About Best Robotic Pool Cleaner

We are a small team of UK pool owners who got tired of biased reviews and affiliate spam masquerading as journalism. Every pool cleaner review on this site is based on real testing in real UK pools, measured with real instruments, over real time periods.

How We Test

Our testing protocol follows 6 criteria across a minimum 4-week evaluation period per product:

  • Debris pickup rate: We measure weight of collected debris per cycle using a kitchen scale. Sand, leaves, insects and pollen are tested separately.
  • Water clarity: We use a Secchi disc (turbidity measure) before and after each cleaning cycle to quantify water improvement.
  • Energy consumption: Plug-in power monitors record exact wattage and kWh per cycle. We calculate costs at current Ofgem rates.
  • Noise levels: Decibel readings taken at 1 metre distance using a calibrated Uni-T UT353 meter.
  • Surface safety: We inspect pool surfaces under LED light before and after 20+ cleaning cycles to detect any scratching, staining or liner damage.
  • Long-term reliability: Key products remain in our test fleet for 12+ months. We track motor performance, cable condition, brush wear and filter degradation over time.

Our Testing Pools

We test in 3 UK pools across different regions:

  • Surrey: 9-metre fibreglass in-ground pool. Moderate tree cover. Year-round testing.
  • Hampshire: 12-metre tiled in-ground pool. Heavy leaf fall from oak trees. Summer season only.
  • Norfolk: Intex Ultra XTR above-ground pool (4.9 x 2.7 m). Vinyl liner. Summer season only.

Our Team

Tom Bradshaw
Tom Bradshaw
Pool Maintenance & Automation Specialist

Tom has spent 7 years testing pool cleaning equipment in the UK. A former pool technician with ISPE certification, he has tested over 30 robotic pool cleaners across in-ground and above-ground pools. His reviews are based on real cleaning cycles, debris pickup tests and long-term reliability tracking through British seasons.

About our testing →

Affiliate Disclosure

This site contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you buy a product through our links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is how we fund our testing programme. We never accept free products from manufacturers. Every cleaner we review is purchased with our own money.

Our recommendations are based entirely on testing data. We have recommended products that cost us affiliate commissions (by steering readers toward cheaper alternatives) because the data supported it.

Contact

Questions about our reviews or testing methodology? Email us at hello@best-robotic-pool-cleaner.co.uk