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Robot PoolCleaner Picks

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus vs Nautilus AG

Two Maytronics machines that look similar and are built for different pools. One climbs walls in a 40-foot inground pool; the other deliberately does not, and that is the point.

By Mike M. · Published November 6, 2026 · Last updated November 6, 2026

How this page is funded: we earn an Amazon commission on qualifying purchases made through links here, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we pick or the order we rank them in — here is the method and the full disclosure. Prices are live from Amazon, checked November 6, 2026.

Buy the Nautilus CC Plus for an inground pool to 40 feet — it climbs walls and takes Wi-Fi scheduling. Buy the Nautilus AG for an above-ground pool to 33 feet, where it cleans the floor and cove and deliberately stays off the thin liner walls.

At a glance

Quick picks

Tap any row for the full write-up. Prices are live from Amazon, checked November 6, 2026.

#ProductBest forScorePrice
1
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

Dolphin · Corded, mains power supply — no battery

Best for inground pools9.5/10
$899.00· View on Amazon

Price checked November 6, 2026. #ad How we earn

2
Dolphin Nautilus AG

Dolphin Nautilus AG

Dolphin · Corded, mains power supply

Best for above-ground pools9.1/10
$568.00· View on Amazon

Price checked November 6, 2026. #ad How we earn

3
Dolphin Escape

Dolphin Escape

Dolphin · Corded, mains power supply

Best for both pool types9.3/10
$699.00· View on Amazon

Price checked November 6, 2026. #ad How we earn

4
Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme

Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme

Dolphin · Corded, mains power supply

Best for pools over 40 ft9.7/10
$1,449.00· View on Amazon

Price checked November 6, 2026. #ad How we earn

What actually decides this

A note on naming before anything else. Readers often arrive looking for a “Dolphin E10”, which is a model name that has appeared in Maytronics’ above-ground lineup over the years. The machine currently sold in that role on Amazon is the Nautilus AG, so that is what this page compares — the actual above-ground Dolphin you can buy today, not a model number we cannot verify a live listing for. We will not build a page around a product we cannot confirm is on sale.

The verdict: CC Plus for inground, AG for above-ground, and the Escape if you want one machine that does both.

Head to head

Nautilus CC PlusNautilus AG
Pool typeIngroundAbove-ground
Rated lengthUp to 40 ftUp to 33 ft
Wall climbingYes, with scrubber brushNo — floor and cove by design
ControlWi-Fi appOn-unit
BrushWall-climbing scrubberActive scrubber
Filter accessTop-load cartridgesTop-load
Fine filtrationUltra-fine cartridges, ~$26 for fourStandard

Why the AG not climbing is a feature

An above-ground pool wall is vinyl liner over steel or resin. It is thin, it flexes, and scrubbing it aggressively every cycle is a genuine risk to the liner rather than a theoretical one. Maytronics built the AG to work the floor and the radiused cove — which is where above-ground debris actually collects — and to leave the walls alone.

This reads as a missing feature on a spec comparison and is a design decision. The above-ground roundup covers the geometry, and the vinyl-liner page covers the liner risk.

Why the CC Plus is the default inground Dolphin

40 feet of rated length covers the large majority of residential inground pools, it climbs and scrubs walls, it schedules over Wi-Fi, and — the detail that matters most over a decade — it takes ultra-fine cartridges at about $26 for four. That combination is the cheapest route to genuine fine-particle filtration anywhere in this category.

The third option: the Escape

If you have an above-ground pool now and expect an inground pool later, or you have both, the Dolphin Escape is rated for 33 ft in either type and has a genuinely large top-loading filter bin plus HyperGrip tracks. It costs more than the AG and less than the CC Plus, and for a leaf-heavy pool it is the better machine than either.

If your pool is over 40 feet

Neither. The Nautilus CC Supreme is rated to 50 ft and adds a dedicated waterline scrubber brush — see the large-pool roundup.

Parts are identical in spirit

Both are Maytronics machines, which means numbered brushes, tracks, filters and power supplies, stocked everywhere, for a decade. Check the part number against your specific model before ordering — brush compounds differ by color and model. The brush section lists them.

The picks in full

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

Best for inground pools

The default corded robot for a 40-foot inground pool: it climbs walls, it has never needed charging, and Maytronics parts are stocked everywhere — which is why it outlives cordless units.

Spec score

9.5/ 10 — Category-defining on our 8.4–9.8 scale, see the rubric
Debris capacity
9.3
Surface coverage
9.0
Filtration
9.6
Runtime & coverage
9.7
Value for spec
9.3

Published specifications

PowerCorded, mains power supply — no battery(retailer listing)
Rated pool sizeInground pools up to 40 ft in length(retailer listing)
WallsWall-climbing scrubber brush(retailer listing)
ControlWi-Fi app control(retailer listing)
Filter accessTop-load filter cartridges(retailer listing)
Fine filtrationUltra-fine cartridges sold separately(retailer listing)

What works

  • No battery means no battery to degrade — the single biggest cause of a dead cordless robot at year three
  • Ultra-fine cartridges are a $19-26 upgrade, which makes it the cheapest route to real fine filtration
  • Maytronics spares — brushes, tracks, filters, power supplies — are stocked by everyone
  • Top-load filter access means you empty it without turning it over

What doesn't

  • A floating cable in the pool, which tangles on a freeform shape and has to be stowed
  • The power supply needs a dry, shaded, GFCI-protected spot near the pool
  • No waterline pass — that is the CC Supreme

Who should skip this

Skip this one if your pool is freeform or over 40 ft, or you cannot site a power supply within cable reach of the water.

Dolphin Nautilus AG

Best for above-ground pools

Maytronics' above-ground robot, built for pools to 33 feet with an active scrubber and top-load filters — the durable choice where cordless units get cycled hardest.

Spec score

9.1/ 10 — Outstanding on our 8.4–9.8 scale, see the rubric
Debris capacity
9.2
Surface coverage
8.6
Filtration
9.3
Runtime & coverage
9.7
Value for spec
9.1

Published specifications

PowerCorded, mains power supply(retailer listing)
Rated pool sizeAbove-ground pools up to 33 ft in length(retailer listing)
BrushActive scrubber brush(retailer listing)
Filter accessTop-load filter access(retailer listing)
Model year2026 model(retailer listing)

What works

  • Purpose-built for above-ground pools rather than an inground robot sold into them
  • No battery to replace, which on an above-ground pool run hard all summer is the difference between three seasons and seven
  • Active scrubbing, not just vacuuming — it works on the biofilm, not only the debris
  • Maytronics parts availability

What doesn't

  • Corded, so the cable has to come over the pool wall
  • No wall climbing: above-ground walls are usually vinyl and the AG deliberately stays on the floor and cove
  • More expensive than every cordless above-ground robot here

Who should skip this

Skip this one if you want wall and waterline cleaning, or you will not run a cable over the pool wall — the Aiper Scuba SE or WYBOT C1 are the cordless alternatives.

Dolphin Escape

Best for both pool types

Dual motors and a genuinely large top-loading filter in a 33-foot machine that works in both above-ground and inground pools — the pick when leaf volume is the problem and you want a corded robot.

Spec score

9.3/ 10 — Outstanding on our 8.4–9.8 scale, see the rubric
Debris capacity
9.6
Surface coverage
8.6
Filtration
9.3
Runtime & coverage
9.7
Value for spec
9.2

Published specifications

PowerCorded, mains power supply(retailer listing)
Rated pool sizeAbove-ground and inground pools up to 33 ft(retailer listing)
MotorsDual motors(retailer listing)
FilterLarge top-loading filter(retailer listing)
BrushHyperBrush(retailer listing)
TractionHyperGrip tracks(retailer listing)

What works

  • The large top-load filter bin is the reason to buy it: leaf-heavy pools fill a small canister in minutes
  • Works in above-ground and inground, so it survives a pool change
  • HyperGrip tracks hold on slick vinyl and fiberglass where wheels spin
  • No battery

What doesn't

  • 33 ft is its ceiling — a 40 ft pool needs the Nautilus CC Plus
  • No wall climbing or waterline pass
  • Corded

Who should skip this

Skip this one if your pool is longer than 33 ft, or you need the walls and waterline cleaned as well as the floor.

Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme

Best for pools over 40 ft

The 50-foot Dolphin with a dedicated waterline scrubber and dual drive — the corded answer for a large pool where a cordless robot would need two charges.

Spec score

9.7/ 10 — Category-defining on our 8.4–9.8 scale, see the rubric
Debris capacity
9.5
Surface coverage
9.5
Filtration
9.6
Runtime & coverage
9.8
Value for spec
9.1

Published specifications

PowerCorded, mains power supply(retailer listing)
Rated pool sizeInground pools up to 50 ft in length(retailer listing)
WaterlineDedicated waterline scrubber brush(retailer listing)
DriveDual drive(retailer listing)
ControlWi-Fi app control(retailer listing)
Filter accessTop-load filter(retailer listing)

What works

  • 50 ft rating covers nearly every residential pool, including long lap pools
  • A dedicated waterline brush, not a wall climb that happens to reach the line
  • No battery, so a long pool never means a mid-cycle recharge
  • Full Maytronics parts support

What doesn't

  • A long cable in a long pool is more cable to manage, not less
  • Costs more than most cordless flagships while skimming nothing
  • Still needs a sited power supply

Who should skip this

Skip this one if your pool is under 40 ft — the Nautilus CC Plus does the same job for roughly $550 less.

Our recommendation

Our recommendation9.5/10
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

Best for inground pools

The default corded robot for a 40-foot inground pool: it climbs walls, it has never needed charging, and Maytronics parts are stocked everywhere — which is why it outlives cordless units.

Runner-up9.1/10
Dolphin Nautilus AG

Dolphin Nautilus AG

Best for above-ground pools

Maytronics' above-ground robot, built for pools to 33 feet with an active scrubber and top-load filters — the durable choice where cordless units get cycled hardest.

$568.00· See the Nautilus AG on Amazon

Price checked November 6, 2026. #ad How we earn

Questions people actually ask

What is the difference between the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus and the AG?

The CC Plus is for inground pools to 40 feet and climbs walls with Wi-Fi scheduling. The AG is for above-ground pools to 33 feet and deliberately cleans only the floor and cove to protect the thin liner walls.

Is there still a Dolphin E10?

The above-ground role in Maytronics’ current Amazon lineup is filled by the Nautilus AG. We compare the machine you can actually buy rather than a model number we cannot verify a live listing for.

Can I use the Nautilus CC Plus in an above-ground pool?

It is not rated for it, and it is heavier to lift over a wall. Use the AG or the Escape, both of which are rated for above-ground use.

Which Dolphin cleans the waterline?

The Nautilus CC Supreme, which has a dedicated waterline scrubber brush. The CC Plus climbs to the line without a dedicated pass.

Where these facts come from

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