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Dolphin vs Polaris

Dolphin, for most pools. Far more of its robots have been independently tested and done well, while we found tests of only two Polaris robots, both in one round-up. Polaris's 9650iQ Sport is worth a look if your pool has lots of steps and benches.

Updated

Which suits your home

Start with the thing that matters most to you.

  • Small above-ground pool, floor onlyEither

    Both small corded floor cleaners did well for Bob Vila: the Dolphin Escape cleared dirt, debris and algae in a 24ft pool Bob Vila, and the Polaris P70 cleaned a 28-foot test pool in about ninety minutes Bob Vila.

  • Lots of steps and benchesPolaris

    The 9650iQ Sport's four-wheel drive handled walls, stairs, benches and toys in Bob Vila's test. Dolphin's Nautilus CC Plus got stuck on steps about once every ten days for Family Handyman.

  • A grubby waterlineDolphin

    Bob Vila found the Dolphin Premier kept scrubbing with much of the robot above the water, and the tile line sparkled after a full cycle.

  • Leaves and twigsDolphin

    The Nautilus CC Plus left a very clean floor after large leaves and sticks for Test Your Own Pool, and the Premier comes with a leaf bag as well as fine filters Maytronics (US).

  • You want a robot someone has testedDolphin

    Three independent testers used the Nautilus CC Plus in real pools Reviewed Family Handyman Test Your Own Pool. Polaris's top robot, the EPIC 8642 iQ, hasn't been tested at all.

Model for model

The closest match from each brand at three price levels, with today's prices.

Budget

Too close to call
Dolphin Escape

Dolphin

Escape

US$669.00at PoolRobots

Polaris P70

Polaris

P70

US$499.00at InTheSwim Pool Supplies

Two small corded floor cleaners for above-ground pools, and Bob Vila liked both Bob Vila Bob Vila. Neither climbs walls. The Escape was heavy to lift out full of water, while the P70's canister was quick to empty.

Flagship

Reviewers favour Dolphin
Dolphin Premier

Dolphin

Premier

US$1,999.00at Pool Express

Polaris EPIC 8642 iQ

Polaris

EPIC 8642 iQ

Not currently sold in the US

The Premier's waterline scrubbing and leaf bag won over Bob Vila. The EPIC 8642 iQ adds tracks, two brushes and an app, but nobody independent has tested it yet Polaris.

What reviewers say about each range

Dolphin

Dolphin, made by Maytronics, has the wider US range, from floor-only corded robots for above-ground pools up to the corded Premier and Sigma and the cordless Liberty models. Its best-tested robot is the Nautilus CC Plus: Reviewed, Family Handyman and Test Your Own Pool all found it cleans floors and walls well, though steps trip it up. Bob Vila rated the Premier's waterline scrubbing and choice of filters, and Bob Vila found the cheap Escape cleaned an above-ground floor with little effort. The common complaint is weight, as both the Premier and the Escape were heavy to lift out full of water.

Polaris

Polaris sells a corded range in the US, from the small P70 to the app-controlled 9650iQ Sport and the tracked EPIC 8642 iQ. The evidence is thin. We found independent tests of just two, both in one Bob Vila round-up, which named the 9650iQ Sport its best in-ground pick and the P70 its best above-ground pick. The 9650iQ's four-wheel drive handled walls, stairs and benches well there. The EPIC 8642 iQ hasn't been independently tested, so what it can do rests on Polaris's own claims.

Where they differ

  1. 01

    Evidence: Dolphin has far more

    This is the biggest gap. The Nautilus CC Plus alone has three independent tests Reviewed Family Handyman Test Your Own Pool, and Bob Vila has tested the Premier and the Escape on their own Bob Vila Bob Vila. For Polaris we found only one round-up covering two robots Bob Vila. Polaris may well make good robots, but there's much less to go on.

  2. 02

    Steps: Polaris's four-wheel drive climbs better

    Bob Vila liked how the 9650iQ Sport took on walls, stairs, benches and toys left on the floor. Steps are the Nautilus CC Plus's weak spot: 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. If your steps collect the most dirt, that counts for Polaris.

  3. 03

    Waterline and filters: Dolphin's Premier stands out

    Bob Vila found the Premier senses the waterline and keeps scrubbing, and tried all three of its filters, a leaf bag plus fine and ultra-fine cartridges, for different kinds of mess. The 9650iQ Sport has a waterline-only mode Polaris, but no tester has reported on it. The cheaper robots on both sides, the Escape and the P70, don't reach the waterline at all Maytronics (US) Polaris.

  4. 04

    Getting it out of the pool

    The 9650iQ Sport has a button that brings it to the surface for lifting out Polaris, while the P70 has none Polaris. Dolphin's corded robots are lifted by the handle. Family Handyman found that easy with the Nautilus CC Plus, but Bob Vila's tester struggled with the Premier, and the Escape had to drain before Bob Vila could lift it on to the deck.

  5. 05

    Apps and timers

    The 9650iQ Sport and EPIC 8642 iQ run from an app over home Wi-Fi Polaris Polaris, and the P70 has no app or scheduling Polaris. On the Dolphin side the Nautilus CC Plus has a weekly timer Maytronics (US), the Premier a weekly timer but no app Maytronics (US), and the Escape neither, so you switch it on each time Maytronics (US).

Questions people ask

Is Dolphin better than Polaris?

On the evidence, yes for most pools. Dolphin's Nautilus CC Plus and Premier have done well in independent tests Reviewed Bob Vila, and only two Polaris robots have been tested at all Bob Vila. The exception is a pool with lots of steps and benches, where the Polaris 9650iQ Sport climbed better.

Which brand lasts longer?

Nobody has run either brand's robots long enough to say. The longest test is Test Your Own Pool's swim season with the Nautilus CC Plus, with no leaks, pump failures or drop in performance. The current US version of that robot comes with a one-year warranty Maytronics (US). We found no long-term test of any Polaris.

Which is better for an above-ground pool?

It's close. The Dolphin Escape and the Polaris P70 are both small corded floor cleaners, and Bob Vila liked both Bob Vila Bob Vila. Neither climbs walls, so you'll still brush those yourself.

Do Dolphin and Polaris robots clean steps?

The Polaris 9650iQ Sport handled stairs and benches in Bob Vila's test. Dolphin's Nautilus CC Plus is weaker there, getting stuck about once every ten days for Family Handyman and rarely climbing more than a step or two for Test Your Own Pool.

Should I buy the Polaris EPIC 8642 iQ?

We'd wait. It has tracks, front and rear brushes and app control Polaris, but we found no independent test, so how well it cleans is unknown. The Dolphin Premier has a test behind it and scrubs the waterline well Bob Vila, though it has no app.

Sources

How we check specs and prices