Finding the right robotic cleaner for your pool can be a daunting task, which is why I’d recommend looking at any of Maytronics’ works of art before settling on a robot. Today, I’m going to see how the Dolphin Proteus DX3 works and whether it’s worth the investment. Spoiler alert: it is.
Powerful Motor
Don’t let the DX3’s compact size fool you. Inside its tiny shell is a beefy motor that moves up to 3,735 gallons of water per minute. With such a tremendous water flow rating, the DX3 is more than capable of cleaning small pools within the 2-hour cleaning cycle time frame. You’ll notice a definite change in clarity and feel after the DX3 has done its job.
CleverClean for Full Pool Coverage
Robotic pool cleaners rely on their navigation software to do a good job. The DX3 provides the latest CleveClean from Maytronics that uses multiple sensors to gauge the length and volume of your pool. It then creates the most efficient cleaning path to make the most use of the standard cleaning time.
High-Traction Tracks
When it comes to how robotic pool cleaners move around, you have two options: wheels or tracks. The DX3 uses tracks, the objectively better form of underwater movement, that allow it to stick onto the base and walls of pools for thorough cleaning. Tracks also allow DX3 to twist and turn effortlessly while submerged, reducing the risk of getting tangled in its power cord.
Wall-Climbing Ability
This robot works somewhat well at cleaning pool walls thanks to its tracks. You may notice that it struggles at first to make an immediate 90° transition from horizontal to vertical surfaces, but give it time – it’ll get there eventually.
However, it cannot stay on walls indefinitely since it lacks any downward-propelling jets. It means waterline scrubbing is out of the question. You’ll need to manually scrub your pool’s waterline from time to time.
50-foot Power Cord
This Dolphin model fits with a long 50-foot power cord that supports movement in in-ground pools of up to 35 feet in length. If you have an above-ground pool (most of you probably don’t), then the DX3 isn’t going to be of much help.
In addition, like every robot in the Dolphin series, the DX3 comes with a swivel cord that can rotate 360° to prevent breaking the internal wires. Sadly, it is not tangle-proof, but the tracks and CleverClean navigation software should halt the robot from becoming tangled in its cord.
Programmable Weekly Scheduler
The DX3 is one of the more basic models in the Proteus series so it does not come equipped with Wi-Fi compatibility. However, convenience is not an issue thanks to the programmable weekly scheduler. You can set the robot to clean on any day of the week at any time. Whenever you fancy a dip, you can rest assured that your pools are thoroughly cleaned and ready for re-dirtying.
Quick Drain
Even though the dry weight of the DX3 is pretty light (just under 14 pounds), pulling a waterlogged robot out of your pool can be a pain to the arm and shoulder muscles. Thankfully, Maytronics has your back – the DX3 has quick-draining ports that let water flow out freely when pulled out of the pool. It means bearing less weight when you ultimately need to empty the filter basket.
Single Top-Loaded Filter Basket
To simplify matters, even more, this robotic pool cleaner has an easily accessible filter basket. Instead of rolling the robot over, the DX3’s filter basket is found by opening the top latch and pulling it out.
All that’s left to do is throw any collected leaves, dirt, and algae into a trash bin or composter and give the basket a quick spray with a hose. It takes less than two minutes to clean.
User-Friendly Control Module
As you can imagine, the DX3 is a basic, entry-level bot without more features. The control module also follows this design by having a minimal number of buttons (start, stop, programmable scheduler).
It would be nice if it had a filter indicator that alerts you when to empty the basket but doing this once every two or three days should suffice (depending on how dirty your pool is).
Related Dolphin Robotic Pool Cleaner ArticlesSingle Reviews
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Premier Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Oasis Z5i Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Proteus DX3 Robotic Pool Cleaner
Dolphin Sigma Robotic Pool Cleaner
Comparison Articles
Dolphin vs. Polaris
Dolphin Premier vs Oasis Z5i
Dolphin Sigma vs. Dolphin Premier
Verdict
For first-time buyers who aren’t sure what to expect from a robotic pool cleaner, the Dolphin Proteus DX3 is a great place to start. It doesn’t offer a ton of different features or Wi-Fi compatibility, but it does everything you could reasonably expect (and more) from an entry-level robot.
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Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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