TigerShark QC
Limited evidenceRead the findings →A long-running corded Hayward for in-ground pools, with a quick-clean cycle. Some owners praise its cleaning, heavy leaf loads included. Many other owners report tangled cables, costly repairs and slow warranty claims.
Updated
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Where it sits in Hayward’s range
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What we know
The main evidence is 31 owner reviews on ProductReview.com.au owners, an Australian site, averaging 2.8 out of 5, with more negative than positive. Owners who like it praise the cleaning, heavy gum-leaf loads included, and some report many years of use. Others describe tangled cords, a robot that floats instead of cleaning, electrical failures and poor warranty support. Specs come from Hayward (US) and Hayward (UK).
Cleaning: good when it works
Several owners on ProductReview.com.au owners rate the cleaning highly. One says theirs has worked for ten years under big eucalyptus trees and never gets stuck for more than a minute. Another found it excellent at clearing heavy gum-leaf deposits after storms. Not everyone agrees: one owner's robot bobbed on the surface instead of staying down, and another said it wasn't great at cleaning. These are owner accounts, not controlled tests.
The cable tangles
Tangling is the most common everyday complaint on ProductReview.com.au owners. One owner says the cord tangles every time and is a pain to undo, another that it tangles constantly, and a third watched it spin on the main drain and twist the cable further with each turn. Hayward's data sheet lists a 16.76-metre cord but no swivel, per Hayward (UK), so expect to untwist it by hand now and then.
Repairs and warranty claims
The harshest reviews on ProductReview.com.au owners are about what happens when it breaks. Owners describe a power supply that died 20 days outside the warranty, expensive motor repairs after about three years, and warranty claims that stalled for weeks or months. One says theirs ran eight years, but parts were then hard to find. The US listing gives a one-year parts warranty, per Hayward (US), while Hayward's European data sheet gives three.
Quick Clean and the full cycle
The QC's selling point is its Quick Clean cycle, which Hayward says gives a complete clean in under 90 minutes, against four hours for the full cycle, per Hayward (UK). A microprocessor adapts its route to the pool, per Hayward (UK). One owner on ProductReview.com.au owners found it spends far too long on the walls, which were already cleaner than the floor, and there's no way to change that. We found no test of how much the quick cycle leaves behind.
The ProductReview listing is for the Australian TigerShark QC. Hayward's European version (RC9990CEB/CEF) has a three-year warranty; the US version (W3RC9990CUB) has one year on parts.
Our take
Should you buy the TigerShark QC?
Best for: Pools whose owners want a simple cleaner without an app. Skip it if: You need a cleaner that is easy to buy and service locally.
Worth a look only if you want a corded robot with a quick cycle and your local dealer will stand behind it, because the owner reports are hard to ignore. The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus has been tested by three independent reviewers, and the Hayward AquaVac 650 is a tested Hayward with Wi-Fi control and a filterless canister.
The TigerShark QC is Hayward's TigerShark with a Quick Clean setting, so as well as the full cycle for floor, walls and waterline it can do a complete clean in under 90 minutes. It runs on tracks from a cable, adapts its route to the shape of the pool, and has a cartridge filter that lifts out of the top. You can fit foam or brush rollers to suit your pool's surface.
The main evidence is owner reviews on ProductReview.com.au, an Australian site, which average under three out of five with more bad than good. The fans praise its cleaning, even under heavy leaf fall. The rest report tangled cables, electrical failures, costly repairs and slow warranty service. The parts warranty in the US is much shorter than the one in Europe.
Where to buy
Where to buy the TigerShark QC in United States
No United States price checked in the last 21 days. We re-check daily.
We’re still looking for more United States retailers for this model.
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Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes, per the specifications: the full four-hour cycle covers the floor, walls, coves and waterline. One owner on ProductReview.com.au owners thought it spent too long on the walls, which were cleaner than the floor, and found no setting to change that.
Does the cable tangle?
Owners on ProductReview.com.au owners say it often does. Several describe untangling the cord after every run, and one watched it twist the cable while spinning on a drain. Hayward's data sheet, per the specifications, lists a 16.76m cord but no anti-tangle swivel.
How do I clean the filter?
Open the cleaner, lift out the cartridge and rinse it with a hose, per Hayward (US). The European version filters down to 30 microns, per the specifications, and a coarser start-of-season filter is sold separately for heavy debris.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
One owner on ProductReview.com.au owners found it excellent at clearing heavy gum-leaf deposits after storms, and another has run it for years under big eucalyptus trees. Others found the cleaning only average. A start-of-season filter for bigger debris is available, per the specifications.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
No. Hayward lists it for in-ground pools, per the specifications, up to 6 × 12 metres, and it weighs 11.4kg in its European form, per Hayward (UK), so it isn't built for flat above-ground pools.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
AquaVac 650
Why consider it: A tested corded Hayward with Wi-Fi control and a filterless canister, and both testers praised its cleaning.
The compromise: Neither tester could make its tug-the-cable recall work.
Nautilus CC Plus
Why consider it: Three independent testers found this corded Dolphin cleans floors and walls quickly, with filters that are easy to empty.
The compromise: It sometimes sticks on steps, and testers disagree about whether it cleans the waterline.
Premier
Why consider it: A long-running corded Dolphin with a choice of filters, including a big leaf bag, and testers rate its waterline scrubbing highly.
The compromise: It has no app, and it's heavy to lift out.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the TigerShark QC?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Sources
- ProductReview.com.au owners: Hayward TigerShark QC owner reviews ↗2.8 / 5 from 31 reviewsOwner thread
- Hayward (US): TigerShark QC robotic pool cleaner (W3RC9990CUB) ↗Manufacturer
- Hayward (UK): TigerShark / TigerShark QC cleaner product page ↗Manufacturer
- Hayward (UK): TigerShark / TigerShark QC technical data sheet ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- SeidelRanch: Hayward TigerShark QC Review - 5 years using this robotic pool cleaner ↗
- Swimming Pool Steve: Hayward TigerShark QC Robotic Pool Vacuum Review ↗
- Search YouTube for Hayward TigerShark QC ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.