Help me choose
Dolphin buying guide
Compare Dolphin Pool Cleaners
Every current Dolphin model sold by Pool Express is available in the interactive chart below. Compare the residential ProLine and Max-Series first; move to Wave only for a commercial pool or extra-long reach.
- 8 current models
- 4 residential choices
- 4 commercial Wave robots
Reviewed by Brian Williamson, Pool Express product specialist
Choose any three current Dolphins
Dolphin pool cleaner comparison chart
Switch any column to compare the current residential ProLine and Max-Series robots or the commercial Wave lineup. Start with pool fit and cleaning coverage, then compare filtration and automation.
Choose any model above; on smaller screens, scroll sideways for all three
| Compare | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Best forThe quickest way to narrow the choices | Leaves, fine debris, and complete inground-pool cleaning | Smart controls, strong scrubbing, and advanced navigation | Smaller pools that need floor and wall cleaning |
| Starting price | $1,999 | $2,399 | $1,079 |
| Pool type | Inground | Inground | Inground, Above-ground |
| Maximum pool length | Up to 50 ft | Up to 50 ft | Up to 40 ft |
| Cleaning coverageFloor, walls, and waterline | Floor, Walls, Waterline | Floor, Walls, Waterline | Floor, Walls |
| Included filtration | Standard filters, NanoFilters, Oversized leaf bag, Multi-Media | Standard filters, NanoFilters | MaxBin |
| Power and cable | 60 ft cable with anti-tangle swivel | 55 ft cable with anti-tangle swivel | 50 ft cable |
| Automatic scheduling | Weekly schedule | Weekly schedule | Weekly schedule |
| Smartphone app | Power-supply controls | App control | Power-supply controls |
| Navigation | SmartNav 2.0 | SmartNav 3.0 with gyroscope | SmartNav 2.0 |
| Active brushes | 2 active brushes | 2 active brushes | 1 active brush |
| Robot weight | 20.3 lb | 24.6 lb | 14.6 lb |
| Manufacturer warranty | 3 years | 3 years | 2 years |
The short answer
The four Dolphins most homeowners should compare
For a residential pool, start here. Premier and Sigma handle complete inground-pool cleaning; Cayman and Escape cover smaller pools with lighter bodies and simpler controls.
Dolphin Premier
The most versatile filter system: switch among standard filters, NanoFilters and an oversized leaf bag as debris changes.
Dolphin Sigma
Triple commercial-grade motors, gyroscope navigation, active scrubbing and app control for a technology-first inground cleaner.
Dolphin Cayman
A lightweight MaxBin robot that climbs walls and starts itself with a weekly schedule in pools up to 40 ft.
Dolphin Escape
A lightweight MaxBin floor cleaner for above-ground and smaller inground pools up to 30 ft.
Choose the right family first
ProLine vs Max-Series vs Wave
The series name matters less than pool fit, but it is a useful first filter. Most homeowners should choose between ProLine and Max-Series; Wave is built around commercial reach and duty.
ProLine
Choose ProLine for a typical inground pool when waterline cleaning, long cable reach and advanced filtration matter. Premier specializes in changing debris and leaves, Sigma prioritizes navigation and connected controls, and Quantum pairs an XXL MaxBin with ProLine coverage and value.
- Floor, wall and waterline coverage
- NanoFilters or Multi-Media filtration
- Weekly scheduling; connected controls on Sigma and Quantum
- Two- or three-year manufacturer warranty by model
Max-Series
Choose Max-Series for lightweight handling and a large top-load basket. Cayman cleans floors and walls on a weekly schedule, while Escape delivers a quick, focused floor cycle.
- Top-load MaxBin debris capacity
- Light 14.2–14.6 lb bodies
- Cayman for pools up to 40 ft; Escape up to 30 ft
- Two-year manufacturer warranty
Wave
Choose Wave for hotels, apartments, schools and other facility pools. The current lineup scales from the 50 ft Wave 60 to the 88 ft Wave 100. A residential owner usually gets better filtration and automation value from ProLine.
- Models for commercial pools from 50 to 88 ft
- Commercial-grade motors and corded power
- Floor, wall and waterline coverage
- Wave 90i adds smartphone app control
Model-by-model
Which Dolphin pool cleaner should you buy?
Choose for the debris you actually see and the surfaces you want the robot to scrub. Extra features do not make a cleaner a better fit if the cable, coverage or filter is wrong for the pool.
Dolphin Premier: best overall
Premier is the strongest all-season recommendation when the pool sees both fine debris and large leaves. Its Multi-Media system swaps among standard cartridges, NanoFilters and an oversized leaf bag. It cleans the floor, walls and waterline of pools up to 50 ft, includes a weekly schedule and carries a three-year warranty.
Dolphin Sigma: best smart cleaner
Sigma puts the focus on movement and control: three commercial-grade motors, gyroscope-assisted SmartNav 3.0 navigation, active scrubbing, a 55 ft swivel cable and the MyDolphin Plus app. It includes standard filters and NanoFilters, cleans pools up to 50 ft and carries a three-year warranty.
Dolphin Quantum: best ProLine value
Quantum combines floor, wall and waterline cleaning with the ProLine’s long swivel cable and weekly schedule. Its top-loading XXL MaxBin and included NanoFilters make it a strong fit for fine debris in inground pools up to 50 ft.
Dolphin Cayman: best for small pools
Cayman weighs 14.6 lb, cleans floors and walls in inground and above-ground pools up to 40 ft and includes a weekly schedule. The MaxBin lifts out from the top for quick rinsing, while its 50 ft cord provides useful reach around varied pool shapes.
Dolphin Escape: best above-ground value
Escape brings one active brush, SmartNav 2.0, a top-load MaxBin and a 90-minute floor cycle to a 14.2 lb body. It is a strong fit for inground and above-ground pools up to 30 ft where fast floor cleaning and easy lifting matter most.
Dolphin Wave: for commercial pools
The Wave lineup is purpose-built for longer pools and repeated facility use. Wave 60 covers pools up to 50 ft, Wave 80 up to 68 ft, Wave 90i up to 65 ft with app control, and Wave 100 up to 88 ft. Choose by the facility’s maximum length and service workload, then confirm the exact filter and handling package on the model page.
What changes the clean
The four specifications that matter most
Model names are not a reliable hierarchy. These four decisions eliminate most of the lineup quickly.
Cleaning coverage
Escape cleans the floor; Cayman adds walls; Premier and Sigma add the waterline. Do not pay for waterline capability if the pool does not collect film there, but do not expect a floor-only model to climb it later.
Filtration
MaxBin favors easy handling and capacity. NanoFilters capture fine silt and pollen. Premier’s Multi-Media system is the most adaptable because it can switch between fine cartridges and a large leaf bag.
Timer and app
A weekly timer starts repeated cycles without phone control. An app adds remote scheduling and, on supported models, manual steering. Escape is manual-start; Cayman and Premier use power-supply timers; Sigma adds app control.
Cable, weight and warranty
Match cable reach to the pool and outlet location. A swivel helps a long cable manage itself. Cayman and Escape weigh about 14 lb, while the ProLine models range from 18.3 to 24.6 lb. Warranty runs two or three years by model.
Still narrowing it down?
Match the robot to the pool
- Above-ground, floor only: Dolphin Escape
- Small pool, floor and walls: Dolphin Cayman
- Inground with leaves: Dolphin Premier
- Inground with smart controls: Dolphin Sigma
- Commercial or extra-long pool: Dolphin Wave
Straight answers
Dolphin comparison questions
Use the chart for exact specifications. These answers cover the decisions shoppers ask about most often.
Which Dolphin pool cleaner is the best?
For most inground pools, start with Premier for changing debris, Sigma for navigation and connected controls, or Quantum for ProLine value and top-load filtration. Cayman adds lightweight floor-and-wall cleaning, while Escape focuses on a fast floor cycle.
What is the difference between the Dolphin series?
ProLine (Premier, Sigma and Quantum) covers complete residential inground-pool cleaning, Max-Series (Cayman and Escape) uses lighter bodies and top-load MaxBins, and Wave is the commercial line for longer pools and facility duty.
Which Dolphin models clean the waterline?
Premier, Sigma, Quantum and the Wave commercial models clean the floor, walls and waterline. Cayman covers the floor and walls, while Escape specializes in floor cleaning; the chart marks coverage in its own row.
Are the prices in the chart current?
Yes, they are live from our store and update with every build. Open-box and refurbished Dolphins are listed on their own pages.
Expert help, no guesswork
Tell us about your pool
Share the pool length, surface and usual debris. A Pool Pro can narrow the chart to the two models that fit and explain what you gain by stepping up.
