Everyone loves the idea of a backyard pool, but many are turned off by the amount of maintenance required to keep these massive structures safe and clean. The good news is that you don't have to slave over your swimming pool all summer any longer!  With the newest models of automatic pool cleaners, most of the hard work is done for you. These devices work overtime to keep your pool clean and beautiful so you can sit back and enjoy your backyard oasis. Here are the three basic types of automatic pool cleaners and their unique pros and cons. 

Suction Side Cleaners

Suction side cleaners, as the name suggests, use suction to remove dirt and debris from the bottom of the pool. Some models effectively scrub the sides of the pool as well. Suction cleaners pull water into them, like a vacuum cleaner sucks dirt from your carpet. Dirt and debris are suctioned directly into your water filtration system. At the same time dirt is taken out, the water is filtered through more efficiently for a cleaner pool overall.

Suction side cleaners remove a good amount of the dirt from your pool floor, but they are not particularly good at removing larger debris like leaves. The filters need to be cleaned out frequently with this type of cleaner, since dirty filters will make for an ineffective cleaning. However, this is a relatively inexpensive way to clean your pool, especially if you don't have a lot of trees in your backyard and you don't mind regular maintenance on your filters.

Pressure Side Cleaners

This automatic cleaner uses pressure from your pool's pump or a booster pump to drive the cleaner around the pool and force dirt into an attached bag. Pressure cleaners spare your filtration system from excessive wear and tear because dirt goes directly into the cleaner rather than into your filter. However, pressure side cleaners may not offer as thorough of a cleaning, since the bag may not clean the water as effectively as a filter might. However, this is a much better choice for pool owners that get a lot of debris in their pool.

Robotic Cleaners

These automatic cleaners are the Cadillacs of all pool cleaners because they are completely self-contained. These devices use a computer chip to memorize the shape and size of your pool. Their electric motors then allow them to move about your pool on their own accord, vacuuming dirt into their attached bag as they go. These devices even come with a remote control that allows you to do spot cleaning as necessary. While these automatic cleaners sound like the ideal choice, there are a couple of drawbacks. First, the machines must be placed into the pool for cleaning and removed afterward. They also cost a pretty penny for the ultimate convenience in cleaning.

Automatic pool cleaners are a convenient way for pool owners to keep their pools clean and beautiful with minimal time and effort. While they cost a bit more than manual cleaners, the ease and convenience is worth every dollar to the pool owners who enjoy them.