Budget
€0–€300
Published category bar
Robotic pool cleaners (cordless & corded)
This is the exact versioned market bar used by the deterministic engine. It defines what is mandatory, typical and above-class for each European price class.
- Version
- 2026.07-4
- Status
- Active
- Price classes
- 4
European price classes
Mid-range
€300–€700
Upper mid-range
€700–€1500
Premium
€1500+
The lowest documented European price selects the class. Within ±10% of a boundary, both neighbouring classes are calculated and the better result counts.
Mandatory category features
CE marking and the manufacturer's EU declaration of conformity (including the radio directive RED for radio/app models)
Runs on safety extra-low voltage (battery or transformer output, typ. 12-30 V DC) - no mains voltage in the water; power supply/charger is operated outside the pool
Expected features by price class
Budget
- Autonomous floor cleaning with active brushes/scrubbers and its own filter basket
- Battery runtime of at least approx. 90 min per charge
- Stops on its own at cycle end and parks near the pool wall/edge for retrieval
- Rated by the manufacturer for pools from approx. 50 sqm floor area or approx. 8 m length (above-ground/frame pools included)
Mid-range
- Cleans floor, walls and waterline
- Systematic lane navigation instead of a random pattern (manufacturer statement on path planning or evidence from independent tests)
- Battery runtime of at least approx. 120 min (or continuous corded operation)
- Selectable cleaning modes (e.g. floor only / walls only / full clean)
Upper mid-range
- App control with mode selection and schedules
- Smart navigation with pool detection and full coverage (gyro/sensors, partly camera or ultrasonic)
- Floor, wall and waterline incl. dedicated waterline mode
- Battery runtime of at least approx. 150 min, or corded operation
- Rinseable fine-filter basket removable without tools (fine filter stage included in the box)
Premium
- High-end navigation (camera/ultrasonic/multi-sensor) with a manufacturer statement or test evidence on covering complex pool shapes
- App with schedules, zone/mode selection and status/error reporting
- Battery runtime of at least approx. 180 min, or corded with anti-twist swivel cable
- Multi-stage filtration (coarse plus fine filter)
- Designed for large pools (approx. 150 sqm or approx. 12 m length and up)
Above-class bonus features
- Surface-skimming mode in addition to floor/wall/waterline+5
- In-pool charging/parking dock (e.g. inductive) for permanent use without removal+4
- User-replaceable battery available as a spare part in EU retail at a fair price (fair meaning clearly below the unit price, as a guide up to about half of it)+4
- Equipment clearly above class expectation (e.g. wall/waterline in budget, app plus smart navigation in mid-range)+4
- AI/camera navigation with pool map and cleaning coverage shown in the app+3
- App stays connected to the robot underwater (e.g. ultrasonic/sonar link)+3
- Control possible without a cloud account (direct Bluetooth connection per manufacturer/manual)+3
- Battery runtime above approx. 240 min per charge+3
- Water clarification feature (e.g. automatic clarifier/flocculant dosing)+3
- Wear and spare parts (filters/filter basket, brushes, battery) individually available from EU retailers and replaceable without special tools+3
- Manufacturer-documented battery protection while charging (battery management with overcharge, deep-discharge and temperature protection)+3
- Retrieval aid: at cycle end the robot moves to the water surface or pool edge and waits there to be lifted out+3
- Full charge in under approx. 2 hours+2
- Finer filter stage available as an accessory (ultra-fine filter for algae/fine particles)+2
Negative characteristics
- Documented recalls/fire incidents during charging without proven remedy (model/series)-8
- If app control is intended: app not properly usable in the EU (not listed in the EU app stores or sign-up only possible with a non-EU account/phone number)-5
- Core functions (modes, mapping, schedules) locked behind a subscription-5
- The manufacturer expressly states that the battery is not user-replaceable, or the replacement battery is documented to cost more than approx. 50% of the unit price-4
- Repeatedly documented severe app/connectivity defects (dropouts, unusable core functions)-4
- Wear parts disproportionately expensive: a filter set costs more than approx. 40% of the unit price according to the manufacturer's or a retailer's price-3