In The Swim Ratings and Reviews
Product Reviews
Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Diagnostic Advantage Automatic Pool Cleaners from Dolphin. Swimming pool vacuums for your entire swimming pool.Robotic cleaners make pool maintenance quick and easy.
Average Customer Rating:
(20 Reviews) 20
15 of 20(75%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Review 1 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Good to Great Pool Robot,
Date:October 2, 2007
By arfadog
Pros: Filters pool water as it goes; cleans bottom, sides, and waterline; entertaining as all get-out
Cons: Internal filter frame seems flimsy, but works OK; Internal filter bag is tricky to work with
"Using this device is relatively a no-brainer. You drop in the robot's main unit, you hook the robot's 20 meter (~61 feet) power cord to the included power supply, you plug the power supply into a 110v outlet (house current), turn on the rocker switch, and the little teal-and-purple android begins its rather intimate tango across your pool's surfaces.
The Dolphin Diagnostic works better than I had expected, I had an Aqua Queen robot previously, which simply died of old age and hard use. I could have probably rehabbed it with some new parts yet again, but I decided to go for something new. I'm glad I did.
Within minutes (no assimbly required!), the robot had discovered the pool's steps and climbed up to the top, picking up all traces of debris as it went. I was about to run for a shovel to beat the device back into the water where it belons when it backed away, sank to the bottom, and continued vacuuming the bottom. I was mesmerized. My wife and I promptly named the device Roamin' Poolansky, an admittedly esoteric reference to a notorious Polish film director - Rosemary's Baby, Knife in the Water, and others -- who began his work in the '60s.
As it goes, the robot picks up nearly everything it encounters. As another reviewer noted, it can have some trouble with leaves (as it turns out, some leaves, like magnolia leaves, are a bit too large and stiff to enter the Dolphin's two rectangular bottom vacuum ports). So when I've had a hefty leaf fall into the pool, I make certain to rake up the big chunks in advance, so that Roam' doesn't get a hernia. Once the big stuff is out of the way, the robot picks up virtually everything else that's visible to the naked eye.
Dolphin claims that use of its machine extends the life of your filter medium. I can understand why. After one two to three hour session, I noticed that the water was cleaner than it had ever been before.
Becuase not too many products are "perfect," this one gets a mere four stars. There are only a few reasons why. OK, so the filter bag can be a pain. But unless your water is particularly dirty, you can get at least two and maybe three or four cleaning sessions without removing the bag assembly from the robot's body, turning the bag inside out, and wiping/shaking off the accumulated debris. If you have the time and discipline to let the bag air-dry out of the machine, everything comes off by simply shaking out the bag as you might do to a throw-rug. Just do that downwind from the pool and nearby living creatures. The product manual says you can launder the bag in your washing machine. That's true. But if you do so, do it with nothing else except maybe some old towels, because the robot picks up enough plaster dust on your pool's surface to leave an unsightly layer of dust on anthing else that might be in the same load as your filter bag. I launder mie about every two weeks or so during pool season.
Becuase not too many products are "perfect," this one gets a mere four stars. There are only a few reasons why. OK, so the filter bag can be a pain. But unless your water is particularly dirty, you can get at least two and maybe three or four cleaning sessions without removing the bag assembly from the robot's body, turning the bag inside out, and wiping/shaking off the accumulated debris. If you have the time and discipline to let the bag air-dry out of the machine, everything comes off by simply shaking out the bag as you might do to a throw-rug. Just do that downwind from the pool and nearby living creatures. The product manual says you can launder the bag in your washing machine. That's true. But if you do so, do it with nothing else except maybe some old towels, because the robot picks up enough plaster dust on your pool's surface to leave an unsightly layer of dust on anthing else that might be in the same load as your filter bag. I launder mie about every two weeks or so during pool season.
Putting the bag back in can be a little tricky, given the somewhat flimsy design of the removable frame that carries to filter bag into and out of the body cavity of the Dolphin. I've found that positioning the bag properly before starting its replacement is vital to success. Once it's on the frame and properly aligned, simply tuck the bag around the frame guides, slide the assembly back into the Dolphin, and latch the two latches. Then Roamin' is ready for another swim!
Every visible part is plastic, which is not necessarily a knock on the device, given that it spends its working hours in water, which is hostile to many metals. It seems to "learn" some facts about your pool (.e., its shape and size, its deep and shallow parts, and the quality of the water) through its onboard sensors and software.
I think that the device is well-enough designed and built to be around for at least five to ten years, with reasonable care and maintenance. I'd be careful about leaving the power supply out in the weather for extended periods (just my engineer's skepticism about the effects of long-term exposure of electrical devices to water). I purchased a plastic deck chair cover, which fits comfortably over the robot and it's rolling cart (LOTS of assembly required!). Roamin' probably deserves Gore-Tex, but vinyl will have to do.
I think that the device is well-enough designed and built to be around for at least five to ten years, with reasonable care and maintenance. I'd be careful about leaving the power supply out in the weather for extended periods (just my engineer's skepticism about the effects of long-term exposure of electrical devices to water). I purchased a plastic deck chair cover, which fits comfortably over the robot and it's rolling cart (LOTS of assembly required!). Roamin' probably deserves Gore-Tex, but vinyl will have to do.
My acid test is not whether I'd recommend it to someone else (which could depend on whether I like them or not!), but whether I'd buy it again. I would."
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.
Review 2 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Could not do without this machine.,
Date:April 15, 2013
By Hershey2
from Kentucky
from Kentucky
Pros: We love this machine. It keeps our pool spotless! We have used it several times a week for the past 3 years .
Cons: None that we could find. It is a great machine.LOve it love it
"Excellent machine. Keeps the pool spotless."
Review 3 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
great product,
Date:October 28, 2009
By westexican
Pros: cleans well, reliable, low maintenace, no pumps or plumbing
Cons: heavy to remove from pool, only fair on steps, cleaning bag minor hassle
"we have a 30x45 rock pool with a large deep end-11.5ft max depth. I have only used manual vac. once in 2 years. i have used the dolphin summer and winter. it cleans well, cimbs walls until heavy with debris, and filters water. cleaning the bag is a minor hassle but takes only 10 or 15 minutes then the unit is back in action and will run for 6 hours unless it fills with debris sooner--extreme conditions. we have a few leaves but lots of blowing sand especially in the spring. the only other con than listed above is a poor design on the transformer end of the power cord- it tends to loosen over time but is not terribly difficult to fix."
Review 4 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Worked well for 2 years, then broke,
Date:August 18, 2009
By Perin
from Wakefield, MA
from Wakefield, MA
Pros: Cleans effectively
Cons: Motor wears quickly
"The first two years it worked great. This season it runs for 10 minutes then stops. I called Maytronic and was told that to fix the motor you need to ship it to the company and spend over $600. I read a number of reviews online that all had the same issue and solution. To top it off, the tech at Maytronics told me that I should expect to replace pool cleaners every few years. When I expressed concern that their product had such poor durability he said that all cleaners only last a few years and that pools are expensive. I guess I will find out if other cleaners have this product because I certainly won't be buying another Dolphin."
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review 5 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Fire your pool guy,
Date:August 2, 2009
By MrCT
from Fairfield County Connecticut
from Fairfield County Connecticut
Pros: cleans very well
Cons: cleaing the filter bag
"I purchased this machine after my pool services increased its rates twice in one season. This machine is very easy to use and cleans the pool well. It sometime has difficulty getting the corners in the shallow end. Just drag it over to the area in need and it works well. The bag that collects the debris is recommended to be hosed off. I've found that if you let it dry, then shake out the dry debris you will be able to wash it easier than when it’s wet. Also I throw it into the laundry every few uses to make sure it’s extra clean..."
Review 6 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
don't do it,
Date:July 9, 2009
By zampy
from new jersey6
from new jersey6
Cons: never climbs to the top, doesn't do the corners, leaves silt at the bottom
"Boy was I dissappointed. Had an aquabot that came with the house, then it died of old age so the pool guy recommended this product and boy was I upset. Just not a great product. It never climbed to the water line. It would float and pop WHEELIES throughout the cycle. Never cleaned the seams or corners. Only climbed 85 % of the way and then just floated to the bottom. Try returning it after you opened it.....GOOD LUCK...save your money and buy an aquabot!!!!!"
Review 7 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
First Robotic vac purchase,
Date:July 3, 2009
By SueInNJ
from NJ
from NJ
Pros: Easy to use
Cons: Misses a lot, should be barefoot when taking out of the pool
"I bought this Dolphin about a month ago when I moved into a new house with an 18x36' pool. I knew nothing about maintenance of an inground, having only ever had above ground.
Several people recommended the Dolphin to me, as well as Polaris. The prior owner had Aquabot, which he loved, but I heard negative reviews about it.
I decided to go with the Dolphin based on NUMEROUS glowing reviews. I'm a bit disappointed. On the up side, it keeps us from having to vacuum as often. It does an OKAY job. I like that it filters the water. It's very easy to use, although a bit heavy to bring out of the water, and please be barefoot unless you want your shoes to get soaked!
On the downside, I've yet to see it climb to clean the waterline. Generally it gets about midway up and tumbles back into the water. It also misses large chunks of the pool floor. It tends to pick a favorite spot and keep cleaning that area. It has never gotten into the corners of the deep end.
All said, I'm not sad that I purchased a robotic cleaner. It DOES keep the maintenance down. I DO wish that I had the opportunity to try it before I bought it though, because I would've kept looking.
Not an awful purchase, but I could've done better."
Review 8 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
I THINK IT WILL BE OK,
Date:May 26, 2009
By NANNA
from VAN BUREN AR
from VAN BUREN AR
Pros: NO HOSES,JUST PLUG IN,THROW IN AND LET IT GO
Cons: CLEANING THE FILTER BAG
"HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT ONLY CLEANING A CERTAIN AREA,CALLED THE TECH LINE THEY GAVE ADVICE THAT HAS WORKED SO FAR SUCH AS POSITION THE HANDLE DIFFERENT AND/OR POSITION THE POWER SUPPLY IN A DIFFERENT POSITION NOT A 100% SURE BUT I THINK IT WILL BE OK"
Review 9 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Date:June 29, 2008
By PAPool
from Philadelphia, PA
from Philadelphia, PA
Pros: It is an automatic vacuum
Cons: It doesn't like dirt
"I've had this vacuum for over 5 years and I couldn't wait until it finally broke. It cleaned the deep end very well, but avoided the shallow end. At times I had to force it to go into the shallow end by shortening the power chord (wrapping it around a post so that it couldn't reach the deep end). And then it would skip the sections that were the most dirty. We had an Aqua Queen prior to this which was the same type of vacuum that works independently from the pump. We loved that one... it was fast and thorough. Too bad that manufacturer went out of business. One of the other reviews noted the same problem... cleaning the deep end more than the shallow end. We too have an odd shaped in ground pool. I would NOT recommend this vacuum."
Review 10 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Good Product,
Date:February 15, 2008
By doyle2864
from The Jersey Shore
from The Jersey Shore
Pros: Drop in and go
Cons: Heavy
"I purchased this last summer when my pool was done being installed. I bought it because of back problems and was told this would be great and easier then using the vac that came with the pool. The dolphin works great but it doesn't do my entire pool. I was wondering if it's because ours is not a standard shape, we have a free form pool. It hardly goes in the low end and when it does you have to pull the cord around to get to alot of areas. It has never gone up the stairs like it says. Also this is very heavy to remove from the pool when it is done.
I do like the fact that you can drop it in and leave while it does most of the work.
I do like the fact that you can drop it in and leave while it does most of the work.
If you have back problems, probably look for something lighter."
Review 11 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Others Do It Better,
Date:October 26, 2007
By AquaticOlympiad
from PA
from PA
Pros: Concept Is Good
Cons: Execution, Reliability and Dolphin Support Are Horrible!
"I ended up selling mine on e bay to get rid of it and then bought an Aquabot T2. My Dolphin kept breaking down and the repairs were so darn expensive. The concept was great, but the execution just wasn't there. I'm in the water a lot and cleanliness and health of the water is a big deal, which is why I made the investment in the dolphin initially, but didn't go the distance and invest in the namebrand (Aquabot). This time around I did and the T2 is awesome. The Aquabot company actualy answers their phone and are really helpful, but most of all the T2 works, filters really well and is super healthy."
Review 12 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
What was I waiting for?,
Date:August 24, 2007
By stressfree
Pros: Drop it in & let her run.
Cons: Cleaning bag out.
"I couldn't believe how quick & simple it was to put together & start cleaning."
Review 13 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Best Help ever,
Date:August 10, 2007
By garyw
from York, PA
from York, PA
Pros: Cleans the pool, help clean the water, dirt does not go in filter.
Cons: none
"This was thee best investment we have made for our pool. It does all the work. Does a excellant job cleaning the bottom and side and does the edges as well/ Highly recommend this cleaner."
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 14 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Dolphin,
Date:July 16, 2007
By Jason
Pros: No hoses to hook up, extends life of filter sand by atleast 2 years!
Cons: Cord does get a little twisted sometimes.
"How could this be any easier.
I used to vacuum my 20x40 for over 2 hours twice a week. In and out of the pool with the dolphin in 5 minutes.The cleaning of the bag takes 2 minutes to clean out and rinse with a gardenhose.
Come on it doesn't get any easier than that!!
I know 4 other people who have bought this same model after they've borrowed mine and they absolutely LOVE it!!"
I used to vacuum my 20x40 for over 2 hours twice a week. In and out of the pool with the dolphin in 5 minutes.The cleaning of the bag takes 2 minutes to clean out and rinse with a gardenhose.
Come on it doesn't get any easier than that!!
I know 4 other people who have bought this same model after they've borrowed mine and they absolutely LOVE it!!"
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Review 15 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Awesome Cleaner,
Date:July 10, 2007
By PoolDorkinNaples
Pros: Easy to use. Ready to use right out of the box;no assembly needed.
Cons: Cleaning the filter. A pretty "Yucky" job. Disposable filters are too expensive.
"The best purchase I've ever made for my pool! So easy to use, just drop it in the pool and forget it. I also use it for just spot cleaning. Self contained so it saves wear & tear on the pool filter.
Highly recommend!!"
Highly recommend!!"
Review 16 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Good Cleaner,
Date:June 29, 2007
By Toughguy30
Pros: Easy to use and looked just like the picture on the website
Cons: Doesnt pick up leaves very well and misses spots in the pool also cleaning the bag is time consuming
"pretty decent but would look into other cleaners"
Review 17 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Great Product,
Date:June 26, 2007
By eholman
Pros: It worked like magic
Cons: Cleaning the bag
"When we opened our pool this year it was a terrible slimy algea mess. My brother brought his cleaner up for us to borrow. It was the best thing that he could have done. It cleaned and cleaned. It really worked. But we did have to clean the bags quite frequently becausre the water was so bad. The pool is looking great now and I have no doubt the the cleaner helped to get it that way."
Review 18 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Worth Every Dollar,
Date:June 15, 2007
By Poolmom
Pros: Easy to use, Keeps pool VERY clean
Cons: Cleaning the filter bag
"This pool cleaner is worth every dollar!! Does a great job and very easy to use!!!"
Review 19 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
Pool Cleaning for Grandie,
Date:June 12, 2007
By grandie
Pros: This is a fantastic product
"I am the envy of my next door neighbor, who still has an older, different product. My pool water stays crystal clear. I am a 62 year old grandmother, who does the pool maintenance, on our pool. It really makes my life much easier. I recommend this to everyone that I know that has a pool. To me, it is absolutely essential."
Review 20 for Dolphin Diagnostic Advantage Robotic Pool Cleaner
Overall Rating:
excellent product,
Date:June 2, 2007
By swim07
Pros: all good
Cons: a little pricy
This customer did not provide a text review.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.