ULTRAMARINE P1
3 independent reviewsRead the findings →Ecovacs's first pool robot, a cordless tracked cleaner for the floor and walls. It suits family pools where most dirt settles on the floor. Its wall climbing is patchy in some pools, and it won't scrub steps.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in ECOVACS’s range
- ULTRAMARINE P1This model
- ULTRAMARINE P1 Care KitSame robot, bundled with climbing rings and extra filter parts
- ULTRAMARINE P1 + Inner Filter Basket KitSame robot with a spare fine inner filter basket
Feedback
What reviewers found
There are three home tests, all broadly positive. EFTM ran it for a few weeks and found the pool spotless in about 90 minutes, with confident wall climbing and even a go at tiered steps. In a large, bean-shaped pebble pool, Digital Reviews Network found floor cleaning excellent and consistent but wall climbing patchy. Product Demo Lab pulled a basket full of sludge from a pool that looked clean. All three found the app useful but blind once the robot is underwater.
EFTM, hands-on · Digital Reviews Network, hands-on · Product Demo Lab, hands-on
Floor, wall and waterline
Mixed resultsFloors are its strength: EFTM found its pool spotless in about 90 minutes and Digital Reviews Network saw a week's debris cleared consistently. Walls vary: EFTM had no trouble, but on Digital Reviews Network's pebble-finished pool it sometimes let go and floated back down.
Debris
Reviewers rate it highlyThe two-layer filter catches the fine stuff. Product Demo Lab pulled brown sludge and dead bugs from a pool that looked clean, and Digital Reviews Network found fine dirt and sand in the inner filter after a clean.
Coverage and navigation
Mixed resultsEFTM saw it cover the pool and even manage a two-tier step others struggled with. Digital Reviews Network found floor coverage consistent in a bean-shaped pool but wall climbing patchy, and notes it isn't designed to scrub steps.
Battery and charging
Mixed resultsThe three-hour claim only holds on the floor in Eco mode, and Product Demo Lab found wall mode drains it fast. Digital Reviews Network once had it run flat mid-pool, and EFTM measured 3 hours 40 minutes to recharge from nearly empty. Timed runs let you avoid draining it.
Filter and retrieval
Mixed resultsDigital Reviews Network found the hook made retrieval easy, though it weighs about 10kg. Emptying is fiddlier: EFTM found fine dirt hard to rinse from the fabric inner filter, and Digital Reviews Network found the basket release stiff at first.
Pool types it suits
Mixed resultsProduct Demo Lab found its soft wheels safe on a vinyl liner, and EFTM had no trouble on walls. On Digital Reviews Network's bean-shaped pebble pool, wall climbing was inconsistent and the optional climbing rings made little difference.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceEFTM's robot once flipped onto its back after a wall climb, but the fault didn't recur. None of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged Ecovacs' support.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyDigital Reviews Network calls it reasonably priced for how much easier it makes pool cleaning, and EFTM thinks its sharp price puts it on any shortlist. Product Demo Lab says the scheduler is where it earns its price.
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 come up clean
Every tester agrees on this. EFTM found its pool spotless after about 90 minutes. Digital Reviews Network let its pool go for a week, then watched the P1 clear the floor in around two hours, with consistent results over repeated cleans. Product Demo Lab ran it in a pool that looked clean from the deck and found the basket full of brown sludge and dead bugs. If a dirty floor is your main chore, this is its strength.
Wall climbing varies by pool
Walls gave EFTM no trouble, and the robot even tackled a two-tier step that other robots struggled with. Digital Reviews Network found it mixed: in some sections it climbed all the way and came back down under control, in others it let go and floated down. The optional climbing rings made no big difference there and were fiddly to fit. Digital Reviews Network's pool is pebble-finished and bean-shaped, which may explain the gap. Ecovacs says it isn't made to scrub steps.
A timer that stops when you want
EFTM singled out the option to set any mode to run for a fixed time, from 30 minutes upwards in half-hour steps, rather than cleaning until the battery dies. That lets you time a clean around visitors. Digital Reviews Network set a standard clean three times a week and found scheduling changed how it felt about owning a cordless robot. Product Demo Lab warns that the three-hour claim only holds on the floor in Eco mode, because wall mode drains the battery much faster.
The fine filter works but is fiddly
The two-layer filter pairs a coarse outer mesh with a 3-micron inner one. Digital Reviews Network found fine dirt and sand caught in the inner filter after a clean. Product Demo Lab credits the fine filter with pulling out the sludge and swaps layers depending on conditions. The downside, per EFTM, is that fine dirt is hard to rinse out of the fabric inner filter, and you might get wet. Digital Reviews Network also found the basket release stiff at first.
You can't see it working
The app connects over Bluetooth, which doesn't reach underwater. Digital Reviews Network found the robot shows as offline until it's back out, and once it ran flat in the middle of the pool. EFTM had it flip onto its back after a wall climb and only spotted it by luck, though the fault didn't happen again in its testing. It usually finished near the edge for Digital Reviews Network, and the included hook made retrieval easy. At around 10kg, per Digital Reviews Network, it takes some lifting.
EFTM and Digital Reviews Network tested in Australian pools, with Care Kit bundles. Product Demo Lab tested in the US.
Our take
Should you buy the ULTRAMARINE P1?
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.
buy it for a family pool where the floor collects most of the dirt and a timed clean appeals. If you want something lighter and simpler, the Beatbot Sora 10 is one, and for very fine silt the Aiper Scuba X1 has a good record.
The ULTRAMARINE P1 is Ecovacs's first pool robot, a cordless model for the floor and walls. It has four roller brushes and a two-layer filter, with a coarse outer basket for leaves and a very fine inner one for sand and pollen. It follows planned lanes, and you can set a clean to run for a fixed time in half-hour steps rather than waiting for the battery to run flat. It isn't built to scrub steps.
EFTM found its pool spotless in about 90 minutes, and Digital Reviews Network watched it clear a week's debris from the floor consistently. Product Demo Lab pulled brown sludge and dead bugs from a pool that looked clean. Walls vary by pool. EFTM had no trouble and it even managed a two-tier step, but on Digital Reviews Network's pebble-finished pool it sometimes let go and floated down, and the optional climbing rings made little difference. Product Demo Lab warns the three-hour claim only holds on the floor in Eco mode, because wall mode drains the battery fast. EFTM found fine dirt hard to rinse from the fabric inner filter. The app loses touch with it underwater, and Digital Reviews Network once had it run flat in the middle of the pool.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
It climbs walls, and Product Demo Lab saw it rise about two inches out of the water to scrub before heading back down. There's no separate waterline mode, per the specifications. Digital Reviews Network found wall climbing inconsistent on its pebble pool, while EFTM had no problems.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
Yes. Ecovacs claims up to three hours in Eco mode on the floor, per the specifications. Product Demo Lab notes wall mode and stronger suction cut that down. EFTM measured charging from 5 per cent to full at 3 hours 40 minutes.
Can it cope with steps and a deep end?
Slopes, yes; scrubbing steps, not really. the specifications lists slopes and obstacles up to 5.5cm. Digital Reviews Network says Ecovacs doesn't design it to clean steps, though it made a decent try at a beach entry. EFTM saw it manage a two-tier step and do reasonably on the platform.
How do you clean the filter?
Lift the basket out and hose it, ideally straight away before debris dries, per EFTM. The outer mesh is easy; the fabric inner filter holds on to fine dirt and is harder to rinse. Digital Reviews Network found the basket release stiff at first but fine afterwards.
Does it need an app?
No, you can pick basic modes with the buttons on the robot, per Digital Reviews Network. The app adds the timed runs, schedules and cleaning history that EFTM rated so highly. It only connects over Bluetooth when the robot is out of the water, so there's no live view during a clean.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Sora 10
Why consider it: It's small, light and cordless, and cleans the floor, walls and waterline.
The compromise: Testers found it wanders, skips steps and may sink again if you're slow to collect it.
Scuba X1
Why consider it: Testers agree it's good on floors and fine dirt, and it comes with a charging dock.
The compromise: They disagree on how much larger debris it leaves, and its fine filter is a chore too.
C2
Why consider it: Two testers found it simple and effective on everyday debris across the floor, walls and waterline.
The compromise: A third tester found its suction weak.
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 ULTRAMARINE P1?
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
Sources
- ECOVACS: ULTRAMARINE P1 product page ↗Manufacturer
- ECOVACS Australia: ULTRAMARINE P1 product page ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for ECOVACS ULTRAMARINE P1 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.