Plain-English guides to robotic pool cleaners Specs from the makers · Prices dated · No paid rankings
Find a robot for your pool

Robotic pool cleaners, explained

Let a robot clean the pool. We’ll help you pick it.

Corded or cordless, in-ground or above-ground, floor only or walls and waterline: plain-English guides to what each robot does and what it costs, from the makers’ own specs.

Start with your pool See every guide
A robotic pool cleaner working on the floor of a pool, beside the steps
Photo: eminens on Pixabay

Start with your pool

An in-ground pool Floor, walls and waterline: what to look for. An above-ground pool Robots sized and built for soft or steel walls. No cord, please Battery robots, run times and charging. Leaves on the surface Robot skimmers and other surface cleaners.

Browse the guides

Everything about pool robots, in one place

Choosing a pool robot

What robots do, what they cost and which features matter for your pool.

Cordless pool robots

Battery robots: run times, charging, and when a cord still makes sense.

Guides on the way

Robots for above-ground pools

Robots made for soft-sided, steel-wall and small above-ground pools.

Guides on the way

Brands and models

Dolphin, Aiper, Beatbot, WYBOT and more: what each range offers, from the makers.

Guides on the way

Skimmers and other cleaners

Robot skimmers, suction and pressure cleaners, and how they compare with robots.

Guides on the way

Care, parts and fixes

Filters, brushes, batteries, storage and what to do when a robot stops.

Guides on the way

Latest guides

Fresh from the deep end

Choosing Robotic pool cleaners: how they work and what to look for A plain-English guide to the robotic pool cleaner: how it cleans without your pump, corded versus cordless, wall climbing, filters and what to compare. Updated 2 November 2026

All pool robot guides

How we make our guides

  1. 1We read the makers’ specs. Run times, pool sizes, floor types and prices come from the maker’s own pages and manuals, dated and cited.
  2. 2We don’t rank or review. We explain what each robot does and which pools it’s made for. Which one suits your pool is your call.
  3. 3We’re upfront about money. Some links earn us a commission. Here’s how that works.

Quick answers

What does a robotic pool cleaner do?

It runs on its own power, drives around the pool and collects dirt in its own filter, so it doesn’t rely on the pool’s pump. Depending on the model it cleans the floor, the walls and the waterline. Our guides explain each type.

Corded or cordless?

Corded robots plug into a power supply beside the pool, so they can run for as long as the cycle lasts. Cordless robots run on a battery and need charging between cleans. Our cordless guides compare run times from the makers’ specs.

Will a robot work in an above-ground pool?

Some robots are made for above-ground pools and some aren’t. Check the maker’s list of pool types and wall materials before you buy; our above-ground guides go through what to look for.

Do you test the robots yourselves?

No. We explain robots from the makers’ own specifications, manuals and pricing pages, cited and dated, so you can check every claim.

Not sure where to start?

Our choosing guides walk through pool size, shape, surface and budget.

Read the choosing guides