Types
The type decides two things before any spec sheet does: whether a cable or a battery sets the robot’s range, and whether the waterline gets scrubbed or stays your job.
27 robots · 5 brands, $335–$3,999
The biggest type here by far: battery robots that do floor, walls and waterline with no cable at all. Runtime is the whole of their range, which is why this is where pool-size claims are most worth checking.
All 27 →11 robots · 3 brands, $999–$2,999
Corded robots that climb all the way to the tile and scrub along it. This is where the pool-trade brands concentrate their range: long default cycles, app scheduling, and swivels to stop the cable coiling.
All 11 →6 robots · 4 brands, $300–$599
Floating robots that clean nothing but the water's surface, catching leaves, pollen and bugs before they sink. Most charge from their own solar panel and run through the day.
All 6 →3 robots · 1 brand, $649–$899
Robots on a cable that scrub the floor and climb the walls but turn back below the tile line. The cable means they never stop halfway through a cycle, and the lack of a waterline pass is usually what keeps the price down.
All 3 →2 robots · 2 brands, $199–$568
Robots sold for above-ground pools only: short, flat and usually vinyl. The NIYA Sonar 20 is one of the cheapest robots here; the corded Nautilus AG costs more than several cordless wall-climbers that are also rated for above-ground pools.
All 2 →2 robots · 2 brands, $799–$949
Battery robots that climb walls but stop short of the waterline — the middle ground for a pool where the floor and walls collect the dirt and the tile line is handled another way.
All 2 →