Chip to chore: Pool-cleaning robot makes splash, but at a price

Wybot has launched the S1, a pool-cleaning bot working to a depth of about 4 metres that can climb pool walls and is operated using an app. — Photo: Patrick Pleul/dpa

DUBLIN: Brands such as Dyson and iRobot, which is merging with Amazon, have for years been coming up with robots to help around the house, be it with vacuuming floors or cleaning surfaces.

Airports have their own robot caretakers, the Avidbots Neo, which can be seen zipping around some terminal floors.

The Wybot S1, which is designed to clean swimming pools, could be described as a more niche addition, though Wybot has been making pool-cleaning robots for almost two decades.

But potentially saving the owner the trouble of having a pool drained before cleaning, the S1 works to a depth of about 4 metres, can climb pool walls and is operated using an app.

"You can choose from floor mode, waterline mode, combination mode, and up to 6 different cleaning paths to meet the specific cleaning needs of your pool," Wybot says.

The device comes with "triple powerful motors and two robust roller brushes, effortlessly capturing dirt, sand, leaves, and debris" and has a "special leak-proof design" that "ensures efficient operation and prevents dirt or debris from being released back into the pool water."

If you own a house with a pool, chances are you're a money-no-object person. And that's just as well, because if you want to add a Wybot S1 to your range of easy-street accessories, you'll have to splash out, with the pool scrubbing bot selling on Amazon.com for around US$800 (RM3,643).

The Roomba, an iRobot household cleaner that is almost a household name, can cost around half that price, with less well known brands sometimes available for around US$100 (RM455). – dpa