We finally pulled the trigger on a pool vacuum this summer, and let me tell you — my husband did extensive research. Like “watched 17 YouTube reviews and cross-compared specs at 1 a.m.” type research. And this robotic pool vacuum cleaner made the cut. It has since impressed us, our extended family, and even the neighborhood dads who love nothing more than silently judging outdoor appliances from lawn chairs.

We have a fiberglass pool with a few quirks: steps, a swim shelf, curved edges — the usual chaos. This vacuum tackles all of it. It takes about an hour to clean the entire pool, gets right up to the waterline, and even handles the stairs and shelf without missing a beat. It’s basically the best robot vacuum of the pool world, and yes, it even maps the area to focus on the spots that need it most. Our salt water system loves it too.

It’s really easy to use, but I’ll be honest — it’s a little heavy. We solved that with the matching caddy so we can roll it out, plug it in, and let it get to work. The power cord is surprisingly long, but I’m still glad we installed an outdoor outlet near the pool. If we hadn’t, we’d definitely be dragging out an extension cord every time. It runs off wifi and my husband loves watching all his gadgets, frequently switching between his Traeger smoker app, our sprinkler system, HVAC, and this beloved smart pool vacuum.

We don’t run our robot pool vacuum while people are swimming, but you totally could. It’s quiet and compact enough that it wouldn’t get in the way. And cleaning the filter? Couldn’t be easier. We just knock the debris out and occasionally spray it with the hose to keep it fresh. No weird tools or mystery clips involved.

And yes, my dad and brother literally sat on the porch one night just watching it work, trying to catch it missing a spot. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. It’s mesmerizing in the same way watching a perfectly organized person unload a dishwasher is. Hypnotic and deeply satisfying.

If you’re over manually scrubbing your pool or relying on a vacuum that gets stuck halfway through, I cannot recommend this one enough. It’s efficient, smart, and weirdly fun to watch in action. Check it out right here on Amazon and give your pool the maintenance upgrade it deserves.

Because honestly? Life is too short to spend it chasing leaves with a skimmer net while your pool robot could be doing it better. Get to swimming.