The Best Saltwater Pool Cleaner: Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra Conquers a Salty Mess

I’m Nathanael Greene, a pool pro with over 15 years of experience designing, building, and maintaining pools, now sharing my expertise as a blog writer for Beatbot. My pool passion ignited with childhood summers cannonballing into my granddad’s Georgia backyard oasis, and it’s since grown into a career of solving aquatic puzzles. 

In Tampa, Florida, saltwater pools reign supreme—low-maintenance, skin-friendly, and a magnet for my clients. Since the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Series launched in February 2025, I’ve been testing the AquaSense 2 Ultra , and on March 8, a client’s neglected saltwater pool became its proving ground. Here’s why it’s my top pick for saltwater supremacy, blending a real-life case with killer selling points that set it apart from the pack.

My client, Linda, owns a 22,000-gallon in-ground saltwater pool—gunite, freeform, with an 8-foot deep end—in Tampa’s Bayshore area. She’d been sailing smoothly at 3400 PPM salinity until a month-long vacation left it untouched. By March 8, 2025, I arrived to a horror show: algae coated the walls like a bad shag carpet, oak leaves floated thick, and the water reeked of neglect. “I thought salt would save me!” she groaned, peering from her patio. Saltwater pools resist corrosion, but they’re not immune to chaos. I’d been testing the AquaSense 2 Ultra since February, and Linda’s mess was the perfect salty stress test for this $3,450 marvel.

The AquaSense 2 Ultra, unveiled at CES 2025, is Beatbot’s saltwater titan. I dropped it in, fired up Pro mode on the Beatbot app (5G/2.4G WiFi), and it dove into Linda’s green abyss. Its HybridSense™ AI Pool Mapping—27 sensors (AI camera, infrared, ultrasonics)—charted her freeform layout like a pool GPS, dodging a stray pool float. The 13,400mAh battery (outmuscling the 10,400mAh AquaSense 2 Pro) delivered 8.5 hours of surface skimming or 5 hours of 5-in-1 cleaning: floor, walls, waterline, surface, and water clarity. Eleven motors pumped 5500 GPH suction—plenty for salt’s fine debris—while dual-side brushes and a 265mm roller scrubbed algae off gunite. The ClearWater Clarification System dropped chitosan to clump the murk, safe up to 5000 PPM salinity.

After 3 hours, the 3.7-liter basket brimmed with green goo and leaves—eclipsing the 2.5-liter AquaSense 2 Pro ’s capacity. By March 9, post-second run and a chlorine nudge, Linda’s pool sparkled—proof it’s a saltwater beast.

Saltwater pools demand corrosion-resistant gear, and the Ultra’s built for it—handling 5000 PPM with ease, perfect for Linda’s 3400 PPM setup. Beyond durability, its 5-in-1 versatility crushed her mess where the AquaSense 2 ($1,499) falters—it skips surface and clarity, leaving salt-fine particles behind. The Ultra’s AI adapts to any shape—Linda’s freeform curves were no match—while Multi-Platform mode (OTA-updated by March) hit her sunledge, a trick the 2 Pro ($2,499) can’t fully master.

Linda’s a busy exec—she wanted a cleaner, not a chore. The Ultra’s cordless design (no hose tangles!), Smart Surface Parking (it floats to the edge), and app control (schedule it from your couch) made it a set-and-forget dream. At 24 pounds, it’s hefty—Linda huffed lifting it—but worth it for zero manual scrubbing. The AquaSense 2 Pro matches the 5-in-1, but its simpler 20-sensor navigation lacks the Ultra’s finesse in chaotic salt pools.

Saltwater’s eco-friendly vibe pairs with the Ultra’s smarts. Its chitosan clarifier cuts chemical use—Linda’s pool cleared without a chlorine overdose—while the 13,400mAh battery sips power (8.5 hours skimming beats the 4-hour AquaSense 2 ). The spot cleaning function on the bottom of the pool keeps salt pools pristine between big cleans—a perk neither sibling fully nails.

The Ultra’s 24-pound heft was a grunt to retrieve—Linda quipped, “I need a gym membership now!”—outweighing the 22-pound AquaSense 2. WiFi’s 2.4GHz-only dropped once in her oak-shaded yard on March 8; I restarted it manually (cordless life, shared across the series). Linda skipped the full 4.5-hour charge post-unboxing—first run stalled. “Charge it like your Tesla,” I said, docking it. The basket packed tight with algae—rinse it fast, or it’s a salty stink bomb.

By March 9, Linda’s pool was a salty stunner—no sweat, no service call—the AquaSense 2 Ultra ruled. At $3,450, it’s pricier than the AquaSense 2 ($1,499) or 2 Pro ($2,499), but for saltwater warriors facing Tampa’s debris and algae, it’s unmatched. The heft and WiFi quirks fade against its durability, ease, and eco-edge. Linda’s sold—“It’s my pool’s new boss!”—and I am too. Childhood me would’ve marveled; adult me crowns it the best saltwater cleaner, bar none. Beatbot’s Ultra is your salty pool’s VIP.