Sora 30
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Beatbot's mid-range cordless pool robot for the floor, walls, waterline and shallow ledges. It suits leaf and grit collection, with strong pickup and easy retrieval. Its waterline scrub is weak, and the filter is too coarse for fine dust.
Updated
Where it sits in Beatbot’s range
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What reviewers found
We use two French home tests, from Les Numériques and Clubic. Both found strong pickup on the floor, saw it get onto steps, and liked that it comes up by itself at the end. They describe its route differently: Les Numériques saw organised passes across the floor, while Clubic watched it wander completely at random and still get the job done with time. Les Numériques was disappointed by the waterline and the coarse standard filter, and both tried the optional fine basket, with mixed feelings.
Les Numériques, hands-on, Sept 2026 · Clubic, hands-on, Aug 2026
Floor, wall and waterline
Mixed resultsFloors are its strength: Les Numériques rated floor cleaning its best point and Clubic found it cleans thoroughly given time. The waterline is weaker, as Les Numériques found it didn't linger or climb high enough to shift stubborn marks.
Debris
Mixed resultsLeaves and everyday dirt fill its big basket, which both testers liked. For fine dust, Les Numériques found the standard basket too coarse, while Clubic found the optional fine basket hard to clean and restrictive enough to hamper wall climbing.
Coverage and navigation
Reviewers rate it highlyBoth saw it get onto steps: Les Numériques found it climbed steps and submerged ledges with enough water, and Clubic watched it scrub stairs diagonally. Its route is loose, even random for Clubic, but both found it covers the pool if left to run.
Battery and charging
Reviewers rate it highlyLes Numériques still had about two-thirds of its charge after two hours on floor, walls and waterline, and Clubic found its roughly five hours comfortable for an average pool. It charges by cable, with no dock.
Filter and retrieval
Reviewers rate it highlyIt surfaces by itself and drains at the edge, so Les Numériques could lift it out by the handle, and Clubic notes it floats up even with a flat battery. At under 9kg, both found it easy to carry.
Pool types it suits
Not enough evidenceNeither review compared pool shapes or tried an above-ground pool. Clubic judged it suited to average-sized pools.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Beatbot's support.
Value
Mixed resultsClubic found it a strong choice if you won't spend more, but notes an Aiper with a debris camera and fine filter costs only a little extra. Les Numériques points to the Wybot C2 Vision for finer filtration at a similar level.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Strong pickup, if you give it time
Les Numériques rated floor cleaning its strongest point, with good coverage and a basket that clearly filled with leaves and everyday dirt. Clubic gave cleaning quality 9 out of 10, crediting the big basket and the same pump as the pricier Sora 70. They disagree on how it moves. Les Numériques saw structured passes with no global plan, while Clubic saw it roam at random and occasionally bump walls. Both agree it gets there if you let it run, so it's better for a long cleaning session than a quick tidy.
The waterline is the weak spot
Les Numériques found it climbs walls well enough, though less methodically than it covers the floor. The waterline left it wanting more. The robot didn't linger, didn't always climb high enough, and sometimes slid back down before scrubbing properly, so stubborn marks stayed put. Clubic doesn't single out the waterline either way. If a dirty band at the top of your tiles is the chore you most want gone, don't rely on this robot for it.
Steps and ledges, in Standard mode
This is where it surprised Les Numériques. Results varied, but it did climb onto steps and submerged ledges when there was enough water on them, which many robots won't do. It only happens in Standard mode, though; in floor-only mode it stays on the floor. Clubic saw it climb the stairs diagonally, scrubbing them as it went. Beatbot says it works on platforms with at least 20cm of water and roughly 1m by 1m of platform space, per Beatbot, so very shallow steps are still a job for you.
The fine filter has a catch
The standard 150-micron basket holds leaves and insects, but Les Numériques found it too coarse for fine dust and deposits, and strongly recommends the optional 3-micron basket if that's your problem. Clubic tried that basket and found a downside: it was hard to clean and restricted flow enough to hamper climbing. Clubic also reports an estimated life of about 150 hours or 40 cycles, an estimate rather than a result from long-term testing. The app even suggests floor-only cleaning when it's fitted.
Easy to retrieve, missed one obstacle
At the end of a run it rises, heads to the edge and drains for a few minutes, so Les Numériques could simply lift it out by the handle. Clubic notes its floats bring it up even with a flat battery. At about 8.9kg, both found it easy to carry. Less good: Les Numériques saw it ignore the test obstacle entirely, and the app loses contact once it's underwater. There's no dock, and Les Numériques found the charging cable rather short.
Our take
Should you buy the Sora 30?
Best for: Pools where leaves and grit settle on the floor. Skip it if: Your pool regularly develops a fine film of dust or silt.
The Sora 30 may suit leaf and grit collection if you accept long sessions and limited fine-dust filtration. Step results varied, and the maker’s platform conditions require both sufficient depth and space. Waterline scrubbing disappointed one tester. The Sora 70 adds skimming, but its own surface-cleaning limitations still matter; adding that feature does not guarantee quick retrieval of floating leaves.
The Sora 30 sits in the middle of Beatbot's cheaper Sora line, above the Sora 10 and alongside the Sora 70. It's essentially a Sora 70 without the surface skimming: the same battery, the same pump and a big 5-litre basket. It cleans the floor, walls and waterline, and can climb onto steps and sun ledges with enough water on them. When it's done, it floats to the edge and lets its water out.
To keep the price down, there's no charging dock, no pool map and no camera; you plug a charger into the robot, and it finds its way round by covering ground rather than following a plan. The standard filter only catches fairly coarse debris, and the finer basket is an extra with its own drawbacks. At $999, compare it for leaves and grit rather than fine dust or stubborn waterline marks. The two testers differed on value, and the optional fine filter adds cost and upkeep.
Where to buy
Where to buy the Sora 30 in United States
Beatbot Official
Best priceListed in stock
Official store · Delivery: check sellerSeller page ·Wellbots
Listed in stock
Retailer · Delivery: check sellerSeller page ·Prices checked
We’re still looking for more United States retailers for this model.
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Price history
Sora 30 price history in the US
Tracked since 4 Oct 2026
- Today
- $999
- Lowest seen
- $6497 Oct 2026
- Average
- $704since 4 Oct 2026
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
It climbs walls fine, but the waterline is its weak spot. Les Numériques found it didn't stay up long enough or climb high enough to scrub stubborn marks off. It doesn't skim the surface either: Les Numériques notes that's the one Sora 70 job it drops.
Can it cope with steps and a shallow ledge?
It reached some of the tested steps in Standard mode, though results varied. Les Numériques saw it get onto steps and submerged ledges with enough water, and Clubic saw it scrub stairs diagonally. Beatbot says it needs at least 20cm of water and a platform of about 1m by 1m, per the specifications.
How do I get it out of the pool?
It rises when it finishes, moves to the edge and drains itself for a few minutes, so Les Numériques could lift it out by the handle. Clubic notes it floats up even if the battery runs flat. It weighs about 8.9kg without the water it holds, so think about how you'll lift it over your pool edge.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
Cordless, charged by plugging a lead into the robot; there's no dock. Beatbot claims up to 5 hours on the floor or 4.5 hours for a full clean, per the specifications. Les Numériques still had 67% left after two hours on floor, walls and waterline. Recharging takes about 4.5 hours.
How do I clean the filter?
Lift the 5-litre basket out through the top and hose it. Clubic notes the hatch clips on rather than hinging, so you'll need somewhere to put it down. The optional fine basket catches dust but was hard to clean, Clubic found, and the site gives an estimated replacement interval of about 40 cycles rather than a measured lifetime.
Does it need an app?
Not for everyday use. A switch on the robot starts Standard mode or a preset you've saved from the app, Les Numériques found. The app offers floor, wall, Standard and eco modes, but it loses contact once the robot is underwater, and there's no way to set, say, two floor passes and one wall pass.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Sora 10
$300 less than the Sora 30
Why consider it: PCWorld found it light, easy to lift and simple to empty.
The compromise: Steps were a problem, and it sank again if nobody collected it within a few minutes.
C2 Vision
$369.01 less than the Sora 30
Why consider it: Les Numériques saw its camera head for scattered leaves and stay until the patch was clear.
The compromise: It treated steps as walls, and one owner with a fibreglass pool found rounded corners and the waterline missed.
LIBERTY 600
$750 more than the Sora 30
Why consider it: Les Numériques praised its floor coverage and how well its dual filter held on to debris.
The compromise: Its route looked inconsistent, and steps and waterline brushing fell short.
Sora 30 head to head
Head to head
Beatbot Sora 10 vs Sora 30
The Sora 30 for steps and easy retrieval, the Sora 10 for simple pools.
Head to head
Beatbot Sora 30 vs Sora 70
The Sora 70 for floating debris, the Sora 30 for underwater only.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
- Beatbot: Sora 30 product page (Europe) ↗Manufacturer
- Beatbot: Sora 30 specifications and FAQ ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- TechDaily: Beatbot Sora 30 Review: A Perfect Pool-Cleaner! 💦 (Steps, Ledges, Walls & Floor) ↗
- Definitely David: The One to Beat! Beatbot Sora 30 ↗
- Search YouTube for Beatbot Sora 30 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.