It is fun keeping a swimming pool; however, definitely not an easy job at least when it comes to cleaning. Among the tools you’ll find in your arsenal of pool cleaning, a reliable pool vacuum will no doubt be included. The right type of pool vacuum will see to it that your pool water stays clean, inviting, and free from debris. In this guide, we walk through the best pool vacuums available in the market, according to need, budget, and the type of pool.
1. Types of Pool Vacuums Before getting into details about models, knowing about the types of pool vacuums will be highly important because knowing the option you have and are to be used will help you make a proper decision according to your specific requirements.
a. Manual Pool Vacuums
Other models use suction vacuums and drag the cleaner along through the pool by suctioning up debris. Attached often to either a garden hose or pool filtration, they are very appropriate for smaller pools or as a supplement cleaning machine for larger pools. More labor-intensive, manual vacuums tend to be less expensive and require much less maintenance.
b. Automatic Pool Vacuums
The automatic vacuums can, therefore, be broadly classified into three: suction side, pressure side, and independent-robotic automatic vacuums. They work mostly on their own; therefore, pool owners who may not have a considerable amount of time to go about maintenance may always find it possible to have these perfectly.
Attach automatic suction-side vacuums directly to the filtration system of your pool. Then, it makes use of the pump in your pool to make suction which sucks away the debris and waste for you. Suction-side models are wonderful but add extra stress on the pool filter.
Pressure-side vacuums are attached to the return line of your filtration system in your pool. They drink on water that is returning into the pool by the filtration system of your pool, then use that power to suck along at the surface as they move about. They often have a filter bag to help reduce the workload on your pool filter.
This is a one-piece, single-unit that does not use your pool’s filtration system. This set of vacuum somehow is the easiest to clean and requires much less maintenance since you can scrub the floors, walls, and waterlines fully without monitoring. Unfortunately though, they are the most expensive of the three.
2. Top Pool Vacuums in 2024
Below are some of the best pool vacuum brands currently available in the markets today. These are the best manual, peristatic, and robotic types.
a. Best Selling Manual Pool Vacuum
Intex Handheld Rechargeable Vacuum
Type: Handheld, Battery Powered
Best Used For: Small above ground pools, hot tubs, and spot cleaning.
Price Range: Budget ($50-$100)
Superfially easy for a little pool, or only a whirlpool. Two exchangeable brush heads are included, with a rechargeable device. The whole design in itself has a light approach with a telescoping pole and is cordless, hence handily operable as a hand-held vacuum. Missed from this feature however is the need to recharge after usage.
Advantages
Portable, handheld, rechargeable
Small and light
Very easy to steer
Cheap
Disadvantages
Good only for the small pools
For these big cleaning jobs, the batteries of the battery really have very short life
Poolmaster 28300 Big Sucker
Leaf Vacuum, Handheld
Best For: Above and ground pools that have large amounts of debris.
Price Range: Budget ($40-$60)
A debrisher attachment for sucking up large pieces of debris-like leaves and branches, etc to be attached to the standard garden hose. The venturi action sucks all this debris into the large collection bag. Suitable for pools under trees or pools engulfed with leaves during fall .
Advantages
Large capacity collection bag
Easy to use
More economical
Disadvantages
Requires to be powered manually
Suction of fine debris is not ideal.
b. Top Pick: In-Ground Suction-Side Pool Vacuums
Hayward Poolvergnuegen 896584000-013 The PoolCleaner
Pool Type: Suction-Side
Recommended For: In-ground pools of all shapes and surfaces
Price Range: Mid-range, $350-$450
One of the most recognized suction-side vacuum on the market today, Hayward PoolCleaner is one of the most flexible machines available, tailored to handle surfaces from tile to vinyl. It comes with an altered tread of the tire that churns over safely above drains and step grates; besides, you get a flawless ride regardless of flow rate with turbine vanes that are user adjustable. And it’s not only functional but also long-lasting, with turbine blades automatically adjusting for a desirable quantity of power when you need it.
Pros
Good maneuverability
Works well with fluctuating pool pumps
Durable and reliable
Cons
It needs to be installed to the pool’s filtration system.
Costlier than most other suction-side cleaners, an investment in the sense of up-front costings
Zodiac MX6 In-Ground Suction Side Pool Cleaner
Type: Suction-Side
Best For: Small to medium in-ground pools
Price Range: Mid-range ($300-$400)
One of the two best suction-side pool vacuum machines is Zodiac MX6. Its compaction design yet so powerful with a mechanism of cyclonic suction does an effective collection of debris. There is an articulating turbine blade to further enhance its climbing capabilities. Such a device effortlessly cleans the walls and floor of the pool. It does energy-efficient work, and hence compatible with low-flow pumps.
Pros: The unit has tough suction power
Good for low flow systems
Can reach up the walls
Cons
Does less trash cleaning compared to other competitors
Has to filter more often
. c. Pressure Side Pool Vacuum
Polaris Vac-Sweep 360
Ideally,
Type: Pressure Side
For: In-ground pools.
Price Range: Mid-range to high-end ($450-$600)
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 360 most probably is one of the most in-demand pressure-side cleaners existing in the market today. Because it does not really count on having its independent booster pump but rather depends on the pressure fed by the return line in your swimming pool, automatically means you do not have to keep this in check manually for the booster pump to work. One of its major advantages is that it holds a very large debris bag, which can carry heavy debris such as pebbles and huge amounts of leaves and that it can also clean your swimming pool’s walls and floor.
Advantages
No booster pump required
Extra large debris bag
walls and floor
Disadvantages
More costly than a few of the counter brands
Requires a better pressure return from a pool to work
Pentair Kreepy Krauly Legend
Pressure Side
Suitable For: In-ground pools with medium to heavy particulate
Price Range: Midrange: between 400 dollars and 550 dollars
Pentair Kreepy Krauly Legend: It’s a pretty good pressure-side vacuum with a booster pump, but it does work pretty well cleaning large pools and pulling in leaves, acorns, and soil without creating too much of an issue at all. It boasts a four-wheel design, which produces more stability and does not topple over with the slightest friction on inclined surfaces.you can also read this
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Benefits
Stability: Four-wheel design
Heavy-duty debris bag
Removing heavy loads of debris
Shortcomings
Needs booster pump
A little more elbow grease to put together.
d. High-End Robot Pool Cleaners
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus
Type: Robot
Best For: In-ground pools, 50 feet long
Price Range: Extremely high end ($700-$900)
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus is one of the best-selling robot pool cleaners in the market. The product is sold as a package that incorporates everything you’d look for in this number-one model-from the abrasive scrubbing brushes to the big top-load filter basket. It will sweep the whole floor, walls, and waterline in just two hours. This has to be one of the best models if you are a busy pool owner who likes just to sit back, chill, and let the robot do all the work. It does not have to be hooked up to a filtration system of the pool, hence it is easy to install and makes your pump and filter work less.
Benefits:
Easy to use, as well as installation
Cleans walls, floors, and waterline
Energy-efficient
Disadvantages:
It is pretty expensive
Does not clean the step and very tight corners so well
Polara 9550 Sport Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner
 
Type: Robotic
Suitable for: up to 60 feet in length in-ground pools.
Price Range: High-end ($1000+)
Polara 9550 Sport is a high-end robotic pool cleaner designed for large in-ground pools. It has been built with a 4-wheel drive system that makes it robust enough for tackling the challenge of moving on the wall climbing, clean the floor of the pool, and scrub the waterline. The device comes along with a remote control that directs it to move straight into those untouchable areas of the pool. It possesses an advanced filteration system and an easy system of lift, enabling one easily draw it out of the pool.
Benefits:
Some of the things to look out for in choosing a good pool vacuum include; NPool Size: the bigger the pool, the bigger the model will also be-most often with longer hoses or cords-as smaller pools require lesser area to be cleaned by more compact models. Type: there are vacuums specifically for in-grounds pools only while others are perfect for above grounds pools. Find a vacuum that suits your pool design.
Debris Load: In case you have trees around the pool, or in case the weather condition is heavy enough that falls leaves in the pool, make sure your vacuum has a higher carrying capacity for its debris bag or high suction power.
Budget: Pool vacuums vary in price. The most inexpensive one is manual, while high-end automatic robotic ones cost a bit more. Decide first how much you are willing to spend.
Level of Automation: If you really do not want to do it all yourself then a really automated vacuum – a robot perhaps – is best suited. A manual vacuum is considerably less expensive but takes up much more time and effort.
Conclusion
Even cleanliness of the pool is involved, and in order to achieve it, there’s a right vacuum at stake. Perhaps a spot cleaner or manual type of a vacuum-the lowest-priced model on the suction side-or a heavy debris cleaning pressure-side vacuum, or the ultimate in convenience of a robotic cleaner, but there’s a perfect vacuum for every pool and budget. In fact, all pool vacuums, according to the size of your pool, how much debris is likely going to be there, and just how much automation you want can be found to keep your pool sparkling clean throughout the year.