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Jun 15, 2024

Seauto Shark Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner Review

Robotic pool cleaners like the $999 Seauto Shark aim to help you spend more time enjoying your pool and less time cleaning it. This wire-free device uses battery power and Wi-Fi, plus does a fine job

Robotic pool cleaners like the $999 Seauto Shark aim to help you spend more time enjoying your pool and less time cleaning it. This wire-free device uses battery power and Wi-Fi, plus does a fine job of removing debris from the bottom and sides of your pool. That said, we experienced some connectivity issues in testing and expected a few more features for the price, such as a remote control, temperature readings, and a dirty filter indicator. You can get all these features and more with our Editors' Choice winner, the Polaris Alpha IQ+, though it's pricier at $1,499 and requires a data cable.

The Shark works for aboveground and in-ground pools of up to 2,150 square feet at a maximum depth of 9 feet. It measures 9.8 by 15.6 by 18.8 inches (HWD), weighs 19.8 pounds, and has a white finish with black trim. Two rubber tracks propel the device forward and backward, while two rubber scrubbers (one each on the front and the back) loosen dirt for the vacuum slot on the bottom to capture. A sonar sensor on the back of the cleaner scans the pool area and works with Shark’s smart routing technology to create a cleaning path that covers the entire pool. A rechargeable 10,400mAh battery should provide up to four hours of cleaning time before you need to recharge it (a process that takes around three hours).

The top has a carry handle, a clear removable cover for the filter basket compartment, two jets that return water to the pool, a multifunction button, and an LED indicator. You use the button to turn the cleaner on or off, as well as to select one of the four cleaning modes: All-cover (cleans the entire pool area), Waterline-only, Floor-only, and Wall-only. The LED flashes blue when the cleaner first powers on, blinks red when it has a low battery, turns solid red when it is charging, and shows solid green when it has a full charge.

The filter basket uses fine mesh screening to trap debris and comes with a removable foam insert that collects finer particles. Note, however, that this foam insert is only meant for the floor mode; Seauto suggests removing it for every other cleaning mode because its weight might prevent the cleaner from making it all the way up the pool walls. The filter basket lifts easily out of its compartment so you can clean it out with a garden hose without having to handle whatever muck is inside.

The Shark has a Bluetooth radio for pairing with your phone, as well as a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio for connecting to your home network. But it loses Wi-Fi connectivity when it is underwater, so you must pull it out of your pool entirely to re-establish a Wi-Fi connection and change the cleaning mode.

It doesn’t support voice controls or interact with other smart devices, but you can still use your phone to set a cleaning mode, pick the cleaning speed, and change the duration of the cleaning run. It doesn’t offer app-based remote controls for spot cleaning, a capability you get with both the Polaris Alpha IQ+ and 9650iQ Sport models.

When you first power up the cleaner, a voice prompt informs you that the Shark is ready to run (the device defaults to the All-cover mode). As you cycle through the modes, the voice states each one aloud. Simply drop the device into your pool once you get to the one you want; it will sink to the bottom and begin its cleaning cycle.

Although I like the Shark's cable-free design and easy operability, it's missing a lot of features, such as water temperature readings, a full filter indicator, remote steering with an app-based joystick, and the aforementioned spot cleaning option. Moreover, the cleaner remains at the bottom of the pool once it finishes a cycle. You must use a hook (included) and a pole (not included) to remove it. The Polaris Alpha IQ+ offers all those missing features and even expels any water it collects to make itself easier to take out of your pool.

The Seauto mobile app (available for Android and iOS) opens to a screen with a tile for each cleaner you have. Tap any of them to change the active cleaning mode, set the speed (Quick, Standard, or Enhanced), and select the duration (a slider offers a range between one and three hours).

Here, you can also toggle voice prompts. If you turn them off, you won't have any way to tell what mode is active by looking at the device itself. The Shark's LED blinks red and then blue when you change modes, but you have to open the app to see your selection. That's not a very intuitive design choice.

Press the gear icon in the lower right corner to update the device's firmware, change the language, create a new account, view website and telephone support information, and delete your Seauto account.

Preparing the Shark for first use requires little effort. I charged it for around three hours, downloaded the app, and created an account. Next, I turned the cleaner on, tapped the plus button in the top right corner of the Device list, and chose New Device. The app immediately recognized the Shark, so I pressed the icon that appeared and entered my Wi-Fi details to complete the installation.

The first time I used the Shark, I set it to Floor-only mode and placed it in the shallow end of my 16-by-32-foot in-ground gunite pool. It seemed to scan the shallow end for a few minutes before it headed to the other side of the pool and started cleaning a 3-square-foot area in the center. That’s where it stayed for another hour and a half before I decided to rescue it with a pole and hook. Fortunately, this was a one-time hiccup. After I recharged the battery and set the cleaner to All-cover mode, it did a fine job of cleaning the entire pool area, including the walls and waterline. Subsequent Floor-only tests worked well, as did cleaning runs with every other mode.

In testing, the cleaner seemed to work best in the Enhanced speed mode. It took a little more than three hours to clean my whole pool with this setting, but the Quick and Standard speed selections caused it to kick up almost as much dirt as it suctioned. For reference, the Polaris Alpha IQ+ required two hours and 45 minutes to clean my entire pool in testing.

Cleaning the filter basket was painless and I thankfully didn't have to touch any of the debris inside. I simply popped off the clear lid, pulled out the basket, and gave it a few squirts with my garden hose to remove dirt, leaves, and everything else. The foam filter wasn't difficult to clean either.

As previously mentioned, the Shark cleaner couldn't maintain a Wi-Fi connection while it was in the water. That's not an issue with the Polaris Alpha IQ+ because its Wi-Fi radio is inside the head unit of the caddy that remains on dry land during cleaning runs.

With no cables to deal with and an easy-to-clean filter basket, the Seauto Shark is a simple solution for keeping your pool looking its best. All you have to do is charge the battery, set one of four cleaning modes, and drop it in the water. That said, it lacks many of the bells and whistles you get with our Editors’ Choice winner, the Polaris Alpha IQ+. Yes, the Polaris is more expensive and uses a tethered data cable, but it works faster, won't lose a connection underwater, supports remote steering, measures your water temperature, and is easier to remove after a cleaning run. Those conveniences and advantages are likely worth the extra cost if you use and clean your pool often.

The Wi-Fi-enabled and battery-powered Seauto Shark pool cleaner is effective and easy to use, though it's otherwise short on features.

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