Dolphin Nautilus CC vs Plus 2023 Review

dolphin nautilus cc plus in front of a luxury blue pool

When you’re comparing two of the biggest selling robotic vacuums it can be difficult to see the differences between the two.  In this article we will look at why you might choose the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus or the Dolphin Nautilus CC.  We will look at what features are available in the Dolphin Nautilus CC vs Plus. Then we’ll circle back to the reasoning behind recommending one over the other.

Dolphin Nautilus CC vs Plus Review

For two Dolphin pool cleaners that appear similar, there are many differences. The Dolphin Nautilus CC and the CC Plus models are completely different cleaners. We’ll outline their differences in 4 major attributes. These include warranty, circulation, drive tracks and weight.

Model Name
Dolphin Nautilus CC
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus
Appearance
Dolphin Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner —  Wall Climbing Capability — Powerful Active Scrubbing Brush —...
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner — Wall Climbing Capability — Top Load Filters for Easy...
Warranty
2 years
2.5 years
Circulation System
4000 GPH (older)
4500 GPH (newer)
Drive Tracks
Outside Exposure
Enclosed In Shell
Weight
15 pounds
21 pounds
Price
Price not available
Price not available
Model Name
Dolphin Nautilus CC
Appearance
Dolphin Nautilus CC Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner —  Wall Climbing Capability — Powerful Active Scrubbing Brush —...
Warranty
2 years
Circulation System
4000 GPH (older)
Drive Tracks
Outside Exposure
Weight
15 pounds
Price
Price not available
Model Name
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus
Appearance
Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner — Wall Climbing Capability — Top Load Filters for Easy...
Warranty
2.5 years
Circulation System
4500 GPH (newer)
Drive Tracks
Enclosed In Shell
Weight
21 pounds
Price
Price not available

Warranty Length

One of the first steps to consider when comparing the Dolphin Nautilus CC vs Plus is the warranty length.  This is a small but important aspect to consider whenever comparing any product.  Whenever a manufacturer’s warranty differs from one product to the next, it’s usually a sign they think one product will last longer than the other. In the case of the Dolphin Nautilus CC they give a 2 year warranty. With the CC Plus, it’s a 2.5 year warranty.

Circulation System

The suction power of the Dolphin Nautilus CC vs CC Plus is different. The Nautilus CC has the older 4000 GPH circulation system, while the CC Plus has the 4500 GPH circulation system.  Within the entire lineup of Dolphin cleaners, whenever you see the 4500 GPH circulation system, the warranty length is longer than 2 years.  Likewise whenever you see 4000 GPH, the warranty length is capped at 2 years.  This should be a hint as to what Dolphin’s expectations are when it comes to service life of the cleaner.

dolphin nautilus cc vs plus models next to spa with blue and gray tile

Drive Tracks

The Dolphin CC drive tracks are exposed on the outside of the cleaner, while the CC Plus drive tracks are enclosed in the shell of the cleaner.  This design may have some reasoning behind it, but we believe it likely has something to do with the way the brush and the drive tracks connect.  The width of the brush on the CC Plus extends wider than the brush on the CC.  Though both of these cleaners will only scrub the floor and walls with neither scrubbing the tile line, we believe brush width relative to the cleaner size will impact the cleanliness of the pool.

Weight

The Dolphin Nautilus CC vs CC Plus when it comes to weight of the cleaner itself is significant. The Nautilus CC robot weight is nearly 15 pounds, while the CC Plus is closer to 21 pounds.  Once you add the weight of the cord and control box, you’re over 23 pounds for the CC and almost 34 pounds for the CC Plus.  

The difference in gross weight between the two cleaners is partially due to the length of the cord.  The Dolphin Nautilus CC has a cord length of 50 feet, giving it a maximum pool size of 33’.  The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus has a cord length of 60 feet, giving it a maximum pool size of 40’.  If your pool is over 33’ in length, you will want to upgrade to the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus.

Dolphin Nautilus CC vs Plus Summary

Ultimately, when comparing the Dolphin Nautilus CC vs CC Plus, they are both excellent cleaning options.  With the larger circulation and suction motor and the enclosed tracks, we believe the additional weight is worth it with the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus.  

Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus Robotic Pool Vacuum Cleaner — Wall Climbing Capability — Top Load Filters for Easy…
  • The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus robotic pool vacuum cleaner features powerful wall climbing capabilities to scrub the floor and walls of your pool no…
  • Get your pool exceptionally clean with the easy-access, top load fine filter basket. The fine filters remove debris from your pool for crystal-clear…
  • Cleaning your pool has never been easier. With the Dolphin’s plug-and-play system, just plug your robot in, drop it into the pool, and turn on the…

Also, the Dolphin Nautilus CC does not have the anti-tangling swivel. This feature has become standard on the top end Dolphin Cleaners like the Dolphin Premier. The anti-tangling swivel is a small but important feature for these robotic cleaners.  When adding these reasons up, it’s easy for us to recommend the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus over the Dolphin Nautilus CC.

Both robotic cleaners can be programmed for weekly cleaning if you want to leave them in the pool.  However, we’d suggest you remove them after each cleaning if you have the time to do so.  In order to make this process easy and as frustration free as possible, we’d also recommend the Dolphin Robotic Cleaner Caddy.