Help me choose
Residential and commercial pools need different robots
Dolphin Active 15 and Dolphin Wave 140 serve different kinds of pools, so there is no honest one-size-fits-all winner. Choose Dolphin Cayman for residential use. Choose Dolphin Wave 100 for commercial use.
Active
Dolphin Active 15
Inground and above-ground pools up to 33 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with fine debris.
Wave
Dolphin Wave 140
Commercial pools up to 127 ft in daily use that need floor cleaning with high capacity.
Choose residential and commercial cleaners separately
Dolphin Cayman
Inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft that need floor and wall cleaning.
$1,079
Buy Dolphin Cayman
Dolphin Wave 100
Commercial pools up to 88 ft that need floor, wall and waterline cleaning.
$4,699
Buy Dolphin Wave 100Dolphin Active 15 or Dolphin Wave 140: our take
Dolphin Active 15 and Dolphin Wave 140 can be compared on specifications, but they are designed for different jobs. Start with residential versus commercial use, then use the details below to understand the tradeoffs.
Pool fit and cleaning reach
Dolphin Active 15 is intended for inground and above-ground pools, while Dolphin Wave 140 is intended for commercial pools. Dolphin Active 15 is rated for pools up to 33 ft; Dolphin Wave 140 is rated up to 127 ft. Dolphin Active 15 cleans floor and walls; Dolphin Wave 140 cleans floor. Dolphin Active 15 lists 1 active brush. Dolphin Wave 140 lists 6 active brushes.
Filtration and debris
Dolphin Active 15 includes Basket and UltraFilter; Dolphin Wave 140 includes Basket. That gives Dolphin Active 15 the clearer documented edge for fine silt, pollen and sand.
Controls and day-to-day ownership
Dolphin Active 15 provides a weekly timer and power-supply controls; Dolphin Wave 140 provides one-touch starts and included remote control. Dolphin Active 15 uses a 40 ft corded cable, while Dolphin Wave 140 uses a 140 ft corded cable. Dolphin Active 15 is listed at 14 lb versus 55.1 lb for Dolphin Wave 140; that 41.1 lb difference matters when lifting the robot from the pool.
Price, warranty and the decision
Dolphin Active 15 is listed at $849 and Dolphin Wave 140 at $8,499; Dolphin Active 15 is $7,650 less. Dolphin Active 15 lists a 2-year warranty compared with 3 years for Dolphin Wave 140. These robots are built for different jobs, so pool type and facility capacity decide the comparison before individual features do. For a residential pool, the Pool Express pick is Dolphin Cayman. Inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft that need floor and wall cleaning. For a commercial facility, the Pool Express pick is Dolphin Wave 100. Commercial pools up to 88 ft that need floor, wall and waterline cleaning.
Feature check: what each robot actually has
A green check means the feature is documented as included. A red X means it is documented as absent. A dash means the source does not make the feature clear.
| Feature | Dolphin Active 15 | Dolphin Wave 140 |
|---|---|---|
| Cleans the pool floor | Yes | Yes |
| Climbs and cleans walls | YesEdge | No |
| Scrubs the waterline | No | No |
| Fine-debris filter included | YesEdge | No |
| Large-debris filter | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic scheduling | YesEdge | No |
| Smartphone app | No | Not listed |
| Anti-tangle swivel | Not listed | No |
| 3-year warranty | No | YesEdge |
| No recharging between cycles | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in UV-C water treatment | No | No |
Unknown is not treated as “no.” Specifications come from the product pages, current catalog records and manufacturer material collected for this site.
Where Dolphin Active 15 stands out
Dolphin Active 15 is the better fit for shoppers prioritizing the lower $849 starting price.
- Adds wall climbing and scrubbing
- Includes filtration for sand, pollen and other fine debris
- Can start on a weekly schedule without a manual launch before every cycle
- Is listed $7,650 lower
Where Dolphin Wave 140 stands out
Dolphin Wave 140 is the better fit for pools up to 127 ft.
- Uses 6 active brushes instead of 1
- Carries a 3-year warranty instead of 2 years
- Is rated for pools up to 127 ft
Dolphin Active 15 vs Dolphin Wave 140 specifications
Use pool fit first. Price and app control do not make up for a robot that cannot cover the length or surfaces you need cleaned.
| Specification | Dolphin Active 15 | Dolphin Wave 140 |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Inground and above-ground pools up to 33 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with fine debris. | Commercial pools up to 127 ft in daily use that need floor cleaning with high capacity. |
| Starting price | $849 | $8,499 |
| Pool type | Inground, Above-ground | Inground |
| Maximum pool length | Up to 33 ft | Up to 127 ft |
| Cleaning coverage | Floor, Walls | Floor |
| Power | Corded | Corded |
| Filtration | Basket, UltraFilter | Basket |
| Scheduling | Weekly schedule | One-touch start |
| App and remote | Power-supply controls | Not listed |
| Cable | 40 ft | 140 ft |
| Robot weight | 14 lb | 55.1 lb |
| Warranty | 2 years | 3 years |
Choose for the pool you operate
Dolphin Active 15 and Dolphin Wave 140 serve different kinds of pools, so there is no honest one-size-fits-all winner. Choose Dolphin Cayman for residential use. Choose Dolphin Wave 100 for commercial use.
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