What a robotic pool skimmer does
A robotic pool skimmer is a small, self-propelled robot that floats on the surface of your pool and collects debris as it drifts — leaves, pollen, petals, bugs, sunscreen film — into an onboard basket. It needs no hoses, no plumbing, and no connection to your pool pump. Because roughly 80% of debris enters your pool at the surface, catching it there stops it from ever sinking, decomposing, and staining the floor.
Solar vs. battery-powered skimmers
Skimmer robots come in two flavors, and the right one depends on how hands-off you want to be:
| Solar (Betta SE Plus, Dolphin Skimmi) | Smart battery (Beatbot iSkim Ultra) | |
|---|---|---|
| Runtime | Continuous — recharges itself in the sun and runs day and night | Hours per charge, then dock or recharge |
| Control | Drop in and forget | App control, AI navigation, scheduling |
| Extras | Obstacle avoidance, battery backup for cloudy days | Water clarification, stronger propulsion |
| Best for | Set-and-forget surface maintenance all season | Tech-forward pools that want maximum control |
The Betta SE Plus is the value pick — always-on solar skimming with an internal battery backup for cloudy stretches. The Dolphin Skimmi brings Maytronics build quality to the solar category. The Beatbot iSkim Ultra is the flagship: AI-driven coverage, app control, and a built-in clarification system that polishes the water as it skims.
Skimmer + cleaner: the fully automated pool
A skimmer only cleans the surface — it will never scrub your floor, walls, or waterline. That's the job of a robotic pool cleaner. Run both and the two robots divide the pool between them: the skimmer intercepts debris while it floats, and the cleaner handles everything that reaches the bottom. Pools under trees benefit the most — see our guide to the best robotic cleaners for leaves.
If you're starting from scratch, the Beatbot cleaner + iSkim Ultra bundles below cover the whole pool in one purchase and cost less than buying the two robots separately.
How to choose a pool skimmer
- Debris load: Heavy leaf fall favors a large basket and continuous solar runtime; light pollen and dust suit any model.
- Sun exposure: Solar skimmers need a few hours of direct sun daily. Heavily shaded pools should lean battery-powered.
- Obstacles: Ladders, fountains, and tanning ledges call for obstacle avoidance — the Betta SE Plus uses ultrasonic radar, the iSkim Ultra uses AI navigation.
- Water chemistry: All the skimmers we carry are rated for both saltwater and chlorine pools.
As an authorized dealer for Maytronics (Dolphin), Beatbot, and Betta, every skimmer we sell is factory-new with the full manufacturer warranty — and our team can help you match a skimmer to your pool before you buy. Talk to a pool robot specialist or take the 60-second quiz.
