9650iQ Sport
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Polaris's corded four-wheel-drive robot for in-ground pools, run from an app over home Wi-Fi. It's good on walls, steps and benches, if your Wi-Fi reaches the pool. It doesn't map the pool, though, and can miss spots.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Polaris’s range
- Polaris 9550 SportSame cleaning hardware with a motion-sensing remote, no app
- P70Small floor-only robot for simple pools
- 9650iQ SportThis model
- EPIC 8642 iQTracked app-controlled model with front and rear brushes
Feedback
What we know
Most of what's out there is positive. Bob Vila tested it for a round-up, named it the best in-ground pick and liked how its four-wheel drive handled walls, stairs, benches and toys left on the floor. Charles & Hudson, a short owner's post we don't count, ran it for a few months in a tree-lined pool and found the floor and sides much cleaner. The Pool Nerd, which we don't count because it's linked to a Dolphin dealer, disagrees on coverage: it saw the robot miss some areas and repeat others. The app gets praise, but The Pool Nerd warns it needs good Wi-Fi outdoors.
Bob Vila, hands-on (Part of a tested round-up; named best in-ground pick) · Charles & Hudson, hands-on, A few months in the writer's own pool, Feb 2018 (Short post; no test method described; A short owner's post from 2018 with no test method, so we don't count it as an independent review.) · The Pool Nerd, hands-on, Mar 2024 (The Pool Nerd is linked to a Dolphin dealer, so we don't count it as an independent review.)
Coverage: praised, then questioned
Bob Vila found four-wheel drive let it climb over obstacles without getting stuck, handy with toys forgotten on the pool floor, and it handled walls, stairs and bench seats. Charles & Hudson says its pool, which collects leaves, seeds and berries from nearby trees, stayed much cleaner on the floor and sides. The Pool Nerd saw a different side: with no mapping, it missed some areas and cleaned others over and over. None of them describes their pool's size or shape well enough to explain the difference.
The app is the main extra
The app connects over home Wi-Fi. Charles & Hudson liked setting and editing schedules and steering it like a remote-control car. Bob Vila liked choosing how long it runs and which mode to use, so it could run longer for a deep clean after storms, and points to Alexa voice control as an alternative to a phone at the poolside. The Pool Nerd warns that home Wi-Fi often weakens outdoors, which can make the app unreliable, and says the app is the only real difference from the cheaper 9550 Sport.
One brush, one filter
The Pool Nerd points out it has a single front brush and a single standard filter, where Dolphin's rivals at a similar price offer two brushes and a finer filter option. It rates the waterline cleaning well but thinks the filter won't catch the finest particles that cloud water. Bob Vila says to watch the dirty-canister indicator and empty it often if trees, pets or children bring in lots of debris. Emptying is a shake and a spray, per Polaris.
Getting it in and out
Charles & Hudson found it easy to lift out and store. It needs no hoses, just a power unit plugged into a normal socket. The caddy comes in the box, which Bob Vila liked, though it notes the caddy cover costs extra. Polaris says a button brings the robot up to the waterline where you want it, and it drains as you lift. None of the testers describes using that lift feature, so for now it's untested.
Bob Vila and Charles & Hudson both tested the 9650iQ Sport. The Pool Nerd's review doesn't separate the 9650iQ from the Sport; the features it describes match this model.
Our take
Should you buy the 9650iQ Sport?
Best for: Pools with curves, steps or shallow sitting ledges. Skip it if: Wi-Fi does not reach your pool.
it suits a US in-ground pool with steps and benches and strong Wi-Fi at the poolside, if you like running it from your phone. If you want a choice of filters including a big leaf bag, look at the Dolphin Premier.
The 9650iQ Sport is the app-controlled model in Polaris's Sport family, sold in the US. A power unit by the pool feeds it through a 70ft cable with a swivel, and four-wheel drive takes it across the floor, up the walls and along the waterline, with a waterline-only mode. The app works over home Wi-Fi for scheduling, modes and steering, and a button brings it to the surface for lifting out. The Pool Nerd calls it the same robot as the 9550 Sport with an app added.
The evidence is one test plus owner reports. Bob Vila tested it for a round-up, named it the best in-ground pick and liked how the four-wheel drive handled walls, stairs, benches and toys left on the floor. One owner reported the same climbing ability, and a third account saw it miss spots. It's a simple cleaner with a smart remote: no mapping, one front brush, one 5-litre canister, and you still carry it out on its caddy. It isn't sold in the UK, Europe or Australia.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes. It has floor, floor-and-wall and waterline-only modes, per the specifications. Bob Vila found it handled walls, stairs and bench seats, Charles & Hudson says it climbs walls with ease, and The Pool Nerd credits it with cleaning all the way to the waterline.
Does it need an app?
The app is the point of this model. It adds scheduling, mode choice and steering from your phone over home Wi-Fi, per the specifications, and Bob Vila also used Alexa. If your Wi-Fi is weak by the pool, The Pool Nerd warns control can be unreliable, and the 9550 Sport uses a handheld remote instead.
How do I get it out of the water?
Press the lift button and it surfaces at the wall you choose, then drains as you lift, per the specifications. None of the sources we found tested that feature. Charles & Hudson found it easy to remove and store, and the caddy is included.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
Charles & Hudson found it coped with leaves, seeds and berries from nearby trees. The Pool Nerd says its single standard filter won't catch the finest particles, and Bob Vila advises emptying the 5-litre canister often if you get lots of debris.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Polaris lists it for in-ground pools only, per the specifications, and Bob Vila tested it as its in-ground pick. For a simple above-ground pool, Polaris sells the smaller P70 instead.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Premier
Why consider it: A long-running corded Dolphin with a choice of filters, including a big leaf bag, and testers rate its waterline scrubbing highly.
The compromise: It has no app, and it's heavy to lift out.
AquaVac 650
Why consider it: Another corded robot with Wi-Fi control, whose cleaning and filterless canister both testers praised.
The compromise: Neither tester could make its tug-the-cable recall work.
Nautilus CC Plus
Why consider it: A mid-price corded Dolphin that testers found cleans floors and walls quickly, with easy filters.
The compromise: It sometimes gets stuck on steps, and testers disagree about its waterline cleaning.
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 9650iQ Sport?
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: The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners, Tested by Pool Owners ↗4.8 / 5Hands-on · Part of a tested round-up; named best in-ground pick
- Charles & Hudson: Polaris 9650iQ Sport Robotic Pool Cleaner Review ↗Hands-on, A few months in the writer's own pool · Short post; no test method described · A short owner's post from 2018 with no test method, so we don't count it as an independent review. (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
- The Pool Nerd: Polaris 9650 iQ review ↗Think before you buyHands-on · The Pool Nerd is linked to a Dolphin dealer, so we don't count it as an independent review. (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
Sources
- Polaris: 9650iQ Sport product page (US) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Polaris 9650iQ Sport ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.