Nautilus CC Plus
3 independent reviewsRead the findings →A mid-price corded Dolphin for in-ground pools. It cleans floors and walls quickly, with easy filters, making it good for leaves and floor debris. It sometimes gets stuck on steps, though, and its waterline cleaning is inconsistent.
Updated
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Where it sits in Dolphin’s range
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What reviewers found
Three independent reviews back this page. Family Handyman tested a version without Wi-Fi, while Reviewed and Test Your Own Pool tested Wi-Fi versions. The Pool Nerd adds comments too, but it's linked to a dealer, so we don't count it as independent. Between them, they generally found good floor and wall cleaning, with trouble on steps. They disagree about the waterline, so check which version you're buying as well as your own pool conditions.
Family Handyman, hands-on, Daily for two months, Jul 2025 (tested on the Nautilus CC Plus (no Wi-Fi)) · Reviewed, hands-on, About six weeks in a 35,000-gallon pool, May 2025 (tested on the Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi) · Test Your Own Pool, hands-on, Six months in a 20 × 40ft pool (tested on the Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi) · The Pool Nerd, hands-on, Jul 2026 (Site linked to a Dolphin dealer)
Floor, wall and waterline
Reviewers rate it highlyFloors and walls came up clean for Reviewed, Test Your Own Pool and Family Handyman. Although the maker lists only floor and walls, Test Your Own Pool watched it scrub 10 to 20 feet of waterline at a time and Reviewed saw it run along the waterline regularly.
Debris
Reviewers rate it highlyTest Your Own Pool left the floor very clean after large leaves and sticks, with no loss of suction as the filter filled. Family Handyman found its two filters coped with lots of leaves and grit in a windy pool shared with dogs.
Coverage and navigation
Mixed resultsReviewed saw it take the corners of an irregular pool with ease, but steps trip it up. Family Handyman had it stuck there about once every ten days, and Test Your Own Pool found it rarely climbs more than a step or two, so expect to brush them yourself.
Power and cable handling
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed and Test Your Own Pool found the cable reached well without tangling. How long the lead is doesn't tell you where it's safe to put the power supply or use an extension, so follow the current Maytronics manual on distance from the pool and the permitted electrical connection.
Filter and retrieval
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed likened emptying the two top-loading baskets to clearing a lint trap, and Family Handyman spent about ten minutes a week hosing them in a debris-heavy pool and found the handle made lifting it out easy.
Pool types it suits
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed found it handled the extra angles and curves of a non-rectangular pool with ease, and Family Handyman used it daily in an eight-foot-deep pool. Test Your Own Pool warns that large tanning ledges will still need a brush.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceOnly Test Your Own Pool ran it long-term, reporting no leaks, pump failures or decline in performance over a swim season. The current US version's warranty has dropped to one year, per the specifications.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed calls it worth the investment, Family Handyman thinks it's worth the money despite being pricey, and Test Your Own Pool rates it one of the better cleaners in its price range.
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
Floors and walls come up clean
Reviewed found it vacuums thoroughly and quickly, often finishing the job in about 90 minutes of its two-hour cycle, and it handled corners well in a non-rectangular pool. Test Your Own Pool threw large leaves and sticks at it and got a very clean floor. Family Handyman used it every day for two months in a deep, dirty pool with trees and dogs nearby and came away impressed. If floor debris is your main problem, it does the basic job well.
The waterline: it depends who you ask
Maytronics lists floor and walls only, per the specifications, and The Pool Nerd agrees that it doesn't clean the waterline, where oil and sunscreen build up. Others saw more. Test Your Own Pool watched it scrub along the waterline for 10 to 20 feet at a time, Reviewed saw it run along the waterline regularly, and Family Handyman said it cleaned chlorine build-up off the tiles. Don't buy it counting on a clean waterline, but you may get some help there.
Steps can trip it up
In daily use, Family Handyman found it got stuck on the steps about once every ten days. Usually it freed itself, but sometimes it had to be moved by hand. Reviewed had it stick on the steps a couple of times in six weeks and cut that down by sending it into the deep end first. Test Your Own Pool said it might climb one or two steps but usually just bumps them and turns round. Expect to brush the steps yourself.
Easy filters, but no fine option
Reviewed and Family Handyman found the top-access filters easy to clean. Other sources criticised how well it catches fine debris, and the lack of Dolphin's NanoFilters. Even so, an ultra-fine filter is listed for the current US model. Before judging how your bundle will cope with pollen and fine dust, check which cartridge comes in the box and which replacements fit.
Newer version, shorter warranty
The Pool Nerd rates the latest model Pool Nerd Disapproved, pointing to a warranty cut from two and a half years to one, passive brushes instead of active scrubbing, and the missing waterline cleaning. The current US listing confirms the one-year warranty, per the specifications. Reviewed praised the app as straightforward and easy to use, though every setting beyond on and off lives there.
Covers the Nautilus CC Plus, sold in Europe without Wi-Fi, and the Nautilus CC Plus with Wi-Fi, which is the version Maytronics now sells in the US. Family Handyman tested the plain version; Reviewed and Test Your Own Pool tested the Wi-Fi one.
Our take
Should you buy the Nautilus CC Plus?
Best for: Pools where leaves and grit settle on the floor. Skip it if: You want it to clean steps without help.
Buy it for a regular in-ground pool where leaves and floor debris are the main job and you'll nudge it off the steps now and then. The Dolphin Premier is the step up for a proper waterline scrub and finer filters, and the cordless Aiper Scuba V3 finds debris with a camera.
The Nautilus CC Plus is a corded floor-and-wall cleaner sold in several regional versions. The US Wi-Fi model and the global timer version have different controls and warranty terms, and the filter bundle can differ too. The US specification lists an ultra-fine filter kit. Check the exact model number and filters included with the seller's package before buying.
Three independent US testers used it in real pools. Reviewed found it vacuumed thoroughly and quickly and took the corners of an irregular pool with ease, Test Your Own Pool got a very clean floor after large leaves and sticks over six months, and Family Handyman was impressed after two months of daily use in a deep pool with trees and dogs nearby. Steps trip it up. Family Handyman had it stuck there about once every ten days, and Test Your Own Pool found it rarely climbs more than a step or two. The waterline depends who you ask. Test Your Own Pool watched it scrub along the waterline and Reviewed saw it run there regularly, while The Pool Nerd, a dealer-linked site, says it doesn't clean the waterline at all and rates the latest version a step backwards, with its warranty cut to one year. Reviewed likened emptying the baskets to clearing a lint trap.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
It climbs walls, and Maytronics lists floor and walls only, per the specifications. Testers disagree on the waterline: The Pool Nerd says it doesn't clean it, while Test Your Own Pool watched it scrub along the waterline and Reviewed saw it run there regularly.
Can it cope with steps and a deep end?
Deep ends are fine: Family Handyman used it in an eight-foot-deep pool. Steps are its weak spot. Family Handyman had it stick about once every ten days, Reviewed a couple of times in six weeks, and Test Your Own Pool found it rarely climbs more than a step or two.
How do you clean the filter?
Lift the two cartridge baskets out of the top and hose them off. Reviewed likened it to emptying a lint trap, and Family Handyman spent about ten minutes a week on it in a pool with lots of debris.
How do I get it out of the water?
By the handle. It weighs about 21lb dry, per the specifications, and Family Handyman notes it's heavier when full of water, but found the handle makes it easy to grab and lift out.
Does it need an app?
The current US version is set up through the MyDolphin Plus app over Wi-Fi, per the specifications. Reviewed found the app straightforward and enjoyable to use, but the power supply only has an on and off switch, so scheduling means using the app.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Scuba V3
Why consider it: Three testers found its camera genuinely helps this cordless robot find and clear debris on floors, walls and the waterline.
The compromise: You get about 10 minutes to collect it after a run before it sinks.
C2
Why consider it: Bob Vila and Impulse Gamer found this cordless robot simple and effective on everyday debris.
The compromise: The Pool Nerd found its suction weak, and one owner reports it failed after eight months.
AquaSense 2
Why consider it: Testers liked its floor and wall cleaning, and it floats to the edge when it's done, so there's no hook needed.
The compromise: It doesn't skim, and steps and fine silt were hit and miss in testing.
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 Nautilus CC Plus?
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
- Family Handyman: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus review ↗Hands-on, Daily for two months · Tested on the Nautilus CC Plus (no Wi-Fi)
- Reviewed: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi review ↗Hands-on, About six weeks in a 35,000-gallon pool · Tested on the Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi
- Test Your Own Pool: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus review ↗Hands-on, Six months in a 20 × 40ft pool · Tested on the Nautilus CC Plus Wi-Fi
- The Pool Nerd: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus review ↗Pool Nerd DisapprovedHands-on · Site linked to a Dolphin dealer (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.