Alpha iQ
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Zodiac's flagship corded pool robot, built for very large pools, with two-stage filtering and app control. It suits big-pool owners buying through a Zodiac dealer. It weighs 10kg dry, so you'll lean on its lift jet.
Updated
Check the manufacturer’s site for current availability.
Where it sits in Zodiac’s range
- Zodiac RA 6800 iQSame Alpha iQ design for pools up to 15 x 7m
- Zodiac RA 6500 iQAlpha iQ for pools up to 12 x 6m, with swivel
- OV 5480 iQVortex 4WD with app, single filter, pools up to 12 x 6m
- Alpha iQThis model
- Voyager RE iQTracked Voyager with app and two-stage filter
Feedback
What we know
Per Zodiac and its Zodiac, the RA 6900 iQ is a corded four-wheel-drive robot rated for pools up to 20 x 10 metres. It maps your pool's shape to plan its route, uses a pressure sensor to judge depth for wall climbing and the waterline, and runs debris through a two-stage filter for leaves and silt. You control it from the iAquaLink app. The dealer pages we found repeat the same spec sheet, and the rest of the Alpha iQ range shares the design.
Built for very large pools
The RA 6900 iQ is rated for pools up to 20 x 10 metres, per the Zodiac, and it has a 25-metre cable to reach them. Zodiac says its Sensor Nav System works out your pool's shape to plan its route and cleaning time, while a pressure sensor judges depth for better wall climbing and waterline cleaning.
Two filters for leaves and silt
Debris goes through a 150-micron main filter and then a 60-micron over-filter, per the Zodiac. You can run the main filter on its own when you only need to catch leaves. Zodiac says you empty them by pulling them out, shaking off the debris and rinsing, and a clear window shows how full it is. Cyclonic suction is meant to keep the filters from clogging.
App control and a lift jet
The iAquaLink app starts and monitors cycles, offers remote control, a seven-day schedule and spot cleaning, and shows water temperature, per the Zodiac. Cycles run from Quick, which does the floor only, to Ultra, an intensive clean of floor, walls and waterline. The Lift System makes it lighter to pull out, which matters at 10kg dry. Zodiac adds a fourth year of warranty if you pair it with the app within six months, so it's worth setting the app up.
Still to be proven
The dealer pages we found only repeat the spec sheet, and we couldn't find a finished test of any Alpha iQ model. So the big questions are open: whether the pool-mapping navigation really covers a pool this size without gaps, how well the depth sensing helps it climb walls and scrub the waterline, and how often the filters need emptying in a leafy garden. The Zodiac page explains the design, not the results.
This covers the RA 6900 iQ. Other Alpha iQ models share the design but are rated for smaller pools.
Our take
Should you buy the Alpha iQ?
Best for: Large in-ground pools needing floors, walls and the waterline cleaned. Skip it if: You want a stronger record in independent tests before buying.
consider it if you have a genuinely large pool, buy through a Zodiac dealer and want app scheduling, knowing you're taking Zodiac's word on cleaning. For a pool of 12 x 6 metres or less the OV 5480 iQ covers it, and for a big pool with test results behind the robot the Dolphin Sigma has been found thorough, waterline included.
The RA 6900 iQ tops Zodiac's Alpha iQ range and is rated for bigger pools than any other Zodiac robot we list, up to 20 x 10 metres. It's a corded, four-wheel-drive robot on a long cable. Zodiac says it measures your pool on its first runs to plan a route, and uses a pressure sensor to judge depth so it climbs walls and scrubs the waterline properly. A two-stage filter catches coarse debris in one layer and fine silt in another, and you control it from the iAquaLink app with a weekly schedule and spot cleaning.
It's heavy, at 10kg dry, and a lift jet helps when you pull it out. Pair it with the app within six months and Zodiac adds a fourth year of warranty. The rest of the range shares the design: the RA 6800 iQ is rated for mid-sized pools, and the RA 6500 iQ and RA 6300 iQ for smaller ones.
Where to buy
Where to buy the Alpha iQ in United Kingdom
No United Kingdom price checked in the last 21 days. We re-check daily.
We’re still looking for more United Kingdom retailers for this model.
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Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Zodiac says it cleans the floor, walls and waterline, using a pressure sensor to judge the pool's depth, and it has a waterline-only cycle, per the specifications. We couldn't find an independent tester who has checked how well it climbs or scrubs.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
It has a two-stage filter: a 150-micron main filter for coarser debris and a 60-micron over-filter for fine particles, per the specifications. You can use the main filter alone, and Zodiac also sells very fine, fine and large-debris filters. None of it has been tested yet.
Do I need the app?
It comes with a control unit too, so it isn't app-only. The iAquaLink app adds a weekly schedule, spot cleaning, remote control and the lift function, per the specifications, and pairing it within six months adds a year to the three-year warranty.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Zodiac lists in-ground pools and above-ground pools with rigid walls, of any shape, floor and surface, up to 20 x 10 metres, per the specifications. That rules out soft-sided above-ground pools.
How do I get it out of the water?
The patented Lift System makes it lighter as you pull it out, per Zodiac, and it comes with a trolley. It still weighs 10kg dry, so expect some effort. How well the lift works hasn't been tested.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Sigma
Why consider it: Another top-end corded robot for large pools with app control, and testers found it cleans thoroughly, waterline included.
The compromise: The app divides opinion, and there's no leaf bag for heavy leaf fall.
OV 5480 iQ
Why consider it: Zodiac's four-wheel-drive Vortex model with app control and a lift jet, if your pool is 12 x 6 metres or smaller.
The compromise: It has one filter rather than two, and it's also untested.
AquaVac 650
Why consider it: A corded Wi-Fi robot that both testers praised for its cleaning and filterless canister.
The compromise: It's rated for smaller pools, up to 6 x 12 metres, and neither tester could make its cable recall work.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
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Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Sources
Videos
- Fluidra Türkiye: Zodiac RA 6900 IQ havuz robotu.#havuzrobotu #havuzluvilla #havuzkeyfi ↗
- Search YouTube for Zodiac Alpha iQ ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.