I was less enamored with the cleanup process after the operation was complete, and not just because the robot would have to be retrieved with a pole rather than coming to the surface after the job was done. The filter basket is quite large, but can only be accessed through a relatively small hatch. It is difficult to get all the debris out of the pipe through this hatch, especially since the shape of the basket includes a sort of shelf on the inside, where the debris is difficult to reach and see. A more open basket design or a larger hatch would be a big help at cleaning time.
Photograph: Chris Null
The basic box is designed with a fine-mesh filter on all sides, but this can be enhanced with a reusable second filter included in the box, which clips to the outside of the basket. This filter has a finer mesh count than the one on the basket, but despite this, most users probably won’t need it. I didn’t think it made much of a difference in my tests, but those experiencing problems with a lot of fine-grained dirt and sand may find it helpful.
huge price cut
At $1,599, iGarden has priced this robot aggressively, which is $1,000 less than the price of last year’s K Pro 150, while keeping performance more or less the same. This makes it a far more attractive purchase than the K series, and although it’s still on the slightly higher end, it’s now in line with many other top-shelf robots on the market. If you don’t mind getting a little wet when it’s time to take out and clean the robot, it should be a pretty strong candidate for the job as your robotic pool guy.
<a href