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5 Best Manual Pool Vacuums: Reviews & Buying Guide

by  Lawrence -  Last updated on March 3, 2022
Best Manual Pool Vacuum

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Not unless your pool is located indoors, you will have some serious cleaning to do every now and then.

Debris, dirt, and leaves will always find their way into your pool. All these contaminants will make your pool appear dirty and unkempt.

Not cleaning the dirt can easily ruin the floor of your pool because that layer of debris will stick like glue over time.

You can easily get all the contaminants out with a manual vacuum cleaner. There are so many of them on the market. So, you have to do a little research to find the best.

We did the research for you, and we found five products after considering all the factors you would want your manual vac to have.

Our top pick is the Zodiac 5-400-00 Wand Pool Cleaner. This uniquely designed pool and spa cleaner don’t need a lithium-ion battery or electricity and it comes equipped with all the important attachments.

Quick Comparison

If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.

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5 Best Manual Pool Vacuums of 2022

1. Polaris Spa Wand Swimming Pool Cleaner

The Polaris Wand is a handheld pool vacuum cleaner that is manually operated by pushing the wand back and forth. It is an ideal choice for a small swimming pool and spas.

Key Features:

  • Manual vacuum design
  • Not a battery powered pool cleaner
  • Interchangeable nozzles
  • Reusable filter
  • Easy to pull the wand

Description:

The Polaris Wand handheld pool vacuums are made out of a plastic body, which is great because the material is not only lightweight but also easy to handle.

You may need to clean the multi-layer filter bag of this handheld pool vacuums, you will have to remove the filter and rinse out any small debris or contaminants that may be in there.

This handheld pool vacuum cleaners come with a mounting rack, which is a good feature because you can easily mount it to a wall when you are done cleaning your pool or spa. We feel this is much better than the water tech pool blaster max model. This model makes it really easy to clean your pool, especially small-sized pool.

You get two different nozzles: one with a narrow and wider opening and the other one has a wider circular opening. These two nozzles allow for effective cleaning.

The inflating and deflecting stick is ergonomically made, which allows for consistent hand placement whenever you are pulling and pushing to create suction.

But here is the thing, this pool spa wand vac leaks water through the wand. However, you get what you pay for, considering its inexpensive price point.

Pros:

  • Made of a durable and long-lasting plastic body
  • Comes with a good amount of run time.
  • The filter bag is easy to remove and clean
  • The mounting rack allows for easy and convenient storage of parts
  • Wide opening nozzle traps large debris
  • Narrow opening nozzles clean stairs and edges effectively

Cons:

  • May leak water when deflecting air out of the wand
  • Only suitable for smaller pools and spas
  • Does not come with self-adjusting air-relief valves.

Conclusion

If you are tired of being disappointed by the expensive pool vacuum machines, the Polaris Spa Wand offers you a cheaper option.

2. Aura 6250 Paradise Power Spa and Pool Vacuum – Simplest Suction Mechanism

Have you ever noticed any sand build-up in your pool? This is a problem that you can easily handle with the Aura 6250 Paradise Power Spa and Pool Vacuum cleaner.

Key Features:

  • Simple suction system
  • Aluminum telescoping pole
  • No electricity or and are not battery operated
  • Large dirt collection capacity

Description:

The Aura 6250 handheld pool vacuum cleaner comes with an aluminum pole, which is a great feature because aluminum is lightweight and durable compared to fiberglass.

The pole of these handheld pool vacuums are telescopic and you can extend it to over seven feet, allowing you to clean hard to reach places in your swimming pool without straining or hand fatigue.

This handheld pool vacuum cleaner comes equipped with a large, clear dirt container, which means you can clean a significantly large portion of your pool before you think of cleaning the filter. We feel this is the best handheld pool vacuum out there.

To use it, put your finger on the hole on the far end of the pole, then insert the vacuum head into the water and direct it towards the debris, and release your finger to suction the dirt.

The nozzle of these handheld pool vacuums are wide and narrow, making it suitable for sucking debris and sand from stairs and edges of your pool or spa.

The biggest and probably the most annoying challenge when using this manual vacuum is the suction time. It barely lasts a minute when you release your finger from the hole.

Pros:

  • Aluminum pole is lightweight and durable
  • The telescopic pole can be extended up to seven feet
  • Large dirt container requires less cleaning in between suctions
  • The easy and stress-free suction mechanism
  • Wide and narrow nozzle structure allows for effective cleaning

Cons:

  • Produces suction that lasts less than 60 seconds
  • Requires patience and muscle power to clean the entire pool

Conclusion

The Aura 6250 Paradise Power Spa and Pool Vacuum cleaner is the simplest to use product because no kind of pumping is required.

3. Game 4855 Manual Handheld Swimming Pool Cleaner – Easiest to Set Up

The Game 4855 handheld pool vacuum cleaner doesn’t require electricity or batteries to suck up dirt and debris. All you have to do to create a vacuum effect is to pump the handle.

Key Features:

  • No batteries or cords needed
  • Comes a nozzle and a slide-on brush
  • Telescopic pole for extended reach
  • Simple pump action
  • Washable filter

Description:

The Game 4855 handheld pool vacuum is made of a heavy-duty plastic material, which is a good feature because the material is lightweight and durable.

It comes with an adjustable pole that extends easily to your preferred length for cleaning those hard to reach places in your swimming pool or spa. We feel this is the best handheld pool vacuum out there.

You get two resourceful attachments: a wide-end nozzle (for sucking debris and other contaminants), and a slide-on brush (for removing and sucking up stuck-on debris and dirt).

This handheld pool vacuum features a very simple pump action system, which requires you to pull and push the wand in order to create a simple suction.

Another great feature of this handheld pool vacuum that comes with the Game 4855 is the washable filter, which is super easy to remove and clean when it’s full of debris and dirt.

But the thing is, you can easily receive a used or refurbished product that is incapable of creating any suction power irrespective of how many times you pull and push the wand.

Pros:

  • Design is simple and ingenious
  • Pole can be extended to a considerable length
  • No need for a rechargeable battery.
  • Simple pump action creates suction power
  • The filter is removable, washable, and reusable
  • Slide-on brush and a wide-end nozzle are included

Cons:

  • It’s possible to receive a used, defective product
  • Its water drainage mechanism isn’t the best

Conclusion

Game 4855 has a very basic design. So, you should not overestimate its performance. Also, make sure you confirm that the received product is not a used one.

4. Durelle Products Manual Spa and Pool Vacuum – Best Value for Money

Do you have a small above ground type of pool or spa that needs spot cleaning? The Durelle Products Manual Spa and Pool Vacuum is the best choice for the money and works well on different types of small pools.

Key Features:

  • Ergonomically designed pumping handle to clean the pool
  • Wide-end and standard nozzle
  • Slide-on brush
  • Wide leaf net/skimmer
  • Washable and reusable filter

Description:

This unique spa vac comes with an ergonomically made pumping handle, which is a good feature because it is easy to pull up and down.

It uses a decent quality filtration system for trapping debris and dirt. Also, you can effortlessly remove the filter and rinse out all debris and dirt.

With this cordless pool cleaner, you get several attachments for effective cleaning. The first one is a wide-end nozzle, which you can attach to the vac for regular pool cleaning.

The second one is a slide-on brush that you can slide over the wide-end nozzle attachment to help you brush out any stuck-on debris at the bottom of the pool.

If you happen to have trees around and your pool is always full of leaves, you can attach the wide leaf skimmer to the vac to get rid of the leaves.

There are a few challenges that you may come across when using this vacuum for pool cleaning. For example, the plunger may come off during use.

Pros:

  • The pumping handle is easy to use repeatedly for pool cleaning
  • The filter is removable, washable, and reusable
  • No need for a rechargeable battery.
  • Leaf skimmer helps you trap all the leaves
  • The wide-end nozzle allows for easy cleaning
  • The slide-on brush heads help to get rid of stuck-on debris

Cons:

  • The plunger may come off during use
  • Water drainage mechanism is poor

Conclusion

The Durelle Products Manual Spa and Pool Vacuum is a basic pool cleaner that will give a simple performance. Don’t overestimate your expectations for pool cleaning

5. Zodiac 5-400-00 Spa Wand Pool Cleaner – Best Overall

Introducing the Zodiac 5-400-00 Wand, the most effective manual cleaner for your above ground pool and spa. It is inexpensive, convenient, and extremely easy to use.

Key Features:

  • Suitable for small above ground pools and spas
  • Features interchangeable nozzles
  • Doesn’t require batteries or electricity for pool cleaning

Description:

This pool cleaning product doesn’t require batteries or electrical power up. It is a manual plastic device that relies on simple suction initiated by your muscle power of pulling the wand back and forth. Works well on different types of pools, spas, etc.

These pool cleaners come with a high-quality filter, which is a great feature because it traps all the debris, dirt, leaves, and algae for easy disposal. We feel this is the best manual pool vacuum out there.

These handheld pool vacuums come with two interchangeable nozzles. One is large and circular for sucking large debris and leaves, while the other one is wide and narrow for cleaning tight spaces.

These handheld pool vacuums are very simple to operate. Just connect your preferred nozzle. Then, get the nozzle to the floor and start pulling the wand in and out to suck dirt and debris. If you are looking for the best handheld vacuums, then this should surely be on top of your mind.

But the thing is, this manual vac drains poorly, and you will have to be a little bit creative to get all the water out of it after you are done cleaning. This is perfect for a small pool.

Pros:

  • These handheld pool vacuums are manually operated, no electricity is needed
  • A versatile tool for both pool and spa cleaning
  • No need for rechargeable batteries
  • Two nozzles are included for effective cleaning and a garden hose with mini-jet
  • Included filter traps most of the debris and dirt

Cons:

  • It drains water poorly between each suction
  • May take a few minutes of pushing to trap large debris

Conclusion

This is a great manual vac for the money, considering how effective the suction is when cleaning a small pool.

Buying Guide

Choosing high-quality handheld pool vacuums and doesn’t have to be a difficult proposition. All you have to do is to be objective in the selection of your handheld vacuum.

Here are a few things we urge you to take into account:

Size of your Pool

Unlike robotics, garden hose fed, and Venturi effect handheld pool vacuums, the cleaning ability of handheld pool vacuums are limited. So, the handheld vacuum is only suitable for small pools

Pump Action Mechanism

The performance of all handheld pool vacuums depends on the pump-action mechanism they come with.

Choose those handheld pool vacuums that have an ergonomically engineered pump action handle that is easy to pull and push button.

Also, make sure the model has quality parts, which easily and effectively come together during assembly. Otherwise, you will end up with a vac that doesn’t create any suction.

Pole Design

The design and material of the pole matter a lot. Preferably, you should consider a telescoping aluminum pole. It will be lightweight and easy to maneuver with these handheld pool vacuums.

With a telescopic pole, you can effortlessly extend the length of the pole to clean hard to reach parts of your swimming pool floor without straining with these handheld pool vacuums.

Dirt Collection (Filter)

For effective dirt collection, you need handheld pool vacuums that are fitted with a high-quality filter. Also, the filter should be easy to remove, wash, and reinstall.

Attachments

The most important attachments that you will need for effective cleaning of your pool include standard and wide-end nozzles, a slide-on brush, and a leaf skimmer.

A standard nozzle will enable you to pick large debris. With a wide-end nozzle, these handheld pool vacuums will make cleaning stairs and pool edges easy.

A slide-on brush these handheld pool vacuums attach to the wide-end nozzle for the removal of stuck-on debris on the floor. On the other hand, a leaf skimmer will make it easy to clean leaves from your pool.

Conclusion

Our overall best pool cleaners are Zodiac 5-400-00 Wand Pool Cleaner. These handheld pool vacuums feature an ingenious design that doesn’t require electricity to operate and is not battery operated.

These handheld pool vacuums come with a telescopic handle that easily extends to your desired length, enabling you to clean debris that’s located in hard to reach places in your swimming pool and is also ideal for hot tubs and also keeps your pool clean.

These handheld pool vacuums also come with the two most important attachments. A standard nozzle for regular cleaning, and a wide-end nozzle for cleaning tight spaces ensuring clean pool water.

With all this info, you should now be able to make a profound buying decision. Just remember to choose a manual vac that has an easy pump action mechanism.

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