For more than 10 years, Paul London operated pool shops in north west Sydney. “Big Sellers back in the day were classic pool cleaners such as the Baracuda and Polaris”, London explains. With the developments in robotic pool cleaner technology, the market has shifted, and robotic pool cleaner sales rapidly replaced traditional pool cleaners. With this shift came a new demand for robotic pool cleaner services and repairs. “We started repairing robotic pool cleaners within the pool shops however soon realised that the service of robotic pool cleaners could be a business,” To fill the void of specialist knowledge in the pool industry, Sydney Pool Robotics was born in 2020 and, along with shop manager Aaron Nias, the pair have now created a specialist robotic pool cleaner service centre in Castle Hill, New South Wales.

AUTOMATED POOL PROFILES
So, firstly we need to ask, what are robotic pool cleaners? “Robotic pool cleaners are sophisticated electronic devices packed with technology to enable them to efficiently clean almost any swimming pool with ease,” London shares. Naturally, there are several variations of robotic pool cleaners – budget, premium, commercial and cordless. London begins, “budget robots start around $1500 for a decent quality unit and will comfortably clean most small, low leaf load pools.” However, budget pool cleaners also have shorter warranty periods and no frills but are a great option for many people. “Premium robots start around $2500”, London continues. These feature longer warranties, swivel cables, wireless features and free servicing. “Cordless robots are the new kids, and the market has been bombarded with cheap variants from China.” Whilst the lack of a cable is appealing to many, the limitations in performance out way the benefits of the cordless robots.

A good question to consider is what the operational battery life of these robots is. Cordless robots are relatively new to the market, with the major manufacturers releasing their cordless variants in the last 12 months. For these cleaners, “operational battery life ranges from 90 minutes to 150 minutes on a single charge and battery should last three years before requiring replacement.”

THIS OR THAT
So how do robotic pool cleaners compare to other pool cleaning technology? Unlike robotic pool cleaners, traditional suction cleaners have no navigation or control system and clean the pool constantly while the filtration system is operating. As London explains, “Traditional suction cleaners are directly connected to the pools filtration system, and they are what we call a ‘dumb’ cleaner.” However, they can be a good budgeting option and, in some cases, would last for more than 10 years with only minor ongoing repairs. “The downside is that they cannot handle heavy leaf loads, remain in the pool all the time, often get stuck and can be detrimental to the filtration systems performance.” London then adds, “a robotic pool cleaner is designed to be placed in the pool, clean it thoroughly in 2 hours then be removed, leaving the pool clean and free of hoses and cords.”

There’s no denying that for some pools, a suction cleaner is a good option, however this is the exception rather than the norm. London shares, “For most pools, a robotic cleaner is by far the most efficient method of keeping the pool, despite the often-high purchase price.” A typical price range of a quality robot ranges from $1500 to $4500. A top end robotic pool cleaner such as the Maytronics M700 will set you back around $3800. “This is the most effective and technology packed robotic pool cleaner on the market and will outperform any other robot or suction cleaner available”, London explains. The team like to illustrate the cost per clean to their customers to show the value of a robotic pool cleaner. “Assuming you use your M700 twice per week, within warranty period, your cost per clean is $9”, London explains, adding “only $9 to clean from top to bottom, no pool service can match that”. It’s safe to say that family time for most people is worth more than $9.