Polaris 360 Pool Cleaner

Pros: works like a dog 12 hours a day in summer and six in winter
Cons: planned obsolescence and very expensive replacement parts

(With profound apologies to the estate of Edgar Allan Poe)

Once upon a weekend sunny, while I labored, with sweat runny,
In the back yard, as my Honey sat upon her riding mower.
Suddenly there came a bubbling I just knew would be...

Pros: Ease of use,consistant performance, warranty
Cons: Cost , replacement part costs

I work for a pool company in Louisville , KY. The following reflects my experience with the reviewed product.


Polaris360

The Polaris360 is NOT a cheap pool vac - but then again –


The 360 is ,...

Pros: Cleans Well, Doesn't Require a Booster Pump
Cons: Expensive, Requires Many Adjustments, Otherwise a great product!!

When we bought our pool I promised that I would vacuum, sweep it, and keep it sparkling clean. That didn't last long. We soon began the search for an automatic pool cleaner. With all the brands and models out there we were lost in a sea of ...

Pros: Constantly working, good cleaning performance.
Cons: Requires lots of fiddling to get pressure just right.

I recently "upgraded" my pool cleaner from a very hold Polaris 280 pool cleaner to a new Polaris 360. My old Polaris 280 was at least six years old (I have only owned my house for a year so I don't know the actual age), and possibly as old as ten years ...

Pros: Durable, reliable, low maintenance
Cons: Initial expense

When we bought a house last year, it came with all the pool equipment, including the Polaris 360. I hadn't had a pool since I was a kid, but I remembered this kind of pool sweeper, and I was excited! My husband did not recognize the name or carry any...

Pros: This particular Polaris needs no booster pump and therefore saves you money.
Cons: It is expensive to own. You need a high-flow pump or it will not work.

I shall include my disclaimer here:

I work at a large national swimming pool supply chain called Leslie's Poolmart Inc. I am giving everyone an honest review of this product, but keep in mind I am trained well on how to repair and install...

Pros: A great cleaner
Cons: satisfactory cleaning for a vinyl pool

I cannot complain about the Polaris 360. I only had to sweep the pool manually once or twice last season. Cleaner only got stuck one time on the ladder. Climbs the slopes, but not the 90 degree walls to my vinyl pool. Would work best on a concrete...

Pros: Works better than I expected, sucks up pine needles, works on older pools
Cons: Spare parts are expensive. Cleaning the bag

I own an older pool (about 40 years old) I had to buy the one inch adapter ($45) so the hose had s ...

Pros: Fairly straight forward installation. Easy maintenance of filter bag. Easy to manipulate speed angles.
Cons: Hose pops out of base wall if not "pulled out" slightly. Confusing "pressure tester" section.

Just installed the Polaris 360. Our previous cleaner we had was a "Ray Vac" which was a complete piece of crap. The 360 is a breath of fresh air, it *actually* picks up large leaves, sand, dirt, and other miscellany stuff you find at the bottom of a...

Pros: Low cost. Good durability. Low maintenance. Works as advertised.
Cons: Parts are pricey.

I've owned my Polaris 360 for 20 months now and have to say it's worth every dollar. For two full swimming seasons, and through the winter, it has kept my pool perfectly clean. It's been very durable and reliable for me, even though I haven't always ...

Pros: Does an excellent job of cleaning the pool, especially with the fine mesh bag attached.
Cons: Sometimes gets stuck in one part of the pool if not adjusted properly.

The Polaris 360 does an excellent job when it's moving ... however, some people (including myself) have been frustrated when the unit finds a spot in the pool that it just doesn't want to leave. If you have an irregularly shaped pool, and your filter ...

Pros: Excellent cleaner for round sided pools. Requires no separate pump.
Cons: Dismal failure for pools with interior steps and square sides. Replacement parts similar to Mercedes.

Pools with square sides and that have protruding concrete steps form traps for the Polaris. Our company operates apartment complexes and we have 17 Polaris 360's. Square sided pools that have internal concrete steps with square angles cause the Polaris ...

Pros: Works well when it's working!
Cons: Initial cost; unreliable; expensive to fix

After years of using a vacuum based Kreepy Krauly pool cleaner I made the mistake of changing to a Polaris 360. The Polaris 360 does a reasonable job of cleaning the pool during its first year. I say reasonable because it does not pick up small ...

Pros: Relatively cheap

Doesn't need booster pump

Keeps significant debris from filter
Cons: Parts break frequently

Maintenance costs

Hassle of repairs

Unreliable after few years

We are now getting rid of our approximately 6-year-old Polaris 360. It came with the home and existing pool we bought, so we didn't choose it. In the past 5 years, it has been one maintenance issue after another with this thing! Belts, of course, ...

Pros: It cleans very well when it is working.
Cons: The unit has required repairs or component replacement at least monthly after the first year.

We have owned a Polaris 360 for two years. It started out well and cleans very nicely but has been a serious reliability problem. We just had to replace all the hoses after two years in the sun. We have had to replace all of the rotating joints in the ...