What Pool Cleaner Do I Need? Suction vs Pressure vs Robot

Name: comparepoolquotes
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What type of pool cleaner do I need? For most pools, a robotic cleaner: it runs independently of the pool pump and uses at most 0.36 kWh, about 12c, per 3-hour cycle. A suction cleaner suits a single-speed pump; on a variable-speed pump it adds about 42c per 3 hours. Leafy pools suit a pressure cleaner, which needs a booster pump.

The short answer

Robotic: its own motor and filter, independent of the pool pump. One corded model’s power supply is rated 120 W, at most 0.36 kWh and about 12c per 3-hour cycle at Ausgrid’s 2026–27 cap; a cordless model uses 25 W, about 1.7c per 2-hour cycle.
Suction: runs on the filtration pump. One three-speed pump maker sets cleaner operation at mid flow, 600 W, instead of 181 W eco flow: 1.257 kWh, about 42c, extra per 3 hours.
Pressure: needs a booster pump as well as the filtration pump. One maker’s booster motor is 3/4 hp, at least 1.68 kWh, about 56c, over the 3 hours its manual suggests as a starting run time.
Debris decides between suction and pressure: a suction cleaner sends everything to the skimmer, pump basket and filter; a pressure cleaner or robot catches it in its own bag or canister.
Surface and temperature limits are in the manuals: two makers warn some vinyl liner patterns can wear; one robot needs 0.4 m of water and another stops below 13°C.

Pool cleaner types compared on what powers them, the electricity per cycle at Ausgrid’s 2026–27 default usage cap of 33.1372c/kWh, where the debris goes and the limits in each maker’s manual (our arithmetic from makers’ published power figures; read 14 October 2026)
Type	What powers it	Electricity per cycle	Where the debris goes	Limits in the manuals	Best fit
Suction cleaner	None of its own: runs on the filtration pump through the skimmer	On one three-speed pump, mid flow (600 W) instead of eco (181 W): 1.257 kWh extra, about 42c, for 3 hours	Into the skimmer, pump basket and filter	Needs enough hose to reach the far end plus one section; some will not climb a sharp 90° floor-to-wall corner	Pools with a pump that has a mid or high speed, and light debris
Pressure cleaner with booster pump	A booster pump on top of the filtration pump	Booster motor 3/4 hp in one maker’s parts list: at least 1.68 kWh, about 56c, for its recommended 3-hour start (plus the filtration pump)	Its own debris bag	Booster must be wired by a licensed electrician; one maker warns some vinyl liner patterns can wear	Leafy pools where you do not want leaves in the pump basket
Robotic cleaner, corded	Its own low-voltage motor (under 30 V DC)	Power supply rated 120 W: at most 0.36 kWh, about 12c, for 3 hours	Its own filter basket	Needs at least 0.4 m of water; works in 6–35°C, climbing affected below 15°C (one maker)	Most pools; the only type independent of the pump’s speed
Robotic cleaner, cordless	Its own battery (21.6 V DC)	25 W for a 120-minute cycle: 0.05 kWh, about 1.7c	Its own filter canister, emptied every cycle	Not below 13°C or above 35°C water; up to 4 m deep; one maker warns some vinyl liner patterns can wear	Small pools and owners who want no cable

What type of pool cleaner do I need for my pump?

Start with the pump, because two of the three types run on it.

Single-speed pump: a suction cleaner works with no extra running cost, because the pump is already on full power while it filters. That is also why single-speed pumps cost more to run in the first place.
Variable- or multi-speed pump: a suction cleaner needs a faster setting. One three-speed pump maker’s manual sets automatic pool cleaner operation at mid flow, 600 W input, against 181 W on eco flow for filtration. Sustainability Victoria gives the same warning: make sure a multi-speed pump works with your cleaning equipment on its slower settings.
No spare pump capacity, or you want the pump on eco all day: a robot, which has its own motor and filter and does not care what the pool pump is doing.

The quotable rule: on a variable-speed pump, a suction cleaner makes the pump run faster for every hour it cleans; a robotic cleaner does not. Whether you need a variable-speed pump at all is worked on what a pool pump costs to run.

Which pool cleaner uses the least electricity?

Worked at Ausgrid’s 2026–27 default usage cap of 33.1372c a kWh, from the power figures in each maker’s manual:

Cordless robot: 25 W operating power × a 120-minute cycle = 0.05 kWh, about 1.7c.
Corded robot: power supply rated 120 W × 3 hours = at most 0.36 kWh, about 12c. The rating is a ceiling, so the real figure is lower.
Suction cleaner on a three-speed pump: (600 W − 181 W) × 3 hours = 1.257 kWh extra, about 42c on top of filtering.
Pressure cleaner: a 3/4 hp booster motor is about 559 W of shaft output, so 3 hours draws at least 1.68 kWh, about 56c, and the filtration pump has to run as well. The manual we read does not state the booster’s input power, so treat this as a floor.

The quotable line: per 3-hour cycle, a robotic pool cleaner uses under a third of the electricity a suction cleaner adds to a variable-speed pump, and a quarter or less of a pressure cleaner’s booster.

Which pool cleaner is best for leaves?

A suction cleaner sends everything it picks up to the skimmer, the pump’s leaf basket and the filter. One suction cleaner maker’s troubleshooting list includes emptying the leaf basket and backwashing the filter when it slows down. In a pool under trees that means emptying baskets often.

A pressure cleaner catches debris in its own bag, and its maker’s manual suggests two shorter cycles a day after a storm, emptying the bag between them. A robot catches debris in its own basket or canister, which one maker says to clean after every cycle.

So: light debris, a suction cleaner is fine; heavy leaf fall, choose a cleaner that bags its own debris and keeps it out of the pump. A cleaner that stops moving is diagnosed on why a pool cleaner stops moving.

Which pool cleaner suits my pool’s shape and surface?

Read the limits before you buy. One robotic cleaner needs at least 0.4 m of water and works in water from 6 to 35°C, with climbing affected below 15°C; a cordless robot must not be used below 13°C or above 35°C, and works to 4 m deep. A suction cleaner needs enough hose to reach the furthest point of the pool plus one extra section, and one maker says its standard model will not climb a sharp 90° floor-to-wall corner without an attachment.

On vinyl liners, both a robotic cleaner maker and a pressure cleaner maker warn that some liner patterns can be scratched or worn by automatic cleaners, and that their warranties do not cover it. Concrete, tile and fibreglass carry no such warning in the manuals we read.

If you are building, ask each quote whether a cleaner is included, which type, and whether the pump’s speeds suit it. Then compare pool quotes on the same specification.

Common questions

What is the best type of pool cleaner in Australia?

For most pools a robotic cleaner: it has its own motor and filter and uses about 12c of power for 3 hours at a 120 W rating. A suction cleaner suits a single-speed pump; a pressure cleaner suits leafy pools.

Does a suction pool cleaner work with a variable speed pump?

Yes, at a higher speed. One pump maker’s three-speed pump manual sets automatic cleaner operation at mid flow, 600 W, rather than the 181 W eco flow used for filtering.

Do robotic pool cleaners use a lot of electricity?

No. One corded robot’s manual rates its power supply at 120 W, at most 0.36 kWh in 3 hours. A cordless model uses 25 W.

Do I need a booster pump for a pool cleaner?

Only for a pressure cleaner. Its owner’s manual says it is intended for use with a booster pump, which a licensed electrician should install, and that the filtration pump must be on first.

Can I use a robotic pool cleaner in a vinyl liner pool?

Yes, with care. One cordless robot’s manual warns that some vinyl liner patterns can be worn by automatic cleaners and that the warranty does not cover it.

Sources

General information only, current at 2026-10-14. Pool rules differ by state and by council, and penalty amounts are updated regularly. Confirm your own obligations with your council or a registered inspector before acting.