Smonet SR5 automatic pool skimmer review: A clean sweeper

Price When Reviewed

$379.99

Best Prices Today: Smonet SR5 automatic pool skimmer

Numerous pool robots do great work cleaning the bottom and even the sides of the pool, but what about the surface? While a handful of robots can do triple-duty by skimming along the surface to pick up floating debris, a small subset specializes in this task exclusively. And the Smonet SR5 Skimmer does the job better—and for less money than those more sophisticated bots.

The 10.6-pound Smonet SR5 doesn’t look like a whole lot. It’s got a wide, flat design with legs that drop down on either side, giving it a catamaran-like appearance. It’s so lightweight that it even feels a little flimsy. Two small propellers on the back move the unit over the water while a spinning paddle in front scoops debris into a basket that rides underneath the waterline.

Four horizontally mounted wheels, one on each corner, serve as bumpers. These help the skimmer turn around more easily and avoids marks on the wall. The entire top of the device is covered by a 10W solar panel that—in most environments, or at least ones where pools are most likely to be—provides enough juice to power the device indefinitely during daylight hours.

Note that there are two Smonet Skimmer models: The SR5 reviewed here is made of blue ABS plastic and carries a 2500mAh battery; the SR5 Pro features a carbon fiber shell and twice as much battery (5,000mAh).

Christopher Null/Foundry

When I unboxed the SR5, I was quickly able to put its solar features to the test, because the A/C adapter promised in the box was missing. (A hook attachment for a standard pool pole to retrieve the robot is also included; this I received.) While I waited for Smonet to send me a charger, I put the SR5 out in the sun. The next morning, I turned it on, dropped it into the pool, and sent it on its way. The unit ran until nightfall, well over 8 hours, before it finally died, never having seen an A/C outlet.

The Smonet SR5 is mostly autonomous: My dream had been that it would spring back to life in the morning and continue its task, but it only starts up again once the unit reaches 80 percent battery capacity. That can take a few hours, and more on a cloudy day, so Smonet provides a way to more quickly get the unit up to speed by plugging it into wall power.

I did eventually receive the charger: It plugs into a screw-topped port that is, rather inconveniently, located on the bottom of the skimmer. I didn’t love flipping the skimmer over to charge it, in large part because I thought I would scratch the solar panel on the top, so I put down a cushion to protect it from damage. The charger cord is also very short, about 3 feet long, which makes it even more inconvenient to deal with. Fortunately, the integrated solar panel means most users probably won’t have to use the charger much.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robotic pool cleaners.

Starting and configuring the unit is a matter of ease. A single button controls the device and lets you toggle through a regular mode and a “sports” mode, which causes the robot to move faster. Though they’re difficult to read, four status lights next to the power button indicate the operational mode and let you know if the unit is charging via solar or A/C power. There are no wireless or smart features on the device.

Christopher Null/Foundry

The SR5 churns along and, true to its marketing, ultrasonic sensors on either front corner do a good job of preventing it from hitting the wall when it approaches. Instead of crashing into the wall and then turning, the skimmer gently curves as it approaches an obstacle before turning and heading in another direction. This isn’t foolproof—the unit still collides with walls on occasion—but it does move almost gracefully and avoids the bulk of collisions, particularly if you run it at the lower of its two speeds.

The skimmer did a better job than I expected at picking up leaves during my tests with both organic and artificial leaves, managing to pick up about 65 percent of the leaves I scattered on the surface of the pool. Another 20 percent ended up in the pool’s own wall skimmers before the SR5 could get to them, and a final 15 percent sunk to the bottom of the pool.

Apart from obstacle avoidance, I didn’t notice any difference in performance between the Smonet SR5’s two speed modes, but it was definitely more effective than the skimmer function on the Beatbot AquaSense Pro; probably because the SR5’s wide-mouth design is simply better-suited to working on the surface. The AquaSense Pro, after all, is primarily designed for scrubbing the floor.

Christopher Null/Foundry

One word of caution, which I learned the hard way when retrieving the skimmer from the water: Use the handle in front to pick the unit up, rather than lifting it from behind. The skimmer basket is open at the top and partially open in front, which helps to scoop debris into it. Pick the unit up from behind, and all that debris will run out the front of the device—right back into the pool.

That open basket design does make cleanup very easy. A simple hose-off and the skimmer is good to go after sliding the basket back into place—once it’s recharged, that is.

Personally, the Smonet SR5 Skimmer isn’t something I really need, because my wall skimmers do a great job of keeping the surface of the pool free of debris. But during some windstorms, particularly in the fall, the skimmers can’t always keep up, or their baskets get full. I don’t need one running around the clock, but a standalone skimmer could definitely come in handy on occasion.

And if you don’t have wall skimmers, well, this is a no-brainer. It’s not a massive investment compared to the cost of pool upkeep—and it sure is a lot less of a pain than dealing with a net on the end of a long pole.