Polaris 9550 Sport: When Does a Corded Pool Robot Make More Sense?
Summary
If you have an in-ground pool up to 60 ft long and want it cleaned on a set schedule without ever thinking about a battery, the corded 9550 Sport is a good match. You do have to manage a 70 ft cable, but there's no charging, a waterline-only mode, and a feature that brings the robot up to wherever you want to grab it.
No battery to manage
Because it runs off a power supply, the 9550 Sport never stops partway through a cycle on a dead battery. Set its 7-day programmable timer with the modes you want on each day, and it runs on schedule while staying in the pool. You don't lift it out to recharge after every run the way you would with a cordless robot, but the power supply still needs a GFCI-protected outlet at the distance from the water the manual specifies, and nobody should be in the pool while a scheduled cycle runs. The cable has a tangle-reducing swivel.
What it cleans
Four-wheel drive helps it climb over obstacles while it cleans the floor, walls, and steps, and a solid-blade brush scrubs the tile line. Modes are floor only, floor and walls, or waterline only, so when the tile line is the only problem, you can run a short cycle just for that.
Retrieval and storage
Press a button and it surfaces at the spot you choose and waits; when you lift it, it drains the water automatically. Polaris calls this Easy Lift. Debris goes into a 5-liter canister with a dirty-canister indicator. It comes with a motion-sensing remote you steer by moving your hand, and there's no app. A transport caddy that assembles without tools is included for moving and storing it. It has a two-year limited warranty. Polaris doesn't list a price on the product page and sends you to retailers instead.
Shopping for one? Find a cleaner for your pool →
Sources
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.