The Best Pool Vacuum for Sand in 2022

Having a crystal clear blue pool is the dream of every pool owner. However, that’s not always the case, thanks to the constant disruption of dirt, debris, leaves, and sand particles.

So, when you experience dirt or sand invasion in your pool, what next? Well, with the emergence of the best pool vacuum for sand, it is now much easier, cheaper, and convenient to keep your pool clean and healthy always.

Pool cleaners can either be automatic, manual, or robotic. They all differ in their functionality, suction, filtration, and overall value for money.

Pool vacuums for sand have grown in popularity owing to their ability to sweep or scrub the inside of your pool without necessarily having to drain the pool. This makes the whole process of pool maintenance simpler and completely hassle-free.

With that in mind, the market for these pool cleaners is highly saturated. Without the right information, you might not be able to decide what works best for you. Thankfully, here is an exhaustive review to help you make more educated buying decisions.

What is the Best Pool Vacuum for Sand?

Your heavily-invested backyard pool is probably one of your most guarded treasures. But how well are you guarding it? Do you possess the right tools for the job?

If sand is a common invader in your pool, you should start thinking about investing in the best above ground pool vacuum for sand. In this case, the Pool Blaster Battery-Powered vacuum fits the description.

This cordless cleaner is specially designed to capture fine dirt like sand. With its powerful suction motor and multilayered filter bag, it never misses a particle of sand.

That said, if you are on a budget, the Zodiac G3 vacuum would make a cheaper alternative. Its wheel deflector ensures the vacuum covers every crevice of your pool to suck up even hidden sand particles.

Our Top Picks

1. Best filtration: Pool Blaster Battery-Powered
   “With its powerful Water Tech P30 suction motor coupled with a large capacity multilayered filter bag, this vacuum doesn’t spare any debris, dust, or sand particles.”
2. Best suction: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus
   “Thanks to its dual scrubbing brushes powered with a 4,000 GPH of suction, this powerful vacuum does the best deep cleaning to your pool.”
3. Best for above ground pool: Hayward W3900 Wanda
   “The SmartDrive programmed steering technology in this vacuum offers the best cleaner maneuverability for optimal cleaning.”
4. Best for low-speed pumps: Zodiac G3 Suction Vacuum
   “This vacuum comes with a self-adjusting flow control valve to ensure optimal cleaning even when using low horsepower pumps.”
5. Best portable: PAXCESS Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner
   “At only 12.1 pounds, this pool cleaner is lightweight enough to be carried around even by the elderly and children.”

Top 5 Best Pool Vacuum for Sand in 2021

Still not sure which pool vacuum best suits you? Well, by the end of this detailed review it shouldn’t be at all hard to decide.

1. Best Filtration: Pool Blaster Battery-Powered

The Pool Blaster Battery-Powered vacuum is the best tool for your pool cleaning convenience. Whether you are dealing with an in-ground pool or above ground pool, this powerful pool vacuum comes with a large multilayered filter bag, strong suction, and is completely cordless affording you that much-needed quick and easy pool cleaning convenience.

Let’s dive in on its most outstanding features.

• Cordless pool cleaning

Who doesn’t place a premium on convenience? Everybody does, especially when dealing with stubborn debris and dirt stuck in your pool. That’s where the Pool Blaster cordless vacuum steps in. To operate this efficient tool, you don’t need any hoses or cords.

That means when trying to reach those dead algae, acorns, or fine dirt beneath your pool, this vacuum does a better job than your typical automatic vacuum. With the right maneuvers, it penetrates even the tiniest of places harboring sand.

• Reusable multilayered filter bag

With this added capacity, you can capture more sand debris using the Pool Blaster vacuum. The large capture chamber is further backed by the powerful suction of the vacuum for multipurpose pool cleaning to eliminate dirt, sand, twigs, leaves, and acorns.

• Rechargeable battery

Equipped with a set of powerful lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, you are bound to get maximum effectiveness with this vacuum. Charging the battery only takes 4 hours and in the next 60 minutes, you can clean your entire pool completely worry-free without a single recharge.

• Removable 10.5-inch vacuum head

The reason it is called a whole pool cleaner is that this vacuum spot cleans your entire pool in seconds, thanks to a large cleaning head width and increased suction power supported by a vigorous P30 motor. The extensive cleaning path allows the vacuum to arrest more dirt and sand in just a single pass.

Moreover, the vacuum head also comes with a crevice nozzle perfect for cleaning hard-to-reach areas in the pool.

Why we choose pool blaster over Intex 28620EP

While the Intex 28620EP Handheld Rechargeable pool vacuum may be more inexpensive compared to the Pool Blaster vacuum, we still recommend the latter for it offers more value for your money. For one, the Pool Blaster provides more run time not to mention it does more within its run time than the Intex 28620EP does thanks to its incredible suction power.

What’s more, the Pool Blaster has more dirt capture capacity hence delivering more pool cleaning efficiency than its counterpart.

2. Best Suction: Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus

This innovative robotic pool vacuum offers one of the best performances in the market today. Thanks to its powerful suction and ease of use, it can clean both above ground and in-ground pools up to 50 feet in under 2 hours. It covers both floors and walls.

To back this claim, here are the unsurpassed features of the powerful pool vacuum.

• Tangle-free cable

Backed by a 60ft. tangle-free cable, the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus pool vacuum adds extra efficiency to your pool cleaning. The fact that the extra-long cable doesn’t get tangled up means free and seamless movement of the vacuum around the pool doing what it does best-getting rid of sand.

• Cleaning scheduler

With this amazing pool vacuum, you can schedule how the robot cleans your pool every week leaving you with more time to enjoy and be more productive. It features 3 settings including every day, every other day, and every 3rd day. Simply set the schedule that suits you and leave the rest to the vacuum. It cleans the pool automatically with the same efficiency you would.

• Dual scrubbing brushes

This feature automatically translates to more efficient and effortless pool cleaning to leave it crystal clear. The robot can generate enough suction power to rapidly spin the brushes allowing it to scrub away even the tiniest or most stubborn of pool dirt.

To support the brushes, the vacuum also features superior filtering capabilities for effectively trapping and locking in all sorts of debris and dirt.

• Smart navigation

As a robotic vacuum, Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus uses a reliable navigation technology that combines sophisticated algorithms to chart out the best cleaning path for the most efficiency. This ensures thorough pool cleaning without skipping any sections.

Why we choose Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus over DOLPHIN Triton PS

Both the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus and DOLPHIN Triton PS vacuums mostly share the same features except the filter type used. The former uses twin cartridges whereas the latter uses an extra-large single click basket for dirt filtering. This makes the filtering capabilities of the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus more superior.

The other reason we recommend the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus pool vacuum is its affordability. For the same functionality (or even better than) with its cousin, this vacuum is priced fairly relative to the DOLPHIN Triton PS. Therefore, it provides a good return on your investment altogether.

3. Best for Above Ground Pool: Hayward W3900 Wanda

Built-in with the latest SmartDrive technology, the Hayward W3900 Wanda pool vacuum has the unbeatable capacity to automatically clean above-ground and in-ground pools of all shapes and sizes. This it does with a high-level efficiency to leave your pool all sparkly and inviting. Installation of the vacuum is a breeze and it provides a completely quiet and trouble-free operation.

What’s more, it functions with your existing filtration system so you don’t have to worry about extra equipment. So, what else makes the vacuum extraordinary? Here are some more features.

• SmartDrive programmed steering

This special technology is designed to make pool cleaning easier and faster. It also facilitates more thorough cleaning to make sure the pool vacuum doesn’t miss a spot. The technology achieves this by determining the most efficient cleaning path for your pool while helping with cleaner maneuverability.

Simply put, SmartDrive steering helps in harnessing water flow through your pool’s filtration system to drive the Hayward W3900 Wanda vacuum in an alternating series of right and left turns. This ensures systematic pool cleaning as well as the best coverage of surfaces.

• Unique turbine system

This system supports the graceful and gentle movement of the pool vacuum across the entire bottom surface to support an exceptionally quiet performance. The innovative system also enhances water circulation by pulling up water at the pool’s bottom as the vacuum moves. This is an efficient way of disturbing debris and dirt at the bottom and getting rid of them.

• Deluxe bumper ring

This bumper ring plays an integral role in pool cleaning as it reduces vacuum friction while guiding the cleaner away from steps, ladders, and walls. This ensures an uninterrupted and hassle-free cleaning cycle until the job is complete.

• 32ft. hose

A 32ft. hose is long enough to allow your automatic pool vacuum to move around with ease and deliver the best efficiency.

Why we choose Hayward W3900 Wanda over Hayward 900 Wanda

Both these automatic pool vacuums share almost every feature and warranty. The only difference is that the Hayward W3900 Wanda comes with more advanced features such as the flow gauge, regulator valve, and skimmer cone adapter that essentially provide more functionality than the Hayward 900 Wanda. This translates to faster cleaning with high-level efficiency. In terms of value for money, therefore, the Hayward W3900 Wanda pool vacuum is a better choice.

4. Best for Low-speed Pumps: Zodiac G3 Suction Vacuum

This pool vacuum blends well with versatile pool surface types whether your pool surface is concrete, vinyl, tile, or fiberglass. Setting it is super easy and features a durable hose that is also scuff-resistant. It also features a special valve to automatically regulate water flow and guarantee the best performance even with low-speed pumps. The vacuum is compatible with single, two-speed, and variable-speed pumps to clean more efficiently even with less flow.

That said, its powerful suction and quiet cleaning are what set this pool vacuum apart. But there is more. Take a look at the features.

• FlowKeeper valve

The Zodiac G3 Suction Vacuum is fitted with a self-adjusting flow control valve that automatically regulates water flow to guarantee peak cleaning performance even when using lower horsepower pumps. The special valve can also provide pool surface skimming just by the turn of a switch.

• Wheel deflector

Struggling to navigate corners in your pool? With a Zodiac G3 Suction Vacuum that can easily be remedied. Thanks to the extra-large wheel deflector embedded in the vacuum, navigating your in-ground or above ground pool becomes a lot easier. This feature aids your pool vacuum to negotiate tight corners and ensure continuous cleaning movement.

• Long Life Hoses

These durable hoses are also scuff-resistant hence ideal for all pool surfaces. They do an excellent job at eliminating scuffs from your pool surfaces. This makes the G3 cleaner a heavy-duty vacuum for inhaling stubborn small and medium debris from your pool walls, steps, and floor and restoring your crystal clear water.

• 36-Fin Disc

This disc comes with a clever design aimed at enhancing the adhesion of the vacuum to the pool surfaces. While providing maximum adhesion, the disc also helps to prevent hang-ups on drain covers, lights, fittings as well as other pool features.

• Long-Life Diaphragm

This durable diaphragm uses one-moving-part technology to maximize the silent operation of the pool vacuum. That means the diaphragm has eliminated the need for wheels, gears, and flappers. This helps to bring the overall maintenance cost of the G3 cleaner down while improving efficiency.

Why we choose Zodiac G3 over XtremepowerUS Premium

We highly recommend the Zodiac G3 pool vacuum for not only being more value-friendly but also for providing more functionality overall compared to the XtremepowerUS Premium vacuum. While the G3 cleaner cleans the floor, walls, and steps because of its wheel deflector, the Xtremepower cleaner is only good for cleaning walls and bottom surfaces. The Xtremepower cleaner also demands more maintenance than the G3 vacuum.

5. Best Portable: PAXCESS Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner

If you are looking for an automatic pool vacuum with greater cleaning mobility, this is it. The PAXCESS Cordless pool vacuum is not only extremely lightweight but also cleans up dirt, debris, and leaves pretty well on pool surfaces. The robotic cleaner can cover up to 860 square feet of cleaning surface and a maximum water depth of 6.6 feet.

Among other things, it features a smart navigation system, 5,000 mAh battery, IPX8 waterproof design, as well as superior filtering capabilities.

Ready to try out this fellow? Check out these amazing features first.

• Powerful 5,000 mAh lithium-ion battery

With a PAXCESS Cordless automatic pool cleaner, you can forget about the restrictions that come with a power cord. This powerful battery has an uninterrupted running time of up to 60 to 90 minutes long. Without a cable attachment to an electrical outlet, you are guaranteed maximum cleaning mobility.

• IPX8 Waterproof design

This design allows you to use the pool vacuum without worrying about water reaching the battery. With zero risk of damage to the battery, let the vacuum do all the dirty work for you as you focus on saving electricity.

• Smart navigation

This pool cleaner comes pre-installed with an intelligent navigation system that delivers precise coverage while cleaning.

• Superior filtering capabilities

The PAXCESS Cordless Pool Cleaner features a built-in fine reusable filter tray with a filtration precision of up to 180 um. That means the vacuum can trap fine debris and dirt in the process of cleaning and water circulation leaving your pool crystal clear in one pass.

Why we choose Paxcess Cordless vacuum over AIPER Cordless Cleaner

Generally, the Paxcess Cordless vacuum is more value-friendly than the AIPER Cordless Cleaner considering they share similar features and functionality mostly. They both have the same cleaning speed, nozzle adjustment, running time, and battery capacity.

What to look for in the Best Pool Vacuum for Sand

When shopping for the best pool vacuum to pick up sand, you should take into account a few considerations including:

Size and type of your pool

As there is no one-size-fits-all when selecting pool cleaners, you must first know your pool type and size. Not all pool vacuums can handle both in-ground and above ground pools. It is also important to know the shape, size, and depth of your pool as these determine the amount of energy and power required to clean the pool efficiently.

Pool vacuum type

Pool vacuums can range from suction, manual, automatic, to robotic pool cleaners. Generally, small and medium-sized pools blend well with a suction cleaner whereas larger pools with more debris and dirt would require a robotic cleaner.

Filtration power

The cleaning efficiency of a pool vacuum largely depends on its filtration capabilities or filtration rate. Superior filtration capacity means trapping and locking in different types of stubborn particles, dirt, and debris more effectively. It also means the ability to clean more gallons of water every minute. Preferably, go for a multilayered capture bag that traps even the finest dirt.

Suction strength

Suction power affects how efficiently the pool cleaner cleans both the largest and smallest dirt in your pool. To clean your pool more thoroughly, you should be considering a pool cleaner with maximum suction power.

Additional features

While the primary role of a pool vacuum is to pull and remove debris and dirt from the pool’s floor and leave it sparkling clean, it pays to go the extra mile beyond the basics. Extra features such as a hose swivel, remote control, and scheduling function can make all the difference in your pool cleaning.

Hose length

No matter how powerful your pool cleaner is, it remains useless without the proper hose length. So, if you choose a suction cleaner, ensure the hose length is adequate to allow optimal coverage of the entire pool.

FAQs

How Did Sand Get in My Pool?

The most likely reason for this is that it simply fell in the water perhaps as a result of a strong wind in the neighborhood. Your sand filter could also be faulty. A damaged sand filter cannot remove sand particles from your pool effectively and the sand may end up back in the pool.

Will a pool vacuum pick up sand?

A pool vacuum is well equipped to pick up sand from the pool’s floor. Pool vacuums are designed with a filtration system that draws in the sand and other fine particles into their filter chambers.

Which type of pool vacuum picks up sand?

The pool vacuum type most suitable for removing sand is the suction pool cleaner. Suction cleaners are specially designed for finer particles and sand fits the description.

What is the best above ground pool vacuum for sand?

The best pool vacuum to remove sand from your pool is the Pool Blaster Battery-Powered vacuum. Its multilayered filter bag backed by a powerful P30 suction motor allows it to pick up even the finest particles from the floor of your pool.

Will Sand Ruin A Pool Pump?

Yes, if not vacuumed properly. When picking up sand, your vacuum setting should sit at ‘waste’ to avoid getting stuck inside the pump and damaging the filter.

Does Robotic Pool Cleaner Pick Up Sand?

While a robotic pool cleaner is most suitable for larger debris and particles, it can still pick up sand from your pool if it has excellent suction power and superior filtration capabilities.

Final Words

From the above review of the best pool vacuum for picking up sand, it is clear what distinguishes each vacuum. While they all perform optimally scrubbing your pool and removing dirt and debris, we recommend the Pool Blaster Battery-Powered for picking up especially sand.

That said, your choice should not be confined to our recommendation only. The rest of the pool vacuums highlighted provide excellent functionality as well depending on your needs, pool type, debris type, and budget.

We hope you find this review helpful and good luck finding the best vacuum for sand.