The trick with this strategy is that few pool robots have a battery big enough to allow for more than one or two thorough cleanings. But with its new M1-AI series, iGarden drops a massive 12,500 mAh battery into its sleek pool bot, allowing up to nine hours of running time in floor-only operation. (It can also do walls and waterline, of course, but that will eat up more of the juice.) The robot also includes cameras that use an AI-powered algorithm to actively scour for debris. In standard mode, the robot first follows an S-shaped path, then it fires up the cams to hunt down anything it missed, making for even more effective cleaning.
If you stick to shorter runs, you can leave the robot in the pool for at least a week—or 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 bright red, racecar-inspired looks make it more attractive than more industrial competitors.
A High-Grade Entry-Level Pool RobotThe AquaSense 2 may be the simplest robot in Beatbot’s AquaSense line, but for many users, the sub-$1,000 model is probably plenty to keep the pool clean. Three cleaning modes cover the essentials of any pool maintenance plan—floors, walls, and waterline—and the unit docks next to the pool deck when the job is done, meaning you don’t need a pole and hook to retrieve the robot afterward. Like all AquaSense robots, the unit charges wirelessly on its compact docking station, so you don’t have to fiddle with cables and plugs to top off the battery. Just drop it on the dock and go.
The robot’s running time of four hours, courtesy of its 10,000 mAh battery, should be plenty to handle even larger pools. And better yet, the $799 price tag—about $500 off its launch price—should fit most robo-budgets.
Best Budget Pool-Cleaning Robot
Buying a pool robot for under $800 generally means having to make a lot of compromises: poor performance, limited battery life, iffy design. Dreame’s Z1 Pro breaks those expectations with a quirky but capable pool robot that’s full of intelligence: Its onboard sensors can even map your pool graphically in its effective mobile app as it trudges along.