Premier
A long-running corded Dolphin for in-ground pools up to 50 feet, with a choice of filters including a big leaf bag. Testers rate its waterline scrubbing highly, but it has no app and it's heavy to lift out.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
The short version
The Premier is one of Dolphin's top corded robots in the US, sold through pool dealers and specialist online shops. It cleans the floor, walls and waterline on a three-hour cycle, and has a weekly timer and a swivel on the cable to stop it twisting. What sets it apart is the filter choice: a leaf bag for autumn, plus fine and ultra-fine cartridges for dust and algae.
The trade-off is that it's an older design. There's no app or Wi-Fi, the filter loads from the bottom, so you flip the robot to empty it, and it weighs about 9kg dry and more once it's full of water. The Dolphin Sigma is the same idea with an app and newer navigation.
Our take: Buy it for a large in-ground pool that gets both leaves and fine dirt, if you're happy with a timer instead of an app and someone in the house can lift it out. If you want to control it from your phone, the Dolphin Sigma is the same class of robot with Wi-Fi. If you'd rather lose the cable altogether, look at the Dolphin Liberty 600.
Where it sits in Dolphin’s range
- Nautilus CC PlusCheaper corded Dolphin for pools up to 50 feet
- PremierThis model
- Explorer E50Corded Dolphin with app control and a top-loading basket
- Dolphin SigmaAdds Wi-Fi app control and gyroscope navigation
What reviewers found
Three US reviewers used it in their own pools. Bob Vila ran it over several days in a Miami in-ground pool, trying all three filters. The Pool Nerd has run one for over three years and tested it after a storm. PoolPad tried it with a pool full of leaves. All three rate its waterline cleaning and filters. They disagree about getting it out of the water, and Bob Vila found the price and extras hard to swallow.
Bob Vila, hands-on, Several days in a Miami in-ground pool, May 2023 · The Pool Nerd, hands-on, Over three years of ownership, Apr 2025 · PoolPad, hands-on, Feb 2026
Waterline scrubbing is the highlight
Bob Vila found it senses the waterline and keeps cleaning even with about 40 percent of the robot above it. After a full cycle with the ultra-fine filter, the tile line sparkled. The Pool Nerd calls it the king of the waterline and says it gets right up to the line to remove built-up grime. If a greasy ring at the tiles is your main chore, this is what the Premier does best.
Pick a filter for the season
It comes with a leaf bag plus fine and ultra-fine cartridges, per the specifications. Bob Vila tried all three and found each suited a different kind of mess, from light debris to garden dirt, and the ultra-fine one left the tile line sparkling. PoolPad threw a load of leaves into the pool and called it the best robot it has tested for leaves. The Pool Nerd credits the finest filters with crystal-clear water. Swap the filter to suit what's in your pool that week.
Heavy out, easy according to some
Bob Vila's tester, who describes herself as small, found it hard to pull out of the pool, though her husband managed more easily. It weighs about 22lb dry, per Bob Vila, and more when full. The Pool Nerd found the quick water release drains it fast as you lift, which makes the job easier on your back. If lifting is a concern, budget for the caddy, which Bob Vila notes costs extra.
The cable stays out of the way
Bob Vila never had the 60-foot cable tangle, thanks to the swivel, and could even swim while it was working. The Pool Nerd also found the swivel stops the cord twisting. A weekly timer handles scheduling, per the specifications, but there's no app. The Pool Nerd and PoolPad both point to the Sigma if you want phone control.
Long life, with one owner's word
The Pool Nerd says its own Premier has run for over three years without a hiccup, and says it handles stairs, drains and ladders. That's one owner, and nobody has published a lab-style durability test. Bob Vila lists the price as the main downside, while PoolPad considers it good value given the three-year warranty. Weigh that warranty against how long you expect to keep it.
Covers the US Premier (99996339). Maytronics Italy sells a European Premier (99996741-EU) rated for 15m pools, with a filter bag and a two-year warranty; none of the reviews here tested that version.
Prices
Where to buy the Premier in Australia
Not sold in Australia. Switch market above, or see the alternatives below.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes, it's built for the floor, walls and waterline, per the specifications. Bob Vila saw the tile line sparkle after a full cycle, and The Pool Nerd found it gets right up to the waterline to lift built-up grime.
How do I get it out of the water?
By lifting it by the handle. Bob Vila found it hard work for a smaller person, at about 22lb dry and more when wet. The Pool Nerd found its quick water release drains it as you lift, which helps. A caddy for carrying it costs extra.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
It's one of the few robots with a proper leaf bag as well as fine and ultra-fine cartridges, per the specifications. PoolPad called it the best robot it has tested for leaves, and Bob Vila found the ultra-fine cartridge left the tile line sparkling after a full cycle.
How do I clean the filter?
The filter loads from the bottom, per the specifications, so you turn the robot over to get it out, then rinse the bag or cartridges. A light on the robot shows when the filter is full, and Bob Vila notes the alerts tell you when to empty the bag or change a cartridge.
Does it need an app?
It doesn't have one. Scheduling is done with a built-in weekly timer instead, per the specifications. The Pool Nerd and PoolPad both list the missing app as a drawback, and point to the Dolphin Sigma if you want to start or schedule cleans from your phone.
Compare with
LIBERTY 600
Two testers found this cordless Dolphin leaves floors very clean, filters well and comes up when you shake the clicker.
It wanders at random, and one tester found its step jet shifted only part of the dirt.
AquaSense 2 Ultra
Four testers rated its underwater cleaning highly, and its camera goes back for leaves it missed.
It's very heavy, and testers disagree about how well it skims.
Scuba X1 Pro Max
T3 and Heise rate its floor, wall and waterline cleaning among the best they've tested, and it skims too.
It weighs about 15kg, and Reviewed couldn't get it to finish runs reliably.
Full specifications
Figures come from the manufacturer’s product page unless a source is named. A blank means nobody we trust has confirmed it.
Owner reviews
Own a Premier?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner reviews are shown separately from expert tests and never mixed into the score.
Sources
Everything cited on this page. Expert scores are shown as the reviewer gave them.
- Bob Vila: Dolphin Premier robotic pool cleaner review · 9/10Hands-on, Several days in a Miami in-ground pool
- The Pool Nerd: Dolphin Premier review · Pool Nerd ApprovedHands-on, Over three years of ownership
- PoolPad: Dolphin Premier review · 9.8/10Hands-on
- Maytronics (US): Dolphin Premier product page (99996339-SPL)Manufacturer