If you live in an area with dust and dirt blowing in the air and you have a pool, you know just how frustrating life can be if your pool cleaner isn’t working. When you have a suction pool cleaner it can make life quite a bit easier. One of the most popular suction cleaners on the market is the Zodiac Baracuda pool cleaner. In this article, we’ll give you a quick overview of the Baracuda product line. We’ll also discuss why you might want to choose this for cleaning your pool. We’ll also delve into some reasons why other options might make more sense.
Manual vs. Baracuda Pool Cleaner
In the past, the only option you had for cleaning your pool was to manually vacuum the pool. With the advent of the automatic suction cleaners, life became much easier. The Baracuda pool cleaner was one of the first cleaners on the market and created an entirely new method for cleaning your pool.
Baracuda Pool Cleaner Pros And Cons
Today there are a couple of models with the Baracuda name. The original is now branded as the G3 or Baracuda G3 pool cleaner.
- Quiet, powerful suction cleaner; works with low-speed pumps for maximum efficiency.
- Devours small and medium-sized debris and cleans floor, walls and steps of your entire pool.
- FlowKeeper Valve automatically regulates water flow to maintain peak cleaning performance even with lower horsepower pumps.
The beauty of this cleaner is the lack of moving parts. There is literally nothing to wear out or break on the G3 other than major components. Unlike other popular suction cleaners like the Hayward Navigator you don’t have to worry about making repairs in a few years when one of the flappy paddles on the side stops flapping.
Though the reason the Baracuda G3 is a low maintenance cleaner can also be one of its faults. The lack of moving parts also means if your pool is shaped in such a way that it’ll cause the cleaner to get caught. Cleaners like the Baracuda and the Pentair Kreepy Krauly have a tendency to get stuck. If you have a free formed pool or a pool with rounded coves and radii however, you shouldn’t have any problems whatsoever.
Baracuda MX6 vs. G3 Pool Cleaner
Zodiac has named one of their other suction cleaners ‘Baracuda’ as well. This is actually one of our favorite suction cleaners, the MX6. The MX6 is a wheeled cleaner, and operates well in an environment with more potential obstructions. However, when comparing the two you’ll notice the MX6 is more expensive. It will also have maintenance costs associated with it over time.
- Innovative low-flow design makes it ideal for pools with 2-speed or variable speed pumps
- Cyclonic suction for powerful vacuuming and articulating turbine blade for aggressive wall-climbing
- Swiveling hoses are quick-connect style for easy assembly
Although, the Baracuda MX6 has the ability to operate at a lower flow than the Baracuda G3. This makes the MX6 a great choice for those with a variable speed pump. The G3 also will not do much other than the floor, while the MX6 has the tendency to climb the lower portion of the walls.
Baracuda Pool Cleaners Vs. Robotic Pool Cleaners
As far as lower priced suction cleaners, both Baracuda pool cleaner options are a good choice. When considering how you plan to clean the debris out of your pool however, you never should go through this selection process without considering the alternative which is a robotic pool cleaner.
Robotic pool cleaners operate outside your circulation system, so if you have a high dust and dirt load, you don’t clog your filter. A robotic pool cleaner can be a better choice for someone who has to clean up after dust storms. Similarly, it’s good for someone who lives in an area where dust and dirt blowing is part of everyday life. This climate is common in the American southwest.
Baracuda Pool Cleaner Summary
For the price however, the Baracuda pool cleaner is one of the best choices you can make. This will get the job done in most instances, and you’ll have very little in the way of maintenance to worry about. Make sure you buy the right hose to go with your Baracuda, and as always, don’t forget to enjoy the pool this summer.
