This is the Clear S — and it may be one of the best-value robotic pool cleaners I’ve tested this year.
Why? Because it takes everything I loved on the Clear UV, just without the ultraviolet light underneath it. You get the same cleaning power, filtration, app controls, floor-to-waterline coverage—and in my manometer testing, I got the same 2.09 PSI suction reading.
That ties it for the second-highest pressure reading I’ve recorded out of more than twenty robotic pool cleaners. Only the Dolphin Premier has pulled harder in my testing.
But here’s the part that makes the Clear S so interesting: it costs dramatically less than the UV model. You can save more than 10% – just by not getting the UV light on the bottom.
Now, I do think the UV technology is worth considering. If you want the best of the best, I would still lean toward the Clear UV. But if your priority is getting an incredibly powerful, fully automated pool cleaner while keeping more money in your pocket, the Clear S may be the smarter buy.
So today, I’m breaking down how it cleaned, the real suction numbers, the filtration, the app, what you actually give up without UV, and which Clear model I would buy.
Hey guys, I’m Ryan with ActuallyUsed, where we put products to the test so you don’t have to.
We run them in our pool, measure what they actually do using real sensors, and live with them long enough to find the stuff that never makes it onto the box.
I’m not here to repeat marketing claims. I want to know whether a product makes owning a pool easier or if you could live without it.
And after testing the Clear S, I’ve got to say: this cleaner is fantastic.
Let’s dive in.
What Is the Clear S?
The Clear S is a corded robotic pool cleaner. Plug the power supply into an outlet, drop the robot into the pool, choose a mode, and it takes over.
You don’t need a booster pump. No assembling. Or anything like that; it is ready to go right out of the box.
It vacuums the floor, climbs and scrubs the walls, works across the waterline, and filters the water as it moves. There is no booster pump, no connection to your pool plumbing, and no complicated setup.
The easiest way to understand it is this: the Clear S is the Clear UV without the UV light on the bottom of the robot.
You are not stepping down to a weaker motor, a basic filter, or a stripped-down cleaning system. The cleaning performance, automation, app, and controls are all still here.
You are mainly deciding whether the ultraviolet light underneath the robot is worth the added price.
And I like that Clear gives you that choice.
A lot of brands create a cheaper model by removing the features that actually matter. They reduce the motor power, swap in a worse filter, shorten the cord, or remove the weekly timer functionality.
Here, you can save money without giving up performance or usability.
The Suction Test: Same Power, Lower Price
Let’s get to my favorite part of every robotic pool cleaner review: the manometer test.
If you’re new here, I connect a hydro manometer directly to the intake port while the robot is running underwater.
That gives me a pressure reading in PSI right where leaves, sand, and debris are actually being pulled into the cleaner.
Manufacturers love advertising gallons per hour. And to be fair, that is a real measurement. But it tells you how much water is moving through the system.
It does not necessarily tell you how aggressively the robot can lift wet leaves, sand, or heavier debris off your pool floor.
In my testing, pressure at the intake has been one of the best predictors of real-world pickup.
So what did the Clear S record?
On my gauge, it pulled right around 2.09 PSI—the same reading I measured from the Clear UV.
For context, here is how several of the strongest robots I’ve tested stack up in my testing:
- Dolphin Premier: 2.2 PSI
- Clear S: 2.09 PSI
- Clear UV: 2.09 PSI
- Dolphin Sigma: 2.0 PSI
- Dolphin Quantum Pro: 1.9 PSI
So the Clear S did not just perform well at a lower cost than the Clear UV, but it produced one of the highest readings I have measured.
It tied the Clear UV, edged out even the triple-motor Dolphin Sigma on my gauge, and landed just behind the Dolphin Premier.
And that is the biggest point of this entire review: removing the UV did not reduce the vacuuming performance.
You are still getting the same cleaning muscle.
It also uses an unusually wide single intake.
Some high-end cleaners divide their suction between two separate ports. The Clear pulls everything through one wide opening into the basket, giving leaves and debris a large target as it moves across the pool.
And the numbers showed up in the water.
It pulled in leaves, sand, bugs, and the gritty debris that tends to settle into the low spots of the pool. It never felt like a discounted or watered-down version of the Clear UV.
From a vacuuming standpoint, the experience was essentially the same.
Your results can always vary depending on the surface, shape, and debris load of your pool. But in the same testing setup, the Clear S delivered top-tier pressure at the intake.
When a robot costs dramatically less and still lands near the very top of my chart, that gets my attention.
Filtration: The UltraFilter Still Comes Standard
Strong suction gets debris into the robot.
The filter decides whether it stays there.
The Clear S uses the same UltraFilter setup as the Clear UV. Clear rates this filter at around one micron, which puts it in the same general conversation as the pleated NanoFilters I like on high-end Dolphin cleaners.
That is important because a basic mesh screen may catch leaves and bugs, but it can let fine dirt, pollen, algae, and cloudy sediment pass straight back into the water.
A denser ultrafine filter does more than make the pool floor look clean. It helps polish the water while the robot runs.
In my testing, the Clear filter captured both the visible debris and the finer material you normally do not notice until you rinse the filter and see what was hiding in your pool.
Cleaning it is also simple.
Open the compartment, lift the filter out, hose it off, and put it back in. The entire process takes about a minute.
And because the Clear S keeps this filtration system, you are not sacrificing water clarity to get the lower price.
Floor, Wall, and Waterline Cleaning
The Clear S is not some floor-only budget robot.
It is designed to clean the full pool: floor, walls, and waterline.
In the app or at the power supply, you can choose the areas you want it to focus on.
You can send it after the floor, have it work on the walls and waterline, or let it run a full cleaning cycle across the entire pool.
You also get three cleaning speeds: fast, normal, and slow.
That is more customization than I find on most robotic pool cleaners.
A lot of robots give you one button and one cycle. The Clear gives you enough control to match the cleaning to what your pool actually needs that day.
If the floor picked up debris after a storm, focus there.
If the tile line is starting to collect grime, target the walls and waterline.
Or run everything and let it handle the full pool.
But you do not have to micromanage it.
The options are there when you want them. When you don’t, press start and let it clean.
Corded Automation: Why This Is Easier to Own
The Clear S is corded, and for a robotic pool cleaner, I consider that a major advantage.
Cordless sounds amazing in theory. But it’s one of those products that sucks in real life.
No cable. Clean-looking pool deck. Drop it in and walk away.
But the part those advertisements leave out is what happens after every single cleaning cycle.
You have to find the robot, fish it out of the pool, carry a heavy wet cleaner across the deck, charge it for several hours, and then come back later to put it in again.
If you want daily cleaning, that can mean fourteen separate interactions every week.
Seven times pulling the robot out.
Seven times putting it back in.
That is not automation.
That is a chore.
With the Clear S, you plug it in, set the schedule, and let it run.
There is no battery fading during the cleaning cycle, no charging stand sitting on your deck, and no dead robot waiting at the bottom of the deep end for you to fish it out with a hook.
All I had to do was periodically rinse the filter.
That is what a robotic pool cleaner should do.
It should make you notice the clean pool—not the amount of work required to operate the robot.
Power-Supply Controls and Smartphone App
One of my biggest complaints with other pool robots is that they force you to choose between physical controls and an app.
Some cleaners put everything inside the app, which becomes annoying when you just want to walk outside and press start.
Others give you a basic power supply with almost no customization.
The Clear S gives you both.
You can start it directly from the power supply without pulling out your phone.
Then, when you want more control, open the app.
You can schedule daily cleaning, choose the cleaning areas, adjust the speed, check the pool temperature, manually steer the cleaner, and use Pickup mode for easier retrieval.
With Wi-Fi, you can even start a cleaning cycle when you are away from home.
And unlike a lot of cordless pool cleaners I’ve tested, you are not dealing with a smart app that becomes useless the second the robot actually goes underwater.
The only obvious control missing compared with the Clear UV is the UV toggle—because there is no UV lamp to activate.
Everything else that made the Clear platform easy to use is still here.
So, Is the UV Actually Worth It?
This is the real decision between the Clear S and the Clear UV.
My answer?
I think the UV is worth it for the right pool owner—but not because the Clear S cleans worse.
It does not.
The suction reading was the same.
The filtration is the same.
The pool coverage and automation are the same.
If we are judging only the robot’s ability to vacuum debris, scrub surfaces, and filter the pool, the Clear S gives you essentially the same experience for less money.
What the Clear UV adds is another layer of treatment underneath the robot.
As it moves across the pool, the UV light is aimed downward at the surface passing directly beneath it.
UV technology itself is real. It has been used in water treatment for decades. Municipal systems use it, home purification systems use it, and high-end pool UV systems install dedicated chambers directly into the pool plumbing.
The new part is putting UV underneath a mobile robotic pool cleaner.
But I want to be very clear about the expectations.
The UV is not a replacement for chlorine or your normal sanitizer.
I did not stop treating my pool with chemicals, and you should not either.
I also do not have a laboratory where I can count microorganisms or independently verify the exact kill rate on the floor of my pool.
So I am not going to stand here and pretend the UV is magic.
I look at it as a bonus layer riding on top of an already excellent robotic pool cleaner.
If you want the most complete setup, like the added sanitation concept, or simply want Clear’s most innovative model, I think paying more for the Clear UV makes sense.
It is also the model I would personally choose if the price difference fits comfortably within the budget.
I like having another tool working alongside normal pool chemistry—even if it is supplemental rather than a replacement.
But the Clear S makes a very strong counterargument.
You save a meaningful amount of money without giving up the cleaning performance you can actually see and measure.
You also remove the UV lamp from the long-term ownership equation.
A UV lamp is a consumable. Its output can decline over time, and it will eventually need to be replaced. The Clear UV allows you to replace the lamp at home, which is great, but it is still another component and another future expense.
The Clear S is simpler.
No lamp.
No UV toggle.
No replacement cycle.
Just the same powerful cleaner doing the physical work.
So, is UV worth it?
For me, yes—if you can comfortably afford it.
Is UV necessary to get an excellent robotic pool cleaner?
No.
And the Clear S proves that.
What Should You Know Before Buying?
No robot is perfect, so there are a few things to keep in mind.
First, the Clear S is still expensive. But it is worth it. You are paying for high-end suction, ultrafine filtration, full pool coverage, scheduling, and app control.
There are cheaper robotic pool cleaners available, but many of them give up the exact features that make this one so easy to live with.
Second, it is corded.
I see that as an advantage, but some buyers simply do not want a cable in the pool. Just understand the trade-off.
The cable gives you continuous power, reliable scheduling, and no daily charging.
And obviously, this is the non-UV model.
If you already know you want that additional treatment layer, buy the Clear UV from the beginning.
Who Should Buy the Clear S?
Buy the Clear S if you want one of the strongest pool robots I’ve ever tested, ultrafine filtration, floor-to-waterline coverage, a useful app, physical power-supply controls, and true scheduled automation—without paying extra for UV.
It makes the most sense for someone focused on value and measurable cleaning performance.
You are not buying the “cheap Clear.”
You are buying the same core robot without one premium feature.
Choose the Clear UV if you want the complete package and believe the added UV layer is worth the higher initial cost and eventual lamp replacement.
Choose the Clear S if you want nearly everything that makes the Clear UV great—but your priority is the cleaner itself.
Final Thoughts
After testing the Clear S, this is the sleeper pick in the entire Clear lineup.
It tied the Clear UV at around 2.09 PSI on my manometer, giving it the second-highest pressure reading I have recorded out of more than twenty robotic pool cleaners.
It kept the UltraFilter, full floor, wall, and waterline coverage, multiple cleaning speeds, scheduling, Wi-Fi control, manual steering, and the corded design that makes daily pool cleaning automatic.
What did Clear remove?
The UV light—and a big chunk of the price.
I still think the Clear UV is worth the upgrade if you want the added treatment technology.
But the Clear S is the model that will make the most sense for a lot of pool owners.
It gives you the part that matters most—a fantastic robotic pool cleaner—with top-tier pressure and filtration at a dramatically lower cost.
Would I buy it?
Absolutely.
If your budget allows for the Clear UV and you want every feature, go UV.
But if you want to save the money, you are not settling for some mediocre cleaner.
You are getting one of the strongest, most capable robotic pool cleaners I have tested.
To see current pricing on the Clear S, the Clear UV, and every other robot I mentioned, head to the deals page.
I keep that page updated with the best prices I can find, and it is the easiest way to support the channel.
I’m Ryan with ActuallyUsed.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll catch you on the next one.
