Zodiac AX20 Review - How Does It Stack Up? + Best Prices

Zodiac AX20 Review - How Does It Stack Up? + Best Prices

The Zodiac AX20 is a highly-rated suction powered pool cleaner manufactured by Fluidra. This model is an improvement upon the older AX10 model, but is this suction powered cleaner actually worth your money?

In this article we will cover some pros and cons of this cleaner and will also discuss its design, cleaning performance, and build quality to help you determine if this pool cleaner is the right choice for you and your pool.

Pros & Cons

Design

The Zodiac AX20 is a suction-side cleaner, meaning that it attaches to your pool’s existing pump system at the water intake point, usually the skimmer box.

This machine uses the power of your pool’s pump to drive and clean your pool, and is designed for mid-sized pools no bigger than 12 x 6 metres.

This machine climbs walls and delivers premium quality scrubbing to the surfaces of your pool using dual-action rotating scrub brush heads.

Capable of cleaning stairs, ledges, and the corners of your pool, this cleaner is highly rated for its manoeuvrability when compared to bulkier cleaners that get stuck easily.

It is intended for inground pools specifically, and is compatible with a number of pool surfaces including concrete, pebblecrete, fibreglass, quartzon, and vinyl liners.

At a weight of 9.5kg, some users may find it a bit challenging to lift this cleaner in and out of the pool. If this will be an issue for you, take a look at some of the more lightweight cleaners that we have put under the microscope.

Cleaning Performance

According to consumer reviews, the Zodiac AX20 does a great job at cleaning your pool thoroughly.

This cleaner is capable of climbing to areas of your pool that other machines may not be able to reach, such as steps and tanning benches, and is effective on almost all sizes of debris, from leaves and twigs to sand.

This machine can sometimes struggle with extra large or dense debris, such as large sticks or tree nuts. This is because the water intake port on the machine is not large enough for some of this material to pass through, leading to clogs in this area.

Additionally, large and dense debris that passes through this intake port may cause rotating pieces of the machine to become jammed.

It is worth noting that while this small issue does exist, most consumer reviews do not mention this being a problem and are satisfied with their cleaner’s cleaning capabilities.

Power Specifications

This machine is suction powered and does not have its own power source.

As a result, the power consumption of this cleaner depends entirely on how much electricity your pool’s pump needs to operate, combined with how long an average cleaning cycle might take in a pool of your size.

Build Quality & Warranty

Zodiac AX20 Problems

There are not many widely reported problems with the Zodiac AX20. When looking at consumer reviews, the only noted problem is that this machine may occasionally try to climb out of your pool, sucking in air in the process.

Because this issue is not widely reported, it is difficult to know if this is related to the quality of the cleaner itself, if this only happens when the machine is set up improperly, or if this is more common in certain types/shapes of pool.

Zodiac AX20 Warranty

The Zodiac AX20 has a 2 year warranty, which is standard among most pool cleaning machines regardless of type.

Because pool cleaners such as this one are made with consumable parts, if you use your cleaner more frequently than average or store it improperly, it may not last two full years before repairs are needed.

Zodiac AX20 Price

The Zodiac AX20 sells for approximately $850. While this is significantly more expensive than many suction-side pool cleaners that are available, this machine has quality customer reviews and is still drastically cheaper than many self-powered robotic pool cleaners.

Zodiac AX20 - FAQ

What’s The Difference Between The Zodiac AX10 And The AX20?

The Zodiac AX20 is an improved model of the AX10. The AX10 has similar features as the AX20, but does not have great suction quality, meaning that it can struggle to climb walls as well as the newer model.

Additionally, the AX10 is known to wear out much faster and tends to have issues with cleaning. These include stopping in the middle of a cleaning cycle, getting jammed, or failing to start cleaning entirely.

How Long Does A Zodiac Pool Cleaner Last?

Zodiac pool cleaners do not have the best track record for longevity among their products. Most pool cleaners made by Zodiac tend to require at least some repairs once the machine has reached the two-year warranty mark.

However, some users of Zodiac machines report happily owning their cleaner for up to fifteen years!

Final Thoughts - Zodiac AX20 Review

The Zodiac AX20 is a fairly high quality suction-side pool cleaner. Compared to other suction cleaners on the market, this one has much more consistently positive reviews regarding its climbing, cleaning, and scrubbing abilities.

Users also report that this bit of pool kit is easy to install, use, and empty, making it easy for us to recommend this model to those who may be interested.

Price Comparison - Zodiac AX20

Let's compare the top suppliers out there in Australia for the Zodiac AX20.