Escape
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Dolphin's cheapest online model, a corded floor cleaner for small above-ground pools. It's a simple pick if only the floor gets dirty. It won't climb walls, and it's heavy to lift out full of water.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Dolphin’s range
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What we know
Two reviewers used it in real pools. Bob Vila's tester, a pool owner of 15 years, ran it in a 24ft above-ground pool and was impressed by how easily it cleaned. The Pool Nerd, a site linked to a Dolphin dealer, tried it in an 8 × 20ft above-ground pool and a small in-ground pool. Both found it cleans the floor well and does nothing more. Bob Vila found it heavy to lift out when full of water. Only one of those tests is independent, so treat the verdict as provisional.
Bob Vila, hands-on (Tested in a 24ft above-ground pool) · The Pool Nerd, hands-on (Tested in an 8 × 20ft above-ground pool and a small in-ground pool; Site linked to a Dolphin dealer)
Both testers liked its floor cleaning
Bob Vila found a 90-minute cycle left a 24ft above-ground pool free of dirt, debris and algae, and the tester was blown away the first time it ran. The Pool Nerd watched it clear leaves and small twigs without clogging and found it didn't wander in circles. If the floor is where your mess ends up, both testers say it handles it.
Floor only, as promised
It doesn't climb walls, per the specifications, and Bob Vila lists that as a drawback. The Pool Nerd saw it go partway up the walls and steer round steps, but says not to expect it to clean the walls or waterline. In a small in-ground pool, The Pool Nerd found it gripped the slopes well. You'll still be brushing the walls yourself.
Heavy to lift, stops anywhere
When full of water it's quite heavy to lift, and Bob Vila's tester had to let it drain before pulling it on to the deck. It also stops wherever it is when the cycle ends, sometimes in the middle of the pool. The Pool Nerd warns against pulling it up by the cable, which can damage it over time, so use the handle.
No timer, no swivel
There's no timer or app, per the specifications, so you switch it on each time. The Pool Nerd points buyers who want a schedule to the Cayman. The cable has no swivel either, and The Pool Nerd says you'll need to untwist it yourself now and then. Bob Vila adds that the power adapter isn't waterproof, so keep it out of the rain.
Our take
Should you buy the Escape?
Best for: Small, flat pools where only the floor needs cleaning. Skip it if: You need it to clean the walls or waterline as well as the floor.
Buy it for a small above-ground pool where only the floor gets dirty and you don't mind starting each clean yourself. The Dolphin Cayman adds a timer and wall climbing, though nobody independent has tested it, and the Beatbot Sora 10 is a small cordless robot that climbs walls.
The Escape is the cheapest of Dolphin's US online-channel robots, sold through certified web dealers. It plugs into the mains, scrubs the floor with one active brush over a ninety-minute cycle and collects debris in a basket that lifts out of the top. Maytronics rates it for above-ground pools up to nine metres, and its spec sheet matches the Explorer E10 almost line for line.
Bob Vila's tester, a pool owner of fifteen years, ran it in a 24ft above-ground pool and found it cleaned dirt, debris and algae with little effort, though it was heavy to lift out full of water. The Pool Nerd also tried it, but that site is linked to a Dolphin dealer. From the maker's listing, it cleans the floor only, with no wall climbing, no timer, no app and no swivel on the cable, and it stops wherever it happens to be when the cycle ends. It isn't sold in the UK.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
No. It's a floor-only robot, per the specifications. Bob Vila lists the lack of wall climbing as its main drawback, and The Pool Nerd saw it creep only partway up the walls.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
That's what it's made for, in pools up to 30 feet, per the specifications. Bob Vila tested it in a 24ft above-ground pool, and The Pool Nerd in an 8 × 20ft one.
How do I get it out of the water?
By the handle, not the cable. Bob Vila found it heavy when full of water and let it drain before lifting it on to the deck. It stops wherever it is when the cycle ends, so you may need to pull it to the side first.
Does it need an app?
There's no app and no timer, per the specifications, so you switch it on at the power supply each time. If you want a weekly schedule, The Pool Nerd suggests the Cayman instead.
How do you clean the filter?
Lift the basket out of the top, unsnap the bottom and rinse it, per the specifications. The Pool Nerd found it held enough for a full cycle or more with plenty of leaves, and it was quick to rinse.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Sora 10
Why consider it: This small cordless robot also cleans the walls and waterline, and two testers found it gets the pool clean given time.
The compromise: PCWorld found it missed every step and sometimes sank before it could be collected.
LIBERTY 200
Why consider it: Dolphin's cheapest cordless robot climbs walls and suits above-ground pools up to 10 metres, per Maytronics.
The compromise: We couldn't find an independent test of it yet.
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 Escape?
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
Editorial reviews
- Bob Vila: Dolphin Escape robotic pool cleaner review ↗9.5/10Hands-on · Tested in a 24ft above-ground pool
- The Pool Nerd: Dolphin Escape robotic pool cleaner review (2026 model) ↗Pool Nerd ApprovedHands-on · Tested in an 8 × 20ft above-ground pool and a small in-ground pool · Site linked to a Dolphin dealer (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Dolphin Escape ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.