These are the three brands worth comparing seriously in 2026. Polaris, Hayward and Zodiac all make competent machines, but they are priced above what their published specifications justify in the robot category — covered honestly on the brands hub.
One sentence each
- Aiper — the finest published filtration in the category (3 micron), the broadest price range ($130-2,500), charging docks, and a growing third-party parts ecosystem.
- Beatbot — the largest published baskets (5 L, 9 L), the only cordless machines that skim the surface and clean the floor in one cycle, and sealed genuine-only parts.
- Dolphin (Maytronics) — corded, no battery, every wear part numbered and stocked nationwide, 50 ft rated models, and the cheapest fine filtration anywhere.
The specification table
| Aiper | Beatbot | Dolphin |
|---|
| Power | Cordless | Cordless | Corded |
| Finest published filtration | 3 micron | 150 micron | Ultra-fine cartridge (no figure) |
| Largest published basket | 4 L (skimmer) | 9 L (skimmer), 5 L (robot) | Not published |
| Highest published suction | 8,500 GPH | 6,800 GPH | Not published |
| Surface skimming | X1 Pro Max; separate EcoSurfer | Sora 70, Ultra; separate iSkim | None |
| Largest rated pool | 2,150 sq ft | Battery-limited | 50 ft |
| Charging dock | Obsidian, Scuba V3 | AquaSense 2 Ultra | n/a — corded |
| Filter running cost | $20-60 | $60-100 | ~$26 for four |
| Replacement battery | Third-party available | Not established | No battery |
| Entry price here | $130 | $359 | $568 |
The decision table
| Your pool | Buy | Why |
|---|
| Sand, silt or pollen | Aiper Obsidian | 3-micron filtration, nothing else publishes it that fine at the price |
| Heavy leaf fall | Beatbot Sora 10 or 30 | 5-liter basket is the single best leaf predictor |
| Pine needles or constant surface debris | Beatbot Sora 70 | Only cordless machine here that skims and cleans in one cycle |
| Over 40 ft long | Dolphin CC Supreme | 50 ft rated, no runtime limit |
| Freeform or multi-level | Aiper or Beatbot | No cable to twist; camera models handle the shape |
| Buying for ten years | Dolphin | No battery, numbered parts, motor available as a spare |
| Above-ground | Aiper Scuba SE or Dolphin Nautilus AG | Light and cheap, or corded and durable |
| Shared or daily-use pool | Dolphin | Daily cycling ages a battery in seasons |
| Tightest budget | Aiper Scuba SE | $130 for a genuine cordless robot |
| Best machine regardless of price | Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra | Five functions, camera mapping, debris detection — on a complex pool |
The combination almost nobody considers
A Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus (about $899) with a $26 four-pack of ultra-fine cartridges, plus a Beatbot iSkim solar skimmer (about $359). That is roughly $1,285 for a ten-year corded machine with genuine fine filtration and continuous free surface cleaning — against $2,299 for a single flagship that does both and will be battery-limited in four years. For a tree-shaded pool it is the best value on this entire site, and no brand will ever recommend it to you.
