Dolphin Cayman Review

One word describes the Dolphin Cayman: Automation.

In a market dominated by cordless and budget cleaners that have to be recharged daily, it is nice to see the Dolphin Cayman bring something to the table no other pool robot can do: automate pool cleanings.

Thanks to its Weekly Timer, a feature stripped on several 2024 model pool robots, the Dolphin Cayman stands out as one of the best pool robots of the year.

The Cayman is a mid-priced cleaner that offers a strong and complete clean and packs a programmable timer to bring it closer to higher-level cleaners. When I talk about great value, the Cayman is the first robot that comes to mind.

So let's get it into the water and run it through some tests to see how well it covers your pool, its filtration, and finally what its feature set and warranty are like. Each of these three categories are rated on a scale of 1 to 5, so let's dive in!

Pool Coverage

Starting with pool coverage, I plugged in the Cayman, dropped it in the water, and it took off. No programming or assembly required, which is quite nice if you have any experience with pressure or suction side cleaners and their complex set-up.

The Cayman navigated and cleaned my pool from the floor to the walls in a calculated and precise path. Since the Cayman is designed for the mid-price range, it will not clean your waterline, but I don't expect it to at this price point.

If you are looking for waterline cleaning, there are other models, like the Dolphin Premier and Sigma, that do clean the waterline. While they do cost more, they can really save you a lot of time. There are three main components to the Cayman's solid cleaning coverage: its strong brush, Hypergrip tracks, and Smart Nav 2.0.

One aspect of Dolphin cleaners that I have always loved is how powerful their brushes are, and the Cayman is no exception. While testing the Cayman, I noticed a clear path behind it on the pool floor, as it brushed away all the debris and stuck-on algae.

This strong scrubbing power is achieved with the help of one of my other favorite features you can find on some Dolphin cleaners: Hyper-Grip tracks. Tracks allow the robot to stick to the pool floor and walls, which means it won't float up and over debris. Instead, it will stay firmly adhered so that it can scrub and vacuum your pool with ease.

The final piece of the Cayman's great cleaning coverage is Smart Nav 2.0. This software is what enables it to clean in a calculated and precise path because it creates a map of your pool, so the cleaner knows where it needs to clean and how to get there. This is something that isn't as obvious unless you watch the cleaner during its whole cleaning cycle, but it makes a huge difference.

In past cleaners, such as pressure side or other robotic cleaners, I was always disappointed to see them get stuck on the same stairs or keep running to the same corner. With Smart Nav 2.0, this is never an issue for the Cayman as it will correct itself and its path to make sure your pool is cleaned quickly and thoroughly.

So when it comes to cleaning coverage, I give the Cayman a 4/5. It can clean the floors and walls of your waterline with ease, but I had to deduct a point since it cannot reach the waterline. I know that seems a little unfair since it was not designed to, but it is something to note.

Filtration Ability

Next, let's look at the Cayman's filtration ability. The Cayman comes with the standard fine filter basket that you will find on most Maytronics robots. This basket is large and easy to remove, and so much easier to clean than the bags you find with pressure side cleaners.

The fine basket's filters even pop out so you can rinse them individually. It is super easy to clean. While this basket may be great for your average pool, it won't filter out fine particles as well as an NanoFilter and doesn't get the fancy filter options found with MultiMedia, which is exclusive to the Dolphin Premier.

With a drop-down latch, the filter basket is super easy to clean. With just one hand, you can drop it down and rinse the filter. It's super easy.

So when it comes to filtration ability, the Cayman is great for your standard pool clean, with tons of room for larger debris and decent water filtration. The Cayman scores a 3.8 out of 5 in this category.

Feature Set and Warranty

Now let's look at the final category: feature set and warranty. This is where the value of the Cayman really shines, as most entry-level cleaners come with the basic on and off switch. The Cayman takes this a step further and includes a programmable timer, so you only have to turn the robot on and set its schedule once a week.

I typically like my pool cleaner to clean every other day, and with the Cayman, I can do just that. If my pool needs more or less cleaning, I can also set it to run every day or every three days. This feature is a lifesaver. This type of scheduling makes a robotic pool cleaner super easy to use, as I don't have to remember to turn it on every day, it will do that for me. This type of ease of use is something I would expect from a higher priced unit, so it is awesome to see it here on the Cayman.

Finally, there is the warranty. The Cayman comes with a 2-year warranty, which is standard for entry-level robotic pool cleaners. Maytronics has a great customer support team that makes using your warranty, should anything go wrong, super easy. The Cayman scores a 4.5/5 when it comes to features and warranty because it manages to pack a programmable timer into an entry-level price point, while still having a competitive warranty backed by great customer support.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Dolphin Cayman scores an 9.4 overall. This puts it among the best robotic pool cleaners. It offers a complete clean, competitive warranty, and the added bonus of a programmable timer, all for an entry-level price. The Cayman is truly a great value.

Check back soon with the Pool Pad team, as we will be constantly letting you in on the best products and methods to keep your pool clean and healthy!