AquaVac 650
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Hayward's corded, app-controlled pool robot, with a filterless canister you empty without touching the dirt. It cleans awkward in-ground pools well. Its tug-the-cable recall is unreliable, though, so expect to haul it out yourself.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Hayward’s range
- AquaVac 600Same robot without app control or weekly scheduling
- SharkVacSimpler tracked robot, sold mainly as a floor cleaner
- AquaVac 650This model
- SharkVac XL PilotFloor, walls and waterline in a three-hour cycle
- TigerShark QCAdds a quick 90-minute clean cycle
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What reviewers found
Two hands-on tests, and both liked the cleaning. Reviewed ran it in an irregular pool with a spa section and watched it scrub the curved walls clean. PoolPro, a pool trade magazine, used it for a summer in a worn, heavily used pool, where it climbed walls and steps and picked up debris of all sizes. Both loved the canister, and neither could get the tug-the-cable recall to work. The niggles were practical: Reviewed needed an extension lead to reach, and PoolPro found connecting the app awkward once home Wi-Fi was in place.
Reviewed, hands-on, Irregular in-ground pool with a spa section, Sept 2020 · PoolPro, hands-on, One summer in a heavily used residential pool, Dec 2019
Floor, wall and waterline
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed saw it scrub the curved walls of an irregular pool clean, and PoolPro found it climbed every wall and scrubbed stuck-on dirt off in a worn, heavily used pool.
Debris
Reviewers rate it highlyPoolPro found it picked up large, medium and small debris over a summer, and Reviewed found its strong suction cleared the floor. In a pool with lots of twigs, PoolPro says small bits can lodge in the canister.
Coverage and navigation
Reviewers rate it highlyReviewed watched it clean a whole pool with curved ends and a spa cut-out in three hours, and PoolPro saw it cover walls and steps without getting hung up, though it fell off a step a couple of times before carrying on.
Battery and charging
Not enough evidenceIt's corded, so there's no charging. Only Reviewed had cable trouble: its sockets were in a shed two yards away, the power unit's lead didn't reach, and it needed an extension lead.
Filter and retrieval
Mixed resultsBoth testers loved the filterless canister, which PoolPro emptied in about a minute and Reviewed without touching the dirt. Neither could make the tug-the-cable recall work, and Reviewed found hauling it back by hand strenuous.
Pool types it suits
Reviewers rate it highlyBoth tests were in awkward in-ground pools and it coped with each: Reviewed's had curved ends and a spa cut-out, and PoolPro's was worn and heavily used. None of the reviews we use tried an above-ground pool.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidencePoolPro used it for a summer and reported no faults, but none of the reviews we use ran it longer or judged Hayward's support, which matters now it's being withdrawn in some countries.
Value
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use judged its value for money. Reviewed only notes that a suction or pressure cleaner can do a similar job for less if your pool is already plumbed for one.
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
Strong cleaning on walls and floor
Reviewed tested it in a pool with curved ends and a spa cut-out, the kind of shape that shows up weak navigation. It cleaned the whole pool of about 200 square feet in three hours and scrubbed the curved walls clean. In PoolPro's pool it covered everything without issues, climbing every wall and step without getting hung up and scrubbing off stuck-on dirt. It fell off the steps a couple of times but carried on. Both pools were awkward, and it coped with each.
The canister is the highlight
There are no filter bags or cartridges to rinse. Reviewed liked that a quick-release button lets you empty the canister without touching the debris, and that it only needs an easy rinse. For PoolPro it was the favourite feature: about a minute to clean out, with everything flushing out each time. The magazine adds one caveat. In a pool with lots of leaves and twigs, small bits may get stuck and need rinsing more often.
The cable recall didn't work
The manual says tug the cable three times and the robot will come to the surface where you're standing. Neither tester could make that happen. Reviewed ended up dragging it back by hand, which was harder work than it expected. PoolPro never got the feature to work either, but found the robot buoyant enough to pull over easily, with a handle near the end of the cable to lift it out. So plan to haul it out yourself.
Cable length depends on your socket
The power unit has to stay plugged in for the whole clean. Reviewed's only outlets were in a shed about two yards from the pool, which ate into the cable's reach, so it used an extension lead, something Hayward doesn't recommend. PoolPro didn't mention any problem with reach. The cable is 17 metres, per Hayward, so measure from your socket to the far end of the pool before you buy.
App: simple, but its own network
Reviewed found the app easy to set up. It mirrors the power unit's controls, so the commands were obvious, and it can set cleaning schedules. PoolPro explains the catch: the power unit makes its own Wi-Fi network for your phone to join. That was handy at a house without internet, but once home Wi-Fi arrived, switching networks every time to reach the robot became a pain.
Both tests cover the Wi-Fi AquaVac 650. The AquaVac 600 is the same robot without the app features.
Our take
Should you buy the AquaVac 650?
Best for: Pools with curves, steps or shallow sitting ledges. Skip it if: You would struggle to lift a heavy robot out of the water.
a good pick for an awkward in-ground pool with a socket close by, if you can lift a robot out by hand. If you would rather have no cable, the Aiper Scuba X1 is cordless, and the Dolphin S400 is another corded robot with an app.
The AquaVac 650 is the top of Hayward's AquaVac 6 Series. It runs from a mains power unit on a 17-metre cable, so it never needs charging, and it scrubs the floor, walls and waterline of in-ground pools. Instead of filter bags it spins dirt into a clear canister you empty with a button. The 650 adds an app, remote control and weekly scheduling over the otherwise identical AquaVac 600.
Both testers liked the cleaning. Reviewed watched it scrub the curved walls of an irregular pool with a spa cut-out, and PoolPro ran it for a summer in a worn, heavily used pool and found it climbed every wall and step and picked up debris of all sizes. Both loved the canister. Neither could get the tug-the-cable recall to work, so you haul it out yourself, which Reviewed found strenuous. Reviewed also needed an extension lead because its socket was in a shed, and PoolPro found the app awkward once home Wi-Fi arrived, since the power unit makes its own network. Hayward has dropped it from its US and French sites, so check spares and dealer support where you live.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes. It has floor-only, floor-walls-and-waterline and waterline-only cycles, per the specifications. Reviewed found it scrubbed curved walls clean, and PoolPro saw it climb every wall and step, occasionally falling off a step before carrying on.
How do I get it out of the water?
In theory you tug the cable three times and it comes to you. Neither Reviewed nor PoolPro got that to work. PoolPro found it buoyant enough to pull in by the cable and lift out with a handle. It weighs 9.5kg, per the specifications.
How do I clean the filter?
There's no filter to rinse. You lift out the clear canister and press a release to flush the debris, which Reviewed liked because you don't touch the dirt. PoolPro found it took about a minute, though small twigs may need extra rinsing.
Does it need an app?
No. You can run it from the power unit, and Reviewed found the app just mirrors those controls. What the 650 adds over the 600 is remote control, Wi-Fi scheduling and user diagnostics, per the specifications. PoolPro notes your phone joins the power unit's own Wi-Fi network, which is awkward if you normally use home Wi-Fi.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Hayward's French spec sheet lists in-ground pools up to 6 x 12m, per the specifications, but its Australian page names above-ground pools too, per Hayward. Both hands-on tests were in in-ground pools, so check with a dealer for your pool type.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
S400
Why consider it: A corded Dolphin that owners say cleans floors well and cuts down manual work.
The compromise: One detailed owner account found walls and the waterline covered unevenly.
Alpha iQ
Why consider it: Another corded, app-controlled robot; one owner reports three years of reliable running with simple maintenance.
The compromise: That's a single account, and the app needs a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network to set up.
Scuba X1
Why consider it: If the cable puts you off, testers found this cordless robot good on floors and on fine dirt.
The compromise: You hook it out after each run, and its layered fine filter is a chore to rinse.
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 AquaVac 650?
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
- Reviewed: Hayward AquaVac 6 Series 650 Robotic Pool Cleaner Review ↗Hands-on, Irregular in-ground pool with a spa section
- PoolPro: We Tried It: The AquaVac 650 ↗Hands-on, One summer in a heavily used residential pool
Sources
Videos
- Search YouTube for Hayward AquaVac 650 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.