Dolphin SigmaIIIConditionalCompare

Released 2018Reassessed 2026.08.07Compare

Dolphin Sigma

Name: Dolphin Sigma
Brand: Maytronics

Gyroscopic mapping puts the Sigma in systematic-path territory for a corded pool cleaner. Floor, walls, and waterline coverage is documented. The trade-off is the power cord and the filter-basket cadence that comes with heavy-debris pools.

ReplacesMaytronics Dolphin QuantumThe previous generation of this line.

List price

$2,999

Released 2018Reassessed 2026.08.07

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level III.

One five-rung scale, every category, from acting only on command to working unsupervised anywhere.

VGeneralized AutonomyAny task, any setting. No consumer robot has reached it.
IVEnvironmental AutonomyCopes with everyday clutter and frees itself, shown by independent testing.
To reach Level IVIndependent testing shows it avoids ordinary obstacles before contact, copes without the space being cleared, and frees itself when stuck.
IIIConditional AutonomyThis robot

Dolphin Sigma finishes whole jobs in a space it already knows, and still needs a person at the edges.

Navigation and control

Gyroscopic mapping with systematic floor-wall-waterline path
Why this level
- Gyroscopic navigation drives a systematic coverage path rather than the random or semi-random bouncing of Level II pool cleaners.
- The Sigma completes floor, wall, and waterline passes on a mapped sequence without operator input during the cycle.
- No real-time environmental sensing or dynamic obstacle avoidance is documented, keeping the classification at Level III rather than Level IV.
Autonomy dimension 74 / 100 · No independent sources reviewed, 1 from the maker
IIAssisted AutonomyRuns preset routines; stalls at anything new.
IManual AutomationOne action on command; no independent operation.

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources on file.

PendingNo independent sources reviewed, 1 from the maker

Fewer than two independent sources reviewed. Evidence is still being collected. The word says how much we read. It is not a grade.

From the maker, reviewed1

Specification sources1 source

Pages the published specifications were read from.

maytronics.commaytronics.com

On file, not yet reviewedNot counted

Firmware release notes1 source

Maytronics publishes firmware releases and software notes through its support portal; reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Maytronics Dolphin supportmaytronics.com

Also monitored, nothing listed yet

Manufacturer documentation

Maytronics Dolphin Sigma product page, specifications, and user manual

Press & video reviews

Retail channel product listings and pool-category editorial coverage

Owner reports

Owner forum and retail review threads covering debris handling and cable management

Longitudinal signal

Ongoing classification monitoring; full longitudinal ledger pending

How we evaluate evidence →

Human Readiness

Ready Now.

One question: what does buying this robot today walk you into? The state is computed from the record, and recomputed daily.

Ready NowThis robot

Dolphin Sigma is on sale, assessed, and nothing on its record argues for waiting.
How this was derived
- Shipping past the first-90-day ownership window with a published assessment, no documented issues on record, and no announced successor.
Notes on the record
- Sold through major pool and home-improvement retailers at street prices below MSRP.
- Setup requires power supply connection and cable untangling; no perimeter installation or app pairing is mandatory for operation.
- Filter-basket cleaning after each cycle is the primary recurring owner task.
On the record
- Shipping since January 2018 · 106 months on the market
- Retail listings on file: Amazon
- No current new-stock listing confirmed
- No successor announced
- No independent sources reviewed, 1 from the maker
What would move it
A documented problem, an announced successor, or a withdrawn listing moves it out; the rating recomputes daily.
New to MarketOn sale under 90 days; the ownership record is still forming.
WaitA successor is announced and has not shipped; re-read the decision when it arrives.
Known IssuesDocumented problems stand on the record; read the case before buying.

How we assess readiness →

Robovations Score

How this number was reached

69of 100

CapableAt or above 61% of the 456 robots we scoreand 83% of the 65 scored robot pool cleaners

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Support longevity100+3.8
Task completion94+3.5
Consumables80+0.9

Held back by

Edge-case recovery26−2.7
Field failure rate59−1.8
Routine maintenance59−1.1

Capability40% of the score67What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score94

Evidence

Runs floor, walls and waterline in a single cycle on a gyroscopic systematic path, so it addresses the whole referent work area, and being corded it is not bounded by a battery on a 50 foot pool. Two deductions: it neither returns to a retrieval point nor parks itself for lifting, so the owner hauls it up wherever it stopped, and owner reports describe basket saturation before cycle end in heavy leaf pools, which puts a manual rinse inside the cycle rather than after it.

Coverage and navigation10% of the score65

Evidence

The Pool Nerd reports that with three motors the Sigma climbs walls and scrubs all the way to the tile line, held there by the Dual Stabilizer float, and calls it the strongest waterline cleaner of every Dolphin they have tested; PoolPad's side-by-side testing describes the dual brushes, Hypergrip tracks and gyroscope keeping its path clean and precise across floor, walls and waterline. Coverage is systematic and reaches the whole pool, but it is scan-based and re-established each run rather than a map retained between runs.

Edge-case recovery10% of the score26

Evidence

This is the category trap case almost exactly. The record documents no dynamic obstacle avoidance and no real-time environmental sensing, and owner reports describe cable bunching near steps and shallow-to-deep transitions. A unit wedged on a step or a ladder is recovered by pulling on 60 feet of cable, with no documented stall detection, alert or resumption. Nothing here rises above the found-stalled anchor.

Operating envelope4% of the score70

Evidence

Owner reports on Robotic Reviews bracket the range: one owner cleans a 32,000 gallon pool in about two hours, while another found the robot got caught on the main drain multiple times per cleaning cycle and says the fix is to replace the drain with a low-profile one, which is a documented condition that requires modifying the pool rather than the robot adapting. The Pool Express page was treated as dealer copy, its SmartNav 3.0 and D9 Microprocessor language being Maytronics' own.

Dependability40% of the score71Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score59

Evidence

Eight years of field presence since 2018 with no CPSC recall located on a direct search, on hardware shared across a mature Maytronics platform. Against that, drive motor unit failure is documented independently across owner forums and third-party troubleshooting guides, and Maytronics supplies only complete motor units rather than internal components, at roughly $300 to $600. That is a job-stopping mode arriving within expected service life; it sits above the repairable end-of-life anchor because the part is orderable and the cost is proportionate against this machine's price.

Software stability14% of the score65

Evidence

Updates ship through MyDolphin Plus and Maytronics' support portal, which is linked and is the one firmware source on this record. It is vendor material and establishes what Maytronics shipped rather than what any update changed. Every other source here, including owner reports and press coverage, carries no links at all, so nothing is inspectable in either direction, and eight years of owner discussion attaches its complaints to drive motors and cable handling rather than to an update breaking a working function. Updates ship, no regression pattern is reported, and no independent record of update behavior exists.

Support longevity10% of the score100

Evidence

A support position that is demonstrated rather than promised. Maytronics runs an OEM parts store, and independently of it a deep competing aftermarket, InyoPools, Leslie's, PoolWeb, Wild West, EZ Pool and Aquamentor, stocks cable swivels, filter baskets, brush assemblies, drive motors, power supplies and caddies across generations of Dolphin models. That an eight-year-old model is still fully parts-supported through multiple independent channels is the evidence. Discounted only for no published software support window.

Ownership burden20% of the score67What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score59

Evidence

Heavy, and the cable is why. The filter basket is opened and rinsed after every use with no self-cleaning mechanism, and every cycle also means lifting 24.63 lb out and managing 60 feet of cable, which the record says needs periodic untangling, monthly straightening and hanging to preserve the swivel. Add weekly track inspection, a 3 to 6 month basket seal check and annual track replacement. Heavy leaf pools add a mid-cycle emptying on top.

Consumables8% of the score80

Evidence

Parts are cheap, openly priced and sold by many competing suppliers rather than locked to the vendor: track sets run about $40 to $70 and brush sets $20 to $40, and the filter basket is rinse-and-reuse with no cartridge program anywhere in the ownership cost. Held off the top because this is not a zero-consumable machine: the schedule puts drive tracks on annual replacement and brushes on a wear cadence, and the basket seal is a periodic replacement item.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year costNot costed

wide street-to-list spread, a $2,999 MSRP selling near $1,599, plus roughly $350 over five years in tracks, brushes and seals; no subscription of any kind, and parts are available from competing suppliers rather than the vendor alone

Data postureCloud-optional

Full core function without an account; cloud adds convenience.

What leaves the homeNot documented

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the Dolphin Sigma work in your pool?

Describe your pool using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the Dolphin Sigma is built for your space and where it isn’t.

Pool type

Pool size

Debris load

Coverage you want

See every pool cleaner suited to these conditions

A classification of fit for the conditions you set, not a recommendation. Verdicts describe engineering design intent, not test results.

OWNERSHIP

Living with it.

Established corded platform with consistent coverage; filter basket durability is the primary owner complaint.

Stableowner-reported arc

The record so far

Owner reports describe reliable wall-climbing and consistent waterline pass completion. The most commonly documented issue is filter basket seal wear over multiple seasons, leading to debris bypass. Drive track wear is reported after two or more years of regular use.

What goes wrongnot yet documented independently

The independent record is still forming. Failure modes are listed once an outside source reports them.

Upkeep routine

Each useEvery cycle

Remove cleaner from pool, open filter basket, rinse debris under a hose. Allows basket to dry before storage.

Weekly52×/yr

Inspect drive tracks for embedded debris or grit; clear any buildup to maintain traction on walls.

Monthly12×/yr

Check swivel cable connector for kinks or fraying; straighten cable and hang to preserve swivel function.

Seasonal4×/yr

Inspect filter basket seal for cracking or deformation; replace if debris bypass is observed.

Winterize by draining internal water passages, storing the cleaner and indoors in a dry location above freezing.

Yearly1×/yr

Replace drive tracks if wear affects wall-climbing grip. Replacement track sets run approximately $40-70 depending on retailer.

When duewhen worn or full

Replace when PVC bristles show visible wear or wall scrubbing coverage declines; brush sets run approximately $20-40.Typical for pool robots: annually

Cost over timeabout $240 past the sticker over three years

PurchaseRunning cost

Year 1

$3,079

Year 3

$3,239

Year 5

$3,399

$2,999 to buy, then about $80 a year for the replaceable parts below. Over three years that is roughly $240 past the sticker price. Excludes electricity and any repairs.

What you replace

Typical for pool robots: annually$20–40

Replacement cadence from the maintenance schedule; prices shown where the source documents them. Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. All parts at Maytronics

Safety notes2 cautions · 1 note

CautionDo not run with bathers presentManufacturer requires removing the cleaner before swimmers enter the pool.
CautionThe external power supply must remain dry and away from pool splash zones during operation.
Cable trip hazard on deckThe 60-foot cable on the pool deck is a trip hazard; secure or store when not in use.

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

Priced above the category median, with every figure charted against the category below.

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-publishedSources: Owner manual Manufacturer support Product page

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 16.04 × 16.73 in, 10.3 in tall•
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 24.63 lbs•
Wi-FiThe bands the robot can join; many models need a 2.4 GHz network to set up.: Supported
Cycle length: 150 minutes•
Max pool length: 50 ft•
Surfaces cleaned: Floor, walls and waterline✓
Power type: Corded✓

Where it lands · position among 76 robot pool cleanersThis robotMedianTypical range

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$2,999

$299$4,250

Above median

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.24.63lbs

7.9 lbs46.3 lbs

Above median

Position shows where the figure sits across the tracked category, not a quality judgment.

Official referencesOwner manual Manufacturer support Product page

RECORD

How the assessment has moved.

Every announcement, release and reassessment behind the current classification.

Coming soon

Just launched

Active updates

Settled

Discontinued

Aug 2026 · AssessmentRecord status: Verified → Pending
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 69 of 100
Nov 2025 · NewsListed as 2026 ProLine model in retailer catalogs
Jul 2025 · UpdateMyDolphin Plus app gains scheduling and remote-start capability
Apr 2025 · ReleaseMaytronics Dolphin Sigma enters US retail as 2025 ProLine model
Nov 2024 · AnnouncementMaytronics reveals Dolphin Sigma as 2025 ProLine pool cleaner

Questions

What people actually ask.

6 answered

OperationDoes the Dolphin Sigma work on fiberglass pools, or only plaster?

Manufacturer documentation lists compatibility with gunite, plaster, tile, and fiberglass surfaces. The PVC and rubber brush combination is specified for smooth and textured finishes. Vinyl liner compatibility is not listed.

OwnershipHow often does the Sigma's filter basket need cleaning?

Maytronics recommends cleaning the filter basket after each cycle. In pools with heavy leaf loads, owner reports describe basket saturation before the cycle completes, requiring a mid-cycle manual rinse.

CompatibilityDoes the Sigma require the MyDolphin Plus app to operate?

No. The Sigma operates via its onboard power supply controls without the app. The MyDolphin Plus app adds scheduling and cycle-length selection but is not required for basic floor-wall-waterline cleaning.

OperationWill the Sigma's 60-foot cable reach all corners of a 50-foot pool?

Manufacturer specs list a 60-foot swivel cable for pools up to 50 feet. The swivel fitting at the cable entry reduces kinking. Owner reports note that pools with pronounced shallow-to-deep transitions can still produce cable bunching near steps.

OperationIs the Sigma the same cleaner as the Dolphin Nautilus CC Supreme?

No. The Sigma carries a different model number and is positioned above the Nautilus CC Supreme in Maytronics’ lineup, with gyroscopic mapping and waterline coverage that the Nautilus CC Supreme does not document at the same level.

OperationCan the Dolphin Sigma handle algae on pool walls, not just floor debris?

Owner reports and manufacturer marketing describe wall-climbing and scrubbing capability. Algae removal depends on brush contact duration and algae severity; the Sigma’s scheduled wall passes provide regular mechanical scrubbing, not chemical treatment.

Availability

Where it's sold

Some links earn Robovations a commission. It does not change any classification. Affiliate disclosure.

We are no longer finding a current new-stock listing for this robot. Remaining offers may be used, refurbished, or third-party — confirm the condition and price on the retailer’s page before buying.

Amazon See current listings

Cite & Embed

Reference the Dolphin Sigma classification.

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Citation

Robovations. "Dolphin Sigma: Autonomy Level III (Conditional Autonomy)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed August 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/dolphin-sigma/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the Dolphin Sigma and MOVA Rover X10 side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with Beatbot AquaSense 2 Pro, Beatbot AquaSense Pro, Beatbot AquaSense X.

For browsers

See every Level III.

Every robot we’ve classified at conditional autonomy. Sorted by readiness, score, and price. Filter by category, manufacturer, or release date.

Browse every Level III robot

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

Dolphin Sigma

Will the Dolphin Sigma work in your pool?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

What people actually ask.

Dolphin Sigma in the analysis archive.

How do robot pool cleaners navigate: random drift, gyroscopes, or mapping?

Other robot pool cleaners we have classified.

Beatbot AquaSense 2

Maytronics Dolphin Liberty 300

Hayward AquaVac 6 Series

Maytronics Dolphin Explorer E70

Where it's sold

Reference the Dolphin Sigma classification.

Three ways to keep going.

Get the next reassessment.

Compare with a peer.

See every Level III.