Suction Side Cleaners
Hayward AquaNaut
There is no hiding the fact that the AquaNaut is just the Poolvergnuegen in an updated body and color scheme. All of the internal parts are the same as the PoolCleaner "The Next Generation." Hayward purchased that company last year and owns the patents so it is incorporating the design into their own brand - the AqauNaut. And there is nothing wrong with that.
So why purchase the AquaNaut vs the Poolvergnuegen? And at a higher price?
The AquaNaut does come with a two year warranty and the Poolvergnuegan also now has a two year warranty (It was one year).
The Aqaunaut has a better color scheme and the body is well crafted - it just looks great.
Since the AqauNaut is a Hayward product there may be rebates for the consumer like they offer with their Navigator cleaners.
If you want to save some money, purchasing the PoolCleaner won't hurt Hayward as they own that cleaner anyway.
But I think the AqauNaut will have a wider appeal then the PoolCleaner with the Hayward brand behind it and it will be marketed to consumers unfamiliar with the Poolvergnuegen brand. Hayward isn't trying to fool anyone, they are just trying to promote a cleaner design that is superior to all others on the market.
Make no mistake the AqauNaut is a great cleaner. The parts are super long lasting and I can almost bet that you will get at least 5 years before needing to change any parts - except the rubber tires that wear out every 18 months or so. It is that well engineered. I've got over 16 Poolvergnuegens on my route some over 6 years old and working fine. I never worry about getting to one of those accounts and finding the cleaner broken down - it just doesn't happen.
The V-flex turbine is designed to pick up large debris and the gearing prevents the cleaner from getting stuck in the step areas or a corner in your pool. Plus the hump on the tire keeps it off main drains that tend to trap other cleaners.
So what you are getting is a durable cleaner that works great with proven engineering. A good purchase and a cleaner I highly recommend to all of my customers on my pool route.
Pentair Kreepy Krauly 360302 Warrior 2-wheel
Besically Pentair, Zodiac and Hayward are trying to balance the retail brick and mortar stores with the e-commerce stores and come to some kind of middle ground. So they are making the same cleaners but for different outlets. Confusing, I know. So basically this is just like their retail store only Rebel cleaner with two differences. This comes with a one year warranty - Rebel has a two year warranty and the Warrior is white and grey with the Rebel being Blue and Grey.
With the clarified I would say the Warrior is a great cleaner. It works much like the "PoolCleaner" now owned by Hayward except that it climbs the walls much better and comes with what looks like more durable rubber tires. The quick open top is a bonus too. The "PoolCleaner" has a patented turbine with larger vanes but the turbine (the thing that spins and picks up debris) in the Warrior is good - much like the turbine you would find in the Hayward Navigator - which works really well.
So the Warrior is not a Frankenstein cleaner in any sense but it does borrow some of the key elements from both the "PoolCleaner" and the Hayward Navigator and combines them into a superior cleaner.
Some good points are:
The cleaner is a geared cleaner so it won't get stuck in your pool in the step or corner areas.
The hoses are very well made and there are plenty in the box.
It comes complete with all the parts for installation.
The one year warranty is standard.
Very well made and durable.
The bad:
The retail only Rebel comes with a two year warranty...
Bottom line, a great looking cleaner that works really well. I would recommend it.
POOLVERGNUEGEN 2X Wheel PoolCleaner
Click Link to order:
The video has been updated as the cleaner is now sold as the "Next Generation" Version. The upgrades are shown in the video. A quick run down, The wheels are now held on with a plastic rod with a bearing in each wheel. The bottom has two lifts built into it to prevent it from getting stuck on the larger anti-vortex main drains. The Skirts are held on with heavy plastic now and the most important part is that the mouth of the cleaner can be changed out. The cleaner comes with a medium mouth, but if you insert a Large mouth the cleaner will be able to climb the walls very well at 14 RPM. All in all some great upgrades just made this cleaner better.
Original Review:
I've been installing cleaners for years. I would shy away from the Hayward Navigator Ultra- too many parts.
The Pool Cleaner is a great cleaner that works in pools with Oak nuts. It has a large rectangular opening (larger than the Navigator) and pick's up everything.
It also covers the pool spectacularly. This cleaner will actually clean the entire pool in 5 or 6 hours by going 8-10 ft, turning slightly and then go another 8-10 ft. It won't get stuck on steps because it has a great swivel that will turn it when it hits the step. It also can go all the way up the walls if you wish- by increasing the suction. I have them in 2 huge pools - 30,000 & 40,000 gallons and this 2 wheel version works great.
The only part that you have to keep an eye on are the rubber tires. There is a wear mark on the threads and if you change the tires when it gets down to the wear line you will not have any problems. You will see a little dash a few places around the tire treads - that is the wear mark, about a quarter of an inch or so. The tires should last two years with normal use.
You also want to be careful when removing the cleaner from the pool as to be careful not to damage the bottom Vanes. I have a customer that takes it out every weekend in the Summer and there hasn't been an issue. It is a pretty durable cleaner.
Pool Cleaner won't disappoint. Great cleaner. They also have great tech support if you ever run into trouble.
I now have about 16 of these in the accounts that I service. Two are now almost five years old and the only part that I have had to change were the rubber tires. I am serious. No other parts have worn out. They are simply great cleaners. I have been installing the dark colored "Limited Edition" ones in my colored plaster accounts and they look great. This is the first cleaner I offer my customers and most have decided to purchase this cleaner.
POOLVERGNUEGEN 4X Wheel PoolCleaner
New Kreepy Krauly by PENTAIR
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This is the New redesigned and updated Kreepy Krauly by Pentair (Model 360040). If you have a Vinyl or Fiberglass pool you will need (Model 3060042) as it has a Pleated or Flat Seal.
This is actually the first real overhaul of the cleaner since its inception. There have been over 3 million Kreepy Krauly cleaners sold Worldwide making it one of the most recognizable cleaners on the Market. My customers refer to their cleaner as Kreepy Krauly even if it is not one.
I though I would be retired before Pentair remodeled their flagship cleaner. The version previous works great in the pools they are in so I figured they wouldn't mess with it. I'll be honest the old version was sometimes a hard sell since it did look dated. The new version just looks spectacular.
From the color scheme down to the sleek new style it is a great looking cleaner. It will sell just on how cool it looks. But of course the other selling point and one that is more valid is that this cleaner is a Beast. It will pick up large debris that other cleaners won't even attempt to pick up. It also is designed to cover the entire pool when set up correctly. All in it is a design that really works.
I will point out a few of the things I really like about the new unit. First, the cleaner itself is made out of a harder plastic that by the looks of it is very durable. The Kreepy already had parts that lasted forever so I expect this new one to have even more durable parts. The Seal plate is extra thick so it will also last longer.
I like the new bumper. The Kreepy Krauly Classic works great but the bumper would sometimes not pull the cleaner out of the step area. This one has no issues and is designed to help the cleaner out of tight spots. Plus it looks very durable.
I really like the adjustable Dive Float. One of the problems with the Kreepy Krauly is that it works too well. It would sometimes come out of the pool or get stuck on the hose coming out of the Side Port or Skimmer. Now you can simply adjust the Dive Float down to prevent that.
The cleaner also comes with a generous amount of hoses, Twelve one Meter hoses or almost 40 ft of hoses.
Suffice to say this is a great improvement over a cleaner that really didn't need to be improved. I highly recommend the New Kreepy Krauly.
ZODIAC G2 cleaner
Barracuda makes several of these cleaners, Wahoo, G2, G3, G4. The G2 is there middle of the road cleaner and the best of the bunch. The G3 is a bit heavy and moves slow requiring more suction. The G4 is also bulky and has some expensive parts. Plus the G4 lacks a bumper, so it gets hung up in corners and by the steps much more than this cleaner
The G2 is light and requires very little suction. It is very durable, and the parts are not too expensive. The bumper works great getting out of the step area. There is also a great after market part called the Twister (made by Solar Sun Rings). It attaches to the hose and turns them completely 3 times every hour, so the cleaner never gets stuck in a corner or by the steps.
Depending on the pool suction will determine what size debris this thing will pick up. It has no problem with Avocado tree debris, but struggles a bit with oak tree nuts. There are few cleaners that can handle oak trees but they do make them.
The only part that you need to replace annually is the diaphragm. It is the only moving part, and it will wear out, and form a tear. If the cleaner stops moving and there is no debris obstructing it, chances are the diaphragm has a slight tear. The smallest tear will stop it dead. They run about $20.00. The other parts should last 3 years before you start to see wear (Footpad & fin disk - big round bottom part).
This cleaner is light so it tends to come out of the pool as it climbs the wall. Simply lower the suction if you have a side port or add a weight to the top. It still may pop out and suck some air so play with the suction power until this happens on rare occasions.
If you are looking for an affordable and durable cleaner this is the one for you. Don't bother with the more expensive Barracuda cleaners, They all work off the same design, but the replacement parts cost more.