Dolphin 99996323 Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner Review

UPDATED: Nov 01, 2019.

Quiet and Worth Every Penny

The Dolphin is a great investment for me. The price was competitive with other robotic pool cleaners, but I would be willing to pay even more for everything it does. It cleans my entire pool in less than three hours, and I have not noticed a significant increase in my electric bill. The manufacturer states that it costs less than 15 cents to clean the pool, and my personal experience would give credence to this fact. This, on top of the 12-month warranty the company offers to cover spare parts and labor. That in itself is worth any extra cost for me.

Variable and User Friendly

I like the Dolphin Nautilus because it is a variable cleaner. It comes with two types of screens, depending on the kind of debris that usually ends up in the pool. One of them is better with regular dirt and sand that can make its way into the pool. The other one (and one I use more frequently), is for the heavy leaves and twigs that collect on the floor. The good news is that even though I usually need to use both at some point, they screens are really easy to swap out and clean.

As for mobility, I am really impressed. I have not seen it get stuck on the stairs or in corners, and it really covers the entire area of my pool. Although it is heavy and a pain to lift up out of the pool sometimes, it stays submerged and attached to the floor and walls, which means I do not have to deep clean it as frequently as I have in the past. This also means that I do not have to use as much chlorine to keep the dirt and algae at bay. I am sure the pool store misses me!

The Dolphin is self-contained. I did not have to install any special plumbing or additional pumps. You do have to hook it up to power and keep its auxiliary parts all together, but it does not rely on my pool’s pump and filtration system. That means that I don’t have to backwash my filter to remove and prevent clogs. It also means that I can basically just plug it in, put it in the pool, and let it do its thing without any monitoring. The cord was long enough, and did not tangle up on itself, which meant the entire area of my pool was cleaned without any problems or intervention from me.

Because it’s self-contained, I had no issues in installing or setting this cleaner up. You literally just take it out of the box, plug it in, and drop it in the pool. Even though there were not a whole lot of instructions, but it is really user friendly and pretty instinctive on how to set it up and clean the filters. Plus, there is a warranty if you ever have any issues.

Great value

I thought this was a good value. It is moderately priced, but certainly still cheaper than some of the other big pool robot cleaners. There are other aspects that make it worth the price, aside from the warranty. First, there is an automatic shut-off after three hours of cleaning – so, even if you leave the house, you don’t have to worry about draining your neighborhood’s electric grid. Also, it is really efficient at cleaning, which means I do not have to dedicate my time to cleaning, and don’t use my pool guy nearly as often as I used to.

The Dolphin has a computer chip that ‘learns’ the pool, too. It will map out the pool, including the stairs or ladders, and remember it. This means that it will hit every single part of the pool to ensure a thorough, but efficient, clean – after all, it only has three hours to get the job done.

One of the best parts of the Dolphin is how quiet it is. Other pool cleaners are loud as they run, humming along. Sometimes, if they hit the surface they can make this incredibly loud sucking, clacking noise. The Dolphin is silent, even when it breaches the surface as it climbs the walls. I have been able to sit on my patio sunbathing while the pool is being cleaned without distraction for once!

Very Pleased

All in all, the Dolphin is a great purchase. It is moderately priced, comes with a warranty, and it is so easy to set up and install that I suspect a child could do it. The equipment is easy to clean, and is long enough to ensure it faces no obstacles in cleaning your pool. Plus, the technology installed on it means that your robot will know every nook and cranny of the pool to scrub it down. It is efficient, inexpensive to run, and best of all, allows me and my family to enjoy the pool with little hassle in maintaining it.