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Pressure side pool cleaners are self-propelled and clean your pool using your existing pool pump or a booster pump to help propel them around the swimming pool.
The use of pool cleaners makes these cleaners more efficient compared to conventional suction cleaners. They’re faster and more powerful.
But you have to do a little research if you’re in search of the best model. This is so since there are quite many of them in the market.
We will give you some answers after taking into account a number of important factors, and point you to the ten best models that will do a great cleaning job of your pool.
If you don’t have time to read the complete article, here are our top picks.
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The Pentair LL505PMG Kreepy Krauly Legend pressure pool cleaners can clean an entire pool in under 3 hours.
And Pentair LL505PMG Kreepy Krauly is the best overall choice for darker colored swimming pools.
Key Features:
Product Description:
The LL505G Kreepy Krauly pressure pool cleaners have a separate booster pump or pool pump, which is great because it is able of delivering optimum cleaning power, speed, and performance.
These Kreepy Krauly pressure pool cleaners have four wheels instead of three found in conventional models, which means it is more stable and it doesn’t tip over easily as the dirt and debris bag gets full.
The four-wheel-drive system pressure pool cleaner is the best in the industry because it offers more traction and more speed on sloppy pool bottoms and walls.
Another good feature that comes with this model is the powerful built-in back-up valve that’s programmed to maneuver out of tight spots easily.
But the thing is, the LL505G Letro Legend pressure pool cleaner may come with missing parts, especially the leaf bag attachment.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The LL505G Letro Legend pressure pool cleaners are designed to offer the best performance. It’s probably the only pressure-side cleaner that’s capable of cleaning an entire pool under three hours.
Ideal for removing large debris from in-ground pools as well as other surfaces, the Polaris 280
All Season Pool Cleaner includes a shaft drive, inline back-up valve, and a tailsweep pro.
Key Features:
Product Description:
The Polaris 280 All Season pressure pool cleaners work with a polaris booster pump to effectively power the unit, which is good because the pump supplies the needed PSI for effective cleaning.
It’s ideal for sweeping, scrubbing, and vacuuming the bottom and the walls of all in-ground swimming pools of any given shape and size.
You will really appreciate the inline valve that does a great job of powering the automatic backup so as to prevent cornering when cleaning tight spots.
Another great feature is the cleaner’s compatibility with the tail sweep pro, which is good because the tail sweep pro delivers 50 percent more flow for superior sweeping.
But beware, you can very easily receive a Polaris 280 with a defective collection bag and holder.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
It may take you some time to figure out how to attach the Polaris 280 to your new pool. But once you do, you will appreciate its performance.
The Zodiac F5T Pressure Side Cleaner offers good pressure side vacuum power for picking up almost any type of large debris on your pool surface.
Key Features:
Product Description:
These pressure pool cleaners require the additional suction power of a booster pump, which enables it to circulate warm, clean water and pick large debris.
The superior pressure created by the booster pump ensures the skimmer is free to get rid of surface contaminants and debris.
These pressure pool cleaners have a large capacity filter bag that effectively collects all the dirt and debris before it goes to the pump basket and single chamber filter, prolonging the life of the pool’s filtration system.
The Zodiac F5T pressure pool cleaners are equipped with a quality inline backup valve, which does a good job of freeing the cleaner around corners and tight spots.
What you may not like; however, is the fact that the cleaner doesn’t do a good job of cleaning fine debris. And sometimes it gets stuck on the stairs.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Zodiac F5T Pressure Side Cleaner is a good choice for all in-ground pools. But it may not be the best choice for cleaning fine debris.
Introducing the Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport pressure pool cleaners, a good quality pressure side cleaner that features the best PosiDrive system.
Key Features:
Product Description:
These pressure pool cleaners need a dedicated pressure line as well as a booster pump to effectively power up its hydro gears and supplement your pool’s filtration system with additional water.
You will really appreciate the all-wheel PosiDrive system, considering that its stainless steel drive chain generates more torque for maximum speed as well as performance and also supplements your pool with 40 GPM of extra pool filtration
These pressure pool cleaners come with a dual-chamber zippered super bag, which is great because it allows the unit to clean more debris, making the cleaning process faster.
These pressure pool cleaners are also equipped with a tail sweep pro, which is a powerful sweep hose enhancement that does an amazing job of blowing debris out of hard to reach spots and corners.
There is one flaw in the design, though. One of the tubes/hoses is not strong enough to hold onto the screw cap when water pressure increases.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 3900 Sport pressure pool cleaners offer reliable pool vacuum power, good traction, and effective debris collection. But you are likely to face some design flaws.
The Pentair LL505PMG pressure pool cleaners are a uniquely designed forward-wheel-drive pressure side cleaner that will do a good job of cleaning all your in-ground swimming pools.
Key Features:
Product Description:
This good quality pressure side cleaner has dual thrust jets, which is great because they deliver maximum power of suction and speed.
These pressure pool cleaners feature a front-wheel-drive system and heavily treaded tires, which together offer maximum traction for superior coverage of all your pool floor and walls.
You will really like the large capacity debris channel that comes with the Pentair LL505PMG, considering how easily the huge intake throat picks up debris and leaves.
But these pressure pool cleaners have a few inadequacies, though. It may not clean shallow ends of your pool properly and the debris bag gets holes easily.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Pentair LL505PMG pressure pool cleaners along with dual thrust jets produce the power and speed you need for cleaning your pool. But you may need to be prepared to buy replacement debris bags more frequently.
If you are looking for a high performing pressure side pool cleaner for your aboveground pool, look no further than the Zodiac Turbo Turtle pressure pool cleaners.
Key Features:
Product Description:
The Zodiac Turbo Turtle pressure pool cleaners don’t require a booster pump. It works perfectly fine with pumps and filtration systems, which are usually found on aboveground swimming pools.
These pressure pool cleaners come with a jet sweep assembly that does an amazing job of blowing water against the walls of your pool to loosen debris in tight spots.
These pressure pool cleaners come with a heavy-duty filter bag that ensures all the debris is collected before reaching the filter system or pump basket. This helps to prolong the life of the pool’s pump.
But the thing is, the brand’s customer support team isn’t very responsive and it may take a while before you get a customer support agent talking to you about your problem.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Zodiac Turbo Turtle pressure pool cleaners are a great option for any aboveground swimming pool. It may take a few hours to clean your pool, but it will get the job done eventually.
The Zodiac F5B Polaris Vac sweep 280 pressure pool cleaners are compatible with in-ground swimming pools and it runs self-sufficiently off the power of its booster pump.
Key Features:
Product Description:
This inground pool cleaner automatically vacuums, sweeps and scrubs your pool from top to bottom in about 3 hours or less.
These pressure pool cleaners have an enlarged opening at the bottom to pick up and collect debris like pebbles, and leaves.
Plus, this automatic pool cleaner has an exceptional filter bag that removes the debris before it reaches the filter.
This automatic pressure-side Polaris pool cleaner has a double jet design, which is a great feature that provides superior vacuuming power for faster and more effective pool cleaning.
Another good feature is that the cleaner can run self-sufficiently off its booster pump, increasing the pressure needed to effectively clean your pool.
There is a possibility of receiving a refurbished product. The three-wheel design may also prove to be a disappointment because it has a tendency of getting stuck.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Zodiac F5B Polaris vac sweep 280 Cleaner is a good option for use with dark bottomed pools. But the three-wheel design may prove challenging to use.
Introducing the Pentair 360228 Racer, a quality cleaner that offers maximum debris removal within the shortest duration possible.
Key Features:
Product Description:
The Pentair 360228 Racer efficient design starts with a quick connect hose fitting, which is great because it is easy to connect as well as disconnect from any dedicated pressure line.
This model features a massive front rotating brush that scrubs as well scour for deep detailed cleaning of debris, pebbles, and leaves at the floor of the pool. We feel these are the best pressure pool cleaners out there.
The vacuum tube is also larger in diameter, which is a great thing because it allows the unit to swallow debris from the pool floor with remarkable ease.
Unlike other pressure-side cleaners, the Pentair 360228 Racer cleaner works in both forward and reverse modes for faster and more efficient cleaning. This cleaner has an automatic reverse feature that kicks in every few minutes.
But the thing is, the parts of these pressure-side cleaners aren’t long-lasting. You may need to replace the feed line wall connector a few times for as long as the unit remains operational.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Pentair 360228 Racer is an innovative cleaner for all your in-ground pool cleaning. But some parts are cheaply made.
Introducing the Zodiac Polaris 165, a decent quality cleaner that features one of the best float hose designs.
Key Features:
Product Description:
The Zodiac Polaris 165 is compatible with the filtration system and pump found on most fiberglass and vinyl pool surfaces.
This cleaner features a patented jet sweep design that blows water against the walls of the pool to release the debris.
It has an easy to remove filter bag that is so good at trapping all the debris and dirt before it reaches the filter or the pump basket. We feel these are the best pressure pool cleaners out there.
But buyer beware, you can easily receive a used or refurbished product that has issues, such as defective jets and the inability to move back and forth.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Zodiac Polaris 165 pressure pool cleaner will do a good job of cleaning your in-ground pool. But it might take you some trial and error to get the ideal hose length for your pool.
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 65 pressure pool cleaner is one of the most economical pressure side pool cleaners for your aboveground swimming pool.
Key Features:
Product Description:
This worry-free pressure side pool cleaner has no moving parts. Instead, it attaches to your filtration system.
The cleaner has an innovative bag at the bottom with a venturi on it, which is great because it is capable of pulling in leaves and other debris.
Its patented jet sweep design generates enough power for blowing out debris from tight as well as hard to reach places.
The cleaner; however, has a poor quality hose that has the tendency of tangling. It has to be supervised to make sure that the hose doesn’t twist.
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Polaris Vac-Sweep 65 is a great choice for a tight budget. But you shouldn’t overestimate its performance and know beforehand that the hose isn’t anti-tangling.
Getting the best model that befits your budget and pool cleaning requirements doesn’t have to be a difficult proposition.
Here are a few things that we strongly advise you to take into account when buying a pressure pool cleaner.
There are two main types of pressure side swimming pool cleaners you can consider: low-pressure pool cleaners and high-pressure pool cleaners
The low-pressure designs don’t require a booster pump, but they tend to have a slightly larger diameter feed hose compared to the models where the pressure is high.
These pressure pool cleaners only connect to one of the wall returns of your pool, which means they are not suitable for pools with slit or floor returns.
You can conveniently connect a low-pressure model to your regular return line using compatible adapters.
The main advantage of this design is its cheap price point and less stressful installation process.
But the low-pressure pool cleaners may not be the best choice for cleaning large pools.
High-pressure side pool cleaners; on the other hand, need a booster pump for them to be operational.
Usually, they would need a higher PSI for the hydro-gears to run.
Most pressure pool cleaners would require a 3/4 horsepower booster pump that can provide more than 50 PSI for the ultimate performance as well as efficiency.
Another great feature of these models is automatic operation. They can automatically turn themselves on and off to save energy.
This goes for the pressure models that require a booster pump.
We insist that you choose high-quality pressure pool cleaners because not all booster pumps are created equally.
The best booster pump is supposed to be highly powered for maximum efficiency.
The most appropriate model should have 3/4 horsepower that can generate 50 PSI at 12 GPM.
The booster pump of the pressure pool cleaners should have an ergonomic drain plug that is integrated with an O-ring for easy tool-less removal when winterizing or draining.
You should also go for an industry-leading design that offers superior compatibility with your pressure-side pool cleaner and filtration pumps.
You don’t want to buy a pressure side pool cleaner that comes with a flimsy construction because it will not last long.
Go for a model that comes with heavy-duty wheels and a drive system that is capable of providing 50% more torque needed for propelling the cleaner around the pool.
Make sure the pressure pool cleaners come with a strong bag, preferably a dual-chambered zippered bag that can pick as well as store more debris.
This will reduce the number of times you have to clean the bag.
Also, look for a pressure side pool cleaner that comes with a high-quality tail sweep, which not only improves sweeping but also prevents water from spraying out of your pool.
A good tail sweep should be able to improve the flow by about 50%. A higher velocity gives a superior feed for the ultimate sweeping action.
It is also good to ensure that you can get a good replacement tail sweep in case the original one fails.
There should be a good aftermarket option with snap and quick attachment.
The winner of this roundup is Pentair LL505G Letro Legend Pool Cleaner. This exceptional product does a much better job compared to most highly-priced models.
It comes with a very innovative and robust construction that is front-wheel driven for generating maximum traction for superior pool coverage.
Unlike three-wheel pressure side pool cleaners, the four-wheel design on this model prevents tipping for unattended and uninterrupted performance.
Its heavy-duty tail sweep allows for ultimate sweeping action and eliminates spray.
Don’t forget the high capacity bag and large intake throat for easy picking of large debris.
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