Which Polaris pool cleaners are best?
When you buy a house with a pool or have a pool installed, you probably think of all the fun and exercise that comes with it. You likely don’t think of the intense cleaning and maintenance requirements.
For daily upkeep, you can keep things easy and simple with a pool cleaner. Polaris is among the better brands because it offers five types of pool cleaners, including ones for both above- and in-ground pools. And the quality is high.
Polaris pool cleaner types
Suction
Suction pool cleaners are the weakest, so they should only be used on the smallest pools, but this also makes them the most affordable. They attach to your filter and intake system to remove debris and grime but can wear out your pool pump faster while increasing your energy bill.
Polaris offers three suction cleaners: Atlas, Atlas XT and Maxx Suction-Side.
Pressure
These cleaners use water pressure from a jet to unstick grime from the walls and floor, which is then sucked up by the cleaner. It’s effective, but too much pressure can wear down the pool’s surfaces. You might also need a dedicated pump to achieve the pressure you need.
Polaris offers 11 pressure cleaners: 165, P39, Quattro Sport, Quattro P40 Sport, TR28P, TR35P, TR36P, Vac-Sweep 280, Vac-Sweep 360, Vac-Sweep 380 and Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport.
Robotic
These cleaners work much the same way as robotic vacuums in your home. The “set it and forget it” ability sends this type of cleaner’s cost into the stratosphere and you have to physically get in the pool to start it and take it out. Otherwise, it’s the best you can get.
Polaris offers 14 robotic cleaners: 7240 Sport, 8050 Sport, 9450 Sport, 9550 Sport, 9650iQ Sport, Alpha iQ, Alpha iQ+, Epic 8642, Epic 8642 iQ, Epic 8520, Neo, P825, P965iQ Sport and VRX iQ+.
Aboveground
You can be forgiven if you think that any pool cleaner can work with any type of pool. If you have an aboveground pool, though, factors such as its height, shape and size require a pool cleaner that’s designed to accommodate them.
Polaris offers two aboveground pressure cleaners, the 65 and Turbo Turtle, and two aboveground robotic cleaners, the 7000 and P70.
Commercial
The largest pools, outside those used for competition swimming, need a high-powered machine to clean them.
Polaris offers two commercial cleaners, both of which are robotic: Vortrax 25iQ and Vortrax 30iQ.
Maintaining a Polaris pool cleaner
Polaris pool cleaners may maintain your pool, but they need maintenance themselves. You can find most of the parts you might need to replace on Amazon or through pool supply stores. You can also order them directly from Polaris’ website.
How much you can expect to spend on a Polaris pool cleaner
Polaris pool cleaners, depending on the type, can cost as little as $250 or as much as $2,500. Most cost $500 to $1,500.
What are the best Polaris pool cleaners to buy?
Best Polaris pressure cleaners
Polaris P39 Pressure Side Pool Cleaner
This can circulate up to 40 gallons of water through its cleaning bag. It cleans any pool surface type, including walls and floors. It’s powered by a booster pump, which isn’t included.
Polaris Vac-Sweep 280 Pressure Pool Cleaner
This cleaner comes with an extra standard bag, an extra zipper replacement bag and an extra sand-and-silt bag. An in-line backup valve helps prevent it from getting stuck in any corners.
Polaris Vac-Sweep 360 Pressure Pool Cleaner
This cleaner doesn’t need a booster pump for power; instead, it’s driven by the water pressure of the pool’s return line. It has a 2.25-inch inlet so it can pick up small, chunky debris such as pebbles.
Polaris Vac-Sweep 380 Pressure Pool Cleaner
This cleaner can completely clean an entire in-ground pool in three hours, less if the pool is on the small side. It comes with a 31-foot feed hose and a single-chamber filter bag.
Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Pressure Pool Cleaner
This cleaner’s inlet is 2.5 inches, a quarter-inch larger than most of Polaris’ midrange pressure cleaners. It also has a 5-liter dual-chamber filter bag and a 31-foot feed hose.
Best Polaris robotic pool cleaners
Polaris 9450 Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner
This cleaner can scrub a pool of up to 50 feet in only an hour and a half. It comes with a 60-foot cable with a tangle-fighting swivel and a 5-liter canister.
Polaris 9550 Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner
This upgrade of the 9450 sport can cover a pool up to 10 feet larger for a total of 60 feet. It has five cleaning modes, an easy-lift system, and a dirty canister indicator and it can be controlled with an included remote.
Polaris 9650iQ Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner
This is another incremental upgrade of the previous model, with the major addition of being able to be controlled with your phone thanks to its Wi-Fi connectivity. It can even be controlled with Amazon Alexa.
Polaris Neo Robotic Pool Cleaner
This cleaner has special wheels that make it able to climb and scrub your walls, no matter what surface type your pool uses. The filter is easy to clean out.
Polaris P825 Robotic Pool Cleaner
This cleaner is similar to the Neo in that it can climb walls and has an easy-clean filter. It also comes with a caddy for storage and transport, plus a 50-foot cable.
Polaris P965iQ Robotic Pool Cleaner
This cleaner comes with a 70-foot cable that lets it tackle pools as large as 60 feet. It can also be controlled through a Wi-Fi connection and has wheels that easily climb over obstacles.
Best Polaris aboveground pool cleaner
Polaris Turbo Turtle Aboveground Pool Cleaner
This is perfect for households with small kids. You can use the fun exterior as an excuse to get them to help you clean, teaching them about maintenance and responsibility.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
