Just unboxed our new beatbot iskim 2026.
On the bottom, there are openings where you see foam inside. There are four open slots on both sides. But left aide has foam filling 3 slits and right aide has foam showing 2. Does this look right?
I assume the empty slits help it drain when lifting out of water. But weird they don’t match. Will this cause floatation imbalance or make it go more in one direction than another?
Hi everyone, I just got my Sora 30 today and ran it for a 3 hour cycle. First impression, super cool! Very quiet and very efficient. I was actually surprised to see how much it picked up off the pool floor. However, I have a sun shelf and I did not see it up there. There's about 7 or so inches of water on it, so technically it should make it up there. Do I have to start it up there or do a separate run?
Thanks!
My family bought the Sora 30 to replace our dolphin unit, as the main module kept getting burnt out. One thing that I noticed with my Sora 30 is that even after a 2 hour cycle, this stupid thing doesn’t return to the surface. This is my fourth day in a row, having to manually retrieve this device and quite frankly, I’m getting sick and tired of it. Is this normal with this model? Should I just return the robot or should I wait for a firmware update? I’m just about to lose it with this thing. The basket doesn’t even really get full so it shouldn’t have an issue coming back up.
I've been using the sora 30 for a while. The included basket does a good job with leaves and small twigs, and it doesn't really clog or lose suction during longer runs. My pool is surrounded by a lot of trees, so during peak pollen season there's a lot of dust and fine debris. A lot of it ends up setting on the bottom and doesn't always get picked up.
There's a finer filter basket sold separately for the robot, I'm thinking about upgrading but not fully sure it's worth it yet. Trying to figure out a few things from people who've used both:
-Does it actually improve fine debris pickup?
-Does the tighter mesh clog faster or reduce flow during cleaning?
-Do you keep it on all season or only use it during heavy pollen periods?
Any experience would help.
One of our customers, Max, shared something that completely melted our hearts.
His grandson Micah is convinced their Beatbot is alive. He named it Robbie, and every time Robbie rises to the surface after cleaning, Micah gently pets it like it’s a little dolphin and calls out its name.
What started as a pool-cleaning robot became part of a child’s world: not just a machine, but a friend.
We build robots to make life easier. But moments like this remind us they can do something more: become part of the small, beautiful memories families make together.
"Hi, Robbie!"
I got the aquasense 2 ultra a few days ago. We have an irregular pool with sloping sides, so I thought it would be best. So far, I’ve tried to run various cleaning modes (never including surface mode, and always with the pool pump turned off), and each time it does a few runs around the floor and walls, then comes to the surface and floats with the brushes rolling. Occasionally it will run in circles or move around some on the surface, but it won’t go back down and finish a job. Sometimes it will roll around on the floor sort of in a “wheelie” partially on the floor with the front sticking up before it floats up to the surface. It has never finished a cleaning job yet. Always ends up basically treading water.
Half question and half suggestion....
This outdoor storage box from Sam's club (Keter Urban 30 Gal. Outdoor Deck Box/Storage Table) is the perfect size to fit the Beatbot AquaSense 2 and it's charging stand.
I bought a rubber cable grommet from Amazon to run the power cable through the wall of the box to the power outlet and I am planning/hoping to store and charge the Beatbot inside the box whenever it's not in the pool.
The question part... how worried do I need to be about ventilation in the box for cooling while charging and to let water from the Beatbot evaporate out? My intuition is that I absolutely need to worry about both of these considerations but does anyone have any experience or opinion to the contrary?
Would drilling a few vent holes in the walls of the box suffice? Should I consider something more serious like installing a little ventilation fan?
Thanks in advance.
We have a standard rectangle with only a small swim out area in the deep end. It’s chest high when sitting so way deeper than either of these needs. Is there really an advantage to going with the 30 for my first cordless unit? I currently have a Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus that does great work and probably deserves a raise for its efforts. Curious to learn about the cordless world.
Can anyone help me with several questions I have regarding my new Sora 70 and the current BeatBot product lineup?
I also previously contacted customer service, but I did not receive the technical guidance I was looking for, so I am hoping someone familiar with the products can provide clarification.
I recently purchased a Sora 70 and completed my first cleaning cycles. Unfortunately, my initial experience has not met my expectations, and I would like to better understand whether the behavior I observed is normal operation or if there may be an issue with my unit.
During my first Pro Mode run:
- The unit completed multiple sessions but never appeared to perform surface cleaning.
- Two of the runs were incomplete because the robot became stuck near my main drain area. The drain is not active and has been plugged since I removed my old suction cleaner.
- When I retrieved the unit, it appeared powered off (no track movement or sound). After restarting and placing it back in the pool, it resumed cleaning but seemed to move in a random pattern rather than the expected S-pattern.
- It moved from deep areas to shallow areas and across the floor without an obvious planned route.
- When cleaning walls, it never reached the waterline during the initial cycles.
- Eventually, near what appeared to be the end of the programmed 4-hour cycle, it still had approximately 30% battery remaining, but it had not performed surface cleaning.
- After placing it back in the pool, it continued wall cleaning, but the waterline cleaning appeared inconsistent and random rather than following a predictable pattern.
My concern is that if Pro Mode prioritizes floor and wall cleaning first and only attempts surface cleaning at the end, the robot may frequently run out of time or battery before ever reaching the skimming function. From a pool maintenance perspective, removing floating debris first seems logical because debris on the surface can eventually sink and become floor debris.
Can you please explain:
How is Sora 70 programmed to handle floor, wall, waterline, and surface cleaning?
Does it intentionally save surface cleaning for the end of the cycle, or should it normally perform surface cleaning earlier?
How does Sora 70 navigate walls and waterline cleaning?
Does it use a similar N-pattern approach as the AquaSense series, or is its method different?
Is my experience with random-looking navigation normal, or should Sora 70 be following a more structured cleaning pattern?
I also have questions regarding the current product lineup because I am trying to determine whether the Sora 70 is the right product for my needs.
I originally considered purchasing either:
- AquaSense 2 with iSkim, or
- Sora 30 with iSkim.
However, I chose the Sora 70 because of its all-in-one capability.
My questions:
Is Sora 30 essentially the same cleaning platform as Sora 70, except without the jet propulsion surface cleaning capability?
The current pricing makes this comparison difficult:
- Sora 30: approximately $650 sale price
- Sora 70: approximately $1,000 sale price
The difference is roughly $350, which is almost enough to purchase an iSkim (2026 model) separately.
Other than:
- integrated surface cleaning,
- 3-year warranty versus 2-year warranty,
what additional features does Sora 70 provide over Sora 30?
What advantages does AquaSense 2 provide over the newer Sora 30 that justify the additional cost?
For example, Sora 30 appears to offer:
- larger filter capacity,
- optional ultra-fine filtration,
- higher suction capability.
Besides features such as:
- charging dock,
- double-pass waterline cleaning,
- longer warranty,
what benefits does AquaSense 2 provide over Sora 30?
If Sora 30 paired with the new iSkim provides better overall pool coverage, would that be a better choice than Sora 70?
For example:
- Sora 30 + iSkim bundle: approximately $938
- Sora 70: approximately $1,000
At those prices, the decision becomes difficult.
Finally, I would appreciate clarification regarding the iSkim Ultra versus the newer iSkim (2026 model). I have read that the Ultra is an older design with:
- 2-year warranty versus 3-year warranty,
- no 5 GHz WiFi support,
- lower battery/runtime specifications.
If that information is accurate, why does the iSkim Ultra have a higher original retail price than the newer iSkim?
I purchased the Sora 70 because I wanted the best all-in-one solution, but based on my first experience, I am trying to determine whether I should keep it or consider switching to a different combination.
I would appreciate a detailed technical response explaining the intended operation of the Sora 70 and the differences between these models.
Thank you,
My skimmer has been having charging issues lately. It's one of those basic ones, and I'm starting to think the battery might be going bad, so I'm trying to replace it before it fully dies.
I noticed beatbot has both the iskim and iskim ultra. Has anyone compared them in real use? I'm mostly trying to figure out what the actual difference is and whether the ultra is worth paying more for.
I had the opportunity to beta test the new Beatbot iSkim Cordless Robotic Pool Skimmer, and overall, it was a very positive experience.
When I first started using the iSkim, the paddle was sitting slightly out of the water. After providing feedback, the Beatbot team made adjustments, and the paddle was able to sit properly in the water. Once corrected, the iSkim did an excellent job keeping my pool surface clean, collecting dog hair, bugs, leaves, and other floating debris.
One of the standout features is the solar charging capability. The solar panels kept the iSkim charged throughout the day, allowing it to clean my pool for more than 16 hours without needing additional charging.
I typically used the scheduling feature to run the iSkim when my pool filter was off. My pool has a swim deck with a bubbler, and when the bubbler was running, the iSkim could occasionally get stuck behind it. Running the skimmer during off-hours solved that issue and allowed it to clean efficiently.
The debris basket is generously sized and easily handles a variety of debris. Emptying and cleaning the basket is simple and convenient. I also tested the remote-control feature, which worked great and felt very similar to operating a remote-control boat. The app is user-friendly, intuitive, and easy to navigate.
This was my first experience with a Beatbot product, and I was impressed with both the performance of the iSkim and the support provided during the beta testing process. Overall, the iSkim did an excellent job keeping my pool surface clean, and I would confidently recommend it to anyone looking for an effective robotic pool skimmer.
The cleaning station is honestly the part I’m most curious about. I saw a few reviews saying it deals with the basket on its own, so you’re not stuck rinsing it out every time.
I’m still wondering about the robot itself though. If anyone has used the aquasense x, does it clean any differently from the aquasense ultra or pro, or is the station the main difference?