If you became an owner of a pool, it means that now, together with the pleasure of swimming, you got some degree of maintenance responsibility too. Even the best and the largest pool will inevitably turn into a swamp without proper care. And a pool vacuum cleaner is one of its main elements.
Each assistant is designed for a specific type of pool and its characteristics. But the owners often face a challenging task to choose the most appropriate one among the endless variety of models. Today, I’d like to show you my top four best cleaners for Intex pools. Some of them I used to run or still run in my above ground Intex, some were recommended by friends.
Pentair K50600 Kreepy Krauley E-Z Suction-Side Above Ground Pool Cleaner
At the moment, Pentair K50600 is the vacuum that performs regular cleaning of my pool. After some cleaner models, I finally tried this one and keep using it for about a year and a half now.
As many vacuums, this one works through the pool’s filter and pump. I like this way of performance, as it does save energy. Only mind that this Pentair requires 2000 gph. I connect the vac to the filtering system with a hose, immerse it, and leave alone.
As the cleaner moves randomly, the process takes about a couple of hours in my case. It also never gets entangled in the hose or gets stuck. All my former cleaners featured wheels, and, from time to time, they had problems with unevennesses on the floor. This model uses a kind of soft wavy membrane, which sticks to the flat surfaces, so sometimes it can clean even walls. The hose’s length is 32 feet; it’s enough for my pool, but you can always replace it with a longer item of the same type.
The manufacturer says the cleaner applies the hydraulic suction mechanism. Whatever it means, the K50600 is powerful enough to collect fine and large debris. A skimming valve helps it to regulate water flow automatically. Also, for the time being, I faced no clogs. Some users complain about noisy work. It does produce some noise, but I’m ok with it.
The last moment I like about my Pentair is its appearance. When immersed, it looks like a blue sea anemone or an octopus. So, for now, this model proved to be very handy, and I met almost no shortcomings.
Hayward Wanda 900 Pool Vacuum Cleaner
Hayward Wanda 900 was my previous pool vacuum cleaner. Now, comparing with the Pentair K50600, I can see a couple of disadvantages, but the vacuum stays one of the best I’ve ever had.
First of all, I can’t help mentioning its design. Hayward engineers did their best, having given it a whale-like or ladybug-like case. I chose a whale, and my friends` children adored it (frankly speaking, all adults were hardly less excited). But the vacuum was heavy, as it weighs 18 pounds and measures 35 x 13.5 x 12.8 inches. So when the cleaner was wet, it was especially difficult to lift it from the pool.
The appliance connects to the filter with a 32 ft hose and cleans the flat areas of the pool, floor mainly. Unfortunately, it’s too big and bulky for steps and walls. And sometimes, its wheels can get stuck. Nevertheless, the turbine/gearing system makes the vacuum drive randomly along the floor, lifting the dirt and directing it into the filter. It requires 1500 gph, but I noticed that the device significantly accelerated water circulation in the pool and refreshed it.
So, though the Hayward 900 has such minuses as a massive body, wheels stucking, and a rather high price, I liked it for its productivity, noticeable improvement of the water state, energy-saving, and unique design. By the way, I should admit that it worked much quieter than my present Pentair.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2-40 AJET121
Though I haven’t had a chance to try this cleaner myself, Aquabot Pool Rover takes the third place in my top for a range of handy features and numerous positive reviews from my acquaintances.
So, first of all, I should say that this vacuum is suitable not only for Intex above ground pools but also for inground reservoirs. The only restriction is the size of the pool – it shouldn’t be bigger than 30 ft long.
The model is fully automatic as it’s powered from a 40 ft cord. Aquabot processes the bottom of the pool, collecting the debris into a special onboard filter bag. The set also includes two additional filter bags for various dirt types. The manufacturer claims that it filters 5000 gallons per hour. Those who use the vacuum, confirm that it performs very fine cleaning, mostly not because of the power, but thanks to the well-thought-out bag design.
They say that its other advantage is high passibility. Though being tremendously heavy with its 27 pounds, Aquabot rarely gets stuck thanks to NevrStuck rollers. Their construction helps overcome crevices and dents.
So, the disadvantages of the model are its high weight and additional energy consumption, which leads to higher electricity bills. Nevertheless, many friends of mine like it for independence, high productivity, thorough filtering, and anti-stuck wheels.
Intex Auto Pool Cleaner 28001E
If you have an Intex pool, it’s quite logical to purchase a vacuum cleaner of the same brand. I believe Intex 28001E is one of the best models for above ground pools. What I love most is its universality. It will suit any above ground pool with 1600-3500 gph filter pumps up to 24′ in diameter.
As usual, it works through the filter pump, has a 24 ft hose, and performs optimally at 2500 gph. The main cleaning area is the floor since the vacuum moves randomly and picks up large and small debris.
For me, the Intex 28001E seems to have a lot of similarities with the Hayward 900. It also features a heavy 18 lb body, non-powered wheels, and random floor cleaning. So, be ready that it will sometimes get stuck and hit the walls of the pool. Still, users say it works very quiet and a bit faster.
Having almost the same pros and cons of the Hayward, this Intex is also much more affordable. You’ll spend no more than $100 per item. You see, that’s a fruitful deal.
Here is my and my friends` favorite pool vacuum cleaners. Each of them was tested and proved to be reliable assistants, the benefits of which are much greater than tiny drawbacks. So, I heartily recommend them and wish you find the one that’ll suit your needs as it happened to me.