RELEASED 2018REASSESSED 2026.08.07Compare

Hayward

Hayward TigerShark QC

Name: Hayward TigerShark QC
Brand: Hayward

A self-contained robotic cleaner that runs independently of the pool's plumbing, with route planning rather than random coverage and two cycle lengths, four hours standard or 90 minutes on Quick Clean. Trade-off: manual placement and start every session, and a cartridge to lift out and rinse afterward.

Autonomy Ladder

Why Level II.

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.
IIIConditional AutonomyFinishes whole jobs in familiar spaces; struggles at the edges.
To reach Level IIIMost sessions finish without intervention. Rescue is occasional, not routine.
IIAssisted AutonomyThis robot

Hayward TigerShark QC runs preset routines on its own, and the owner is its recovery system.
What it does on its own
- Cleans floor, walls, coves and waterline in the standard four-hour cycle.
- Quick Clean cycle completes in 90 minutes.
- On-board computer scans the pool, calculates its size and plots a route to cover the surfaces.
- Runs on its own 24 V DC motor independent of the pool pump, which can be off.
- Rated for vinyl, gunite, concrete and fiberglass surfaces.
Why this level
- The TigerShark QC plans its own route: an on-board microprocessor scans the pool, calculates its size, and works floor, walls, coves and waterline without operator input during the cycle.
- What holds it at Level II is the deployment loop rather than the navigation.
- The owner carries the unit to the water, places it, chooses the four-hour or 90-minute cycle, starts it by hand, lifts it out at the end and rinses the cartridge.
- There is no scheduling, no pause or resume, and no app.
What holds it at Level II
- Manual deployment: The owner carries the unit to the water, places it and starts each cycle by hand. No scheduling and no remote start.
- Two fixed cycles: Standard four-hour clean or the 90-minute Quick Clean. Neither can be paused, resumed or adjusted once running.
- No feedback to the owner: No app, no alerts and no report on what was covered or how loaded the cartridge is. Cartridge condition is judged by opening the machine and looking.
- Manual recovery: If the unit stalls on an obstruction or a step, it sits there until the owner retrieves it and restarts.
Autonomy dimension 36 / 100 · 10 sources reviewed
IManual AutomationOne action on command; no independent operation.

How we assign a level →

Behind the classification

Sources we reviewed.

Provisional10 sources reviewed

Enough has been reviewed to classify, but gaps remain across source types.

Sources reviewed

Manufacturer documentation2 sourcesReviewed

Hayward product specification sheet and owner manual for TigerShark QC. Covers basket capacity, 100-micron mesh sizing, pressure operating range, pump compatibility.

Owner reports1 sourceOngoing

Pool operator forums and user reviews from Amazon and pool supply retailers covering weekly maintenance routines, basket clogging patterns, coverage consistency in various pool sizes.

Hayward tigershark qc : r/swimmingpoolsReddit · r/swimmingpools

Press & video reviews3 sourcesReviewed

Third-party pool equipment reviews comparing suction versus pressure-side cleaners and automation capability gaps relative to cordless robotic cleaners.

Specification sources5 sourcesReviewed

Pages the published specifications were read from.

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

Hayward TigerShark QC 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
- Commercially available through pool supply retailers and online, typically $1,200 to $1,550 street.
- Setup is a transformer on a grounded, GFCI-protected outlet and the unit placed in the water; there is no plumbing to connect and the pool pump does not have to be running.
- Rinsing the reusable cartridge after each run is the extent of routine maintenance.
On the record
- Shipping since January 2018 · 105 months on the market
- Retail listings on file: Amazon
- No successor announced
- 10 sources reviewed
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

68of 100

CapableAt or above 54% of the 447 robots we scoreand 77% of the 65 scored robot pool cleaners

DeficientLimitedCapableStrongExemplary

Measured on 8 of the 9 inputs10% not counted

Our assessment did not establish an independent source for edge-case recovery on this machine, so that input is left out of the score rather than guessed at, and the rest re-weighted to fill the space. A gap in what we have been able to verify is not evidence against the robot. Where a whole pillar has nothing measured, we publish no number at all.

What moved itpoints gained or lost against a typical robot

Carried by

Support longevity97+3.5
Field failure rate91+3.4
Consumables86+1.4

Held back by

Software stability37−3.9
Coverage and navigation50−2.2
Routine maintenance56−1.4

Capability40% of the score62What it does without you.

Task completion16% of the score70

Evidence

Owner reviews on productreview.com.au: a five-year owner writes "It climbs the wall and the steps and does an excellent job all round", and a ten-month owner is "generally impressed by its cleaning ability" and says it "still cleans fine pool dirt much better than others I have used". A human still deploys it, lifts it out and rinses the cartridges each cycle.

Coverage and navigation10% of the score50

Evidence

The same ten-month owner on productreview.com.au makes a distinct navigation point: the unit "seems well made" but "I do believe the technology is available to make this product significantly smarter than it is. Also much more user control would be great", describing a cycle-driven scanner rather than a machine that plans or retains a route.

Edge-case recoverynot countedno source verified25

Evidence

At the found-stalled anchor, and the record states the case plainly. It can hang up on a main drain cover, a step or a large piece of debris and sit there until the cycle ends, and there is no app, no alert and no report of any kind, so cartridge and stall condition are judged by opening the machine and looking. On power interruption it stops and stays put until restarted by hand. This is the category trap the rubric names.

Operating envelope4% of the score60

Evidence

Swimming Pool Steve (swimmingpoolsteve.com), testing it in a 20 by 40 ft pool, says wall climb has to be tuned to the pool with the optional thrust restrictor plate "if the vacuum tends to fall off at the top of the wall", and the optional high velocity inlet is for heavy or fine debris and for units that "get hung up on your main drains". A buyer review on sunplay.com matches it: "It climbed too high, until I attached the limiter that came with. Also, it needed the narrow pick up attachment to get the smaller stuff… Not great at the steps, since it quickly falls off."

Dependability40% of the score74Whether it keeps doing it.

Field failure rate16% of the score91

Evidence

Eight years since 2018 with no documented field recall or major design regression, and the linked independent coverage, Family Handyman, Bob Vila and a swimming pool forum thread, is well sourced. Held down by cord and connector wear, a documented mode that takes the machine out of service until replaced rather than repaired poolside, and because the reliability section contains residual text about hose deterioration on a machine that has no hose, which undermines confidence in that passage specifically.

Software stability14% of the score37

Evidence

No app, no connectivity, no firmware and no update channel, so nothing can regress and nothing can be fixed. Scored on what the control system does: the on-board microprocessor does substantially more than a timer, sizing the basin and plotting a route, but its behavior is not independently evidenced anywhere, and the record contradicts itself on whether that pathing is planned or random. No credit for having no cloud to fail.

Support longevity10% of the score97

Evidence

Hayward's nationwide dealer network plus an independent retail parts channel, with InyoPools and PoolZoom both carrying the model and its service parts, on a design shipping continuously since 2018. Parts availability is demonstrated by third parties rather than only asserted by the vendor. Slightly below the SharkVac position because this record carries no published OEM part numbers or prices, so the owner cannot cost a repair in advance.

Ownership burden20% of the score68What it asks of you.

Routine maintenance12% of the score56

Evidence

Every run ends by unplugging the transformer, lifting 21.5 lb out, opening the machine, extracting the cartridge and hosing it, which is heavier access than a top-loading basket. Each session also starts by hand at the deck, with 55 ft of cord to manage and no scheduling. Add monthly brush and track checks with hair clearing, a 3 to 6 month full-length cord and connector inspection, and mid-run rinsing under heavy fine debris.

Consumables8% of the score86

Evidence

The cartridge is reusable and replaced only when the media tears or stops seating rather than on a schedule, and there is no battery, no app fee and no subscription anywhere in the ownership cost. Brushes and drive tracks are wear items replaced when they stop making contact. Below the SharkVac position because this record publishes no part numbers or prices, so the recurring cost is real but unquantified for the buyer.

middle half of the databaseits medianthis robot

Reported, not scoredneither measures how well the robot works

Five-year cost$1,650

middle of the market at a $1,489 MSRP with street pricing $1,219 to $1,549, plus roughly $200 over five years in cartridge and brush replacement; that consumable figure is estimated because no part prices are published in the record

Data postureLocal

Core function needs no account and no network.

What leaves the homeDocumented

The TigerShark QC collects no data. No WiFi, no cloud connectivity, no companion app. Operator monitoring is entirely manual via the pressure gauge on the skimmer basket.

On-device processingYes

Read the full methodology →

FIT CHECK

Will the Hayward TigerShark QC work in your pool?

Describe your pool using the controls. Each choice reads the spec sheet for you, flagging where the Hayward TigerShark QC 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.

Stable suction across seasons; basket clogging and hose wear dominate preventable failures.

Stableowner-reported arc

The record so far

Owner reports document consistent suction across multiple seasons. Mature manufacturing platform with no documented recalls since 2018. Failure modes driven by debris clogging (weekly emptying required) and hose UV degradation over 2-3 years.

What goes wrong3 documented · 0 self-recover

Common

Basket cloggingImmobilizes cleaner

Owner fixEmpty basket, rinse weekly

Occasional

Hose deteriorationLoss of suction, sluggish coverage

Owner fixReplace hose after 2-3 years

Occasional

Gasket and seal wearSlow leaks, reduced suction

Owner fixReplace gasket kit, low-cost

Upkeep routine

Each useEvery cycle

Unplug the transformer, lift the unit out, open it and rinse the reusable with a garden hose.

Monthly12×/yr

Check the brushes and drive tracks for wear and clear hair or fiber from the rollers.

Seasonal4×/yr

Inspect the full length of the 55 ft cord for nicks and cracked insulation, and the transformer connector for corrosion. A damaged cord takes the machine out of service.

Yearly1×/yr

Before storage, rinse the unit and the , let both dry fully, and keep the machine and the transformer indoors over winter.

When duewhen worn or full

Replace the if the media tears or stops seating; replace brushes when they no longer make contact with the surface.Typical for pool robots: annually

Cost over timeabout $540 past the sticker over three years

PurchaseRunning cost

Year 1

$1,669

Year 3

$2,029

Year 5

$2,389

$1,489 to buy, then about $180 a year for the replaceable parts below. Over three years that is roughly $540 past the sticker price. Excludes electricity and any repairs.

What you replace

Where to buy Cartridge

Replacement cadence from the maintenance schedule; prices shown where the source documents them. Part links may earn a commission and do not influence the classification. All parts at INYO Pools

Step-by-step fixes

Filter or Cartridge Clogging Fast?Brushes or Tracks Not Scrubbing?Cable Tangling, Coiling, or Floating?All robot pool cleaner guides

Safety notes2 cautions · 1 note

CautionSuction entrapmentHose kinked against pool edge can lodge cleaner and raise pump pressure.
CautionPump overpressureClogged baskets raise system pressure; monitor gauge, do not exceed 20 psi.
Chlorine exposureHigh chlorine levels above 3 ppm accelerate vinyl hose brittleness and degradation.

SPECIFICATION

The full spec sheet.

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

Dimensional drawing

Key specificationsManufacturer-published

FootprintThe width, depth and height of the robot itself, without its dock.: 16.5 × 16.5 in · 13.5 in tall•
WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.: 21.5 lbs•
Cycle length: 240 min•
Surfaces cleaned: Floor, walls, coves and waterline✓
Power type: Corded✓
Cable length: 55 ft•
FilterA pleated filter between the bin and the fan; it loses airflow long before it looks dirty.: 5 micron•
Max pool length: 40 ft•

Where it lands · ranked across 76 robot pool cleanersThis robotMedianTypical range

PriceThe maker's list price, not a price found in a shop.$1,489

$299$4,250

Near median

WeightThe robot alone, without its dock, as the maker states it.21.5lbs

7.9 lbs46.3 lbs

Near median

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

Official referencesOwner manual 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

Sep 2026 · AssessmentRecord status: Verified → Provisional
Aug 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score rescored under v4.2: 67 → 68
Jul 2026 · AssessmentRobovations Score recorded at 67 of 100

Editorial comparisons

How Hayward TigerShark QC compares.

All comparisons →

Goal-based

Robot Pool Cleaners2 robots

Legacy-brand in-ground pool robots: coverage and ecosystem fit

Hayward, Aquabot, and Polaris each bring a distinct coverage approach to the mid-size in-ground pool market. This comparison traces navigation method, wall reach, power architecture, and service ecosystem across four…

vs Polaris Freedom

Common questions

What people actually ask.

7 answered

OwnershipHow often does the filter need cleaning?

After each run. The TigerShark QC filters through a reusable cartridge inside the machine: open the cleaner, lift the cartridge out and rinse it with a garden hose. Pools with heavy leaf, pollen or algae load need it done more thoroughly, and a loaded cartridge is visible as soon as the unit is opened.

OperationDoes the pool pump need to be running?

No. The TigerShark QC is self-contained: it carries its own pump and a 24 V DC drive motor fed by a transformer at the deck, and it requires no hose connection to the pool’s filtration system. The pool pump can be off for the entire cycle.

OperationCan I use it in a saltwater pool?

Not established. Hayward does not publish a salinity rating for this model in the material reviewed, so neither a compatibility claim nor a corrosion warning can be made here. Confirm with Hayward or the dealer before running it in a salt-chlorinated pool.

OperationWhat happens when the cartridge loads up?

Flow through the cartridge drops and the machine picks up less. There is no basket, no skimmer pressure gauge and no alert, because the cleaner is not plumbed into the pool at all; the cartridge is judged by looking at it when the unit comes out. Rinsing it restores flow.

OperationDoes it clean pool walls?

Yes. Hayward’s standard four-hour cycle covers floor, walls, coves and waterline. The 90-minute Quick Clean is the shorter option for maintenance runs.

OperationWhat does the QC in the name mean?

Quick Clean. The QC adds a patented 90-minute cycle alongside the standard four-hour full clean, so the owner picks between a maintenance pass and a complete one. That is the difference between this SKU and the plain TigerShark.

OwnershipHow much maintenance does it need?

Rinse the cartridge after each run, and check the brushes and drive tracks periodically. There is no hose, no sweep hose and no plumbing to service. Before winter, take the unit out, rinse and dry it, and store the machine and the transformer indoors.

Availability

Where it's sold

We may earn commission from qualifying purchases. This does not influence classification.

Amazon Check price & availability

Cite & Embed

Reference the Hayward TigerShark QC classification.

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Citation

Robovations. "Hayward TigerShark QC: Autonomy Level II (Assisted Autonomy)." Autonomy Ladder™, assessed August 2026. https://robovations.com/robots/hayward-tigershark-qc/

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Where to next

Three ways to keep going.

For evaluators

Compare with a peer.

See the Hayward TigerShark QC and Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus Titan side by side: autonomy level, Robovations Score, readiness, and price. Classification, not a verdict.

See the full comparison

Or compare with Polaris 9450 Sport, Maytronics Dolphin S200, Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro.

For browsers

See every Level II.

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

Browse the database

Updated weekly with new entries and reclassifications.

Hayward TigerShark QC

Will the Hayward TigerShark QC work in your pool?

Living with it.

The full spec sheet.

How the assessment has moved.

How Hayward TigerShark QC compares.

Legacy-brand in-ground pool robots: coverage and ecosystem fit

What people actually ask.

Other robot pool cleaners we have classified.

Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus CC Pro

Maytronics Dolphin Nautilus Titan

Ecovacs Ultramarine P1

Wybot C2

Where it's sold

Reference the Hayward TigerShark QC classification.

Three ways to keep going.

Get the next reassessment.

Compare with a peer.

See every Level II.