As a long-time pool owner, I’ve battled countless hours of skimming, brushing, and manual vacuuming, often wishing for a magical solution to keep my pool sparkling. The relentless cycle of falling leaves, fine dust, and stubborn algae buildup made weekends feel like chores, and the thought of neglecting the pool, leading to murky water or equipment damage, was a constant concern. Had I known about the efficiency of a quality automatic cleaner earlier, it would have saved me immense effort and ensured my swimming haven remained inviting.
- Automatic in-ground pool cleaner. SmartTrac Programmed Steering easily navigates around pool obstacles for uninterrupted cleaning. Adjustable to ensure the most effective cleaning
- Vacuum port door fitting has a spring-loaded cover for safety
- Cleans gunite, fiberglass, vinyl, and other specialty surfaces in a 15-inch path
Essential Considerations Before Purchasing an Inground Pool Cleaner
For anyone dreaming of crystal-clear pool water without the daily grind, an automatic pool cleaner is an indispensable investment. It’s for the busy homeowner who wants to maximize leisure time, not maintenance time. However, it might not be for someone who prefers the tactile satisfaction of manual cleaning or whose pool is too small to justify the cost. Before diving in, consider your pool’s specific needs: Is it an inground or above-ground pool? What type of surface does it have – gunite, fiberglass, or vinyl? How deep is it, and what’s its overall shape – traditional rectangular, kidney, or freeform with lots of curves? The presence of steps, drains, or other obstacles is also crucial. Think about the common debris your pool accumulates – large leaves, fine silt, or algae? Lastly, assess your pump’s power and your budget for both the initial purchase and potential long-term part replacements.
- Note:The vacuum requires at least a 3/4hp swimming pool pump or 1600ghp to function properly.
- The Hayward Poolvergnuegen 4-Wheel Suction PoolCleaner features patented self-adjusting turbine vanes that deliver maximum power at any flow and allow passage of large debris
- SMALL AND MIGHTY SUCTION-SIDE CLEANER: The Zodiac MX6 connects to a dedicated suction line or through the pool's skimmer and delivers debris to the pool filtration system.
Introducing the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White
The Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White Inground Pool Cleaner is a robust suction-side cleaner designed to meticulously clean the floors and walls of various in-ground pool types. It promises to take a “big bite out of pool maintenance” by scrubbing and vacuuming away even the toughest dirt. Upon purchase, you receive the main cleaner unit, a 48-foot hose, and a UniDapt telepole adapter for spot clean-ups, ensuring it’s ready to go right out of the box. Compared to some market leaders, the Great White focuses on powerful suction and a bristle-drive mechanism over intricate robotic features or complex programming. It’s ideal for pool owners who prioritize powerful vacuuming and a no-nonsense cleaning approach, particularly those with dish-, incline-, or hopper-bottom pools. It might be less suited for pools with numerous tight corners or complex, highly irregular shapes due to its programmed steering, which, while effective, can sometimes struggle with extreme curvatures.
Pros:
* Exceptional Cleaning Power: The bristle-drive and strong vacuum action dislodge and remove stubborn dirt and debris, leaving the pool floor and walls spotless.
* Broad Coverage: Its 15-inch cleaning path and ability to handle various pool surfaces (gunite, fiberglass, vinyl, specialty) ensure comprehensive cleaning.
* Easy Setup: Minimal assembly required; simply connect the hose, place it in the pool, and it’s ready to operate.
* Parts Availability: Replacement parts are generally available, allowing for repairs and extended lifespan of the unit.
* Low Moving Parts: Compared to other designs, its simpler mechanism can mean fewer parts to potentially fail, though some core components are prone to issues.
Cons:
* Durability Concerns (Brittle Plastic): A significant drawback is the recurring issue of plastic components (e.g., handle, bottom unit wall, oscillator chamber cap, skirt connection points) becoming brittle and cracking prematurely, often within or shortly after the warranty period.
* Gets Stuck Frequently: The cleaner has a tendency to get lodged on steps, drains, corners, or in specific tight spots, especially in pools with many curves or obstacles, requiring manual intervention.
* Uneven Coverage: While generally good, some users report the cleaner favoring the deep end or repeatedly tracking the same areas, potentially missing spots in the shallow end or specific corners.
* Sensitive to Pool Shape: Performs best in more traditional shapes; highly curved or kidney-shaped pools can hinder its navigation and efficiency.
* Ongoing Maintenance Costs: While parts are available, frequent replacement of the skirt and other plastic components can add up over time.
In-Depth Look at Its Performance and Advantages
Powerful Suction and Bristle Drive for Deep Cleaning
One of the standout features of the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White is its formidable cleaning capability. At its core, the unit utilizes a unique bristle-drive mechanism that actively scrubs the pool surface. This isn’t just passive vacuuming; the bristles work to dislodge tough dirt, fine silt, and even algae that might be clinging to the pool floor and walls. Coupled with a powerful vacuum action, this means it doesn’t just skim over debris; it actively lifts and sucks it away. I’ve been consistently impressed with how it tackles everything from large leaves to minute particles, truly leaving the pool floor feeling gritty-free underfoot. This dual action is crucial, as many cleaners either just vacuum or only brush; the Great White combines both for a superior clean. It means less effort for me, knowing that the most stubborn grime is being addressed without manual scrubbing.
Versatility Across Diverse Pool Surfaces
The Great White cleaner boasts impressive adaptability across various pool surface types, including gunite, fiberglass, vinyl, and other specialty finishes. This versatility is a significant benefit, as not all cleaners are suitable for every material. Its design ensures that the bristle action and suction don’t damage delicate surfaces like vinyl liners, while still being robust enough to thoroughly clean more durable finishes like gunite. For an owner like myself, who might consider different pool renovations or have a non-standard surface, knowing that this unit can handle it provides peace of mind. It truly means that regardless of your pool’s construction, this pool cleaning solution is engineered to perform effectively without causing wear or tear, maximizing its long-term value.
Navigating Your Pool with Programmed Steering
The Pentair GW9500 features programmed steering, designed to navigate the pool floor and walls efficiently, covering a 15-inch cleaning path. It’s meant to move around obstacles, ensuring uninterrupted cleaning. In a perfectly shaped pool with minimal obstructions, this system works quite well, allowing the cleaner to make its rounds and cover most areas. The agile turning mechanism is supposed to help it escape difficult spots and ensure thorough coverage.
However, this is also where some of the primary disadvantages of the Great White emerge. While it’s good in theory, in practice, especially in pools with more complex shapes (like kidney-shaped or freeform designs) or prominent features like steps and raised drains, the programmed steering can falter. I’ve often found my unit getting stuck for extended periods on steps, in corners, or repeatedly bumping against the main drain, sometimes requiring manual intervention to free it. It can also exhibit a tendency to favor the deep end, occasionally neglecting the shallow areas or continuously tracking the same path, leaving other spots untouched. This means that while it significantly reduces manual effort, it doesn’t entirely eliminate the need to supervise its operation or occasionally give it a nudge in the right direction. It’s a trade-off between its powerful cleaning action and its less-than-perfect navigation in intricate pool designs.
Effortless Setup and Immediate Operation
One of the most user-friendly aspects of the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White is its incredible ease of setup. Seriously, it’s almost plug-and-play, or rather, “attach-and-swim.” You simply take the unit out of the box, connect the included 48-foot hose, and place it into your pool. There’s no complex programming, no app to download, no intricate assembly steps. It begins its cleaning cycle immediately, drawing power directly from your existing pool pump’s suction. This “ready to go” feature is a massive benefit, especially for new pool owners or those who dread complicated gadget installations. The inclusion of the UniDapt telepole adapter is also a thoughtful touch, allowing for quick spot clean-ups if needed, though with the Great White doing its job, I rarely find myself needing it for anything more than stray debris. This simplicity truly enhances the pool ownership experience, making maintenance feel less like a chore and more like a set-it-and-forget-it task.
Durability, Maintenance, and Their Challenges
While the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White excels in cleaning performance and ease of use, its Achilles’ heel lies in the durability of certain components. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with this aspect over the years. On the one hand, parts are readily available, which is a huge plus for extending the life of the unit through repairs. I’ve rebuilt mine more than once, replacing worn-out or broken parts. This availability ensures that a minor component failure doesn’t necessitate buying an entirely new cleaner.
However, the recurring issue of brittle plastic parts is a significant frustration. Over time, and sometimes surprisingly quickly, sections like the handle attachment point, the wall on the bottom of the unit, or even internal components like the oscillator chamber cap can develop cracks or simply disintegrate. This vulnerability to cracking seems to be an inherent design or material flaw that, based on my experience and what I’ve heard from other users, Pentair has yet to fully address over the years. This means that while the cleaner performs exceptionally well when intact, you might find yourself frequently inspecting it for new cracks or ordering replacement parts. The rubber skirt, for instance, is a wear-and-tear item that often needs replacing at least once, if not twice, a year, adding to the ongoing maintenance cost. This constant need for vigilance and occasional repairs detracts from the otherwise fantastic cleaning performance and ease of operation. It’s a shame, as a more robust plastic compound would undoubtedly make this an almost perfect cleaner.
What Other Pool Owners Are Saying
Having scoured numerous forums and product review sites, it’s clear that many pool owners share my mixed experience with the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White. Many praise its impressive debris collection, with sentiments echoing how it has significantly reduced their manual cleaning efforts, calling it the “best purchase ever” for keeping their pools spotless. However, a recurring theme is frustration over the unit’s long-term durability, particularly concerning plastic components that become brittle and crack. Users frequently report issues with the cleaner getting stuck on steps, drains, or in curved sections of the pool, especially in non-rectangular designs, often requiring intervention. Despite these common frustrations, the general consensus is that when the cleaner is functioning optimally, its cleaning prowess is truly excellent, making the investment worthwhile for many, even with the need for occasional part replacements.
Final Thoughts on Keeping Your Pool Pristine
Maintaining a pristine swimming pool can feel like a never-ending battle against dirt and debris, and without an effective solution, your beloved pool can quickly become a murky chore. The Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White Inground Pool Cleaner is an excellent fit to tackle this problem head-on. Its powerful bristle-drive and vacuum action effectively scrub away tough grime, ensuring a genuinely clean pool floor and walls. Furthermore, its straightforward setup means you can deploy it with minimal fuss, reclaiming your precious leisure time. Despite its known issues with plastic durability and occasional navigation quirks, its core cleaning performance is undeniable. If you’re ready to drastically reduce your pool maintenance efforts and keep your water invitingly clear, then click here to check out the Pentair GW9500 Kreepy Krauly Great White and make the investment in a cleaner, more enjoyable pool.
Last update on 2025-09-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API