4 Best Polaris Pool Cleaners 2023: Reviews & Buying Guide
DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Shopping for a Polaris pool cleaner?
You are in the right place.
Nothing beats a cool, refreshing dip in cool water on a hot sunny day.
However, keeping your pool safe and clean requires constant maintenance. You need to keep chlorine and pH levels balanced, while making sure there is no debris in the pool.
To make your job easier, you should consider investing in a Polaris automatic pool cleaner.
Polaris, an industry leader in pool-cleaning technology, is well-known for providing high-quality products and outstanding customer service.
In this guide we recommend and review the best Polaris pool cleaners sold today, to help you narrow down the right model for your pool.
What’s In This Buying Guide
Whether you need a traditional automatic pool cleaner or are looking for a robotic pool vacuum, Polaris offers a model for everyone.
In this guide we recommend and review the best Polaris models sold today.
After our reviews, we discuss the features and factors to consider when making your final choice.
Best Polaris Pool Cleaners
- Best Robotic Pool Cleaner: Polaris F9450
- Best Triple Jet Design: Polaris VacSweep 360
- Most Powerful: Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport
- Most Economical: Polaris 65 Pool Sweeper
Disclaimer: All links below go to Amazon.com
| Model | Weight | Pool Type | Maximum depth: | Hose/Cable length: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Polaris F9450 Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner  | Best Robotic Cleaner | 44 pounds | In-ground | - | 70 feet |
Polaris VacSweep 360 pool cleaner  | Best Pressure-Side | 14 pounds | In-ground | - | 31 feet |
Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport  | Most Powerful | 10 pounds | In-ground | - | 31 feet |
Polaris 65 Pool Sweeper | Most Economical | 14 pounds | Above ground | 5 feet | 24 feet |
1. Best Robotic Pool Cleaner: Polaris F9450 Robotic In-Ground Pool Cleaner
The Polaris F9450 is a proven product that combines decades of engineering, intelligence, and style to deliver and you can direct the cleaner where you want it to clean. Moreover, you can choose between four cleaning modes: waterline only, floor and wall, custom, and floor.
7-day programmable timer
The Polaris F9450 is equipped with a smart 7-day programmable timer. The fully customizable cleaning cycles make it convenient for pool owners to set the timer and just forget about it. With just an easy setting, this cleaner will clean the pool as frequently as you want so that you can enjoy a healthy and pleasant swimming experience.
Vortex vacuum technology
This top-of-the-line robotic cleaner is designed with an extra-large top-access filter that can hold four times more debris than other cleaners. This convenient feature helps users save time and effort as it does not need emptying frequently.
ActivMotion sensor
This pool cleaner is able to sense its position automatically and adapt its path to ensure efficient cleaning and reduced cord tangling. Its unmatched navigation allows it to tackle any pool terrain and climb walls and steps.
Aqua-Trax Tires
Fitted with Aqua-Trax tires, the Polaris F9450 can be used on all pool surfaces. The 4-wheel drive technology allows this cleaner to clean walls, floors and scrub tile lines with an oscillating, solid-blade scrubbing brush.
Easy Lift System
This system directs the cleaner to the surface of the pool with just the touch of a button. This ensures effortless removal from the water.
Dirty canister indicator: The dirty canister indicator tells the user when it is time to empty and clean out the easy-access filters.
Rear water propulsion system
This feature allows the Polaris F9550 to reach under the stairs and into tight corners to remove every piece of debris with efficiency.
Comes with a caddy
This cleaner comes with a powder-coated alloy caddy for easy transport and storage.
Limitations
- A bit expensive and may not fit everyone’s budget
- May have difficulty climbing vertical walls of the pool
The Polaris F9450 is best for you if
You are looking for a state-of-the-art robotic pool cleaner to keep your pool clean.
To learn more, check out our Polaris F9450 review.
2. Best Pressure-Side Cleaner: Polaris VacSweep 360 pool cleaner
A powerful pressure-side pool cleaner, the Polaris VacSweep 360 features the iconic three-wheel design.
It scrubs, vacuums, and sweeps contaminants from all pool surfaces whether concrete, tile, or fiberglass, to provide a cleaner pool.
The Polaris 360 is also a budget-friendly option with very few bells and whistles but still does an amazing job in cleaning your pool. And after many years of use, it’s almost bulletproof.
Key Features
Energy-efficient
The Polaris VacSweep is suitable for all in-ground pools. It operates without an extra booster pump, thus ensuring maximum energy efficiency.
Triple jets
This pool cleaner is designed with triple jets that provide spotless cleaning. These jets create a vortex and vacuum up all the medium and large debris.
Excellent performance
The Polaris VacSweep is a durable unit that will stay with you for a long time. If your pool is near trees or if it gets dirty quickly, you will be running your pool filter for hours. However, with this cleaner, you can sweep up the leaves and twigs, decreasing your filter’s workload.
In-line back-up valve
The VacSweep 360 is capable of freeing itself if it gets cornered. This ensures uninterrupted cleaning of your pool.
Unique filter bag
This cleaner works on a pool circulation pump, eliminating the need for a booster pump. Its filter bag gets rid of the debris before it can reach the pump filter or basket, enhancing the life of your filtration system.
Limitations
- Lack of clear instructions
- May get stuck on the stairs
The Polaris VacSweep 360 is best for you if
You want a budget-friendly, bulletproof pool cleaner for an inground pool.
3. Most Powerful: Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport
A perfect combination of power and performance, the Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport comes with innovative new enhancements that provide added reliability and durability.
Designed to collect leaves, twigs, and palm fronds as well as sand, silt, and nuts, this cleaner will help take care of your pool so that you can have a clean and healthy pool.
Key features
PosiDrive system
Designed with a heavy-duty chain drive system and strong, wide tires, this model offers more vacuum power, better traction, and long-lasting reliability. Equipped with a number of sophisticated features, this cleaner is able to deliver 50% more torque for quicker cleaning with fewer hangups.
Auto-reverse technology
The Polaris 3900 Sport features an innovative auto-reverse technology that gives this cleaner the ability to free itself if it gets stuck. With the help of a dual-chambered zipper bag, this cleaner is able to pick up more debris, thus ensuring less frequent cleaning.
Supplements filtration system
The Polaris 3900 Sport works in all in-ground pools with the help of a booster pump. It circulates an additional 40 gallons of water per minute to help supplement the pool filtration system.
TailSweep Pro
This cleaner also includes an advanced sweep hose attachment that prevents water from spraying out of the pool.
As a result, your windows and walkways remain dry.
Limitations
- Requires constant monitoring as the collection bag may become stuck in the tires
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport is best for you if
You are looking for a powerful and affordable pool cleaner for a large inground pool.
4. Most Economical: Polaris 65 Pool Sweeper
The Polaris 65 pool sweeper is an affordable pool cleaner for above-ground pools.
Although it is designed for pools up to five feet deep, its cleaning performance is really good.
Key features
Quick installation
The Polaris 65 features a quick installation and works with filtration systems and pumps typically found on above-ground pools. Moreover, it takes three hours or less to efficiently clean the pool floor and sweep the walls.
Unique filter bag
This cleaner uses the pressure of clean water returning to the pool, which leaves the skimmer and filter-free to eliminate contaminants. It has a unique filter bag that cleans the debris before it reaches the filter or pump basket, which ensures a long life for your filtration system.
For Above Ground Pools
The Polaris 65 works in most in-ground fiberglass or vinyl pools. It also cleans pools that have uneven bottoms.
Limitations
- May require frequent untangling
The Polaris 65 pool sweeper is best for you if
You are on a budget and need an economical pool cleaner for your above ground pool.
Select the Right Polaris Pool Cleaner for Your Pool
Ease of Use
You need to keep ease of use in mind while comparing different Polaris pool cleaners.
Automatic pool cleaners are hard to operate at first because you will have to set them up. Meanwhile, manual pool cleaners are easier to use as they have a simple assembly.
So, choose a Polaris pool cleaner that is easier for you to operate.
Maintenance Costs
Polaris pool cleaners undergo wear and tear just like all other appliances.
The debris bag gets holes in it, and the wheels get thin. This is why you have to be mindful of their maintenance cost.
If you have a Polaris Vac-Sweep 280, you will need to replace the booster pump in 4 to 7 years. And booster pumps can be costly, so you should consider the replacement and installation costs while selecting a pool cleaner.
You should also inspect your pool cleaner regularly to keep the wear and tear to a minimum.
Type of Pool
Picking the right Polaris pool cleaner also depends on the kind of pool you have.
In-ground and above-ground pools have different designs, so they need different kinds of pool cleaners.
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 165 is a great option for above-ground pools with fiberglass or vinyl surfaces.
However, the Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport and Vac-Sweep 380 are designed for in-ground pools.
The size of your pool also affects the choice of a pool cleaner. You need to buy a pool cleaner with appropriate area coverage and debris cleaning for your pool.
Budgets & Costs
Polaris pool cleaners are mostly affordable, but the robotic models are expensive. We are a bit biased of course, but we think the features and efficiency make robotic Polaris pool cleaners worth the money.
But if you are looking for a cost-effective pool cleaner, we think the Polaris Vac-Sweep 280, Vac-Sweep 360, and Vac-Sweep 3900 are the best options in the market.
Warranty
Polaris pool cleaner ratings are remarkably high because of their durability. All Polaris pool cleaners come with a 2-year warranty. The frames for Polaris in-ground pressure-side cleaners have a 5-year warranty.
However, items that undergo wear and tear like bags, surface disks, and brushes are not warranted. You should look at the warranty of individual products before making your purchase.
Make sure you avoid using non-factory authorized accessories with a Polaris pool cleaner to claim a warranty. Damage due to chemical imbalance and water hardness also nullifies the warranty.
How Do Polaris Pool Cleaners work?
Before deciding which Polaris pool cleaner to buy, let’s take a look at how the different types of pool cleaners, namely pressure-side, suction-side, and robotic, work:
Pressure Side Cleaners
Pressure-side pool cleaners can easily pick up medium and large debris, making them perfect for cleaning leaves and other rubbish from pools surrounded by trees. These cleaners are hooked up to a hose that attaches to the water return jets.
The floating cleaner uses this water pressure to move around the pool’s surface while the sweep hose behind the cleaner, which wags along underwater, blasts the pool’s walls and floor with jets of water to help loosen up the debris.
Larger pieces of debris are captured in the skimmer bag attached at the end of the sweep hose while the pool’s filter system collects sediment and small debris. This is the best feature of pressure-side pool cleaners as it decreases the load on the pool’s filter system.
Another great feature of the Polaris pressure-side pool cleaners is the backup valve that helps your cleaner if it becomes stuck in a pool corner or by the stairs. This valve diverts the water from driving the cleaner, forcing it into a different position in order to continue cleaning the pool efficiently.
In order to increase the water pressure on your pool cleaner, some pressure-side pool cleaners need to add a booster pump. With the installation of this second pump, the cleaner can drift around the pool more easily, cleaning the pool more effectively. However, it is best to have the booster pump installed professionally.
Polaris pressure-side pool cleaners are available for both in-ground and above-ground pools. The amount of debris in your pool and your pool’s finish will help you decide which pool cleaner will be best for you.
Robotic Pool Cleaners
Powered by electricity, robotic pool cleaners make pool cleaning fun. They are not only handy, but they also complete cleaning in the pool in a comparatively shorter time. But how can you drop a device that is plugged into an outlet safely into a pool?
These pool cleaners are powered by a ground-fault circuit interrupter and use very little voltage, which makes them completely safe. Polaris robotic cleaners are durable and smart. They suck up the debris into a built-in filter canister while driving around the ground pool.
These cleaners not only vacuum and scrub the pool floor but also climb the pool walls and drive up the stairs to give your pool a thorough cleaning. In addition, they scrub the tiles and waterline.
Polaris robotic pool cleaners are also designed with an Easy Lift System. This feature helps to drain the water from the cleaner quickly, making it easier to remove the cleaner from the pool. Moreover, these cleaners have the ability to work on any surface, and they come with a caddy that further adds convenience.
Suction-side Pool Cleaners
Although suction-side cleaners are not as powerful as pressure-side cleaners, they can still clean your pool effectively. Suitable for people on a smaller budget, these cleaners have a simple design with no bells and whistles.
These cleaners are hooked up to the suction side of the filter system. They move around the pool, vacuuming up the debris and sending it to the skimmer through the pool’s filter system. However, with the cleaner, your pool’s filter has to work overtime.
Although Polaris does not manufacture any suction-side pool cleaners, some high-quality models are available from their parent company, Zodiac.
Advantages of Polaris Pool Cleaners
Backup Valve
An amazing feature of most Polaris pool cleaners is the backup valve. Automatic pool cleaners get stuck in the corners and steps of a pool, which leads to poor pool cleaning.
Polaris pressure-side cleaners have a backup valve that can resolve this issue. The valve opens to release a small jet of water, propelling the pool cleaner away from the corners and stairs.
As a result, the pool cleaner keeps moving, and you will not have to move it away manually. You need to be mindful of maintaining this valve carefully as it will hinder the functioning of your pool cleaner if it malfunctions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average life of a Polaris pool cleaner?
Everybody in the swimming pool industry knows about the solid performance of Polaris pool cleaners.
With proper maintenance, these high-quality cleaners can easily last five years or more.
Some models can serve you for up to eight years without needing replacement parts.
However, it is vital to clean and maintain these cleaners properly in order to enjoy them for many years.
Why is my Polaris pool cleaner going around in circles?
This problem typically occurs when a pool cleaner is left in the pool for days. Cold pool water can cause the plastic in the hose to get a memory and curl slightly. In order to erase the memory or to uncurl the hose, it is recommended to pour hot water down the length of the hose along its sides and center while it is stretched straight on the pool deck.
Make sure that the temperature of the water should not be so hot that you might burn your skin. Repeat the process after ten minutes if necessary. This process will also help to identify any holes in the hose that might cause air leaks.
Another method is to lay the hoses straight on the deck and let the sun heat them up. Pool manufacturers also recommend storing the hose out of the pool in a flat, straight position. However, if this does not work, you might have to replace the hose.
Are there any above-ground pool cleaners from Polaris?
There are a number of above-ground pool cleaners from Polaris that you can install within minutes. These cleaners are able to perform exceptionally in above-ground pools that are up to five feet deep. They trap large debris such as pebbles and leaves in the filter bag and loosen the dirt in hard-to-reach places. One of the best examples of this type of cleaner is the Polaris 65.
Do Polaris pool cleaners provide good value for money?
Investing in a Polaris pool cleaner can help you save both time and effort. They also help extend the life of the pool’s filter by picking up the debris before it runs through the system, thus providing users with good value for money.
About the Author
Roger Corbinetti 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.
