Zodiac T3 Pool Cleaner Review - Should You Buy It?

Zodiac T3 Pool Cleaner Review - Should You Buy It?

The Zodiac T3 is a more affordable, suction-side pool cleaner that operates based on the power provided by your existing pool pump. Although many Zodiac cleaners can be a good buy, you may be wondering, is the cheaper model worth it?

In this Zodiac T3 pool cleaner review, we will address the pros and cons of this cleaner and provide you with everything you need to know related to its design, build quality, cleaning performance, and warranty in order to help you make the most informed decision.

Pros & Cons

Design

The Zodiac T3 is a suction-powered pool cleaner intended for both in-ground and above ground pools. This cleaner is compatible with a wide variety of pool surfaces, including delicate tiles to vinyl pool liners.

Recommended for pools no larger than 9 x 6 metres, this cleaner comes with 10 metres of interconnecting hose.

The Zodiac T3 cleaner consists of a spinning foot disc which aids in debris collection and suction while also moving the cleaner around your pool. This machine has an upright diaphragm, and is intended to climb walls.

The rotating base of this machine is fairly flimsy. While there are no customer reviews mentioning that this piece is prone to breakage, it is not sturdy enough to provide high-quality scrubbing action to your pool surface, including the waterline.

This machine is not intended to clean the steps or ledges in your pool, but it may be able to do so if the steps are wide enough and covered by enough depth of water.

Cleaning Performance

Most reviews about the Zodiac T3 say that this machine cleans great, but there are some small issues. For starters, the Zodiac T3 tends to get clogged by even mid-sized leaves as the suction port on the base of the machine is very narrow.

This can make the machine practically unusable by those who regularly get leaves in their pools, as the cleaner will need to be unclogged manually when this occurs.

Some reviews about this cleaner mention that it can fail to cover the full floor of the pool.

The Zodiac T3 is also more likely to get stuck in squared corners, such as those in rectangular pools or near ledges and steps.

Because reports of the cleaner failing to cover the full pool are not widespread, it is likely that these problems are related to incorrect user setup.

Power Specifications

This machine is powered exclusively by your pool’s pump. To calculate its power usage, multiply the wattage of your pump per hour by the amount of hours that the pool cleaner is left to run.

Build Quality & Warranty

Zodiac T3 Problems

Diaphragm

The biggest problem with the Zodiac T3 is the shoddy build quality of the diaphragm, sometimes referred to as a suction bladder. Almost all reviews of this cleaner mention having to get this part of the machine replaced frequently, sometimes as little as every four weeks.

If your machine is still under the first twelve months of warranty, this part can be replaced at no cost to you by contacting Zodiac customer care. If you have to replace this part yourself, it will cost approximately $40.

Most users who end up giving up on their Zodiac T3 do so because they are tired of making frequent repairs to the diaphragm of the machine, which is likely poorly designed when considering how many customers report having to replace this part routinely.

Hose Cracking

Another fairly large problem with the Zodiac T3 is that the hose of the cleaner is not designed for longevity. Many users report only getting one year of use out of their hosing before it cracks in multiple places and then must be replaced.

While certain elements of use can contribute to faster deterioration of these parts, such as prolonged exposure to sunlight or failing to remove these hoses when treating the pool with harsh chemicals, we still find one year of service to be too short for this crucial bit of equipment.

Zodiac T3 Warranty

The Zodiac T3 has a two year warranty which is standard among most pool cleaners in the industry. However, when it comes to contacting Zodiac customer care with concerns and warranty claims, your experience may be hit or miss.

Some customers report having their concerns addressed adequately, kindly, and being solved within a reasonable time frame.

Unfortunately, there are equally as many reports of customers feeling ignored or dismissed by the company when trying to contact the customer service department.

Most successful customer care interactions seem to come from reaching out to Zodiac via phone or through their online live chat.

Users who have attempted to contact Zodiac via email often report not receiving responses, which may indicate that this line of communication with customer service representatives is not adequately monitored.

Price

The Zodiac T3 carries a somewhat affordable price point at approximately $400, which is about the same as the Zodiac G2 pool cleaner.

Due to the frequency at which the diaphragm of this machine needs to be replaced, it is difficult for us to consider this cleaner a good value for the money.

Even if you are happy with this machine, you will likely have to repair this part on a regular basis for the entire time that you own the cleaner.

While it is expected to have to pay upkeep costs on pool cleaners such as these, the diaphragm suffers more breakage than can be attributed to normal use.

Because this part of the machine is clearly of either poor manufacturing or design, we suggest you invest in a machine that will require less frequent repairs.

Zodiac T3 - FAQ

How Long Does A Zodiac T3 Diaphragm Last?

The diaphragm on the Zodiac T3 tends to last for two months on average before tears will develop.

This tear typically develops in the same place each time, further suggesting that this part is not of high-quality construction. Some users of the Zodiac T3 report having to replace this part in as little as four weeks.

Zodiac customer service representatives online offer standard advice for preventing this piece from breaking. They suggest that you ensure your pool pump is providing the correct amount of suction, and also that the rest of the machine is adequately assembled and balanced.

Despite this advice, almost all users of the Zodiac T3 report needing to replace this part at a disappointing frequency.

Why Does My Zodiac Pool Cleaner Keep Stopping?

If your Zodiac T3 keeps stopping in your pool, it may be clogged by debris. The Zodiac T3 has a fairly narrow suction port at the base of the machine, and because of this it can easily become clogged by even typical debris, such as a leaf.

When the suction opening of this cleaner becomes clogged, the machine will cease to function until the obstruction is manually removed. If you have excessive amounts of leaves in your pool, this cleaner may not make a great option for you.

Check out our Zodiac pool cleaner troubleshooting guide for more advice.

Final Thoughts - Zodiac T3 Review

While the Zodiac T3 is a fairly affordable model of suction-side pool cleaner, it is not built to last. As much as we would like to recommend this cleaner, the frequency at which the suction bladder or diaphragm needs to be replaced is far too often.

Because this is obviously an issue with the design and build quality of this machine, we consider it somewhat irresponsible that the company has not yet discontinued models of Zodiac cleaner that require the diaphragm be replaced on such a regular basis.

Price Comparison - Zodiac T3

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