While it is possible to clean your swimming pool manually, the problem is that cleaning that way is a difficult task to perform, and you have do to it on a weekly basis. Besides that, the process usually takes more than an hour, and considering that it is required on a regular schedule, you’ll eventually waste a lot of time. You can also hire the services of pool man, but it’s an expensive option.

But there’s another solution:

Automatic pool cleaners

In order to consider this option (and in order to acquire a pool cleaner), you should understand the different types available and their specific pros and cons. That will give you the required insight to make your own decision. 

This type of pool cleaner works off of water pressure coming from a pump (either the main one or a dedicated pump) and are recommended for medium sized pools because they have moving parts. The force of water moves the cleaner and creates a vacuum forcing the debris into a bag.

The non-dedicated pump option is cheaper as you would expect, but the dedicated pump version is going to clean the pool a little better. This is one of the reasons why this type of cleaner has fallen out of flavour, since an additional pump leads to high running costs. Besides that, a pressure driven cleaner doesn’t scrub the wall very good, and isn’t able to filter small particles.

Still, since they don’t suck the debris into the pool filter, it will allow you more time in between cleanings, making it a viable choice for those with a pool surrounded by trees for example.

Like the name implies, these rely on suction to make them move, usually attached via a hose to one of the pools water suction inlets. The suction provided allows the cleaner to move along the floor and walls of the pool, sucking stuff into it (but also sucking water through the filtration system). This ability to scrub the walls will probably cut down on the number of times you need to brush the pool and, unlike the pressure side ones, it can remove much finer particles.

Another advantage is the price. Since they don’t require and additional pump, it is a lot cheaper to install. I would advise this type your pool is in an area where large debris rarely gets into the pool, because if that’s not the case, you would need a leaf trap to catch that large debris before it gets into the pump basket.

Unlike the ones mentioned above, a robotic cleaner is driven by an electric motor powered by a little transformer plugged into an outdoor GFCI outlet. Robotic cleaners also have their own filtration system, are programmable and, in some cases, include a remote control that allows you to maneuver it around the pool. I won’t lie, these ones are expensive (from 700$ to 1500$+), but they offer a wide range of advantages that you should consider:

• The self contained filtration eases wear on your pump.
• They are able to scrub the walls and tile line with their thick rotation brushes.
• The suction power used to grip the floor ensures a better cleaning process.
• The pump located inside the cleaner works as a supplemental way to circulate the water.

Focused on the research and development of robotic cleaners, Aquabot offers a quality and product range that is hard to match. The cleaners are divided among the following categories:

• AquaMAX Series
• Magnum Series
• UltraMAX Series
• DuraMAX Series

Each one containing several models, designed for different types of swimming pools.

The developer aims for easy installation and quick efficient cleaning. They offer models for every cleaner type described in this article:

Suction

• Navigator
• Pool Vac Ultra
• SunRay
• KingRay

• Viio Turbo
• Phantom Turbo

• TigerShark
• SharVAC

A full range of cleaners to fit every application of pool design, that's what Polaris claims to offer, along with superior cleaning performance and a customer service that matches the quality of their product's. Their models are divided among the following categories:

Pressure booster pump

Pressure no booster pump

Suction Driven

They especially know because of the new Polaris 360 pool cleaner.

Barrucuda provides cleaners with a simple design, with 5 different models to choose from: three in-ground suction cleaners, one robotic cleaner and finally one aboveground suction cleaner. Their newest creation is worth mentioning, called X7 Quattro.

 Automatic swimming pool cleaners can save you a lot of time, maintaining the cleanliness of your pool without requiring the manual effort of brushing and filtering the dirt by yourself. There are many different models available, and the main factors you should consider are:

• Quality
• Price
• Your swimming pool type

Read about each brand and their specific models and in the end im sure you’ll be able to make the best possible choice.