CNX 30 iQ
Limited evidenceRead the findings →The middle model in Zodiac's European corded CNX range, cleaning the floor, walls and waterline with app control. It's aimed at medium in-ground pools. Its 18-metre cable has no swivel, which Zodiac saves for the CNX 50 iQ.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Zodiac’s range
- Zodiac CNX 20No app, one filter, for pools up to 10 x 5m
- CNX 30 iQThis model
- CNX-Li 52 iQCordless CNX with a battery, for pools up to 10 x 5m
- Zodiac CNX 50 iQAdds a cable swivel and a trolley
- Vortex OV 5300 SWFour-wheel-drive corded Zodiac with a 5-litre filter
Feedback
What we know
The Zodiac product page and the Zodiac describe a corded, tracked robot with cyclonic suction, spiral brushes, a two-stage filter and app control for pools up to 12 x 6 metres. It offers two cycles, floor only or floor, walls and waterline, and runs on an 18-metre cable. Shop listings repeat the same spec sheet, and we couldn't find a hands-on test.
Cyclonic suction and two filters
Per the Zodiac, the CNX 30 iQ uses Zodiac's patented cyclonic suction, which Zodiac describes as powerful and long-lasting. Spiral-shaped brushes help collect dirt, and a two-stage filter of 150 and 60 microns holds up to 4 litres. Zodiac says that combination is meant to catch fine particles as well as leaves.
App control and two cycles
The robot connects to Wi-Fi and the iAquaLink app, which starts and stops cycles, shows progress and installs software updates, per the Zodiac. You get two cycles: floor only, or floor, walls and waterline. The leaflet doesn't give a cycle length, and the Zodiac page only says cycles are managed from the app.
Built for everyday handling
The filter lifts out from the top, and a backlit, see-through lid shows how full it is, per the Zodiac. The robot weighs 8kg and measures 43 by 40 by 30cm. It comes on an 18-metre cable with no swivel, as Zodiac keeps the swivel and a trolley for the CNX 50 iQ, per the Zodiac page. Zodiac gives a three-year warranty.
Still to be checked
Our search found retailer pages and spec listings, but nobody who put the CNX 30 iQ in a pool and reported back. Still open: how evenly it covers the floor, whether it reliably climbs to the waterline, how it copes with steps, how well the two-stage filter catches fine dirt, and how dependable the app is. The Zodiac page tells you what the robot is designed to do.
Our take
Should you buy the CNX 30 iQ?
Best for: In-ground pools whose owners want scheduled cleaning from an app. Skip it if: You want a stronger record in independent tests before buying.
It might suit a rectangular or freeform in-ground pool up to 12 x 6 metres if you want a corded Zodiac with an app and a fine filter, but there's no test to back it up. If you want a corded robot that testers have actually used, the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus cleaned floors and walls quickly for them. If you'd rather lose the cable, look at the Zodiac Freedom+ Control.
The CNX 30 iQ is the middle model in Zodiac's European CNX range of corded robots. It runs on tracks, scrubs with spiral-shaped brushes and uses Zodiac's cyclonic suction, which Zodiac calls powerful and long-lasting. It has a two-stage filter with a backlit, see-through lid and connects to the iAquaLink app, which the cheaper CNX 20 lacks. The CNX 50 iQ above it adds a cable swivel and a trolley.
The trade-off is the cable. An 18-metre lead runs to a control box by the pool, so there's no charging, but this model has no swivel to stop the cable twisting. The filter lifts out from the top, two cycles cover floor only or floor, walls and waterline, and Zodiac gives a three-year warranty. Everything here is Zodiac's own description of the robot.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Zodiac says it does, with a floor, walls and waterline cycle alongside a floor-only one, per the specifications. We couldn't find a hands-on test, so how well it climbs or scrubs hasn't been confirmed.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Only one with rigid walls. Zodiac lists it for in-ground pools and above-ground pools with rigid walls, of any shape, up to 12 x 6 metres, per the specifications.
How do I clean the filter?
Lift the canister out through the top and rinse it. The lid is see-through and backlit, so you can check how full it is, per the specifications. It holds up to 4 litres, with two filter stages of 150 and 60 microns.
Does it need an app?
Not to run, but the app is the point of the iQ model. The iAquaLink app starts and stops cycles, tracks progress and updates the robot's software, per the specifications. If you don't want the app, the CNX 20 is the version without one, per Zodiac.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Nautilus CC Plus
Why consider it: A corded robot that testers found cleans floors and walls quickly, with easy filters.
The compromise: It sometimes gets stuck on steps, and testers disagree on whether it cleans the waterline.
Vortex OV 5300 SW
Why consider it: Zodiac's corded four-wheel-drive robot for the same 12 x 6 metre pools, with a bigger 5-litre filter and a cable swivel.
The compromise: There's no app, and we couldn't find an independent test of it either.
9650iQ Sport
Why consider it: A corded robot you control from an app over home Wi-Fi, and a tester and an owner found it climbs walls, steps and obstacles well.
The compromise: A third found it missed spots, and it's aimed at US in-ground pools.
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 CNX 30 iQ?
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
- Zodiac: CNX 30 iQ product page ↗Manufacturer
- Zodiac: CNX 30 iQ leaflet (technical specifications) ↗Manufacturer
- Zodiac: CNX range comparison ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Hidraulicart - Bombas de Água, Sistemas de Rega, Produtos para Piscina: Robot piscinas Zodiac CNX 30 iQ ↗
- Bazena: ZODIAC CNX 30 iQ HD ↗
- Search YouTube for Zodiac CNX 30 iQ ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.