Help me choose
Residential and commercial pools need different robots
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up and Dolphin W20 serve different kinds of pools, so there is no honest one-size-fits-all winner. Choose Dolphin Cayman for residential use. Choose Dolphin Wave 60 for commercial use.
Nautilus
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up
Inground and above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with heavy leaves.
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 60
Commercial pools up to 50 ft that need floor, wall and waterline cleaning.
$1,699
Buy Dolphin Wave 60Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up or Dolphin W20: our take
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up and Dolphin W20 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 Nautilus Pool Up is intended for inground and above-ground pools, while Dolphin W20 is intended for commercial pools. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up has a published maximum pool length of 30 ft; the other model does not have a verified length in our source material. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up cleans floor and walls; Dolphin W20 cleans floor, walls, and waterline. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up lists 1 active brush. Dolphin W20 lists Commercial-grade motors.
Filtration and debris
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up has documented included filtration—Oversized leaf bag—while the other model's included media is not fully published. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up also has the better documented path for bulky leaves and larger debris.
Controls and day-to-day ownership
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up provides one-touch starts and power-supply controls; Dolphin W20 provides no fully published timer, app or remote specification. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up uses a 40 ft corded cable, while Dolphin W20 uses continuous corded power.
Price, warranty and the decision
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is listed at $499 and Dolphin W20 at $1,999; Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is $1,500 less. Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up lists a 2-year warranty compared with 3 years for Dolphin W20. 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 60. Commercial pools up to 50 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 Nautilus Pool Up | Dolphin W20 |
|---|---|---|
| Cleans the pool floor | Yes | Yes |
| Climbs and cleans walls | Yes | Yes |
| Scrubs the waterline | No | YesEdge |
| Fine-debris filter included | No | No |
| Large-debris filter | YesEdge | No |
| Automatic scheduling | No | Not listed |
| Smartphone app | No | Not listed |
| Anti-tangle swivel | Not listed | Not listed |
| 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 Nautilus Pool Up stands out
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up is the better fit for shoppers prioritizing the lower $499 starting price.
- Includes an oversized leaf bag for bulky seasonal debris
- Includes a large-debris bin or bag for leaves
- Is listed $1,500 lower
Where Dolphin W20 stands out
Dolphin W20 is the better fit for commercial pools that need floor, wall and waterline cleaning.
- Cleans the floor, walls and waterline instead of stopping below the tile line
- Carries a 3-year warranty instead of 2 years
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up vs Dolphin W20 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 Nautilus Pool Up | Dolphin W20 |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | Inground and above-ground pools up to 30 ft that need floor and wall cleaning, with heavy leaves. | Commercial pools that need floor, wall and waterline cleaning. |
| Starting price | $499 | $1,999 |
| Pool type | Inground, Above-ground | Commercial |
| Maximum pool length | Up to 30 ft | Not listed |
| Cleaning coverage | Floor, Walls | Floor, Walls, Waterline |
| Power | Corded | Corded |
| Filtration | Oversized leaf bag | Not listed |
| Scheduling | One-touch start | Not listed |
| App and remote | Power-supply controls | Not listed |
| Cable | 40 ft | Not listed |
| Robot weight | 18 lb | Not listed |
| Warranty | 2 years | 3 years |
Choose for the pool you operate
Dolphin Nautilus Pool Up and Dolphin W20 serve different kinds of pools, so there is no honest one-size-fits-all winner. Choose Dolphin Cayman for residential use. Choose Dolphin Wave 60 for commercial use.
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