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By Brian Williamson | Written on April 15th, 2024
In a sea of robotic pool cleaners, the Dolphin Explorer E30 doesn’t stand out on paper. It offers waterline cleaning, a top-loading filter, and other great features – but it doesn’t have the new Gen-2 NanoFiltration.
We thought the introduction of the myDolphin Plus app in the latest model would put it over the edge. But we were wrong.
Stripped of features within the myDolphin Plus app, it appears to offer the same features as upper-level units with an app like the Dolphin Explorer E70, Explorer E50, and Sigma – but don’t let it fool you, as it is missing features found in the more expensive models.
I was disappointed to find that the introduction of the app in this model only replaced the onboard weekly timer by placing it on the app. You get the same scheduling options as the previous model, just without the ability to do it directly from the robot. I and many other users found this to be a pain.
Amidst the variety of robots offered within the Dolphin Explorer lineup, the Dolphin Explorer E30 is right in the middle of the pack. Introduced with Wi-Fi in 2023, we’ll dive in and test the latest Dolphin Explorer E30 model and see how it compares to other top 2024 Dolphin models in my in-depth review.
So what is included with the Dolphin Explorer E30? Well, let’s open the box and find out. Here is what is included with the E30:
Right out of the box, the Explorer E30 has everything you need to get started. It’s a simple setup process and no assembly is required. Unlike pressure-side and suction-side cleaners, a robotic pool cleaner doesn’t need an external booster pump. It’s simply plug-and-play.
With the addition of Wi-Fi and myDolphin Plus app, you’ll need to set up the app to get started. With a great interface, there isn’t a lot to complain about. To start, I named the robot, connected it to my Wi-Fi, and the E30 was ready to clean.
Introduced a few years ago, Dolphin dropped the onboard weekly timer for the addition of myDolphin Plus app. So what’s the difference? Well, not much. I noticed the app of the E30 was stripped of several features I found in my Dolphin Sigma review and Dolphin Explorer E70 review.
Unlike the other robots I’ve tested, there is no remote control from the app. While in the Dolphin Explorer E50, you can control it directly and steer it around your pool – this is not a feature in the E30. It has a weekly timer, but you cannot select the cycle length or schedule specific days or times, which was another disappointment. It takes the weekly timer functionality and puts it on the app.
However, the advantage of the app is the cloud connectivity. Thanks to the Wi-Fi design, you can start cleaning from anywhere. Whether you’re at home or on the go, you can start your robot. But, it still does not make up for the extra features and functionality you get on the more expensive Wi-Fi models.
If you have a weak Wi-Fi signal, you can connect to the robot via Bluetooth. But, you’ll lose the ability to connect to the E30 from the go. So if you’re worried about your Wi-Fi signal or don’t have access to Wi-Fi near your pool, this may not be the robot for you.
The Dolphin Explorer E30 cleans your entire pool. With a 60ft cord with an anti-tangle swivel, the Explorer E30 is perfect for pools up to 50ft in length. I used it in a 40ft inground gunite pool without any issues. From the floor to the waterline, the E30 scaled my pool walls and climbed up the 90-degree angle. As it reached the top, it would sit there and clean my waterline. By using horizontal jets, it moves sideways along the waterline scrubbing away.
You only see waterline cleaning on the top-end models, so it’s nice to see. Compared to the Dolphin E10, E20, or Nautilus CC Plus, you’ll notice the difference right away. These models only have wall climbing. While it sounds similar, they’ll only clean part of the wall – not the whole thing. Waterline cleaning units will clean the entire wall and move horizontally along the waterline, which is something you’ll want as an inground pool owner.
Another standout is the Explorer E30’s active brush. Unlike other cleaners that simply vacuum, Maytronics takes it a step further in their cleaners with robots that actively scrub your pool for you. Rather than aimlessly vacuuming, the Explorer E30 seemed to efficiently navigate my pool and scrub away on the pool floor and walls. I was impressed in our testing at how well the Explorer E30 scrubs, as the previous pressure-side cleaner wasn’t anywhere near as efficient.
I love the top-loading design of the Explorer E30. Just like the rest of the Dolphin Explorer lineup, it stays true to its roots. The basket is easy to clean, captures a ton of debris, and is one of the larger filter options on the market.
Rinsing and cleaning the robot is significantly easier than other robots I’ve tested from other brands where you either must pull apart the entire robot or disassemble cartridges. It’s a noticeable improvement and cleaning the filter took me less than 2 minutes.
The downside? The Dolphin Explorer E30 only includes the standard mesh filter. This filter isn’t nearly as impressive as the Gen-2 NanoFiltration that is in the new Dolphin ProLine and even optional in the new Max-Series.
What are Gen-2 NanoFiltration? They are Dolphin’s Gen-2 filtration that allows the robot to capture more microparticles in your pool. Whether you struggle with cloudy pool water or lots of microscopic algae, sand, or even dirt, NanoFilters capture it when the standard filters otherwise couldn’t. It’s a significant improvement over the standard filters, and I was disappointed to see they weren’t included with the E30.
The Dolphin Explorer E30 could mainly improve its app and filtration system. When compared to other models, it misses the mark in these two key areas. Between missing NanoFilters and features on the myDolphin Plus app, it is disappointing compared to other comparable robots. However, the cleaning performance is on par with other robots and is still one of the better-performing robots on the market.
The Dolphin Explorer E30 is a decent value if you prioritize having an app. The Dolphin Explorer E30 is a solid and reliable pool cleaner; however, it lacks NanoFilters and is stripped of myDolphin Plus app features. But after testing the Explorer E30 in my pool, it doesn’t have any advantage over the Quantum especially since the E30 does not have NanoFilters.
The app is rather lackluster in comparison to the more expensive Dolphin Explorer E50, Dolphin Explorer E70, and Dolphin Sigma as the E30’s app is stripped of essential features. With other top models, such as the ProLine’s Dolphin Quantum including NanoFilters and being cheaper, it’s hard to justify recommending the Explorer E30 over other robots.
With a host of other Dolphin pool cleaners, there are a lot of great alternatives to the Explorer E30 if you want to get the best bang for your buck or if you want one of the best Dolphin pool robots Maytronics has to offer.
The most reasonable alternative is the Dolphin Quantum. With NanoFilters, onboard weekly timer, and more, the Quantum offers more for less. The addition of NanoFiltration is welcome with open arms as it outperforms the standard filters (which are also included with the Quantum). It’s a fantastic value within the Dolphin line and well worth checking out.
Read my review of the Dolphin Quantum →
The best upgrade to the Explorer E30 if you want more app functionality is the Dolphin Sigma. With a 50% longer 3-year warranty, NanoFilters, gyroscope, and 3 commercial-grade motors boasting an additional power of 500 gallons per hour, it’s one of the top-performing Dolphin pool cleaners ever. It’s worth every penny.
Read my review of the Dolphin Sigma →
Rated the best robotic pool cleaner of the year by USA Today, the Dolphin Premier is another top Dolphin pool cleaner. A part of the ProLine as well, it boasts commercial-grade motors, a 3-year warranty, MultiMedia, NanoFilters, and even the exclusive leaf bag. It’s one of the more unique pool cleaners, as it has 3 filters included. I loved testing the Premier and is rated #1 on the best robotic pool cleaners of 2024 for a reason.
Read my review of the Dolphin Premier →
Want to splurge and get the top of Dolphin’s lineup? Go with the Dolphin Explorer E70. While not as great a value as the Premier and Sigma, it includes a 3-year warranty, caddy, and a dual-layer filter basket. We loved how easy the E70 is to use. With all the features on the myDolphin Plus app, it uses a temperature sensor and even has a pickup mode.
