Hayward
Comparison · 2 robots
Hayward SharkVac · Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
All robot pool cleaners. Every measure below is plotted against the full class, so a difference can be read against how much the class itself varies.
- Hayward SharkVac
- Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Maytronics
Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
- Autonomy
- IIAssisted Autonomy
- Score
- Not scored
- Readiness
- Not assessed
- Price
- $999list
Up to three
01 Classification
What each one does on its own.
The Autonomy Ladder is the same five rungs for every robot on the site. A rung describes the conditions a robot handles without you, not how good it is.
V
Generalized
Any task, any setting
IV
Environmental
Handles new obstacles without help
III
Conditional
Finishes familiar jobs on its own
II
Assisted
Runs preset routines, needs rescue
Hayward SharkVacMaytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
I
Manual
One action, on command
02 Assessment
Where they actually differ.
The Robovations Score is nine inputs across three pillars, each weighted as shown and each scored so that more is better. A robot can lead on one and trail on another, which is the point of showing them apart. Cost of ownership and data handling are reported on each robot's own page and are never averaged into the score.
Capability
Task completion16% of score
Does it finish the job it is sold to do, unattended
28
- Hayward SharkVac28
18median 72 across 433 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Coverage and navigation10% of score
Does it work the whole area, and hold that between runs
30
- Hayward SharkVac30
0median 70 across 421 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Edge-case recovery10% of score
Does it recover from the failures its category presents
25
- Hayward SharkVac25
18median 52 across 320 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Operating envelope4% of score
How far conditions can vary before performance drops
70
- Hayward SharkVac70
28median 68 across 397 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Dependability
Field failure rate16% of score
Documented hardware failures per owner-year
94
- Hayward SharkVac94
6median 70 across 359 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Software stability14% of score
Whether updates fix more than they break
71
- Hayward SharkVac71
15median 65 across 342 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Support longevity10% of score
Committed parts, service and updates, with dates
100
- Hayward SharkVac100
0median 62 across 429 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Ownership burden
Routine maintenance12% of score
Hands-on time it asks for in normal operation
68
- Hayward SharkVac68
22median 67 across 434 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Consumables8% of score
Parts that must be bought to keep it working
91
- Hayward SharkVac91
8median 69 across 434 scored robots100
Not scored: Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
03 Measured against the class
How far apart is a long way?
A number only means something next to the spread it sits in. Each track below is the real range across every classified robot in the class, with the median marked.
Price69 with a published figure
$1,199$999
- Hayward SharkVac$1,199
- Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro$999
$299median $1,249$4,250
Weight66 with a published figure
21.5 lbs17.4 lbs
- Hayward SharkVac21.5 lbs
- Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro17.4 lbs
7.9 lbsmedian 20.9 lbs46.3 lbs
Height61 with a published figure
29.9 in11.4 in
- Hayward SharkVac29.9 in
- Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro11.4 in
3.8 inmedian 10.6 in29.9 in
Not compared, because fewer than two of these robots carry a published figure: Suction, Runtime, Charge time, Noise.
04 Ownership
What the numbers leave out.
The trade-off
What each design gives up to be good at what it is good at.
Hayward SharkVac
A design that has gone a decade largely unchanged at $1,199 MSRP comes with no app, no scheduling and no wall climbing. You are buying floor cleaning only.
Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
Wi-Fi scheduling and 50 ft of range over the Nautilus CC, with no independent test yet of the CC Pro itself.
Who each one is wrong for
Stated by the record itself. A robot being wrong for a household is a fact about fit, not a fault.
Hayward SharkVac
- Above-ground pools
- The SharkVac is sold as an in-ground cleaner. Surface material is not the constraint: Hayward lists the supported surfaces as gunite, vinyl, fiberglass, pebble and tile. The installation type is what rules it out here.
- Owners prioritizing wall and waterline coverage
- Floor-only operation; no brush or wall-climbing mechanism. Waterline and wall algae require manual brushing or separate cleaner.
- Homeowners with limited electrical outlet access
- The 50 ft cord has to reach a GFCI-protected outlet serving the pool area. Extension cords are not a sanctioned way to add reach on a mains-fed cleaner, and there is no cordless version of this model.
Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
- Buyers who want independent test results first
- Good Housekeeping and Bob Vila tested the Nautilus CC and CC Plus; no hands-on test of the CC Pro was found.
- Pools longer than 50 ft
- Maytronics rates the CC Pro for pools up to 50 ft in length.
- Owners who want a full-filter warning
- Maytronics' spec table lists no full filter indicator, so the top-access filter is checked by eye.
- Buyers wanting a longer warranty
- Maytronics lists a 1-year warranty for the Nautilus CC Pro.
What stays your job
The upkeep ownership hands back to you, whatever the autonomy level says.
Hayward SharkVac
- After every use: Lift out the two top-access filter elements and rinse them with a garden hose. Clear the intake of visible debris.
- Weekly: Inspect the cable for kinks or damaged insulation. Wind it loosely on an anchor peg or spool.
- Annually: Inspect the cable connections for corrosion and test the GFCI outlet feeding the power supply.
- As needed: Replace the filter elements when the mesh is worn or torn. Hayward publishes no replacement interval; the OEM pair (RCX70101PAK2) runs about $89. Replace the cord assembly (RCX97413, about $125) if the insulation is damaged, rather than on a schedule.
Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro
- After every use: Lift the robot out and empty the top-access fine filter.
- As needed: Check the anti-tangle swivel cable for twists.
- As needed: Inspect the two standard brushes and replace them when worn.
- As needed: Update schedules in the MyDolphin Plus app when pool use changes.
- Seasonally: Rinse and store the robot and power supply out of the sun when the pool closes.
05 Evidence
How much each of these is standing on.
Classifications rest on different depths of evidence. A pre-release assessment and a verified one are not the same kind of claim.
| Robot | Evidence status | Sources reviewed | Last assessed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hayward SharkVac | Pending | 4 | Aug 2026 |
| Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro | Provisional | 4 | Sep 2026 |
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