If you ask most pool owners what they hate the most, it’s not testing water chemistry or cleaning the filter—it’s the daily grind of skimming bugs, leaves, and pollen off the surface. Once you’ve got a robotic pool cleaner like our Dolphin Sigma handling the floor and walls, the surface becomes the one thing you still have to deal with manually.
So when I heard about a fully solar-powered, cordless surface skimmer you can just toss in the pool and forget about, I had to try it. Was it going to save me time — or just drift around looking pretty?
Hey guys, I’m Ryan with Actually Used — where we put pool products to the test so you don’t have to. Real reviews. Honest opinions. Zero fluff.
We don’t sugarcoat bad products. If something’s great, I’ll tell you why. If it’s bad, you’ll hear that too—loud and clear.
So with that out of the way, let’s dive into one of my favorite pool gadgets I’ve used in a while — the Betta SE Solar Skimmer. I’ve tested nearly all the top pool skimmers and this is a solid choice. But is this the right one for you?
This thing surprised me in the best way, and if you’re tired of hand-skimming bugs and leaves every morning, you’re gonna want to see this. Stick around until the end where I also dive into a quick compare of a few other skimmers you may want to check out too.
It looks like a little catamaran, has twin propellers underneath, and claims to run more than 30 hours on a single solar charge, even in cloudy weather. Betta also says it “self-navigates” with ultrasonic radar, doesn’t tangle in corners, and can handle salt-chlorine pools without corroding its motors. All right—marketing is easy, but I wanted to know how it actually works day-to-day.
So I ditched the poolnet, dropped the Betta in our inground pool, and let it do its thing for a few weeks. And let me tell you – it’s worth every penny. And if you’re looking for the best deal, make sure to check the link in the description or on our website: ActuallyUsed.com
Design & Build
The body’s just smooth plastic—simple, lightweight, and about the size of a skateboard. Nothing fancy. The top’s all solar panel, soaking up sunlight throughout the day to keep the battery charged. There’s a little light next to the power button: solid green means fully charged, flashing red means it’s running low. That’s it. Moving the switch on the back turns it on and turns it off. Couldn’t be easier.
To get to the basket, you just flip down this little front flap—no tools, no clips. The tray inside has a handle you pull up, lift it out, dump the leaves or bugs, give it a quick rinse, and drop it back in. Whole thing takes maybe 30 seconds. Honestly, it’s super easy.
And it’s good to go right out of the box. You just open it up and you’re good to go.
It even comes with these little plastic bumpers you can clip on so it doesn’t get stuck on shallow ledges or steps. And since it rides low and flat, it’ll cruise right under most solar covers without getting hung up. It’s clearly designed for real backyard pools—not just for show.
Solar & Battery: Truly Set-It-and-Forget-It
Let’s talk about one of the best parts of the Betta SE — it never leaves the pool. Seriously, once we dropped it in, it hasn’t come out. No charging station, no plugging it in, no babysitting the battery. Unlike cordless pool robots that need to be dragged out, charged up, and constantly watched, the Betta just keeps going.
Thanks to its full-width solar panel, it charges itself while it runs. As long as the sun shows up for a few hours a day — even if it’s partly cloudy — it keeps cruising. We’ve had it running through heat waves, overcast mornings, even full days of stormy skies, and it just kept gliding along. No cables, no dock, and no “uh oh, the robot’s dead again” moments.
That’s what really makes this thing shine. It’s not just solar-powered — it’s fully independent. You drop it in once, and that’s basically it. It’s been living in our pool full-time since day one, and short of lifting it out to empty the basket, we haven’t touched it. It quietly handles surface skimming every day, without needing anything from you.
If you’ve followed any of my robotic pool cleaner videos, you already know how I feel about recharging gear—I hate it. I don’t want another gadget I have to babysit. I’d much rather have a weekly timer, a corded setup, and something I can forget about until it needs a quick rinse.
But the Betta SE? It just works. No cords, no charger, no downtime. You toss it in once and it takes care of itself. It charges while it works, it runs all day, and it keeps going even when the sun hides for a bit. And the crazy part? Ours has literally never left the pool. That level of hands-off operation? Pretty rare in the pool world. And… kind of awesome.
Navigation: Simple, Surprisingly Effective
Under the shell is tiny ultrasonic radar sensors. It seems pings the wall, reads the echo, and flips the motors in opposite directions to pivot away. That’s it—no camera, no lidar, no fancy mapping. But that sensor, combined with a slow, meandering cruise pattern, covers the surface better than you’d expect.
It doesn’t follow a strict path, but it gets there. When it hits a wall or corner, it backs off, turns, and keeps moving. The little depth rods underneath help it avoid grounding out on steps or tanning ledges.
There’s also a remote included, which lets you steer it manually—forward, back, left, right. It works, but I barely touched it. Maybe once a week, just to send it after a clump of grass after mowing. Most of the time, it didn’t need help.
Does the Betta SE work with a corded robotic pool cleaner? Yes, it works just fine with corded robotic pool cleaners. I was running my Dolphin Premier and Sigma during the same test period, and the Betta never tangled with the cords, never got blocked by the robot, and never interfered. It floats up top doing its job while the floor cleaner handles everything below the surface. If anything, they complement each other. The Betta keeps the surface clean while your main cleaner handles the deep work—and neither gets in the other’s usually.
Filter Basket & Filtration
Flip the magnetic lid and you’ll find a basic fine-mesh basket—nothing fancy, just rigid plastic with tiny openings. It’s definitely a step up from cheap skimmer socks, but let’s be clear: this isn’t a filter. It’s a surface skimmer, and the tray is there to catch visible debris like bugs, petals, leaves, and light pollen—not polish your water.
Compared to the NanoFilters you get in high-end corded robotic pool cleaners, this doesn’t even come close. NanoFilters trap fine dust and silt; this mesh lets that stuff pass right through. And that’s totally fine—because the Betta isn’t here to replace a robotic pool cleaner. It’s here to catch the floating junk before it sinks. And in that role, it works really well.
Size-wise, the basket’s pretty large, and you’d be surprised how much debris it can hold. One of those heavy leaf-drop afternoons? Sure, it filled up fast. Beetles, wasps, a band-aid, it grabs it all and still had room. And cleanup is fast: flip the hatch, lift the handle, dump it, give it a quick spray, and you’re done. Gloves never needed. My old pool pole and net felt like a chore—this feels like a pit stop.
I’ve only been using mine for a couple of weeks, but so far it’s held up great. The plastic still looks brand new—no fading, no chalkiness, no signs of wear. The twin propellers have stainless steel screens over the intakes, which means even pine needles or small twigs don’t jam anything up.
But here’s the crazy part—I’ve got friends who’ve had their Betta SE going strong into year two. Same unit, never brought inside, running daily through heat, rain, and everything in between. And it’s still cruising.
Officially, you get a one-year warranty —but honestly, there’s not much to break. Just two motors and a solar panel. And if something does wear out eventually, the motor modules and battery are actually serviceable with just a screwdriver. You’re not locked into replacing the whole unit. For a solar skimmer that basically lives outside 24/7, that’s solid peace of mind.
Propeller Size
Size definitely matters. When looking at the propeller sizes across the skimmers we tested, it’s pretty clear why the Betta SE lags slightly in raw pickup power. The SE’s twin propellers measure just 2 inches each—smaller than the 2.5-inch blades found on models like the Aiper Surfer S2, and Beatbot.
And our top pick of the year, the Dolphin Skimmi boasts a full 3-inch prop, which likely contributes to its superior cleaning power and better overall performance. That said, the SE isn’t trying to be a powerhouse—it’s designed to be a simple, budget-friendly solution.
And it delivers on that. It’s nearly a third the cost of the Beatbot and around 70% of the price of the Skimmie, making it a fantastic entry-level option for pool owners who want a hands-free surface skimmer without breaking the bank.
Limitations & Quirks
So what else is wrong with it? First off like we mentioned — it’s not very strong. The Betta SE moves slowly, and the propellers don’t generate much power. Compared to more premium surface robots like the Dolphin Skimmi, the Betta just doesn’t have the same muscle. It glides more than it drives. But the flip side is—it still manages to scoop up leaves, bugs, and pollen with no problem. So while it’s not zipping around like a pool drone, it still gets the job done. And for most people, that’s all that really matters.
It does struggle a bit in wind. You’ll sometimes find it sitting against the edge of the pool, slowly spinning its wheels (or props, in this case). It doesn’t always have enough torque to push off until the wind dies down. Not ideal, but again, this thing runs on sunlight—so we’re not expecting supercharged thrusters here.
When the trees go crazy in fall, the basket fills up fast. With heavy leaves in your pool, you might be emptying it once or twice a day. But that’s the price of a clean surface—and honestly, it still beats standing there with a manual skimmer every afternoon.
Also, no app. There’s no Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi, no smartphone controls—none of that. For some people, that might be a downside. But on the flip side, you’re also not paying for that. It’s one of the most affordable robotic skimmers on the market, and that simplicity helps keep the price reasonable. No app to crash, no firmware updates to worry about—it just turns on and does its job.
Bottom line? It’s not powerful, it’s not connected—but it’s reliable, easy, and for the price, surprisingly effective.
Value & Competition
How does the Betta SE compare to the rest of the market? Well, it’s one of the most affordable options. But it comes at a trade-off for performance. The Dolphin Skimmi, which I ranked #1 in my best robotic pool skimmer video – performed better in my opinion. With an app, more power, and a larger build, I would give the edge to it. Is it worth the upgrade? I think so – but if you want to stick to the Betta SE, you can’t go wrong either – especially for the price.
Compared to the Aiper Surfer S2, I preferred the Betta SE – But if you really want the best of the best, you may want to look into the Beatbot iSkim Ultra. It’s about 3 times as much, but the performance and app are truly the best out there. It’s a little more of a high-end tech pick, but it’s worth looking into.
Final Thoughts: A Cheat-Code for Debris
If your pool problems mostly live on the surface—leaves, bugs, pollen, that daily film you see first thing in the morning—the Betta SE is an absolute no-brainer. It’s solar-powered, cord-free, runs on its own, and needs almost no attention. You drop it in once and it just… stays. No charger, no app, no fuss. And best of all? It works.
Is it going to scrub your walls or vacuum up grit from the deep end? Nope. But it’s not supposed to. What it does do is make your pool look freshly skimmed every single morning—without you lifting a finger. My manual leaf net? Basically retired. My pump basket? Collecting dust. Morning coffee by the pool? Way more enjoyable now that I’m not skimming for ten minutes first.
After weeks of testing, we still have ours in the pool full-time. The build is solid, the design is smart, and the value is hard to beat. For under $350, it’s easily one of the best pool products we’ve used. If you’re tired of floating debris and want something that just quietly gets the job done, the Betta SE is the one. Straight-up A from us.
Thanks for watching – I’ll catch you on the next one!
