The next-best thing to having a weekly "pool guy" is buying an automatic pool cleaner for your in-ground pool. Also referred to as pool vacuums, these cleaners seem to be a great investment for the do-it-yourselfer, making the job of cleaning a pool much easier -- maybe even a bit fun. The following are popular models for inground pools.
Products profiled based on reviews from reputable sources, writer's experience with the product, quality of materials, and/or manufacturer's reputation and reliability.
Dirt Devil Whisper Vac Automatic Pool Cleaner
Photo Courtesy of PriceGrabber
You might recognize the name Dirt Devil from their various lines of vacuums for the home. The outdoor versions are designed to clean most pools, regardless of shape or size. Designed with your potential for frustration in mind, simple features include wheels that won't jam, gears that won't break. Like many of its home-style counterparts, the Dirt Devil Whisper does not use bags. It also comes equipped with 39 feet of hose and attaches to your existing filtration systems. That "whisper" is the result of a custom Unifram cleaning technology, created for quiet, click-cleaning patterns. Could pool cleaning become the next "white noise"?
Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Pool Cleaner
Photo courtesy of Maytronics US, Inc.
A computer-controlled robot that vacuums and scrubs any size or shape of pool. Watch as it climbs walls, maneuvers around ladders, drains and stairs, ridding your pool of dirt, algae and bacteria. After it's done, it shuts itself off automatically. How smart is that?
Hayward Pool Vac Ultra Automatic Pool Cleaner
Photo Courtesy of Hayward Pool Products
From Hayward, the Pool Vac Ultra boasts "aqua pilot" programmable steering, claiming all pools will be clean in less than three hours. Easy to install: connect the hose to skimmer, put pool sweep in pool and watch it work away. Includes inline vacuum gauge for setting proper suction levels, all connections and a 40-foot hose.
Polaris 165 Automatic Pool Cleaner
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One of the more affordable automatic pool cleaners for in-ground pools, featuring all the benefits of Polaris pressure-side cleaning. The 165 propels itself on the water's surface while its trailing mesh bag traps debris before clogging pumps and filters. Simple to install and reportedly cleans pools in three hours or less.
Polaris 380 Automatic Pool Cleaner
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Powered by its own booster pump, the skimmer stays free to clean surface debris. Distributes chemicals and heat as it cleans your pool. Includes a fine-mesh bag for trapping the finest debris particles. Works efficiently under a solar cover or blanket.
Zodiac Barracuda G4 Automatic Pool Cleaner
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Its exclusive "Sail" provides extra rigidity and assists in steering around steps and corners and also creates a down-draft effect for maximum adhesion to the pool's surface. The G4's "fins" allow it to climb over drains, lights and returns without getting stuck.
