OUR RATING
Summary
Cleaning an above ground pool can be a real pain in the back. Reaching over the frame or side to scrub it down is a chore that no one really looks forward to doing. Thanks to Wanda the Whale, presented by In the Swim, this above ground pool cleaner with pool skimmer filter saves you time, energy, and pain because it is so easy to use.
There are two items that come with this package: the suction-side pool vacuum and a 5-pack of pool skimmer filters. Putting together the product to use it in the pool is a simple process that takes about 15-20 minutes at most and then you’re ready to begin cleaning flat or dished-out above ground swimming pool bottoms.
A Patented Design Makes Cleaning Easy
Wanda the Whale offers users a patented SmartDrive cleaning system that is unique to the industry today. This gives you a pre-programmed cleaning pattern that will efficiently and automatically clean the pool quietly in just minutes without any leaning thanks to the 32 feet of hose sections that come with this product.
We did discover that this above ground pool cleaner does not like an incline at all. If the pool bottom is not absolutely flat, then it is not going to clean the pool very well. It will also not clean the sides of the pool unless you hold it in place and move it around. It could navigate a few small surface bumps, but anything more than about 0.5 inch in size will negate the advantages of this unit.
We also discovered that this automatic cleaner tends to work better in larger pools than in smaller ones – unless you have a fairly strong pool pump with a smaller pool.
Wanda the Whale Works Around Your Accessories
Once you let Wanda the Whale loose in your swimming pool, it will meander around the floor so that the entire bottom is cleaned. In this aspect, it is a definite time-saver. It will also work around the stairs, ladders, or other entry methods you have installed for your above ground pool – although it won’t actually clean them.
In the smaller swimming pools where the strength of the pool pump was low, we noticed that this automatic cleaner tends to stay around the perimeter of the pool. The cleaning system doesn’t seem to initiate so that it moves toward the center of the pool. We also noticed this issue in above ground pools that had a very small diameter.
Yet that also brings up another issue: hose length. Wanda the Whale works best in larger swimming pools, but the hose length may not be suitable for some of the largest framed above ground pools that are available today. You may need to invest into at least another 10-20 feet of hose as the quality of the cleaning is not great when the hose for this unit is fully extended.
As an automatic cleaning system, we give Wanda the Whale an A rating.