At first glance, The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry sounds less like a short film and more like something you’d see on the agenda at an industry summit. It reads like a white paper. A market report. An economic forecast delivered in a ballroom with bad coffee and PowerPoint slides.

That’s intentional.

Because the film isn’t just about a backyard pool. It’s about everything surrounding it right now — inflation, supply chain issues, pricing anxiety, dwindling usage, and the uneasy dance between homeowners and contractors trying to justify what something costs these days.

Film Title Anything But a Misnomer

The short film from Derek Frey, David Amadio, Gil Damon, and Steve Kuzmick opens in territory that ought to immediately feel familiar to anyone working in the pool industry: a dated backyard pool. The liner is aging. The water looks neglected. The chemistry is questionable. And the homeowner is staring at a renovation estimate he isn’t sure he can justify — financially or emotionally.

From that setup, the film does something clever. It takes the headlines we’ve been writing about here at Pool Magazine — rising costs, logistical breakdowns, economic pressures — and drops them into an everyday backyard conversation. Then it asks a harder question:

When the cost of maintaining the pool goes up… what happens to the meaning of it?

Film Shows The Realities of Rising Costs

In the opening scene, a homeowner, Henry (played by Gil Damon), asks his pool guy, Rick (played by Steve Kuzmick), why his pool liner replacement now carries a five-figure price tag.

The character Rick cites inflation. Supply chain instability. A late winter freeze in Texas. Petrochemical plant shutdowns. Limited liner availability.

If you’ve read Pool Magazine over the past few years, you’d already know that at least a few of those stories have already been validated in print. They’re real. They happened. They created issues that affected contractors nationwide.

That’s what makes the scene land.

Because Rick isn’t inventing stories. He’s pulling from real-life industry issues. But the way he delivers his points — confidently, rapidly, with the cadence of someone who has well rehearsed his rebuttal — creates more than a sliver of doubt.

Is he educating the homeowner? Or is he stacking headlines into a persuasive narrative that smacks with the slick gold chain energy of a used car salesman?

“The whole Texas freeze thing came from research,” David Amadio explains. “We were trying to connect the plight of this one contractor to a larger industry issue. The audience doesn’t know if it’s real. They don’t know if it’s legit. It could just be a ruse.”

That ambiguity is the point. The film doesn’t accuse the industry of exaggeration. It simply shows how real economic forces can easily blur into sales language.

The inflation and Texas freeze references aren’t throwaway lines. They were well researched.

Art Sometimes Imitates Life

“When you first reached out to us for an interview, I went on the Pool Magazine website, and one of the top headlines was about another Texas freeze,” director Derek Frey says. “I was like, wow. I don’t know if that’s art imitating life or not, but that was particularly intentional in our crafting of this story.”

That realness doesn’t just live in the headlines, pool guy Rick cites — it lives in how he carries himself.

Kuzmick’s performance isn’t built only on what he says but on the physicality of how he delivers his lines. After making his case for why Henry’s liner replacement will be more expensive, he wraps the conversation with a firm slap on his customer’s back and a casual, “Talk it over with the family and let me know.”

Then he walks.

He doesn’t linger, and he sure doesn’t soften the number. The message is subtle but unmistakable: I’ve got other jobs. I’m busy, and you need me more than I need you.

A View From The Other Side of the Mirror

Henry, the homeowner, is just as recognizable as Rick — only from the other side of the estimate.

He’s the Everyman. The middle-aged dad staring at a liner replacement bill that costs far more than he expected and wondering how he’s going to explain it at the dinner table. There’s a touch of Clark Griswold in him — earnest, well-intentioned, slightly overwhelmed. You get the sense that if something can go wrong with his pool, it probably will. When his skimmer pole snaps in half on the first attempt to clean, it’s funny — but it’s also revealing. This is a man losing control of something he once felt confident about.

The real pressure, though, is about the conversation waiting for him inside the house.

Henry knows the liner replacement isn’t just a repair. It’s a negotiation. One where he has to justify the expense to his wife — and he already senses she won’t be on board. In today’s economy, a five-figure liner replacement isn’t a casual conversation. It’s sure to be a debate and a potential source of tension.

That’s where the film pivots from industry commentary to something more personal, and a conversation happening in many homes across the nation.

The hesitation isn’t just about money. It’s about relevance.

Fighting a Losing Battle Against Devices & Indifference

Henry tries to make his case by appealing to what the pool used to represent — long summers, family time, shared memories. But when he looks to his kids for reinforcement to help him make the case, he’s met with indifference. Phones in hand, half-hearted answers, distracted nods. The pool that once anchored family life now competes against their screen time.

“It’s like a fantasy of middle-class American fatherhood,” David Amadio says. “All of us are watching our kids grow older by the day. All these pastimes we loved are falling by the wayside. This movie was our attempt to try to hold onto those things for a little bit longer.”

Gil Damon, who plays Henry — and who actually owns the pool used in the movie — brings an authenticity to that quiet frustration.

The Film Introduces a Thought Provoking Question

“Whether the kids swim in it or not, you still have to maintain it,” Damon says. “If you don’t maintain it, something goes terribly wrong. And there’s still something kind of joyous in maintaining it. Even just skimming the leaves. But at some point you’re like, wait, what am I doing all this for?”

That question lingers in the film.

What are we maintaining?

The pool becomes a metaphor for something bigger — for rituals that once felt permanent but now feel optional. For investments that once made obvious sense but now require defense. For a version of family life that doesn’t compete well with Wi-Fi.

Competing Against Technology

“Technology is king,” Amadio says. “There are so many casualties in the culture of technology. The pool’s like a little antidote to that. It’s an analog getaway from the digital maelstrom in which we all live.”

In that context, the liner replacement isn’t just a repair. It’s a referendum. Not just on budget, but on whether the pool still holds meaning inside the household. Henry’s wife finally says she would just as soon as like to fill in the pool and be done with it altogether.

And it’s right when Henry seems ready to give up — when he shuts off the timer and retreats inside — that the film introduces its wild card.

Reigniting That First Spark

Henry awakens to the sound of splashing. The pool lights are on. The water, which hours earlier looked neglected and uninspiring, now appears clean, inviting, almost cinematic. Floating across the surface is a stranger in goggles, a swim cap, and striped bathing suit, casually doing the backstroke.

He introduces himself as Willy Chamieux — played by writer David Amadio — and calmly explains that he is “the manifestation of why pools are cool.”

Henry, understandably alarmed, tells him the pool is in no condition to swim in (even though it’s clearly been transformed) and orders him out, a command which Willy ignores.

Instead, he dives beneath the surface to “inspect” the torn liner Henry was complaining about. When he resurfaces, it’s face down in a dead man’s float. Henry panics and jumps in to save him — only to discover he’s been played.

Getting Memory to Break Down The Barriers

And that’s the turning point. The moment Henry slips into the water, all of the tension drains from him. The defensiveness, the budgeting, the quiet resentment we saw earlier — it all fades. There’s something about being back in his pool — not as a project, not as an expense, but as he always imagined it — that softens him. You can see it on his face. He’s not calculating anymore. He’s remembering.

Willy challenges him to a game. They dive for quarters. They laugh — the kind of unguarded laughter that hasn’t been heard in that backyard in a while.

Soon, the rest of the family drifts outside. They’re tackled into the pool by Willy and quickly fall under the same spell as Henry, experiencing the renovated condition and joy of once more being in their own pool. The tone of the film shifts again. Visually, the sequence leans into classic aquatic spectacle.

“That was the main reference,” Derek Frey says. “Those 1930s films choreographed by Busby Berkeley — Footlight Parade — and Olympic synchronized swimming. We storyboarded the movement based on many of those references.”

The overhead shots evoke old Hollywood water ballets. The pool center stage again once more in the lives of Henry and his family.

Analysis of Willy Chamieux

The character of Willy carries an apparition-like quality throughout that the film never explains outright.

“We don’t know if he’s a water sprite or an actual person,” David Amadio adds playfully. “He kind of straddles the line.”

That ambiguity is deliberate.

Willy clearly isn’t there to fix the pool; the illusion disappears the moment he does. Rick will still need to be called if that dream is ever to become a reality. No, Willy is merely there to remind.

To remind Henry what the pool once felt like, reconnecting the emotion to the investment.
To remind the family of what enjoying the pool together once meant.

There’s something unmistakably Dickensian about the structure. Willy feels like a warm-weather variation of A Christmas Carol — less chains and underdone potato, more chlorine and cannonballs. If Scrooge needed the Ghost of Christmas Past to remember who he once was, Henry needs something similar.

Willy may very well be the Ghost of Summers Past.

The film never spells it out, but the parallels are there, and we pointed some of them out to the filmmakers. The character Henry represents a man on the brink of abandoning something meaningful. A supernatural visitation. A night that changes perspective before it’s too late.

“We hadn’t thought about Dickens specifically,” David Amadio admits, “but it’s definitely there.”

Whether spirit, trickster, or simply shared DNA, Willy’s function is clear: he forces Henry to re-experience joy before he walks away from it.

And then comes the final turn.

Coming Full Circle

Henry wakes the following morning, not on the couch where he had resigned himself to defeat, but in bed — surrounded by his family. The energy is different. The tension is gone. His wife looks at him and gives a quiet, approving nod. No speech is necessary. No debate. They both know what comes next.

His first order of business will be to call Rick and approve the liner replacement.

The film doesn’t frame that moment as one of defeat or capitulation, but one of clarity.

Only then does the final reveal land.

As day breaks, Rick pulls up in a truck and Willy climbs in. They head off toward another address — another backyard, another hesitant homeowner, another family on the fence. The magic wasn’t random but part of the process.

There’s a faint echo here of The Swimmer — one almost immediately draws the comparison of Burt Lancaster moving from pool to pool. Only this time, the journey is one of restoration. Willy isn’t drifting through suburbia trying to outrun a sad reality. He’s moving through it, reminding families what once made their backyards matter. It’s a subtle but meaningful reframing.

Rather than positioning Rick as a manipulator, the filmmakers present something more layered and nuanced. Rick understands that homeowners don’t just need pricing estimates. They need perspective.

“I think they’re ultimately doing good for people,” Derek Frey says. “Rick is pure business. He’s about the sale. Willy is doing it for the reasons he outlined. Everybody kind of comes out a winner.”

Together, they’re not just repairing pools — they’re restoring connection.

And that’s where the film’s theme settles.

The current state of the backyard pool industry isn’t simply about tariffs, inflation, or any of the other litany of issues impacting the industry. It’s about relevance and reminding consumers why they opted to build a pool in the first place.

Screening The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry

For pool professionals, the takeaway isn’t that they need a gimmick.

It’s remembering what it is that they’re really selling.

The film doesn’t pretend that the economics aren’t real. The cost increases are real. The supply chain strain was real. The sticker shock homeowners feel is real. Those conversations happen every day in the backyard.

But so does the other part — the part that’s harder to quantify.

The first cannonball of the season.
The late-night sessions of Marco Polo.
The laughter that carries from backyard to backyard all summer long.

Rick understands the business of that, but Willy understands the magic.

And that’s why the film resonates.

Screening this film could be a useful exercise for pool professionals across the industry — not as satire, not as critique, but as perspective. It invites a simple question: Are we leading with cost, or are we leading with value?

We may not all have a magical spirit like Willy to bring along on every job to convince the customer.

Which means the magic has to come through us. Because if we don’t remind them why it matters, no one else will.

Ready to take a deeper dive?

Listen to our entire interview with the filmmakers of The Current State of the Backyard Pool Industry on the Pool Magazine Podcast.

Photo Credits: Derek Frey Films

When pool season kicks off, there’s one piece of equipment that turns into the quiet workhorse of summer: the robotic pool cleaner. It’s the thing that shows up, does the dirty work, and doesn’t ask you to babysit it. Floors, walls, waterline, fine dust, leaves, “what even is that?” debris — a good robot handles it while you’re living your life.

And every year, the category gets a little more interesting. In 2026, we’re seeing smarter navigation that’s leaning into vision systems and mapping, more cordless options with better battery management, filtration that’s getting finer (and bigger), and a serious push toward convenience — app controls, scheduling, easier retrieval, and specialty modes for waterlines, corners, steps, and sun ledges.

Below is our breakdown of 10 new and notable robotic pool cleaners to watch in 2026, followed by a feature matrix to help you compare them side-by-side.

New Robotic Pool Cleaners in 2026

Aiper Scuba V3

Aiper keeps swinging for the fences in cordless cleaning, and the Scuba V3 is one of the more feature-forward models in the 2026 mix. The big headline here is Aiper’s navigation stack: the Scuba V3 is built around “VisionPath™,” which combines AI vision and dToF (depth/Time-of-Flight style sensing) to map and plan routes. In normal-people terms, it’s trying to “see” and understand the pool instead of just bouncing around like a Roomba with a chlorine habit.

The Scuba V3 is positioned as a floor, wall, and waterline cleaner, with a specific callout for horizontal waterline work via “JetAssist™.” That matters because waterline cleaning is where a lot of robots talk tough and then leave you with that grimy sunscreen ring anyway.

Key features include:

• VisionPath™ navigation using AI vision + dToF sensing
• JetAssist™ horizontal waterline cleaning
• Dual brushes with 4,800 GPH suction
• MicroMesh™ multi-layer filtration
• Multiple cleaning modes, including AI-driven route behaviors

Who it’s for:

Homeowners who want a modern cordless cleaner with a stronger emphasis on “smart” routing and better waterline attention than the average set-it-and-pray robot.

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Beatbot Sora 70

Beatbot’s Sora 70 comes in with a very clear value proposition: long runtime, big coverage, and a filtration setup that’s spelled out in actual numbers instead of marketing fog. The company positions it as a cordless cleaner built for comprehensive cleaning, but what makes it stand out in a crowded field is the published endurance and capacity.

Beatbot lists up to 5 hours of continuous floor cleaning and up to 7 hours of water-surface cleaning, with coverage claims up to 3,230 square feet. That’s a big deal for larger pools, for households that want fewer “charging breaks,” or for anyone who wants to run longer cycles without wondering if the thing is going to die in the deep end.

Filtration is also clearly specified: a 6-liter, 150-micron filter as standard, with an optional 3-micron filter accessory noted as coming later.

Key features include:

• Cordless operation with long runtime claims (up to 5h floor / up to 7h surface)
• Coverage claim up to 3,230 sq ft
• 6L / 150µm filter, with optional 3µm filter accessory (noted as coming later)
• Waterline cleaning behaviors described by the manufacturer
• App-style control and smart convenience features (parking/retrieval concepts are called out)

Who it’s for:

Pool owners who care about runtime and capacity — especially bigger pools — and want a modern robot with clearly stated filtration and coverage targets.

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Betta Flex

Let’s get something straight: Betta Flex is not an underwater vacuum robot. It’s a solar-powered, completely cordless surface skimmer — a different job, different lane, and honestly, a smart one.

Surface debris is the stuff that annoys you daily: leaves, bugs, pollen, grass clippings. If it floats long enough, it eventually sinks and becomes a bigger problem. A surface skimmer robot like Betta Flex is basically “preventative cleaning.” It keeps the top of the pool looking sharp and reduces how much junk makes it to the floor.

Betta positions the Flex as solar powered and cordless, with dual cleaning modes (Eco and Normal), and “24/7 continuous cleaning.” It’s also marketed as compatible with infinity pools, above-ground pools, and in-ground pools. For homeowners who hate manual skimming, this thing can quickly become the one robot you notice the most — because you see the results constantly.

Key features include:

• Solar-powered operation and completely cordless
• Continuous surface skimming concept (marketed as 24/7 cleaning)
• Dual cleaning modes (Eco and Normal)
• Compatibility claims: infinity / above-ground / in-ground
• Stated pool size coverage up to 40 ft × 60 ft

Who it’s for:

Anyone who’s tired of skimming, or anyone who wants to pair a surface skimmer robot with a separate underwater cleaner for a one-two punch.

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Mova Diver A10

MOVA Diver A10 is the “serious suction, serious waterline” entry in the 2026 lineup. It’s positioned as a cordless, AI-powered robotic pool cleaner designed to balance strong mechanical performance with smarter path planning — and if you’ve ever watched a robot miss the waterline ring or take inefficient zig-zag laps across the floor, you’ll understand why that pitch matters.

According to the published specs, the Diver A10 is built for in-ground and above-ground pools up to approximately 1,900 square feet. It features a 6,000 GPH suction system powered by triple brushless motors, along with EdgePulse™ and PoolNavi™ adaptive navigation designed to improve route efficiency and full-pool coverage. One of its standout differentiators is dual-pass waterline scrubbing, with the ability to reach slightly above the waterline to tackle oils, algae, and residue buildup more aggressively than single-pass systems.

The Diver A10 also includes a 3.5-liter debris basket with ultra-fine filtration, plus an optional 3-micron ultra-fine screen for capturing smaller particulate matter. App-based scheduling allows up to four cleanings per week, and the unit can remain submerged in standby mode and automatically reactivate for scheduled cycles. Runtime is listed at up to 4 hours, with auto-parking and easy-lift retrieval built into the design.

Key features include:

• 6,000 GPH suction powered by triple brushless motors
• EdgePulse™ and PoolNavi™ adaptive navigation
• Dual-pass waterline scrubbing reaching slightly above the waterline
• 3.5L debris basket with ultra-fine filtration and optional 3µm screen
• App-based scheduling (up to four cleanings per week)
• Runtime claim up to 4 hours

Who it’s for:

Pool owners who want stronger suction and more deliberate waterline cleaning in a cordless robot — especially in mid-to-large residential pools where performance and scheduling flexibility matter more than novelty features.

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WYBOT S2 Solar Vision

WYBOT’s S2 Solar Vision is one of the more interesting “hybrid power + smart behavior” releases for 2026. The big hook is in the name: solar-assisted charging paired with a vision-based mode. WYBOT positions it as an underwater solar-powered robotic pool cleaner with dual charging methods (Solar and DC).

The key nuance here — and it matters — is that WYBOT’s “AI Vision Mode” is described as floor-only. That means if you’re buying it specifically because you think the camera/vision system is going to hunt debris on walls and waterlines, you’ll want to understand that limitation. Still, as a cordless robot with solar assist and app scheduling, it’s trying to reduce the “charge anxiety” that comes with battery units.

WYBOT lists a runtime of 2.5 hours+ and coverage up to 3,229 square feet. The filtration system is described as a 180-micron filter box plus an ultra-fine sponge layer.

Key features include:

• Dual charging: Solar & DC
• “AI Vision Mode” noted as floor-only
• 2.5h+ runtime claim
• Coverage claim up to 3,229 sq ft
• Filtration: 180µm filter box + ultra-fine sponge
• App control and scheduling functions

Who it’s for:

Sunny-climate pool owners who like the idea of solar assist, want cordless convenience, and want a clearer expectation around where vision mode applies.

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Dolphin Nautilus EON 120D

The Dolphin Nautilus EON 120D is the flagship cordless cleaner from Maytronics’ new EON series, built to deliver extended performance and true total pool coverage. Positioned above its EON 100 sibling, the 120D adds professional-level features for debris handling and runtime — and if you’ve ever watched a conventional robot struggle on sun ledges, steps, or waterline buildup, you’ll appreciate what this machine brings to the table.

According to the product details, the EON 120D is engineered to handle floors, walls, waterlines, corners, steps, and ultra-shallow ledges with a combination of SmartMap navigation and JetIQ design that helps it adapt to pool geometry and clean efficiently end-to-end. Its patented DebrisLock closed filtration technology not only traps ultra-fine particles, it also auto-backwashes to reduce how often you have to interrupt cycles for filter cleaning — a significant convenience for busy pool owners.

One of the most talked-about aspects of the EON 120D is its UltraRun scheduling concept, which Maytronics positions as capable of keeping the entire pool clean for up to 2.5 weeks on a single battery charge when used with lighter scheduled cycles. App control via the Maytronics One app brings scheduling, remote monitoring, and troubleshooting to your phone, reducing the time you spend managing maintenance.

Key features highlighted include:

• Cordless freedom with no cable to manage
• UltraRun cleaning scheduler, capable of long-interval coverage
• SmartMap navigation that learns pool shape and obstacles
• DebrisLock closed filtration with auto backwash
• App-based scheduling, monitoring, and alerts
• Total pool coverage including floors, walls, waterline, steps, sun ledges, and corners

Who it’s for:

Pool owners who want a premium cordless robotic cleaner with next-level filtration and scheduling, minimal maintenance interruptions, and the ability to cover every inch of the pool — even areas many robots can’t consistently reach.

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Dreame Z1 Pro

Dreame enters the pool-cleaning world with a cordless product that reads like it came from a robotics company first and a pool company second — which can be a good thing when software and mapping are improving faster than traditional categories.

The Dreame Z1 Pro is a floor/wall/waterline cleaner with strong published flow numbers. The company lists suction performance up to 8,000 GPH, runtime stated as over 180 minutes (depending on the version/config shown), and charging time listed in the 4–6 hour range. Coverage is listed up to 2,160 square feet.

Those are the kinds of specs shoppers can actually compare — and it puts Z1 Pro in a pretty competitive part of the cordless market where buyers want performance without paying “flagship tax.”

Key features include:

• Cordless cleaning for floor, walls, and waterline
• Suction claim up to 8,000 GPH
• Runtime listed as 180+ minutes
• Charging time listed as 4–6 hours
• Coverage claim up to 2,160 ft²

Who it’s for:

Homeowners who want a serious cordless cleaner with published suction and runtime specs they can weigh against other 2026 releases.

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iGarden K Pro Pool Cleaner

The iGarden K Pro is the outlier in this lineup — in a good way — because the runtime and coverage claims are wildly beyond what most people expect from cordless robots.

iGarden markets the K Pro with a stated 10 hours of runtime and up to 15,500 square feet of coverage (noted on a floor-cleaning basis). If those numbers translate into real-world consistency, this is the kind of unit that shifts how people think about battery robots. Instead of “run a cycle, recharge, run again,” the concept becomes “this thing can live in the pool and just keep going.”

The K Pro positioning leans hard into app control and smart route optimization, paired with high-capacity operation that’s clearly aimed at large residential pools, high-use pools, and owners who want fewer interruptions.

Key features include:

• Runtime claim up to 10 hours
• Coverage claim up to 15,500 ft² (floor cleaning basis)
• App-enabled control and route optimization positioning
• High-end endurance positioning relative to typical cordless robots

Who it’s for:

Big pools, high debris environments, and pool owners who want maximum runtime without constantly managing charging cycles.

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Seauto SAT40

Seauto’s SAT40 is a cordless cleaner that spells out its cleaning modes clearly — and that’s important, because for many pool owners the real value isn’t “can it clean?” It’s “can I tell it exactly what to clean today?”

The SAT40 is described with four modes: Auto, Waterline, Floor-only, and Wall-only. It also calls out horizontal waterline cleaning via “WaveLine Technology,” plus a dual filtration setup that includes a 250-micron filter basket and an ultra-fine 2-micron filter. Basket capacity is listed at 5 liters with top-load access. Pool coverage is listed up to 2,150 square feet.

Key features include:

• Cordless operation
• Four cleaning modes: Auto, Waterline, Floor-only, Wall-only
• Horizontal waterline cleaning claim (WaveLine Technology)
• Dual filtration: 250µm basket + 2µm ultra-fine filter
• 5L top-load debris basket
• Coverage claim up to 2,150 sq ft (in-ground)

Who it’s for:

Pool owners who want targeted modes (especially waterline), plus a filtration setup that’s designed to catch both big debris and fine particulate.

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Talosbo Pleco Pro

Talosbo’s Pleco Pro comes in as a cordless, in-ground focused robot built to cover the full “floor/walls/waterline” workload with published suction numbers and a straightforward spec sheet.

The Pleco Pro lists suction power at 4,000 GPH and positions itself for pools up to about 2,153 square feet (200㎡). It also calls out brushless motors — both for the drive system and pump motor — which is generally a good sign for efficiency and long-term durability.

Key features include:

• Cordless cleaning for floor, walls, and waterline
• Suction claim: 4,000 GPH
• Pool size claim: 2,153 sq ft / 200㎡
• Brushless drive motors and brushless pump motor (as listed)

Who it’s for:

Buyers who want a cordless, all-surfaces robot with clear suction and pool-size targets, without getting lost in gimmicks.

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2026 Robotic Pool Cleaner Comparison Matrix

Model	Cordless	Solar	Coverage	Scheduling	Runtime
Aiper Scuba V3	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline	Brand-noted	Up to 150 minutes
Beatbot Sora 70	Yes	No	Surface / Floor / Wall / Waterline	Yes	Up to 5h floor / 7h surface
Betta Flex	Yes	Yes	Surface only	Mode selection	Solar continuous concept
MOVA Diver A10	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline	Yes (App scheduling)	Up to 4h
WyBot S2 Solar Vision	Yes	Yes	Floor / Wall / Waterline (AI Vision floor-only)	Yes	2.5h+
Dolphin Nautilus EON 120D	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline / Steps / Sun ledge / Corners	Yes (App scheduling)	Up to 2.5-week cleaning concept
Dreame Z1 Pro	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline	Brand-noted	180+ minutes
iGarden K Pro	Yes	No	Floor (primary published basis)	Yes (App scheduling)	Up to 10h
Seauto SAT40	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline	Mode selection	Not clearly published
Talosbo Pleco Pro	Yes	No	Floor / Wall / Waterline	Not specified	Not clearly published

Why Investing in a Robotic Pool Cleaner Still Makes Sense

Here’s the truth: the best robotic pool cleaner doesn’t just save time — it changes how your pool feels day-to-day. Cleaner water, less debris cycling through the system, fewer “I’ll do it tomorrow” moments, and a pool that looks maintained even when life gets busy.

Robots also help reduce the burden on your main circulation system because they’re capturing debris in their own filters and scrubbing surfaces directly. That can mean less manual brushing, fewer leaf piles sitting on the floor, and less grime building up at the waterline.

If you’re shopping for a new robotic pool cleaner in 2026, you’ve got more legitimate options than ever: long-runtime cordless models, solar-assisted units, specialized surface skimmers, and “smarter” navigation systems that are actually being marketed with real specs you can compare. Hopefully this roundup makes the buying decision a little easier — and gets you one step closer to a summer where the robot does the work and you just enjoy the pool.

When + POOL first captured global attention, it did so with a deceptively simple idea: New York City is surrounded by water—why can’t New Yorkers swim in it?

Years later, that question has evolved into one of the most ambitious waterfront projects in the country. In a recent interview with Pool Magazine, Kara Meyer, Managing Director of + POOL, provided a comprehensive update on the project’s progress, regulatory breakthroughs, construction milestones, and long-term vision for reconnecting New Yorkers with their waterways.

What began as an artist-driven concept is now mid-construction in Brooklyn.

From Concept to Movement

Meyer traces + POOL’s origins to a group of architects and artists who observed the paradox of New York’s geography. “New York City’s surrounded by water and we can’t access it for swimming,” she explained. “What if we could, instead of cleaning the entire river, carve out a small piece of it?”

The early vision proposed a plus-shaped, floating pool that would filter river water directly through its walls—cleaning the water while creating a safe, contained swimming environment. The concept resonated globally. “It was really just a concept in its early design phases that just captured the imagination of the world,” Meyer said. “People all around the world were like, yes, this is awesome, this is great.”

But inspiration alone doesn’t build infrastructure. To move the idea forward, the founders created a nonprofit organization to serve as the development arm of the project.

A Mission Bigger Than a Pool

Over time, + POOL evolved from a singular design concept into a mission-driven organization focused on access, education, and stewardship.

The nonprofit was founded “with a mission to provide free and safe access to urban waters for swimming, to educate the public on the issues affecting our water quality, and to promote water stewardship and water safety education,” Meyer said.

While the iconic plus shape remains central to the brand, Meyer emphasized that the organization’s purpose extends far beyond geometry. “Plus Pool is an organization, right? But it’s also a community of people that are driving that organization and driving the idea forward,” she noted.

The brand was intentionally designed to be “inclusive and celebratory and positive and, quite literally, a plus—to the waterfront, to New Yorkers’ quality of life.”

Building the Pilot: Why the First Pool Is Different

Today, construction is underway on the first + POOL installation—a pilot facility designed to operate within a newly created regulatory framework.

“We are currently building the first + POOL, which is a pilot facility that we are developing against new regulations that we’ve ignited to even allow for this kind of innovation to exist,” Meyer explained.

Because no regulatory pathway previously existed for a floating, river-fed public pool, + POOL had to work with state and city health departments to shape new policy. After that framework was established, the project received capital funding from the Governor of New York to pilot the facility.

Rather than constructing the full plus-shaped configuration immediately, the team is building one “arm” of the plus—a lounge pool portion—to demonstrate operations, safety, and regulatory compliance.

“We took one arm of the plus to do that with that funding,” Meyer said. The intent is to allow city and state officials to understand how such a facility “would be permitted, would be regulated, would operate” before expanding further.

How the + POOL Filtration System Works

What distinguishes + POOL from traditional pools is its direct relationship with the East River.

“The difference between a traditional swimming pool is that the pool is being fed with the East River water,” Meyer said.

Rather than drawing from municipal water sources, the pool pulls water directly from the river. Filtration equipment—housed within a customized barge structure—treats the water on-site. Meyer describes the structure as a vessel: “If you think of the pool as a boat… the filtration equipment lives in the hull of that boat.”

The system continuously pulls in river water, filters it, and discharges clean water back into the river. Notably, the pilot pool will not rely on chlorine as a disinfectant. “The idea is that you’re really having a natural swimming experience in the natural waters,” Meyer explained.

Water turnover rates are significantly faster than those of traditional pools, ensuring safety while leveraging an effectively endless surrounding water source.

The result is both a recreational facility and an environmental intervention. “It’s actually filtering and cleaning the water while you’re swimming in it,” she said.

Regulatory Hurdles and Policy Breakthroughs

For nearly a decade, regulatory barriers represented the project’s biggest obstacle.

“There was no process,” Meyer stated plainly. Existing health codes recognized only two categories: pools and beaches. A floating, river-fed filtration pool fit neither.

In addition, many areas of the East River were not classified as “bathing” waters under state environmental regulations, prohibiting the construction of swimming facilities.

Through data collection, policy advocacy, and collaboration with agencies, + POOL helped establish new regulatory pathways. The updated framework allows for waivers and demonstrations of safety compliance, even in proximity to combined sewage overflow (CSO) systems—an issue common to many older cities.

“This has been kind of an interesting case study… in how you can really innovate alongside government in a way that will shift the needle,” Meyer reflected.

Funding a Public Vision

From its inception, + POOL adopted a public-benefit model inspired by projects like the High Line. Meyer explained that the nonprofit structure was chosen to ensure the pool would be equitable and accessible—not a members-only amenity.

“We wanted to make sure that was equitable and accessible to all and not reserved for… a members-only type private facility,” she said.

The project has relied heavily on private donations, volunteer expertise, and pro bono services to sustain operations and programming. Ultimately, state capital funding unlocked the ability to construct the pilot installation.

The public-private partnership model is designed to demonstrate feasibility so that future investments—public or private—can scale similar projects.

Construction Timeline: What Happens Next

As of early 2026, the floating barge structure has been constructed, and the team is preparing to install the pool liner, piping, and filtration systems.

“We’re mid construction,” Meyer said.

The plan is to float the operational structure into the river this summer to demonstrate full-scale operations to health officials. After testing and regulatory review, the team hopes to complete above-deck amenities—including decking, railings, bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms—and officially open to the public in summer 2027.

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Education and Community Programs

Even before the physical pool is complete, + POOL has invested deeply in community programming.

Recognizing that many New Yorkers lack access to swim education, the organization launched a Learn to Swim program focused on low-income youth. “Data really has shown that low-income New Yorkers are the least likely to have the ability to take swim lessons or learn to swim,” Meyer noted.

To date, the program has served more than 1,500 youth across the city, later expanding to adult learners.

In parallel, + POOL has developed STEM curricula and public data initiatives to demystify water quality. From classroom instruction to interactive dashboards—and even a floating light sculpture that changes color based on real-time water conditions—the organization has worked to make water science accessible.

“We’ve really taken a role in making sure that people understand what is safe about their water,” Meyer said.

Reconnecting a City to Its Water With + POOL

At its core, + POOL represents a cultural shift.

New York has spent decades revitalizing its waterfronts—adding parks, bike paths, and boat launches. Meyer sees + POOL as the next step: not just bringing people to the water’s edge, but into the water itself.

“We’re taking that kind of waterfront revitalization one step further and getting people into the water,” she said.

Success, in her view, isn’t just a single floating pool. It’s a new regulatory landscape, additional urban swim facilities, and a generation of residents who see their waterways not as barriers—but as assets.

New York City boasts more than 520 miles of waterfront, yet only 14 miles of beaches. “We have lots of untapped potential,” Meyer observed.

If all goes according to plan, by summer 2027 a floating pilot pool will mark the first tangible realization of a vision that began as a sketch—and a question.

What if you could swim in the East River?

Thanks to years of advocacy, engineering, and persistence, New Yorkers are closer than ever to making that dream a reality.

On a More Personal Note

At Pool Magazine, we support the + POOL initiative. Over the years, we’ve watched this project evolve from an inspired concept into a policy-shifting movement—fueled not by a single entity, but by a coalition of passionate grassroots supporters, designers, engineers, educators, legislators, and advocates who refused to let the idea fade.

Now, as the first incarnation of + POOL moves from blueprint to floating reality, it represents more than a public swim facility for New Yorkers. It represents the power of community-driven progress and a reimagining of how cities can reconnect people with their natural resources.

We’re proud to have been supporters from the beginning—and we’re excited to see this landmark public works project finally coming to fruition.

Photo Credits: + POOL – http://pluspool.com/

Ready to Take a Deeper Dive?

Listen to our entire conversation with Kara Meyer, Managing Director of + POOL on the Pool Magazine Podcast.