Although they are fun to have, swimming pools can be quite demanding when it comes to maintenance. You need to devote a significant amount of time every few weeks to ensure that everything is functioning properly. From cleaning of the pool to the maintenance of the circulation and filtration systems, there is a lot of work that comes with owning a swimming pool.
The good news is that modern technology is gradually reducing the time and energy you will need to spend on the maintenance of your swimming pool. For example, robotic pool cleaners do all the cleaning work automatically without your input so that you can focus on the other elements of swimming pool maintenance and also save some time.
Polaris is one company that does a splendid job of making pool cleaners. They have a number of robotic pool cleaners that deliver impressive results on different types of swimming pools. Today, we are going to compare three robotic pool cleaners from Polaris that are made for in-ground swimming pools.
These three pool cleaners are the Polaris F9350, the Polaris F9450 and the Polaris F9550 Sport pool cleaners.
Let’s jump in.
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Movement and Navigation
Let’s start by finding out how each of these pool cleaners gets around your swimming pool.
Polaris F9350
This robotic pool cleaner comes with four large wheels that enable it to easily move around your swimming pool no matter what pool surface you have in place. Two of the wheels are powered so you might see some struggle when going up very slippery pool walls despite the fact that it has enough traction to move around the pool floor.
A big bonus is the forceful rear water propulsion system that helps in moving the robot around so even if the wheels don’t get enough traction, the forward thrust created by the water as it is being ejected helps in pushing the robot forward.
It comes loaded with ActivMotion Sensor Technology that helps in navigation regardless of the shape of your swimming pool. The power cord that comes with this robotic pool cleaner is 60 feet long, so it should have no problems cleaning swimming pools up to 50 feet long. If you have a larger pool, then you will need to think about getting a pool cleaner with a longer cord.
Polaris F9450
The Polaris F9450 takes things a notch higher by adding a number of features to what the F9350 could accomplish. Like the F9350, it also comes with large wheels that will easily move the cleaner around your pool no matter what pool surface you have.
For even better traction, all four wheels on this robotic pool cleaner are driven so it will easily climb over any obstacles that may be present in your swimming pool to ensure that you get a clean pool regardless of the shape or terrain of your pool floor.
It also comes with the ActivMotion Sensor technology that ensures that it uses the most efficient cleaning path to ensure faster cleaning and minimal cord tangling.
Finally, there is the new Lift system that makes life easy for you when cleaning is done and you want to store the pool cleaner or when you need to empty the filter. By pressing one button, this pool cleaner will move to a desired location close to the edge and automatically evacuate all the water so that you can easily lift it from the swimming pool without getting wet.
To further enhance convenience, this pool cleaner comes with a 7-day programmable timer that you can use to tell the robot when to clean your swimming pool. You can also customize the cleaning cycles to ensure that you have a clean pool with minimal effort.
Polaris F9550
This is the most advanced of the three pool cleaners and it also comes with quite some amazing features. Like the F9450, this one is a 4-wheel drive robot that comes with large Aqua-Trax tires which will have no trouble moving over your pool regardless of the surface in place.
Navigation is fast and efficient thanks to the ActivMotion Sensor Technology also in place in the other two robotic pool cleaners. With the rear water propulsion system, this pool cleaner will easily move around your swimming pool and easily reach any debris in tight corners and under the stairs.
With a 70-foot power cord, this robotic pool cleaner will have no trouble cleaning all parts of large swimming pools. It also comes with a 7-day timer that you can use to instruct the robot to clean your swimming pool on some days of the week and do nothing on others. This robot will even allow you to program the cleaning patterns to ensure that it does not miss a spot.
There’s also a motion-sensing hand-held remote that you can use to direct the pool cleaner to whichever part of your swimming pool that needs attention.
Cleaning
Now that we have identified how the three pool cleaners will get around your swimming pool, let’s take a look at how effective they are at removing dirt from your swimming pool.
Polaris F9350 – Despite its simplicity, this pool cleaner does not disappoint when all has been said and done. It comes equipped with Vortex Vacuum Technology that will enable this pool cleaner to pick up large debris without interfering with suction.
Polaris F9450 – This machine also comes with the Vortex Vacuum Technology, but it is further complemented by the pleated scrubbing brush that will get dirt away from the walls, tile line, and the swimming pool floor. It has a large filter canister that is able to hold up to 4 times the dirt and debris that other filters can hold, thus reducing the number of times that you will need to clean your filters.
Polaris F9550 – This is the robot to go for if you are looking for the best cleaning performance.
In addition to the Vortex Vacuum Technology that ensures that the robot is able to pick up debris and particles of all sizes, this robot also comes with oscillating brushes to scrub dirt and stains from your swimming pool floor and walls. You will not need to worry about messy bags because the large capacity filter canister is easily accessed from the top.
| Polaris | F9350 Sport | F9450 Sport | F9550 Sport |
| Main Specs | |||
| Pool Size | Up to 50 Ft | Up to 50 Ft | Up to 60 Ft |
| Pool Type | In-Ground | In-Ground | In-Ground |
| Cleaning Cycle | 1.5 / 2.5 Hours | 1.5 / 2.5 Hours | 1.5 / 2.5 Hours |
| Tangle-free Swivel | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cable Length | 60 Ft | 60 Ft | 70 Ft |
| Weight | 21 lbs | 16 lbs | 21 lbs |
| Dimensions | 22 x 22 x 18.5 in | 22 x 22 x 18.5 in | 22 x 22 x 18.5 in |
| Cleaning | |||
| Cleaning Coverage | Floor, Walls | Floor, Walls | Floor, Walls, Waterline |
| Weekly Timer | No | Yes | Yes |
| Brushes | 2 Brushes | 2 Brushes | 2 Brushes |
| Brushes | Solid-Blade | Pleated | Pleated |
| Filtration | Medium to Fine | Medium to Fine | Medium to Fine |
| Filter | Basket, Top-load | Basket, Top-load | Basket, Top-load |
| Full Bag Indicator | No | No | Yes |
| Features | |||
| Easy Lift System | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Easy Clean Filter | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vortex Vacuum | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ActivMotion Sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rear Water Stream | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Other Specs | |||
| Remote Control | No | No | Yes |
| Drive | 2WD / 4 Wheels | 4WD / 4 Wheels | 4WD / 4 Wheels |
| Caddy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Release/First Seen | Aug, 2014 | Apr, 2014 | Aug, 2014 |
| Price | Check price | Check price | Check price |
Conclusion
Robot pool cleaners go a long way in bringing convenience to the life of any swimming pool owner. They are able to clean the pool without adding any unnecessary pressure to your pool’s circulation system.
The Polaris F9350 is simple and effective, but it lacks a number of the high-end features that you will find in the other two. If you don’t mind spending more for the extra features, then you will be happy with the Polaris F9550.
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Last update on 2024-04-27 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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