Robotic, suction, or pressure — which pool cleaner is best?

Robotic costs the most to buy but the least to run, scrubs walls, and works independently of your plumbing — the modern default. Suction is cheapest and best for fine silt but chokes on leaves. Pressure handles heavy leaves but runs two pumps, using the most power.

Why won't my pool cleaner move?

On a suction or pressure cleaner it's lost suction or pressure — a torn diaphragm, cracked hose, or clogged filter. On a robot it's a jammed impeller (often hair wrapped on the axle), a broken drive belt, or water in the motor.

Why won't my robotic cleaner climb the walls?

Usually the onboard filter is saturated, killing the downward thrust the tracks need to grip — clean it. The other cause is a slippery algae biofilm or high pH on the walls; fix the water chemistry.

My robotic cleaner's power supply won't turn on. What's wrong?

The power supply sits outside in heat and moisture and can fail, or the GFCI tripped. Reset the GFCI first; if the supply is dead, it needs replacing.

Why does my cleaner keep getting stuck on the main drain?

The main drain's downward suction overpowers the cleaner's traction. A main-drain cover or dome, or adjusting the cleaning pattern, usually fixes it.

Why are my cleaner's tracks slipping?

UV and chlorine degrade the rubber treads over time until they lose grip on the drive sprockets. Tracks and belts are normal wear items — replace them.

Why isn't my cleaner picking up debris?

The intake throat is blocked by something large, the debris bag/canister is full, or a check valve is stuck. Clear the throat and empty the bag.

Pool maintenance

Pool vacuums and cleaners: manual, suction, robotic compared

By Derek Bowen, founder of Pool Rental Near Me and author of 7 books on pool hosting · Updated May 31, 2026

Manual vacuums cost $40 and clean what you point them at. Suction cleaners ($200 to $400) hook to your skimmer and roam. Pressure cleaners ($500 to $900) need a booster pump. Robots ($700 to $1,500) plug into a wall outlet and scrub walls and floor.

4 min read · Updated May 31, 2026

Every automatic pool cleaner is one of three kinds — robotic, suction-side, or pressure-side — and they differ in price, what debris they handle, and how much they cost to run. This guide helps you pick the right type, find your exact model, and fix the problems that send owners searching: won't move, won't climb walls, tangles, or stops picking up.

Which cleaner type is right for you?

Type	Upfront cost	How it's powered	Best at	Energy use
Robotic	$700–1,500+	Plug-in low-voltage, own motors	Everything — walls, floor, fine + big debris	Lowest (~0.2–0.4 kWh/cycle)
Suction	$150–500	Runs off your main pump	Fine silt and sand	High (needs main pump at higher RPM)
Pressure	$500–900 + booster pump	Booster pump on a return jet	Big leaves, acorns, sticks	Highest (two pumps running)

Short version: robotic costs the most to buy but the least to run, scrubs walls, and is independent of your plumbing — the modern default. Suction is cheapest and great for fine debris but chokes on leaves. Pressure handles heavy leaf load but burns the most power running two pumps.

The most common cleaner problems (and how to fix them)

Won't move / stuck in one spot

The #1 search across all types. On a suction or pressure cleaner it's lost suction/pressure — torn diaphragm, cracked hose, or a clogged filter. On a robot it's electromechanical — a jammed impeller (hair/debris wrapped on the axle), a snapped drive belt, or water in the motor block.

Won't climb the walls

Rarely a motor problem. Usually the onboard filter is saturated, which kills the downward thrust the tracks need to grip — clean the filter/bag. The other cause is a slick algae biofilm or high pH making the walls too slippery to grip; fix the water chemistry.

Tangled cord or hose

Polymer "memory" in the cable/hose, or worn-out anti-tangle swivels. Lay the full length out flat in the sun so the heat relaxes the coil. If a robot's swivel is shot, replace it.

Power supply won't turn on (robotic)

The transformer/power supply sits outside in heat and moisture and fails over time, or the GFCI tripped. Reset the GFCI first; if the supply's dead, it's a replacement.

Gets stuck on the main drain

The drain's downward suction beats the cleaner's traction. Common on robots and suction units — a main-drain cover/dome or adjusting the cleaning pattern usually solves it.

Moving too slow / sluggish

On suction and pressure cleaners it's flow restriction — clean the filter and inline screens, check the booster pump pressure.

Worn tracks/belts slipping

UV and chlorine degrade the rubber treads until they lose grip on the drive sprockets. Replace the tracks or belts — a normal wear item.

Not picking up debris

Intake throat blocked by something big, a full debris bag/canister, or a stuck check valve. Clear the throat and empty the bag.

Find your cleaner: model reference (2016–2026)

Brand	Model	Type	Power	Common problems	Status
Dolphin	Nautilus CC Plus	Robotic	Plug-in low-voltage	Tangled cord, worn tracks/bearings, won't reach waterline	Discontinued → Premier / Sigma
Dolphin	Premier / Sigma	Robotic	Plug-in low-voltage	Power supply failure, tracks slipping, stuck on main drains	Current
Polaris	VRX / F9550 Sport	Robotic	Plug-in low-voltage	Floating-cable connection error, jammed impeller, flashing diagnostics	Current
Polaris	360 / 380	Pressure	Return pressure (360) / booster (380)	Backup valve stuck open, broken drive belt (380), feed hose tangling	Discontinued → 3900 Sport / Quattro Sport
Pentair	Prowler (920/930)	Robotic	Plug-in low-voltage	Won't climb walls, stuck on main drain, power-supply comm issues	Discontinued → Prowler 930W
Pentair	Racer / Racer LS	Pressure	Booster pump	Gearbox failure, worn turbine, backup valve failure	Discontinued → Kreepy Krauly Platinum / robotic
Hayward	TigerShark (W3RC9950CUB)	Robotic	Plug-in low-voltage	Drive belt/track wear, won't climb, slow + heavy to lift	Discontinued → TigerShark QC / AquaVac
Hayward	AquaNaut / PoolVac (200/400/XL)	Suction	Pump suction	Wheel hub bearing wear, slow/stalling, stuck on steps	Current (some sub-models discontinued)
Zodiac	MX8 / MX8 Elite	Suction	Pump suction	Worn/cracked tracks, jammed direction control, turbine clogged by long debris	Current

Frequently asked questions

Robotic, suction, or pressure — which pool cleaner is best?: Robotic costs the most to buy but the least to run, scrubs walls, and works independently of your plumbing — the modern default. Suction is cheapest and best for fine silt but chokes on leaves. Pressure handles heavy leaves but runs two pumps, using the most power.
Why won't my pool cleaner move?: On a suction or pressure cleaner it's lost suction or pressure — a torn diaphragm, cracked hose, or clogged filter. On a robot it's a jammed impeller (often hair wrapped on the axle), a broken drive belt, or water in the motor.
Why won't my robotic cleaner climb the walls?: Usually the onboard filter is saturated, killing the downward thrust the tracks need to grip — clean it. The other cause is a slippery algae biofilm or high pH on the walls; fix the water chemistry.
How do I fix a tangled cleaner cord or hose?: It's polymer memory in the cable or worn anti-tangle swivels. Lay the full length out flat in the sun so the heat relaxes the coil. Replace the swivel if it's worn out.
My robotic cleaner's power supply won't turn on. What's wrong?: The power supply sits outside in heat and moisture and can fail, or the GFCI tripped. Reset the GFCI first; if the supply is dead, it needs replacing.
Why does my cleaner keep getting stuck on the main drain?: The main drain's downward suction overpowers the cleaner's traction. A main-drain cover or dome, or adjusting the cleaning pattern, usually fixes it.
Why are my cleaner's tracks slipping?: UV and chlorine degrade the rubber treads over time until they lose grip on the drive sprockets. Tracks and belts are normal wear items — replace them.
Why isn't my cleaner picking up debris?: The intake throat is blocked by something large, the debris bag/canister is full, or a check valve is stuck. Clear the throat and empty the bag.

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Written by the PRNM team

Pool Rental Near Me is the peer-to-peer pool rental marketplace America loves — connecting pool owners with guests for hourly rentals across the US. Our editorial team works with hosts and licensed pool pros to keep these guides current.