Robotic vs suction vs pressure pool cleaners

Three automatic cleaner types

Australian catalogues group automatic pool cleaners into suction, pressure and robotic machines. Zodiac Australia sells all three and describes them as different technologies, not grades of the same product. This guide explains how each type gets power, where debris goes, and which figures those Australian pages publish for list price, power draw, cycle time and warranty. Every number is tied to a source checked on 20 September 2026. Nothing here is a first-hand trial. The site owner has no pool. See how we review.

If you already know you want a robot, the robot finder matches models in this site's dataset by pool type, length, surface, main debris, power-point access and budget. Research picks grouped by use case sit on the robotic pool cleaner hub. Cordless robots are compared separately at cordless robotic pool cleaners. This page is the type-level comparison: suction versus pressure versus robotic.

Manufacturers disagree about which type is the better buy. Kreepy Krauly argues that suction units stay in the pool, send debris to the skimmer, and add no extra electricity because they use the existing pump. Maytronics argues the opposite: suction loads the pool filter, needs the pump on, and costs more electricity over time than a self-contained robot. This site does not pick a winner from those sales pages. It records what each page states and points to sourced product figures.

How each type gets its power

A suction cleaner is a hydraulic vacuum. Zodiac says it operates when the pool pump is active and is attached to the skimmer box, collecting dirt by suctioning it into the skimmer basket. The T3, G2 and AX20 Activ product pages all list installation to the skimmer box with an AD Flow Valve. Kreepy Krauly describes the same idea: premium suction cleaners use the vacuum effect of the pool's filter to power the working parts and send litter to the skimmer box or filter. There is no onboard electric motor on those units.

A pressure cleaner works from the return side. Zodiac says it is operated through a dedicated return line and powered by water pressure from the main circulation pump or a separate booster pump. That pressure propels the cleaner and forces debris into a bag. The Polaris 280 specification table lists Booster Pump: Yes, two vacuum jets, and walls: Yes. The Polaris 360 page says it delivers pressure cleaning without a separate booster pump, powered by three vacuum jets. Maytronics summarises pressure cleaners as running on water pressure from the pump and requiring an external pool pump.

A robotic cleaner is an independent appliance. Maytronics describes it as independent of other pool equipment, using suction to remove debris and active brushes to scrub floor, walls and waterline on models that do that work. Zodiac calls robots self-contained units that gather dirt in an inbuilt bag or cartridge, independent of the pool filtration system, using a low-voltage motor. The Dolphin E10 lists an on/off power supply. The EvoluX EX6050 iQ lists control-box supply 200–240 VAC and operating power 30 V DC / 150 W.

Where debris goes, and what each type is sold for

Suction debris travels through the hose into the skimmer and then the pool filter. Maytronics says that is why the existing system must stay on, and why post-clean care can include rinsing the filtration system and backwashing. Zodiac says a suction cleaner suits pools that do not have many trees or leaves, and that heavy debris rarely enters the pool. The T3 debris line is explicit: it cleans the floor only, picks up most leaves and small debris, is ideal for sand and silt, and is not suitable for large debris like twigs, gum nuts and eucalyptus leaves. The AX20 Activ lists Walls: Yes and debris from long stringy material to sand. The Kreepy VTX-7 is sold for floor and wall coverage with an oversized leaf scoop and Smart-Skim that draws floating debris into the skimmer.

Pressure debris stays in the cleaner's bag. Zodiac lists gum nuts, twigs and heavy leaf litter, and says leaves go into a separate bag instead of the filter or pump basket. The Polaris 280 unique filter bag is specified as reducing filter cleaning by up to 80%, with a large throat for large debris and leaves, and walls: Yes. Maytronics says a pressure cleaner only picks up large debris and does not scrub the floor. That is Maytronics' wording, not a measurement by this site. Zodiac's Polaris 280 page still claims it sweeps, scrubs and vacuums floor and walls.

Robotic debris stays in an onboard canister that the owner empties. Kreepy Krauly treats that lift-out step as a drawback and says some robots weigh more than ten kilograms. The E10 lists robot weight 6.5 kg, cleaning coverage pool floor, and an easy-clean net canister. The EX6050 iQ lists floors, walls and waterline, dual-stage 150 μ / 60 μ filtration, 5 L filter capacity, and cleaner weight 10 kg. The FR2000 iQ lists the same cleaning areas, dual-stage 150 / 60 micron filtration, 4 L capacity, and cleaner weight 9 kg. Floor-only versus wall-and-waterline is a sourced spec, not a brand preference.

Purchase cost on Australian pages

These amounts are listed prices on the named Australian pages, checked 20 September 2026. They are not a ranking. This page does not call any figure a bargain or a floor. Retailer tickets can differ from manufacturer list prices on the same day.

Suction, manufacturer list on Zodiac's cleaner catalogue and product pages: T3 A$569, G2 A$669, MX6 A$619, AX20 Activ A$879. Clark Rubber's suction category lists Kreepy Krauly VTX-3 at A$499, Sprinta Plus at A$689, Zodiac G2 at A$669, Zodiac AX20 ACTIV at A$849, and Pentair Rebel 2 at A$929. The Clark Rubber VTX-7 page lists A$779. Kreepy's own VTX-7 with AutoSkim and a custom vacuum plate lists A$825 including GST. Kreepy Krauly writes that premium suction cleaners like its own cost as little as five hundred dollars; the live tickets above are the figures this page uses.

Pressure, manufacturer list on the same Zodiac catalogue: Polaris 280 A$1,489, Polaris 360 A$1,609, Polaris 3900 Sport A$1,799, Polaris Quattro Sport A$2,309. The 280 page states it needs its own booster pump. The PB4-50B booster page publishes electrical specs but no Australian dollar price in the fetched product information, so this guide does not invent a booster ticket.

Robotic examples from live Australian product pages: from A$1,149 at MyDolphin for the Dolphin E10, checked 20 September 2026. From A$809.10 at Aiper AU for the Scuba S1, with a compare-at of A$999.99 on that page, checked the same day. Zodiac's catalogue lists FreeRider FR200 at A$1,029, FR500 iQ at A$1,859, DuoX DX4050 iQ at A$2,269, EvoluX EX6050 iQ at A$2,889, and FreeRider FR2000 iQ at A$3,089. Kreepy Krauly writes that many robots retail for more than A$2,000 and that even basic models cost at least a thousand dollars. The Aiper and Zodiac FR200 tickets show that some current Australian robot pages sit below that 'basic' line, so treat Kreepy's round numbers as brand copy, not as a survey.

Power draw and the pool pump

Suction cleaners add no second motor. Kreepy Krauly says they can effectively cost zero to run because they use the existing pool pump, and that a robot adds a second running cost. Maytronics says the opposite cost story: because suction needs the pool system on, electricity use is higher over time than a self-sufficient robot. Neither page publishes a wattage for a named suction head. This guide does not invent one. The electricity for suction is the electricity of whatever pump is already running, at whatever speed that pump is set to.

Pressure cleaners that need a booster add a documented extra load. The Polaris PB4-50B lists horse power 1.5 HP, voltage 240 V, frequency 50 Hz, input power 1500 W, and full load amps 6.6. That is the booster only, not the main filtration pump. The 360 page is the Zodiac pressure model that says it does not need that separate booster. Maytronics calls pressure cleaners expensive in electricity; the 1500 W nameplate is the sourced figure this page can show.

Robotic wattage is published on some Australian pages and omitted on others. The genuine E10 / X30 / S50 power supply is labelled 120 W. The EX6050 iQ lists operating power 150 W. The FR2000 iQ lists supply voltage 29.4 V and does not publish a wattage in the fetched specification table, so wattage for that model stays unpublished here. Maytronics claims Dolphin robots can reduce electricity consumption by up to 80% / A$350 per year compared with traditional vacuums that rely on high-energy pool pumps. That is a manufacturer claim. This site has not measured bills.

Cycle time

Suction runtime follows the filtration schedule. The VTX-7 is described as cleaning the pool daily with the normal filter cycle. Kreepy Krauly says a suction cleaner can stay in the pool all year. Zodiac suction pages fetched for this guide do not publish a cycle length in minutes, so this page does not invent one.

Pressure pages do publish a duration. The Polaris 280 says it sweeps, scrubs and vacuums floor and walls in a standard swimming pool in less than 3 hours. Zodiac's cleaner-types article says most pools can be cleaned in less than 3 hours with a pressure cleaner.

Robotic cycle times are model-specific. The E10 lists cleaning cycle time 1.5 hours for pools up to 8 m, floor only. Maytronics says a Dolphin can scrub the entire pool in just a couple of hours on models that do floor, walls and waterline. The FR2000 iQ lists battery life as one full cycle of 2 hours 30 minutes, with charging under 5 hours. Those are labelled cycle or battery figures, not a promise that every pool finishes in that window.

Warranty in Australia

Zodiac's express warranty, effective 15 May 2026, is issued by Fluidra Group Australia Pty Ltd for products bought from authorised dealers. Named suction cleaners T3, T5, G1, G2, G3, MX6, MX8, AX10 ACTIV and AX20 ACTIV are listed at 2 years, with 1 year on wearable parts (diaphragm, tracks and scrubbers). Named pressure cleaners Polaris 280, 360, 3900 and QUATTRO are listed at 2 years. The booster pump PB450 for pressure cleaners is listed at 2 years, with 1 year on the mechanical seal.

Zodiac robotic terms vary by model. DuoX DX4050 iQ, DX4000 iQ and DX3000 are listed at 2 years, or 800 running hours on the motor block, whichever comes first, with 1 year on wearable parts. EvoluX EX4000 iQ, EX5000 iQ, EX6000 iQ, EX5050 iQ and EX6050 iQ are listed at 3 years, or 1200 running hours on the motor block. FreeRider FR1000 iQ and FR2000 iQ match that 3-year / 1200-hour motor term. FreeRider FR500 iQ and FR800 iQ are listed at 2 years or 800 motor hours. Claims go through MyFluidra or 1300 763 021, as that warranty page states.

The Dolphin E10 product page lists warranty 2 years (limited). The Clark Rubber VTX-7 and Kreepy VTX-7 pages both state a 2-year full system warranty plus a 10-year warranty on the flow valve / flow drive. Australian Consumer Law still applies alongside those express terms; this page does not restate legal advice. Brand service routes for robots already reviewed on this site are in those reviews.

Which type suits which pool

Choose suction when you want the cleaner to live in the pool and send debris to the skimmer you already empty. Zodiac positions it as the budget option for pools without much leaf load. The T3 is a floor-only disc unit for sand and silt, not eucalyptus litter, for pools up to 9 m × 6 m. The G2 is listed for pools up to 12 m × 6 m. The AX20 Activ adds wall climbing and a dual-turbine drive for mixed debris. The VTX-7 is sold for light to heavy leaf loads, all pool surfaces, and low pump suction. You still need a pump that can hold the published suction, and you still load the filter.

Choose pressure when the pool already has a dedicated return or booster line and the debris is coarse. Zodiac names gum nuts, twigs and heavy leaf litter. If a booster is already plumbed, the Polaris 280 is the model whose page requires that pump. If there is no booster, the Polaris 360 is the model whose page says it does not need one. Count the booster's 1500 W input if you add a PB4-50B. Maytronics' claim that pressure does not scrub the floor sits next to Zodiac's claim that Polaris units sweep and scrub; read the product page for the model in front of you.

Choose robotic when you want the cleaner off the pool pump and the debris in a canister you empty. Maytronics emphasises mapped coverage and no hose to the skimmer. Floor-only robots such as the E10 are specified for pools up to 8 m. Wall and waterline coverage is a sourced field: the E10 lists floor only; the EX6050 iQ and FR2000 iQ list floors, walls and waterline. Cordless robots still need a charger; the FR2000 page puts the charging base on the caddy. Use the robot finder rather than guessing length, surface and budget. Research reviews of robots sold in Australia start at the Dolphin E10, Aiper Scuba S1, Zodiac DuoX DX4050 iQ and Zodiac FreeRider FR2000 iQ.

No type is universal. A suction cleaner is still a hose on the pump. A pressure cleaner is still plumbing, and sometimes a second pump. A robot is still an appliance you lift, empty and store. Maytronics recommends taking a Dolphin out after each cycle, rinsing the filter, and keeping it out of direct sun. Kreepy Krauly recommends leaving suction in place. Those are care models, not a score. Read the sourced specs, then a model review if one is published. This is a research guide.

Sources

Every URL below was fetched for this guide. Figures are copied from those pages. This is not a first-hand trial.

• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Zodiac Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• MyDolphin (checked 2026-09-20)
• MyDolphin (checked 2026-09-20)
• Maytronics Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Maytronics Australia (checked 2026-09-20)
• Clark Rubber (checked 2026-09-20)
• Clark Rubber (checked 2026-09-20)
• Kreepy Krauly (checked 2026-09-20)
• Kreepy Krauly (checked 2026-09-20)
• Aiper AU store (checked 2026-09-20)