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Swimming pools are fun. Cleaning swimming pools is not fun.

I learned this simple logic as a kid growing up in and around pools—it’s the only way to survive summer in Houston. Four years ago, I became a pool owner myself, and I found that the rule still holds. Jumping into the pool on a hot day remains a rare treat, but if the pool is filled with leaves and dirt, that treat becomes a lot less delightful. And when the thermometer is reading over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the thought of laboring on the pool deck, scooping out debris with a net, is downright cruel.

Robotic pool cleaners were a thing when I was growing up in the ’80s, but there was really only one technology available: pressure-side cleaners that attach to a pump on the surface and use water pressure, not electricity, to move around the pool. These types of cleaners are still around; you’ll recognize them by the length of tubing that floats in the water and connects to a jet set into the wall of the pool.

Today, the market is gravitating to electronic cleaners that don’t require a pump or that big, ugly hose in the water. And while corded cleaners are still an option—essentially running off of a long extension cord connected to wall power—battery-powered robotic cleaners represent the future of the industry.

Battery-powered cleaners have many benefits, including the lack of hoses or cords and the ability to be removed from the water on demand, leaving your pool unencumbered by obstacles when you want to swim in it. These are the best robotic pool cleaners I've tested.

Looking to level up your yard? Check out our guides to the Best Robot Lawn Mowers, Best Flat-Top Grills and Griddles, Best Pizza Ovens, Best Lawn Games, and Best Coolers.

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- The Best Pool Robot

- Best Battery Life

- Best Budget Robot

- Best Surface Skimmer

- Others Tested

- FAQs

The Best Pool Robot

Photograph: Chris Null

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Beatbot

AquaSense 2 Ultra

$3,150 $2,649 (16% off) Beatbot

After four years reviewing pool robots professionally and hundreds of test runs, the one I go back to the most is Beatbot’s top-shelf bot, the AquaSense 2 Ultra.

This robot has everything: near-perfect cleaning capabilities (including floors, walls, and waterline), a powerful battery with six hours of charge under the water, AI-powered debris detection, a solid mobile app. It also has the ability to skim the surface of the pool if you so desire. When finished cleaning, the AquaSense 2 Ultra floats, so collecting it is just a matter of grabbing it from the comfort of the deck. After a quick cleanup, just drop the robot on the included charging stand to juice it back up, no cables required.

What’s not to like? Only two things, really. Monstrous cleaning ability requires a monstrous chassis, and to say the 29-pound Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra is unwieldy would be an understatement. Hauling this robot out of the water can be a chore, so work on your forearm curls if you plan to purchase one.

There’s also the matter of price point: At nearly $3,000 it’s pretty much the most expensive battery-powered pool robot on the market, though plenty of competitors are at least in the ballpark. If your budget’s tighter, you can get most of the same coverage (sans surface skimming) from Beatbot’s Sora 70, which sells for just $1,199.

Best Battery Life

Photograph: Chris Null

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iGarden

M1- 100 Pool Robot

$1,400 $1,000 (29% off) Amazon

The traditional way to use a pool robot is to keep it dry-docked and charging, then drop it into the pool only when you need it. Fish it out at the end of the run, clean the filter basket, and repeat.

An alternative may appeal to lazier pool owners: Drop the robot in the pool and leave it there for a week or two, let it run on a repeating schedule, then clean it out only when the battery is dead.

The trick with this strategy is that few pool robots have a battery that’s big enough to allow for more than one or two thorough cleanings. But with its new M1-100, iGarden drops a massive 12500 mAh battery into its sleek pool bot, allowing up to 10 hours of run time in floor-only operation. (It can also do wall climbing and waterline cleaning, of course, but that will eat up more of the juice.)

If you stick to shorter runs, you can leave the robot in the pool for at least a week—and up to three weeks if you really stretch it out. And unlike many other pool robots, you may not mind having this one lingering in your pool, as its race car-inspired looks make it more attractive than more industrial competitors. It’s also a very effective cleaner, so you’re not skimping on scrubbing power, either.

Best Budget Robot

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The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2026: Beatbot, iGarden, Dreame | WIRED