Above Ground Aquabot Spirit

Published on January 11th, 2019 | by Roger Corbinetti

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Aquabot Spirit Above Ground Robot Pool Cleaner Review

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

NOTE: in 2020, Aquabot closed its doors and stopped making robotic pool cleaners.

The following article represents our latest review of their product before the company shut down.

To see other top-rated pool cleaners, check out the following guides on this site: 


Price: on Amazon

  • For in-ground and above ground pools
  • Anti-tangle swivel cable – 40ft long
  • Obstacle detection and avoidance
  • Efficient jet propulsion
  • Lightweight TwinBody chassis design
  • Dual top-access filter bags

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Aquabot’s Spirit is one of the lowest-priced Aquabot models but retains the power, cleaning ability, and ease of use of other their more expensive models.

Feature-wise, Spirit comes with a true 360-degree swivel cord, a high-powered jet propulsion system, and a powerful 24-volt motor that drives dual impellers.

If you are looking for a powerful above-ground or an in-ground robot pool cleaner that won’t break the bank, I can recommend this one with only a few qualifications (keep reading).

If you are still unsure about which pool cleaner to get, then check out the other above-ground pool cleaning robots we’ve reviewed.


Cleaning Ability

Aquabot Spirit Pool Cleaner

The Aquabot Spirit is just as effective in cleaning as many other pricier pool robots.

It moves surprisingly fast, too. This is due to the new lightweight design and powerful jet propulsion system.

Instead of dragging a heavy, cumbersome body around, the Spirit comes has a very lightweight body, which reduces the energy required to run it.

It’s a simple design, as well. You can easily break the unit down into two halves for easy cleaning and maintenance (more on that shortly).

With a lighter body, the Spirit moves quicker, cleans faster and saves more energy.

To further save energy and improve cleaning efficiency, the Spirit is equipped with a high-flow jet propulsion system which is better and more reliable than wheel- or belt-driven robot cleaners.

While this unit is really designed for above ground pools, the Aquabot Spirit can clean all types of swimming pools including large in-ground pools up to 60 feet in size.

It works well on all types of pool surfaces and can climb walls (partially).  That said, it’s not suitable for large, complex in-ground pools with lots of curved walls and steps.


Top-Access Filters

Aquabot Spirit

With many robotic pool cleaners you have to turn the unit upside down to open the filters and remove the debris. This is really tedious, especially if the pool cleaner is heavy, which it often is.

With the Aquabot Spirit, you just press a button to access the filters. Taking out the two filter bags is easy and quick. A quick hose down is enough to get the bags ready for more cleaning.


Features We Like

1. Easy-maintenance design

For most robot pool cleaners, cleaning involves taking apart numerous components to reach inside.The Aquabot Spirit makes maintenance and cleaning much easier.

The chassis has a unique split design which the company calls a Twin Body. You can easily and quickly access internal components for cleaning and troubleshooting.

This design also makes the Aquabot Spirit lighter, giving it an edge in navigational and energy efficiency. It also gives you an easier time lifting it in and out of the water.

2. Obstacle avoidance system and anti-tangle cable

Aquabot Spirit Pool Cleaner Reviews

Most robot pool cleaners struggle to get around or over obstacles in the pool. Simple objects like a raised pool drain can stall or confuse a lot of robotic cleaners.

The Aquabot Spirit uses the NeverStuck™ obstacle avoidance system to detect and avoid obstacles in the pool. It’s a lot like the vision systems used in Roomba vacuums.

This not only improves performance and reduces cleaning time, but it ensures you won’t have to rescue the pool cleaner.

Another feature that improves cleaning performance is the anti-tangle swivel integrated into the cable.

One of the biggest complaints among owners of robot pool cleaners is that their cables constantly get tangled, which prevents the cleaner from completely cleaning the pool. It’s also a headache to untangle.

The Aquabot Spirit uses an anti-tangle swivel on the cable to prevent this from happening. The swivel can rotate 360 degrees.

3. High-flow jet propulsion

As I mentioned, the Aquabot Spirit uses jet propulsion to move around the pool.

Why does this matter?

Well, most pool cleaners work by distributing power from the motor to all four wheels. They rely on mechanical systems to do this.

Jet propulsion is more efficient, more powerful and more reliable.

The Spirit uses a top-mounted 24 Volt DC motor to drive two impellers (rotating fans) which push the pool cleaner forward.

The same jets of water that power the pool cleaner also dislodge debris and dirt on the pool floor.

The end result is that you get a cleaner pool for the same amount of energy.

4. Dual filter bags

The Aquabot Spirit pool cleaner comes with dual filter bags that can capture debris as small as 2 microns. That’s fine enough to catch everything from large leaves and rocks down to the smallest grains of sand and bits of algae.

When cleaning is over, the top-access filters make it easy to empty the bags and clean them.

5. Two cleaning cycles

Aquabot Spirit Reviews

The Spirit pool cleaner has two cleaning cycles: 1 hour and 2 hours.

It will automatically shut off after the set time.

The 2-hour cycle is ideal if the pool is really dirty such as after a long winter or if it’s near trees.

The 1-hour cycle is best for normal daily or every other day cleaning when you just need a quick clean to remove dirt and algae.

There is no sophisticated weekly and daily scheduling, however.  You’ll need to pay more for that.


Pros

  • Affordably priced without compromising cleaning effectiveness.
  • Comes with a 360-degree cable swivel and an obstacle avoidance system to ensure hands-off performance.
  • Lightweight design. It’s really easy to handle, especially when you are lifting it out of the water.
  • Dual top-access filter bags that capture more sizes of debris and are easy to remove and clean.
  • Easy to clean and maintain. The TwinBody chassis design ensures you won’t struggle taking apart the cleaner.

Cons

  • There is no weekly schedule. You can’t set it to clean on certain days of the week automatically, etc.. But this is to be expected at this price range.
  • No remote control.
  • Cable length is just 40 feet, limiting pool size.


Specifications

  • 1 and 2-hour cleaning cycles.
  • 40 ft cable length.
  • Circulation: 85 gallons per minute.
  • Weight: 25 pounds
  • Dimensions: 21.3 x 19.3 x 18 inches

Conclusion

The Aquabot Spirit is one of the best above-ground robotic pool cleaners you can buy for under $500.  Other good choices in the dame price range include the proven Hayward Ultra XL and the Aquabot XL Breeze.

You won’t get the advanced scheduling and remote control operation of more expensive robots.  But where it matters most – thoroughly scrubbing your pool clean without needing your help – the Aqauabot Spirit does not disappoint.

See it on Amazon Dolphin Triton Plus

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About the Author

I’ve owned a pool for over 20 years. During that time, I have owned and reviewed dozens of pool cleaners, especially robotic pool cleaners. I created RoboticPoolCleanersCompared to help other home owners leverage my experience to select the right pool cleaner, pool heater, pool cover and modern pool appliance for their needs & budget.



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