A Guide to Pool Cleaning Equipment - DirectPoolSupplies

Essential Pool Cleaning Equipment

Key Takeaways

Pool vacuum and pool cleaner are not the same thing — a vacuum handles debris removal, while cleaner is a broader term covering suction-side, pressure-side and robotic devices
Suction and pressure-side cleaners both rely on your pool's circulation system and are generally affordable, but neither cleans walls effectively without manual brushing
Robotic cleaners are the most capable option — fully independent, programmable, and the most thorough — but carry a higher upfront cost
Your filter type determines how finely your water is cleaned: sand filters are budget-friendly, cartridge filters capture smaller particles, and DE filters offer the finest filtration of all three
The pump is the engine behind everything — it drives circulation, distributes chemicals and keeps water moving through the filter, making it the single most important piece of equipment in the system

Understanding the tools available for pool maintenance makes it much easier to keep your water clean without spending more time or money than necessary. This guide covers everything from the basics through to filters, pumps and automatic cleaners.

Basic Pool Cleaning Equipment

Leaf nets, brushes and telescopic poles are the foundation of any pool cleaning kit. Nets remove surface debris like leaves and insects, brushes clean the walls and floor, and telescopic poles extend your reach across both. They are affordable, easy to replace and widely available. The trade-off is that everything requires manual effort, which is why most pool owners eventually look at more automated options.

Pool Vacuums and Cleaners

The terms are often used interchangeably but there is a distinction worth knowing. A pool vacuum is a tool — manual or automatic — that sucks up dirt and debris from the pool floor. A pool cleaner is a broader term covering any device that autonomously moves around the pool to clean it. Automatic pool cleaners come in three types:

Type 1

Suction-Side Cleaners

Connected to the skimmer or a dedicated suction port, these cleaners use your pool's circulation system to move and collect debris into a filter bag or your pool's existing filtration system.

Affordable Easy to maintain Walls need manual brushing

Type 2

Pressure-Side Cleaners

Connected to the pressure side of the pool's return jets, these cleaners move around collecting larger debris into their own filter bags. Many include built-in scrubbing brushes. Some models require a separate booster pump for optimal performance.

Handles large debris Own debris bag May need booster pump

Type 3

Robotic Cleaners

Fully independent of your pool's circulation system, robotic cleaners run on electricity with their own motors and filters. Programmable cleaning cycles, the most thorough coverage, and the lowest ongoing running costs — at a higher upfront price.

Most thorough clean Programmable Higher upfront cost

One important note: the type of cleaner matters less than the quality of the specific model. A high-end suction-side cleaner will outperform a budget robotic unit. Choose based on your pool's needs and your budget across both categories.

Skimmers

A pool skimmer is built into the side of your pool near the waterline and draws water continuously from the surface. A floating weir regulates water flow into the skimmer, while an internal basket traps leaves, insects and other large debris before the water passes through to the filtration system. The cleaned water is then returned via the pool's return jets. Keeping the skimmer basket clear is one of the simplest and most impactful maintenance tasks you can do.

Filters

Filters remove particles and impurities from the water — including dirt, debris, algae spores and bacteria. There are three types:

Option 1

Sand Filters

Water is pumped through a bed of graded sand that traps particles. Requires periodic backwashing to clean the sand.

Most affordable upfront

Option 2

Cartridge Filters

Use a pleated fabric cartridge to trap particles — a large surface area means finer filtration than sand. Cartridge is removed and cleaned or replaced periodically.

Finer than sand

Option 3

Diatomaceous Earth Filters

Use powder made from fossilised diatoms coated over a filter grid, catching the finest particles of any filter type. Requires backwashing and periodic replenishment of DE powder.

Finest filtration

Pumps

The pump is what makes everything else work. It draws water from the skimmer and main drain, pushes it through the filter, circulates chemicals evenly through the water, and returns the cleaned water to the pool. Without adequate circulation, even correct chemical levels cannot maintain a clean pool. Most pumps run on automatic timers to ensure consistent daily circulation — the right run time depends on your pool size, filter type and the season.

Need Pool Cleaning Equipment?

At Direct Pool Supplies we stock everything covered in this guide — from pool cleaners and pumps to pool chemicals — with delivery straight to your door. If you need help working out which equipment suits your pool, get in touch and we will point you in the right direction.