The Dolphin Oasis Z5 Makes a Big Splash

The 2014 pool season is getting under way, and it's time to take a look at what the pool cleaning manufacturers have for us in 2014. A handful of new cleaners are arriving which makes me excited for this year's fun in the sun.

 

The next generation of the of the top-selling Dolphin Pool Cleaner Robots is the new Dolphin Oasis Z5 a fantastic upgrade for 2014.

What You Get

1. Maytronics continue their cleaning innovation with their clever clean technology and there is no doubt that the Dolphin Oasis will impress in its ability to identify obstacles and efficiently maneuver the robot back into an efficient scanning pattern.

2. The cable swivel continues to be a standard feature for most Dolphin cleaners. I love it because it means no more tangled cables.

3. Floor, wall and waterline cleaning means you can rest assured that your pool will be clean top to bottom.

4. The robot moves across your pool like a little pool cleaning tank. The dual drive allows the cleaner to adjust, pivot, and turn with ease. This means that regardless of your pool's shape or slope you'll get optimal pool maneuverability.

5. Dual-level filtration comes with an ultra-fine and spring net filters which means it will clean all types of debris down to the tiniest specks.

6. Bonus: The Dolphin Oasis comes standard with a caddy and remote control for automatic or manual operation. The remote makes it easy to set cycle time, cleaning programs, and operation delay.

While The Z5 does not come with the full filter indicator it does have a clogged filter indicator which ensures ongoing cleaning efficiency. The full filter indicator is mostly a convenience. As a pool owner you should be familiar with the cleaning process and checking all filters regularly. I recommend checking the robot cleaner filters before and after every use. It's a good habit to get into and will prolong the health of your cleaner.

The Dolphin Oasis Z5 doesn't come with center brush found other cleaners. This won't be missed. For most Dolphin models, the center brush isn't motorized and isn't part of the active brushing system. The most important brushes you will need are the two brushes at the front and rear of the device.  

Why Buy the Dolphin Oasis? 

We got our hands on an Oasis Z5 to review and we put it to the test. The cleaning pattern was efficient and after three hours we couldn't have been more pleased with the results. Our pools went from a murky green/blue to sparkling clean and clear water in one full cleaning cycle.

In all, the Dolphin Oasis is a great little cleaner that will make you smile. If you are looking for a reliable robotic pool cleaner at an affordable price and probably the best warranty you'll find (3-year warranty on all parts), I recommend you take a serious look at one of the best new robotic pool cleaners available. You won't regret your purchase of the Oasis Z5.

Note: Unlike the many of the Dolphin cleaners the warranty for the Dolphin Oasis Z5 will be honored if purchased through online dealers.

Cleaning Your Pool Floors, Coves, Walls and Waterlines

You'll notice as you shop around for robotic pool cleaners that product descriptions will say something like "Cleans pool floor, cove, walls and waterline." But what does that really mean?

The floor, cove, walls, and waterline are the cleaning area of your pool. While pretty standard for descriptions, some manufacturers differ in the definitions. Some may say the cleaner covers the floor, cove and wall assuming that the wall also means waterline. If you have doubts always ask your robotic pool cleaner dealer for clarification. Lets take a look at each of these cleaning areas:

The pool floor is the most important area for pool owners. It is also where most dirt, sand, and silt accumulates. This is where most pool cleaners excel at cleaning.

The pool cove is the area where the floor meets the wall. Depending on the angle of the cove, some cleaners might have trouble climbing the walls. A 60º gradual sloping incline should be no problem for most cleaners. If you have a more sharp 90º cove, then a track based unit is probably your best bet.

Pool walls don't accumulate as much sand and silt but do collect algae. Unless indicated, most robotic pool cleaners will climb walls (see cove angle exceptions above) and clean the algae. What some cleaners is the ability clean the waterline. They may reach the waterline, but you'll have to do some extra brushing to keep the waterline clean.

What do I recommend? For efficient cleaning from floor to waterline these are my favorites:

Aquabot Turbo T2
Dolphin Oasis Z5
Ecojet Plus

Sizing up the Dolphin Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner

Designed to win back your leisure time with your pool, the Dolphin Nautilus is a great automatic pool cleaner for those who want an expert level clean, but might not have the budget for the more advanced cleaners.

Dolphin Nautilus Robotic Pool Cleaner

Priced under $700 the Nautilus robotic cleaner vacuums and scrubs in-ground pools up to 50 feet in length. It will clean any type of in-ground pool and scrub it free of dirt, algae and bacteria. The Nautilus maneuvers around ladders drains, stairs, and it will climb part of the way up your pool's wall. Once the pool is clean, the unit shuts itself off automatically.

The Dolphin Nautilus pool cleaner not only spotlessly cleans your pool but also filters your water at the same time. Since it has its own motor, it works independently of your filter system, and purifies your water as it helps distribute pool chemicals. The unit will clean an average size pool in only three hours, trapping all debris in its internal filter bag as it goes. The Large filter surface collects even the finest dust particles at a suction rate of 4,233 gallons per hour. When in use, the Nautilus does not clog up your filter system or cause additional back washing.

Weighing only 18.75 lbs., the unit is lightweight and easy to carry or remove from the pool. Driven by an internal computer-controlled scanning technology that directs the cleaner to all areas of your pool floor, insuring that it is spotless regardless of its shape.

The unit is completely safe and operates on 24 volts at a cost of only pennies per day. The Nautilus is easy to service and troubleshoot, with easy access to all components; eliminating costly specialized repair costs.

The Cons

1. No remote control. While plug-n-play self programming is a great feature for automated scanning, you cannot manually control the device for fast spot cleaning.
2. No caddy. While the device is lightweight you'll have to carry the cleaner. This is can be a nuisance for some people. A caddy can be purchased separately for an additional $100 +/- from your retailer. If you are going to spend extra cash for a caddy why not spend that same amount of cash and get a better cleaner that comes with a caddy (and a remote).
3. No grab-n-go handle. The two big conveniences here are for transporting your cleaner (see caddy above) and pulling the device from the water. While it might sound a tad lazy, I don't the addition of a handle makes things so much easier.

 The Pros

1.  The price. At just under $700 you get a good cleaner and if your budget is tight and you want a decent cleaner the Nautilus is a suitable choice.

Summary

Small, lightweight and affordable, the Dolphin Nautilus is an effective and efficient residential pool cleaner. If you have the budget I recommend spending a few more dollars and upgrading to the Dolphin Oasis Z5.

Filter Bag vs. Cartridge Filter

Everyone has an opinion on which is better. Most people have a financial interest in one being better than the other. It really does depend on your situation but in my experience, the bags generally work better for a majority of people and here's why. You can buy replaceable bags and disposable bags. You won't need them as often as cartridge filter replacements. Bags also allow for better waterflow which means your cleaner is not working as hard, but it is filtering the same. This saves your cleaner from additional wear and tear, and allows it to use its power for cleaning, rather than forcing water through a dirty filter. 

Both types will get clogged up depending on how much debris you throw at them, but most bag filters are 15-19 quarts, where cartridge filters are about 7-12 inches and 2 inches wide. 

A bag filter can clean down to 2 microns, where most cartridge filters only boast a 50 micron cleaning level. 2 microns is about 1/20th the size of a human hair. This is a bacterial level clean, and is great for people with allergies or silt and algae in their pool. 

The cartridge pool cleaner filter is easier to clean however, and makes emptying your cleaner a snap. If you have ever cleaned a filter bag you know what I mean. However, the invention of disposable filter bags makes disposing of filter contents easy.  Just run the cleaner for a few cycles and throw it away. This is even easier than cleaning a cartridge filter. When they come out with a high waterflow disposable cartridge filter, I might change my mind but for now the bags work best. 

Dolphin Evolution, Dolphin Supreme M4, and Aquabot Reviews

Shopping for a robotic pool cleaner is not for the faint of heart. They can be expensive and certain models can cost more in repairs than they are worth. There are two main companies making some of the best cleaners on the market. Aquaproducts who manufactures the Aquabot and well as the EcoJet line, And Dolphin Pool Cleaner. After selling, maintaining and repairing hundreds of other brands of cleaners (polaris, smartpool, dirt devil, hayward, etc.) and seeing these in action working side by side, these two brands are a clear winner. In terms of cleaning capability, power, ease of use and how easy they are to repair I wouldn't recommend any other brands.

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Ecojet Plus efficient, effective, and durable

This cleaner was just updated in 2012 and has a new drive system that has solved some of the issues people had with navigation. If your looking to save money on operating costs, this is the unit for you. It doesn't require tracks or belts, but uses Aquaproducts patented Jetdrive technology to navigate your pool. You will never have to worry about the problems that most track driven units have when you use the Ecojet. It has no belts or moving parts, but it still offers a superior cleaning experience. It is suitable for most pools and is one of the more powerful of the robotic pool cleaner lines. It will not damage your pools liner or walls in any way. I have recommended these to many pool owners with a 100% satisfaction rate so far. Also because of the jet propulsion, this cleaner does the BEST job of any cleaner at mixing your pools chemicals. The EcoJet is only rated to clean the pool floor and cove, but I have had people tell me it goes right up to the waterline, making the Ecojet an amazing value for under $1000.

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The Aquabot T2 is a rock solid track-driven pool cleaner.

Most people are surprised when they open the t2 box because of the quality and fit and finish of the Aquabot T series of cleaners. If you could see these cleaners side by side with other brands, you would know that this is a rock solid choice for the price. The form factor alone is more than enough to assure you that this cleaner that is built to last. In our side-by-side tests with polaris, hayward, and even dolphin cleaners the T2 was a clear winner. The dual tracks give this cleaner an advantage over other cleaners because it turns similar to an army tank and doesn't waste any time trying to navigate your pool. It also boasts a "NeverStuck system"that keeps it from getting stuck on things like a main drain or obstacle. This ensures that the cleaner does not sit in one place and wear a hole in your vinyl liner or wear out the tracks on your pool floor, which is a complaint with some other brands. One last benefit of the turbo T is that it is made in the USA, meaning the build quality and quality control is much better than something you would see from somewhere like china. Always be sure to check where your cleaner is made, because that will determine the engineering and lifespan of what you buy.

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Dolphin Supreme M4 - step up to a new pool cleaning experience.

Dolphin Pool cleaners seem to be constantly improving their cleaning technology and are moving quickly to the top of the pool cleaning food chain. Every year they are releasing better and better models.

This has been dolphins flagship model for a while now and is only sold in brick and mortar stores. This is a great cleaner and it made it to third on our list. Pros: This cleaners form factor is much better than most other cleaners on the market. It is well designed and looks great next to any pool. The system is easy to clean and easy to maintain. It comes with more options than you would ever need. Cons: The options can be somewhat confusing. The cleaner has a weekly timer, but Maytronics does not recommend that you leave it in the pool for that long. The filter cartridges are expensive and need to be replaced much earlier than a filter bag would, and although they are more convenient, they cost a great deal more in the long run vs. a bag filter. This is a good option for someone looking for a easy to maintain, but higher end system.