A suction cleaner plugs into the skimmer box and uses the pool pump's suction to move around the pool, so it cleans only while the pump runs, and what it picks up goes to the skimmer basket and the filter. The six below differ in whether they climb the walls, how they cope with leaves, how far their hose reaches, and how long each is covered.
| Cleaner | Drive | Cleans | Hose | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kreepy Krauly VTX-7 | Flow valve | Floor and walls | 12m | 2 years, 10 on the flow drive | $700–800 |
| Zodiac AX20 Activ | Turbine on tracks | Floor and walls to the waterline | 12m | 2 years | $700–800 |
| Pentair Rebel 2 | Turbine on two wheels | Floor and walls to the waterline | 10.5m | 3 years | $500–600 |
| Zodiac G2 | Diaphragm | Floor and part of the walls | 12m | 2 years | $500–600 |
| Kreepy Krauly Sprinta Plus | Turbine with geared steering | Floor, corners and steps | 10m | 2 years, 10 on the turbine | $600–700 |
| Kreepy Krauly VTX-3 | Flow valve | Floor and walls | 10m | 2 years, 10 on the flow drive | $450–500 |
Drives, hoses and warranties are from Kreepy Krauly's own pages and the product pages of the stores linked below. Prices are the lowest linked store's, checked on 28 September 2026.
1. Best Overall: Kreepy Krauly VTX-7
The VTX-7 is made in Australia and cleans the floor and walls in a criss-cross pattern on a 12m hose. Its only moving part is a flow valve, and an oversized leaf scoop takes large leaves; Clark Rubber's listing rates it for light to heavy leaf loads. It runs on low pump suction and suits all pool surfaces.
Kreepy Krauly covers the flow drive for ten years and the rest of the cleaner for two. Both stores' listings say its criss-cross pattern suits pools with curved walls best.
What We Like:
- Floor and walls
- Handles heavy leaf loads
- 10 years on the flow drive
What We Don't Like:
- Pattern suits curved pools best
2. Best for Walls and Waterline: Zodiac AX20 Activ
The AX20 drives on tracks, powered by a turbine, and scrubs as it goes, with brushes that loosen algae and fine dirt. It climbs the walls to the waterline, cleans a 35cm path, and is rated for in-ground pools up to 12m by 6m on its 12m hose. It's listed for concrete, pebblecrete, tile, fibreglass and vinyl.
Clark Rubber sells it in store, and Pool Shop Australia, a pool retailer in New South Wales, sells it online. The warranty is two years.
What We Like:
- Scrubs to the waterline
- Tracks climb tile and vinyl
- Pools up to 12 x 6m
What We Don't Like:
- 2-year warranty
3. Longest Warranty: Pentair Rebel 2
The Rebel 2 is a two-wheeled cleaner with programmed steering and a turbine that passes large and small debris. It climbs from the floor up the walls to the waterline, suits every common pool surface including vinyl, and Pool Shop's listing says it works with variable-speed and low-flow pumps. Pentair covers the whole cleaner for three years, where the others cover theirs for two, though Kreepy Krauly gives ten years on its drives.
It comes with ten 1m hose sections and a 0.5m leader hose, shorter than the 12m with the VTX-7 and Zodiac's two, and Clark Rubber sells it in store rather than online.
What We Like:
- 3-year warranty
- Climbs to the waterline
- Suits variable-speed pumps
What We Don't Like:
- 10.5m of hose
4. Simplest: Zodiac G2
The G2, sold for years as the Baracuda G2, moves on a single diaphragm, its only moving part, and a broad disc underneath scrubs as it goes. It comes with 12m of twist-lock hose, is rated for pools up to 12m by 6m and suits every common surface. Zodiac covers it for two years.
Clark Rubber describes it as cleaning floors and part of the walls, where the AX20 and Rebel 2 reach the waterline. It also suggests a leaf catcher for heavy leaf litter.
What We Like:
- One moving part
- 12m hose
- Pools up to 12 x 6m
What We Don't Like:
- Floors and only part of the walls
5. Best for Angular Pools: Kreepy Krauly Sprinta Plus
The Sprinta Plus is built for pools with sharp angles, tight corners and steps, which Kreepy Krauly says disc-style cleaners find hard to clean. It walks the pool floor on a turbine with enclosed gears, with no wheels or tracks to jam with sand, and its large suction opening takes the heaviest leaf loads, according to Kreepy Krauly, which covers the turbine for ten years and the rest for two.
It comes with 10m of hose, and Kreepy Krauly's description centres on the floor, corners and steps rather than the walls.
What We Like:
- Made for corners and steps
- Heavy leaf loads
- 10 years on the turbine
What We Don't Like:
- 10m of hose
6. Best for Small Pools: Kreepy Krauly VTX-3
The VTX-3 is a compact version of the VTX-7 for plunge pools, small in-ground pools and modular above-ground pools. It uses the same flow-valve drive and criss-cross pattern, cleans the floor and walls, and costs about two-thirds as much. Kreepy Krauly gives it the same ten years on the flow drive and two on the rest.
Its side leaf scoop is rated for light to medium leaf loads, and it comes with 10m of hose.
What We Like:
- Sized for plunge pools
- Floor and walls
- 10 years on the flow drive
What We Don't Like:
- Light to medium leaves only
Pump speed and leaf catchers
A suction cleaner usually needs a higher pump speed than filtering does. Sustainability Victoria's pool pump trial found that some automatic cleaners only work properly on the medium or high speed setting. Davey's ProMaster manual recommends speeds 1 to 4 for filtering and 5 to 8 while a suction cleaner runs, and advises disconnecting the cleaner when the pool doesn't need cleaning.
Leaves that reach the skimmer basket have to be emptied from it, and a canister leaf catcher fitted in the hose, such as the Aussie Gold one at Clark Rubber, holds them before they reach the skimmer.
FAQs
Will a suction cleaner work with my variable-speed pump?
Yes, at a higher speed than the pump uses for filtering. Davey recommends speeds 5 to 8 of 10 on its ProMaster while a suction cleaner runs, and Pool Shop lists the Rebel 2 as suiting variable-speed and low-flow pumps.
Suction or robotic cleaner?
A robot has an electric motor and a built-in filter, and runs without the pool pump. A suction cleaner costs less and has no cable or battery, but it runs only with the pump. Our robotic vs suction vs pressure comparison goes through the differences.
How long should the hose be?
Long enough to reach the corner of the pool furthest from the skimmer box. The cleaners here come with 10m to 12m of hose, and extra sections are sold separately.
