Best Pool Vacuum For Intex Pools: 2023 Reviews

homeowner cleaning a blue intex above ground pool with a white manual vacuum head

Upon completing your new Intex above ground pool it might seem like you have figured everything out.   You filled it with water, you’ve started the filtration pump, you’ve balanced the water and you’re ready to swim.  After a few days have gone by however, you’ve found you need to get some leaves, dirt and debris off the bottom of the pool.  Where do you find a pool vacuum for Intex that will work well?  What is the best pool vacuum for Intex pools?  In this article we will explore the answers to these questions as well as provide some suggestions depending on the type of vacuum that’s best for you.

Best Overall Pool Vacuum For Intex Pools: Intex Deluxe Automatic

Much like their pools, Intex may not make the best or least expensive pool cleaner, but the value is incredible. Many homeowners who buy Intex pools do not realize that the company makes pool vacuums too. The Intex Deluxe is an automatic pool vacuum under the $200 price point. While it’s not our top pick for an above ground pool cleaner, it’s likely the best overall choice for your intex pool.

best pool vacuum for intex pools showcased in a white room as the Intex ZX300 pool cleaner removed from box with gray brushes and white plug in pipe nearby

This pool vacuum features all wheel drive, allowing it to climb your pool walls. It’s specifically designed for Intex pools and its operating manual actually discourages using it in any other pool. The Intex Deluxe is made for above ground pools and has very strong brushes for dirt and other debris that is bound to end up in your pool. While we wouldn’t recommend it for other pool types, this is the most affordable robotic cleaner on the market for your Intex pool.

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Intex 28005E ZX300 Deluxe Automatic Pool Cleaner, Gray
  • KEEPS YOUR POOL CLEAN: Powerful 700 gal/hour water powered suction
  • ALL-WHEEL DRIVE: Water powered all-wheel drive for swift cleaning action and superior wall-climbing performance
  • REQUIRED PUMP: Intex pump with a flow rate between 1,600-3,500 gal/hour required

Best Standby Manual Pool Vacuum For Intex Pools

When reviewing your pool vacuum options, there’s always the old standby. This would be a manual pool vacuum for your Intex pool.  However, these can be a bit of a difficulty. Most Intex pools don’t have a typical built in wall skimmer. Therefore, you may need to disconnect some piping to attach the vacuum whoever you use it.  Our recommended manual above ground vacuum head is the Milliard Pool and Spa Vacuum Head.

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Milliard Pool and Spa Vacuum Head / 13” Wide/Safe for Inground, Above Ground and Vinyl Pools
  • Easy Cleaning – Milliard’s pool vacuum head is weighted so it sinks right to the bottom of your pool and stays there. The air-relief valve…
  • Soft Brushes – the brushes that run along the entire edge of this 13” wide pool brush are made from polypropylene bristles that are firmer than…
  • Universal Fit – the vacuum port fits standard 1.25” and 1.5” vacuum hoses and the handle has spring loaded locking clips making it easy to…

Best Manual Pool Vacuum For Above Ground Pools

Next, there’s one of the most popular methods for vacuuming a pool.  This is the plug in manual vacuum.  These work well with above ground pools since you can walk around the outside of the pool and vacuum the pool with the vacuum head attached to your aluminum maintenance pole.  Our favorite manual hand held vacuum is the POOL BLASTER Max Cordless Pool Vacuum.

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POOL BLASTER Max Cordless Pool Vacuum for Deep Cleaning & Strong Suction, Handheld Rechargeable Swimming Pool Cleaner…
  • INCREASED POWER: The Max offers increased vacuum suction with the Water Tech P30 Motor design engineered for quick & efficient debris pick-up.
  • WHOLE POOL CLEANER: Clean entire pool or Spot-Clean in seconds. Includes a removeable 10.5” vacuum head for general cleaning or simple remove to…
  • CAPTURE MORE DIRT: The Max features a large debris capture chamber and strong suction for a variety of cleaning; acorns, twigs, leaves dirt and sand.

Best Plug In Pool Vacuum For Intex Pools

The next type of cleaner has grown measurably in the past few years both in above ground and inground pools.  The plug in robotic pool cleaner is now considered the industry standard in automatic vacuuming technology across the board. Maytronics, the parent company of Dolphin has a proven track record going back over a decade in the production and manufacture of robotic pool cleaners. 

Dolphin E10 Robotic Pool [Vacuum] Cleaner – Ideal for Above Ground Swimming Pools up to 30 Feet – Powerful Suction to…
  • The easy way to a clean pool. The Dolphin E10 robotic pool vacuum cleaner was designed specifically for above-ground swimming pools, making it the…
  • Take back your free time. The Dolphin E10 will have your pool cleaned in a quick 1.5 hours. Just imagine how much you can get done with one less chore…
  • Dolphin does all the hard work for you. The E10 was designed to clean your pool, effortlessly. With superior filtering and floor scrubbing…

This would be the most direct competitor to Intex’s own robotic cleaner mentioned earlier. Yes, it’s significantly more expensive but it also performs much better. If you have one of the larger Intex pool models, you should consider this as a best in class option.

Dolphin now has a model specifically manufactured for above ground pools, the E10.  These are priced far less than the inground models which run over $1000 but at several hundred dollars are still a pricey choice.  However, anyone who has one will tell you, they make life easy.  Plug it in, turn it on, drop it in, and the cleaner does the rest.  The robotic pool cleaner (plug in) we recommend is the Dolphin E10 Robotic Pool Cleaner.

Best Cordless Robotic Pool Vacuum For Above Ground Pools

One of the newer technologies on the market is the cordless robotic pool cleaner.  These have grown in popularity over the past few years, but still should be considered new.  However, there is one company who has focused solely on this technology, Aiper. Aiper is priced well below the plug in Dolphin. Additionally, there’s no power cord. As a result, there’s less concern of a trip hazard in the pool area while it’s cleaning the pool.  If you’re looking for a robotic pool cleaner and want to give cordless a try, this is great place to start.  For a cordless robotic pool cleaner we suggest the AIPER Seagull SE Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner.

(2023 Upgrade) AIPER Seagull SE Cordless Robotic Pool Cleaner, Pool Vacuum Lasts 90 Mins, LED Indicator, Self-Parking,…
  • CORDLESS & EASY TO USE: No more messy hoses and no more tangled cords. The Seagull SE is completely cordless and hassle-free! Simply power your…
  • INCREASED BATTERY LIFE: The newly designed battery only takes 2.5 hours to fully charge and provides over 90 minutes of cleaning capabilities. Ideal…
  • POWERFUL PERFORMANCE: Equipped with powerful dual-drive motors, the Seagull SE tracks down and collects the most types of dirt and debris with ease….

Summary

Whichever option or options you choose for your Intex pool, a vacuum system will improve your day to day swimming experience.  By using a pool vacuum for Intex pools you will spend far less time scooping out the debris manually. Instead, you can spend hours floating and swimming. Ultimately, the decision comes down to how much convenience you want and how much you’re willing to spend.