OUR RATING
Summary
One of the chores that everyone dreads is cleaning the pool. It’s why pool services are available in almost every community. Yet the cost of hiring professional cleaners on a regular basis is far above what it costs to do the job on your own, especially with a product like the Xtreme Power US automatic KreepyKrauly climbing wall cleaner.
This vacuum is rated to clean pools regardless of their size, shape, or construction. Although you do need to have a 0.75 HP pool pump or 1,600 ghp for the vacuum to operate properly, in return you’ll have a no-tools experience to enjoy. It attaches to your existing filtration system and doesn’t even use electricity to get the job done.
In-Ground Pools vs. Above Ground Pools: Pros and Cons
As long as your equipment setup is powerful enough to support this automatic pool cleaner, then you’re good to go no matter what type of pool that you own. That’s one of the primary benefits of this product – it is very versatile.
It’s also extremely easy to get it setup. Just get it connected and you’re ready to go. In return, the dirt and grime that gets picked up by this machine goes through your filtration system. On the first couple of uses, some folks might see an increased need to wash and clean filters, but that should fade afterward.
On the down side, we really would have appreciated a troubleshooting section with this product. It doesn’t come with any helpful documentation, so if you have a problem that you can’t figure out on your own, then you have to go to customer service. Except that there is no actual manufacturer customer service contact info – you have to go to the seller.
Some above ground pools with inexpensive liners may also not wish to use this product. It operates by “hopping” along the wall using momentum from its flapper. Although there are no reports of issues occurring, we could see a thin liner not being able to support this automatic cleaner very well.
The KreepyKrauly Isn’t a Scary Cleaning System at All
Cost is a definite plus with this product. The average automatic pool cleaner like the KreepyKrauly normally runs about $250-$400 and will usually last maybe 2-3 years. This Xtreme Power US model can often be found for less than $80.
We noticed that larger debris tends to get stuck in the flapper of this cleaner, which can cause it to only work intermittently. There are no notifications to let you know that it isn’t working properly, so you’ve got to keep your eye on the cleaner to make sure it keeps doing its job.
Assuming that nothing happens during the setup of this product, we found this machine to be easy to use and overall it does a great job. Extensive use during a season might require hose replacements for Year 2 of owning this automatic cleaning system, but that’s a minimal cost considering the potential benefits that can be received.
As a generic automatic cleaning system, we give the Xtreme Power US KreepyKrauly an A- rating.