Identifying Top Robotic Pool Cleaners for In-Ground Pools via a Real-World Example

There’s nothing like the thrill of diving into a pool—whether it’s an above-ground setup or a sprawling in-ground beauty. But let’s be real: keeping them pristine is a whole different beast. Last summer, I got a call from Tom, a homeowner in Cary, North Carolina, who’d just sunk his savings into a 25,000-gallon in-ground pool. “Nathanael, I love this thing,” he said, standing by his new fiberglass oasis, “but I’m sweating bullets trying to clean it. Is a robot worth it?” Tom’s question hit home—above-ground and in-ground pools aren’t just priced differently; their maintenance is night and day. So, I rolled up to his place with my gear to find out what robotic cleaners could do for his in-ground giant. Here’s what I learned, fresh from the water’s edge.

Tom’s pool was a stunner—custom curves, built-in steps, and a deep end that begged for cannonballs. It’s a far cry from the above-ground pools I’ve worked on, like the one my neighbor slapped together on a concrete slab last year. Above-ground pools are quick to set up, shallow by nature, and stuck in standard shapes—no fancy therapy jets or infinity edges. They don’t last as long either; you’re lucky to get a decade out of one. In-ground pools like Tom’s, though? They’re dug deep, built to last, and can boost your home’s value—if you’re willing to shell out for the excavation and upkeep.

Tom’s eyes widened when I explained the maintenance gap. “My old above-ground pool just needed a quick skim,” he said. “This feels like a second job.” He wasn’t wrong—in-ground pools demand more. Bigger surfaces, trickier corners, and built-in features like skimmers mean you’re not just skimming leaves; you’re battling algae, dirt, and debris across a sprawling canvas.

Picture this: it’s 95 degrees, humidity’s through the roof, and I’m wrestling a clunky vacuum pole around Tom’s pool, praying I don’t slip in. “There’s got to be an easier way,” I muttered, wiping sweat from my brow. That’s when I handed Tom a lifeline: a robotic pool cleaner. But not just any robot—this beast had to handle a big in-ground pool without blinking. “I don’t want to babysit it,” Tom said. “If it dies halfway through, I’m back to square one.” He had a point—automation’s only a win if it covers the whole pool in one shot, no recharging breaks or mid-clean rescues.

Tom wasn’t just after a clean pool—he wanted to feel in control. “I need to know what’s going on down there,” he told me, gesturing at the water. “Is it a mess? Can I tweak how it cleans?” I couldn’t agree more. A top-tier robotic cleaner for an in-ground pool should be like a trusty sidekick—smart enough to map the pool, adapt to its quirks, and report back. Bonus points if it hooks up to my phone so I can boss it around from the patio chair. Tom nodded. “I’d love to tell it to hit the deep end harder after last week’s storm.” With that in mind, I set out to find the best robots for the job.

After testing a lineup of cleaners in Tom’s pool, I zeroed in on a few standouts. First up was the workhorse I’d seen tame bigger pools than his. It glided across the 25,000 gallons like it was born for it, scrubbing the floor, scaling the walls, and even hitting the waterline where pine needles loved to hide. “Look at that,” Tom said, grinning as it churned through debris without a hiccup. Its battery lasted the full cycle—no mid-clean timeouts—and the app let us tweak its path to focus on the storm-ravaged deep end. By the end, the water sparkled, and Tom was sold. “I’m not touching that vacuum again,” he declared.

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