Robotic and Solar Pool Skimmers: How to Choose One

A robotic pool skimmer floats on the water and collects what lands on it before it has a chance to sink. Leaves, pollen, insects and seeds drift into a basket as the skimmer moves around the pool, and the battery is charged by a solar panel on top while it works. Because the debris is caught at the surface, less of it ends up on the floor or in your pool’s own skimmer basket.

A skimmer only cleans the surface, though. It does not climb the walls or reach the floor, so dirt that has already sunk, along with the sand and silt that settle at the bottom, still needs a floor robot or a manual vacuum. A skimmer can run alongside a floor robot, working through the day while the robot runs its own cycle.

A few specs answer most of the questions a buyer has. The power source tells you how the battery is refilled. A solar-only skimmer depends on sunshine, while a dual-power model adds a wall or DC charger for cloudy spells and shaded pools. The runtime per charge tells you how long it can keep going without sun, and the makers’ figures run from 12 to 35 hours. The filter mesh, given in microns, tells you how small a particle the basket holds back, and a lower number means a finer mesh. The way the basket comes out decides how quick the regular emptying is. App control and scheduling decide whether you set the skimmer’s hours from your phone or simply switch it on and leave it.

How the Tiers Differ

Robotic skimmers sit in the Mid Tier ($200 to $500) and the Premium tier ($500 to $1,000), and none in the table falls into the Budget or Pro tier.

Most of the choice is in the Mid Tier. These skimmers share the same basic job, so the differences come down to how they charge, how long they run and whether they connect to an app. Most of them back up the solar panel with a charger, some pair with an app, and almost all of them lift the basket out through the top.

In the Premium tier, Betta Flex and Betta Neo go in different directions. The Flex charges from the sun alone and has a soft casing and a low profile, and at 8.3 pounds it is the lightest skimmer in the table. The Neo adds a wall adapter and an app with weather-based scheduling. Betta rates both for pools up to 2,400 square feet.

A Dual-Power Skimmer in the Mid Tier

Betta SE Plus is the Mid Tier pick, and Betta rates it for pools up to 2,400 square feet or 60 feet long. It charges from its solar panel as it floats, and a wall adapter refills the battery in 3.5 hours when the weather has been cloudy. Betta quotes 30 hours of skimming on a full charge. The basket lifts out through the top and uses a 200-micron mesh. Betta also gave it a shallower design than the SE, which helps in pools with shallow steps.

The main limit of Betta SE Plus is control. It has no app and no schedule, so it runs when you switch it on and stops when you switch it off. It is also the heaviest of the picks at 15 pounds, which matters a little when you lift it out to empty the basket every few days.

Weather-Based Scheduling in the Premium Tier

Betta Neo is the Premium pick. It pairs solar charging with a wall adapter, and its app can set the skimmer’s operating times or steer it by hand. Betta describes the scheduling as weather-based. Betta rates it for pools up to 2,400 square feet or 60 feet long and quotes 30 hours per charge. It weighs 9 pounds, and its 200-micron basket comes out through the top.

The app is the main reason to choose Betta Neo. If you would rather not use one, Betta SE Plus has the same rated pool size, the same runtime and the same mesh in the tier below. Both come with a 1-year warranty.

Phone Control and a Longer Runtime in the Mid Tier

Aiper Surfer S2 is the second Mid Tier pick, for an owner who wants app control without moving up to the Premium tier. Aiper quotes 35 hours per charge, the longest runtime among the skimmers in the table. Solar charging is backed up by a DC charger, and the app adds scheduling, remote control and battery monitoring. Its 150-micron filter is the finest mesh of the picks, so it can hold back smaller particles than the Betta models. It weighs 12.6 pounds.

If you want a maker’s rating to check against the size of your pool, Betta SE Plus and Betta Neo are each rated for up to 2,400 square feet. A rated size gives you a figure to check against your own pool before you buy.

Robotic Skimmers From Our Partner Brands

• 

  Aiper Surfer S2

  Solar and battery · Water surface

  Check price at Aiper

  Read our guide

• On sale

  Betta Flex

  Solar · Water surface · Up to 2,400 sq ft · In-ground and above-ground pools

  Check price at Betta

  Read our guide

• 

  Wybot F1

  Solar and battery · Water surface · In-ground and above-ground pools

  Check price at Wybot

  Read our guide

• On sale

  Betta Neo

  Solar and battery · Water surface · Up to 2,400 sq ft · In-ground and above-ground pools

  Check price at Betta

  Read our guide

• 

  Betta SE Plus

  Solar and battery · Water surface · Up to 2,400 sq ft · In-ground and above-ground pools

  Check price at Betta

  Read our guide

• 

  Betta SE

  Solar · Water surface · Pools up to 60 ft long

  Check price at Betta

  Read our guide

Shaded Pools and Cloudy Weather

A solar-only skimmer runs on what its panel has collected, so a pool that sits in shade for much of the day can leave it short of charge. Betta SE and Betta Flex charge from the sun alone, and Betta lists 6 hours of solar charging for each. The Flex has an ECO setting that saves energy when sunshine is limited. If your pool is shaded, a dual-power model such as Betta SE Plus, Betta Neo, Aiper Surfer S2 or Wybot F1 can be topped up from a charger instead. The table’s power source filter separates the two kinds.

Leaves, Pollen and Fine Debris

Skimmer baskets use a fine mesh. Aiper Surfer S2 has a 150-micron filter, Wybot F1 collects debris in a side drawer with a 180-micron filter, and Betta SE Plus uses a 200-micron mesh like the other Betta models. A lower micron number means a finer mesh that can hold back smaller particles, while leaves and insects are large enough for any of them. In leaf season the basket fills quickly, and Betta suggests emptying the SE Plus every two to three days, and more often when leaves are falling.

Phone Control and Scheduling

If you want the skimmer to run on its own timetable, look for app scheduling. Betta Neo and Aiper Surfer S2 can both be scheduled from their makers’ apps. Wybot F1 connects to Wybot’s app for choosing a cleaning mode and calling it back for retrieval, but it has no schedule. Betta SE comes with a wireless remote for taking over its direction, and Betta SE Plus and Betta Flex work without an app at all. The table’s scheduling filter shows which models offer it.

A Skimmer Next to a Floor Robot

A skimmer does not replace a pool cleaner. It catches debris at the surface, which can mean fewer leaves sink to the floor between your robot’s cycles, but the floor, the walls and the waterline still need a robotic pool cleaner or a brush. If you already own a floor robot, a skimmer is the piece that looks after the surface while the robot is out of the water.

The table below lists every robotic pool skimmer we cover, with filters for power source, tier and scheduling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a robotic pool skimmer clean the floor?

No. A skimmer floats and collects debris from the surface only, so the floor and walls still need a robotic pool cleaner or a manual vacuum.

Do solar pool skimmers work on cloudy days?

Yes, for a while. They run on a battery that the panel charges, and the makers quote between 12 and 35 hours per charge, while dual-power models can also be refilled from a charger.

Can I use one in a saltwater pool?

Some, yes. Betta lists saltwater pools for Betta SE Plus, Betta Neo and Betta Flex. For any other model, check the maker’s list of water types before you buy.

Will a skimmer work in an above-ground pool?

Many will. Betta lists in-ground and above-ground pools for Betta SE Plus, Betta Neo and Betta Flex, and Wybot lists both for Wybot F1.

How often should I empty the basket?

Every few days, and more often in leaf season. Betta suggests every two to three days for Betta SE Plus, since a full basket cannot hold any more of what lands on the water.

Related Reading

• Robotic Leaf Skimmers: What They Do and Do You Really Need One?
• Do You Need Both a Robotic Pool Cleaner and Skimmer?
• Do Robotic Leaf Skimmers Work in All Pool Water Types?
• Robotic Leaf Skimmer Navigation: Systems, Sensors, and Smart Cleaning
• Filter Basket Access in Robotic Pool Cleaners and Skimmers – What to Expect