2023 Dolphin Active 40 Robotic Pool Cleaner Review

Here at Pool Partz, after selling thousands of Dolphin robotic pool cleaners by Maytronics over the past decade and assisting our customers with their pool cleaner selection, we understand their thoughts as they go through their Dolphin pool cleaner selection. Our review of the Dolphin Active 40 pool robot provides all the information that you need to determine if this pool cleaner fits your needs. Due to the myriad of Dolphin pool cleaners that are available, there is a model for everyone that meets their swimming pool needs and budget.

For almost 40 years, Maytronics has been a global leader in the swimming pool industry by developing technologies and solutions for swimming pool maintenance. The Dolphin robotic pool cleaner line is one of those solutions, providing efficient and easy pool maintenance. One of the primary benefits of the Dolphin pool cleaners is that the units are not tied to the swimming pool filtering system but rather have their own filters along with efficient motor technology which provides for low cost maintenanace of your swimming pool from debris.

When reviewing the Dolphin Active 40 robotic pool cleaner, or any Dolphin pool robot, we have found the best way to educate our customers is by looking at the pool cleaner using the following sections:

  • Dolphin standard features
  • Dolphin Active 40 product description
  • Dolphin Active 40 general features
  • Dolphin Active 40 cleaning features
  • Dolphin Active 40 other features
  • Dolphin Active 40 optional acccessories

Dolphin standard features

There are some standard capabilities that come with all Dolphin robotic pool cleaners regardless of the size of the pool that you have. For instance, all Dolphin pool cleaners come with a power supply, a cable that connects to the robot, and the robot itself. Because the robot has its own filtering system and uses efficient motors, the cost to run these units is minimal.
   Plug and Play
Dolphin pool cleaners are extremely easy to use - simply drop the pool cleaner into the pool, plug the power supply into an electrical outlet, press the power button and the unit will begin the cleaning cycle.
   Pool Mapping
Every Dolphin pool cleaner has electronics in it that provides sophisticated algorithms for mapping and cleaning the swimming pool. It is recommended that you drop the pool cleaner close to the center of the pool as it begins the cleaning process for optimal cleaning coverage.
   Debris Filtering
Since every Dolphin pool cleaner has its own filtering capabilities, it is independent of any of the swimming pool equipment. The Dolphin collects the debris, you hose off the debris from the filters, and you are ready for the next cleaning!
   Energy Saving
Since every Dolphin pool cleaner has its own filtering capabilities, it is independent of any of the swimming pool equipment. The Dolphin collects the debris, you hose off the debris from the filters, and you are ready for the next cleaning!
   Customer Service
Whether dealing with Maytronics or Pool Partz customer service, both have a great reputation in the industry in providing exceptional customer service both pre-sales and post-sales. For over a decade, Pool Partz has been the exclusive resellers of Dolphin pool robots and have great knowledge of the every Dolphin pool cleaner.

Product Description

Whenever we conduct a product review for a Dolphin pool cleaner, we always like referring to the manufacturer's product description which provides some insight to the capabilities that the product provides:

The Dolphin Active 40 is a premium level model that cleans the floor, walls and waterline for pools up to 50 feet in length.
Add more convenience to your pool cleaning with this mid-level robot. Enjoy all the classic capabilities found on the Active 40, along with advanced features such as multi-layer filtration. With options available on the multi-function power supply you can choose regular cleaning mode for a full clean in two hours, or fast mode for efficient cleaning in half the time.

DOLPHIN EXCLUSIVE FEATURES - INCLUDES WIFI REMOTE CAPABILITIES TOO!
Bluetooth application available for remote control
Delayed start capability
Enhanced cleaning cycles
Quick cleaning mode to do floors only
Remote control capabilities

Patented swivel cable helps prevent tangling
Scrubs, vacuums and filters the pool with cycle times of 1.5,2,2.5 hours.
Incredibly efficient - costs less than 15 cents to clean the pool.
In-store repairable right at your local Dolphin retailer!
Plug-n-play! No pre-installation needed, no connections to pool system.
Self-programming for optimal pool scanning

Shipped product has everything you need to clean your pool spotless:

  • Dolphin robot
  • Power supply
  • Brand new filters

General Features

When selecting a Dolphin robotic pool cleaner, there are two primary things that will narrow down the Dolphin model that will meet your needs. The first is the size of your pool and the second is you need to decide what areas of the pool you want the robot to clean. There are 3 areas in a swimming pool: the floor, the walls, and the waterline. When we refer to the "waterline", we are referring to the area around the pool where the tile meets the coping and it is synonymous with "waterline scrubbing". If a unit cleans the walls but does not scrub the waterline, the unit will move up to the waterline and then move down the walls.

When measuring the size of your swimming pool, simply use the longest dimension of the pool. For the majority of residential swimming pools, whether above-ground or in-ground, the size of the swimming pool is less than 50 feet which is why many of the Dolphin robotic pool cleaners are designed for pools up to 50 feet.

What pool area would you like the unit to clean? All Dolphin pool robots clean the floor and cove (the area between the floor and walls if that area is sloped) but the higher-end models can also clean the walls and waterline.

The Dolphin Active 40 pool robot is designed for pools up to 50 feet. The areas of the pool that the unit will clean are floor/walls/waterline.

Cleaning Features

When reviewing the various Dolphin pool cleaners that fit the size of your swimming pool, the unique cleaning features are the key differentiators between the various models. Since the Dolphin Active 40 cleans all surface areas, it's nice to know that the pool robot is capable of cleaning every surface. The amount of time that it takes a Dolphin pool cleaner to perform a regular cleaning cycle is referred to as the cycle time. Depending on the Dolphin model, some models have different cycle times that provide for a quick cleaning of the floor or a more lengthy cycle known as a deep scrub. Each model has an optimized cleaning cycle.

   Surfaces
Depending on the Dolphin robotic pool cleaner model, they are capable of cleaning the floor (including the cove), the walls, and scrubbing the waterline. The Dolphin Active 40 pool cleaner will clean the floor,walls and waterline.
   Filtration
The Dolphin Active 40 comes with a multi-layer filter, allowing both small and large debris to be collected in a single cleaning cycle.
   Cleaning modes
Some models come with different cleaning modes. For this model, the Dolphin Active 40 comes with all the possible cleaning modes: standard, quick clean and enhanced cleaning.
   Cycle time
Cycle time is the amount of time that the Dolphin pool robot will take to complete a cleaning cycle. The cycle time for the standard cleaning cycle is 2 hours. During the spring startup of the swimming pool or after periods of having larger amounts of debris in the pool, it may be necessary to run multiple cycles with the Dolphin robot.
   Quick cleaning
The quick clean mode is a feature that allows the unit to run for a cycle where it is only cleaning the swimming pool floor. This feature can be very useful when you will be using the swimming pool shortly and you want to quickly clean it. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with this feature and the cycle time associated with this cleaning mode is 1.5 hours.
   Enhanced cleaning
The enhanced cleaning mode is a feature that allows the unit to run for a longer cycle to provide additional scrubbing. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with this feature and the cycle time associated with this cleaning mode is 2.5 hours.
   Brushes
Dolphin pool cleaners use brushes to both scrub and collect debris. The Dolphin Active 40 provides dual brushes for even more efficient scrubbing as the unit is cleaning the swimming pool.
   Active brush
Active brush technology allows one of the brushes for spin at twice the standard rate which provides for more intense brushing. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with this feature.
   Full filter indicator
This feature provides an indicator that the filter is full and debris rinsed off before starting another cleaning cycle. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with the full filter indicator feature.

Operational Features

   Remote control
Units with remote control abilities allow you utilize a physical remote to control the Dolphin pool cleaner. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with this feature.
   MyDolphin app
Units that have remote control capabilities use their smartphones to manually steer the robot, set cleaning schedules and select other options.
   Weekly timer
The weekly timer feature allows you to select days for the robot to automatically clean. The weekly timer allows you to select every day, every other day, or every 3rd day.
   Delayed start
The delayed start feature provides the ability to delay the start of the robot to start cleaning the pool, mostly used when the pool has been used and you would like debris to settle to the bottom of the pool before starting the cleaning cycle. While a nice feature, our experience from our customers is that this feature is rarely if ever used. The Dolphin Active 40 pool robot comes with this feature.

Other features

   Anti-tangle swivel cable
The anti-tangle swivel cable is a patented feature of many Dolphin pool robots and prevents the cable from getting twisted during the cleaning cycle. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with this feature.
   Quick water release
The quick water release feature allows water to quickly be removed from the robot as the unit is being pulled from the swimming pool after a cleaning cycle. The Dolphin Active 40 comes with the quick water release feature.
   Cable length
The Dolphin Active 40 pool cleaner comes with a cable that has a length of 60 feet .
   Unit weight
The weight of the Dolphin Active 40 unit is 19 pounds.

Optional Accessories

   Caddy
The purpose of the caddy is to hold the Dolphin pool cleaner and power supply in place while the unit is not in the swimming pool during its cleaning cycle.
   Caddy cover
The caddy cover is used to protect the robot and power supply from the elements. If a caddy is purchased, the cover is highly recommended since it will protect the power supply when it rains. As a reminder, the power supply is splash-proof but not water-proof so it should not be exposed to rain.

Product Video

Summary

The Dolphin Active 40 is a premium model with numerous features that will meet the needs of customers that want all the bells and whistles that a robotic pool cleaner can provide.

We hope that you enjoyed the review of the Dolphin Active 40 pool cleaner and the numerous features that the pool robot provides.

Interested in purchasing this Dolphin? For over a decade, Pool Partz has been the exclusive reseller of Maytronics certified refurbished Dolphin pool robots that come directly from the manufacturer in GA. These units sell out quickly because of their popularity in the cost savings that they provide and have the same quality standards as a new Dolphin pool robot.