench seat I have along the edge of the Spa. Better yet, in the deep end of my pool there is a small seat built into the wall. It protrudes out from the pool wall and the Dolphin was even able to navigate up the underside of the seat which is a negative angle (> 90 degrees, angling back into the pool . I was surprised and pleased to see that. I know some reviewers stated that it did not do walls, but I found that not to be the case. The overall performance was in line with what I expected. I replaced a Polaris 350 with this and it seems so far to be superior., The handles are another problem many have commented on, but I found a simple solution, especially since it is winter and my pool is at 57 degrees, meaning that I am not going to get in the pool to pull it out. I made a wooden handled hook, using a 1 X 2 inch wooden handle and a standard plastic covered garage wall hook screwed into the end. I guide the Dolphin over near my steps then hook one side of the handle and gently pull it up out of the water to the point where I can reach down and grab the Dolphin handle. Simple yet effective. There is some seepage from the trap doors if either of them are held slightly open from a leaf or twig. The reviewer who stated that they pulled it out near the skimmer to grab this discharge had a good idea. In my case, since I am pulling it out at my steps, I first check the trap doors with my hand to make sure that both are closed. So far so good. I did not see any of the black marks that another reviewed saw. Outside of paying twice as much for a cleaner that has additional features, (remote, steering, come to me) I find that this is a good product at a reasonable price. Day 60. Almost out of winter and this Robot continues to clean very well. Fortunately this winter has been mild, pool temperature has not gone below 55 degrees so I was able to use it. I found the secret is when there are a lot of leaves at the bottom of the pool, use the course filter to get most of them out, then change to the fine filter and be amazed at how clean your pool is. Good purchase for me. Works perfectly. Make sure to give it a good fresh water cleaning when done and store out of the sun
Good, not great.
Debra -
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
GKR -
Very efficient. No mechanical problems after 1 year. Negative: Scuffs pool surface on steps.
Works well
Tom Friedman -
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 cant get everywhere as the pool has curves, but I dont 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
Harley McCorcle -
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
Sam -
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
Frank -
Product does a pretty good job but I wouldnt say excellent. Customer service is very poor. I tried calling them and leaving message, sent an e-mail but no response.
Best pool cleaner
Craig Sees -
Very satisfied with this product and our pool has never been cleaner.
A review of swimming pool cleaner
Bill Lane -
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
Jim Chaney -
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
Patti -
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.
Justin A Tackett -
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
JP -
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 Im 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 Ill live with it. Ill probably purchase from a different company next time though.
Works well for 3-years of regular use
Stereo Fan -
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
Jan Wampuszyc -
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 doesnt regurgitate?
Filter issues
Amy Lawrence -
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.
Jeff -
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
Sheng -
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!!!!
Richard Lucht -
Cleans well, but is constantly on its back in my pool. Never makes it through a cycle. Stay away!
Question & Answer
Question
Can you leave the Dolphin in the Water?
Answer
It is safe to leave your Dolphin cleaner in the water when not in use. However, (when adding chemicals to the pool) please remove the Dolphin until the proper chlorine and PH balance are obtained.
Question
What DIY repairs can I complete on my Dolphin?
Answer
DIY repairs should be completed by an authorized technician. Please contact your local retailer for service, Maytronics directly at 1-888-365-7446 or the support page of their website.
Question
Why is my Dolphin not cleaning the waterline?
Answer
This Dolphin is designed to climb the walls, but not up to the waterline. You may see the Dolphin perform an arch on the wall as it works its way down.
Question
What is the typical life span of a Dolphin robot?
Answer
The Dolphin is designed to last many seasons. However, the lifespan differs from Dolphin to Dolphin. Many different factors play a role, such as amount of use, pool chemistry, and pool surface.