BuHybrid L6 evaluate: This corded pool cleaner has a battery, too
Skilled’s Score
Professionals
- App gives copious customization choices
- Very efficient at cleansing–whereas tethered, that’s
- Moderately light-weight and straightforward to tote
Cons
- Weak battery means pool didn’t get shut to wash whereas untethered
- Will get caught simply, particularly on stairs
- App has some bugs and responsiveness points
- Filter basket is tough to shut correctly
Our Verdict
This robotic pool cleaner can run on battery energy or with a related cable, nevertheless it’s solely efficient at cleansing the pool when plugged into an AC outlet.
Worth When Reviewed
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Greatest Pricing In the present day
Greatest Costs In the present day: BuHybrid L6
Right here’s a curious idea from the new-to-us robotic pool cleaner producer Bublue: The BuHybrid L6 is a robotic pool cleaner that may run by way of a plug-in electrical connection or by way of an inner battery, a hybrid design that makes extra sense than it may appear at first, at the very least on paper.
On the floor, the design has quite a bit in widespread with the Polaris VRX iQ+ and different power-corded robots. A small energy field connects to plain wall energy by way of a brief wire. A separate, waterproof 49-foot-long cable then connects from the field to the 22-pound robotic, attaching to its prime by way of a big four-prong adapter with a screw-on sealing system that waterproofs the connection.
Specs
The robotic itself has a considerably conventional design, although its black and grey shade scheme and monster-sized wheels are a bit uncommon.
As soon as related to Wi-Fi, you might have entry to a complete of seven working modes.
Configured with the cable related, the unit is prepared for wired operation. Operation will be initiated by urgent the buttons on the robotic itself, which, along with an influence button, embrace 4 modes: ground, partitions, waterline, and auto mode (which cleans all these surfaces).
Sure, the Bublue BuHybrid can run on battery energy, however we bought a lot better outcomes when the robotic pool cleaner was tethered to an outside AC outlet.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The buttons are dimly backlit and onerous to make out below any quantity of ambient mild; however in the end, you energy up the robotic, choose your mode, and drop it into the pool to get the unit working. A large mild band throughout the entrance of the robotic modifications shade to point numerous details about its working standing.
You’ll get much more configurability by connecting the unit to the Bublue cell app, which is configured by first onboarding the robotic to Wi-Fi (2.4GHz solely). This entails urgent a Wi-Fi button on the facility field whereas the robotic is plugged in, after which the robotic is robotically related and bridged to your private home community.
The tether for BuHybrid L6 plugs into this socket on prime of the robotic.
Christopher Null/Foundry
As soon as related to Wi-Fi, you might have entry to a complete of seven working modes (together with a wall+ground mode and unexplained “eco” and “energy” modes. Working period will be set for two, 3, or 4 hours, and “path width” will be adjusted between “regular” and “superb.” (I presume this has to do with how shut collectively the robotic’s successive journeys throughout the pool ground are, however this isn’t defined anyplace.)
Utilizing the BuBlue cell app as soon as BuHybrid 6 is related to your private home Wi-Fi community supplies entry to seven working modes–however solely when it’s plugged in.
Christopher Null/Foundry
If you wish to finish a cleansing session early, there’s additionally a operate to ship the robotic again to the waterline for simple retrieval. (In any other case, you’ll want to make use of the included hook.) A scheduling system can also be accessible if you wish to depart the robotic within the pool and have it run periodically.
Along with the Wi-Fi button, the one different button on the facility field (apart from the facility button) is a Bluetooth button. You’ll want to make use of this for one factor solely: to activate the robotic’s remote-control characteristic, as a result of for some motive this characteristic doesn’t work over Wi-Fi.
The BuHybride comes with a big filter basket that’s straightforward to wash, however I discovered it tough to maintain its hinged lid closed.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The distant incorporates a easy management wheel, and whereas the unit isn’t tremendous conscious of instructions, with sufficient endurance I used to be in a position to information it across the pool ground and decide up any stray bits of particles, though going up partitions was very tough to do with accuracy.
Once more, every of those options is out there solely when the unit is plugged in to the facility field. Alternately, you may pull the plug and go cordless. A 5200 mAh battery lets the BuHybrid function for 2 hours whereas disconnected from its tether, offering a most specified protection of 1,615 sq. ft. For the reason that app doesn’t work whereas the unit is disconnected, be aware that you simply’ll want to make use of the {hardware} controls to decide on your working mode and also you received’t have the ability to make modifications on the fly.
Efficiency
I examined the unit numerous instances each corded and uncorded, on pure particles and artificial leaves.
On battery energy, the BuHybrid didn’t impress, because it repeatedly left behind a considerable amount of take a look at leaves, capturing solely about 70 p.c of the entire particles. It additionally had a bent to get caught on the steps, and regardless of Bublue’s claims of “multi-surface mastery” I wanted to manually push it again into the water on a number of events.
The BuHybrid L6 exhibited a bent to strand itself on my pool’s steps.
Christopher Null/Foundry
On a number of events throughout these runs, the hatch protecting the filter basket popped open, requiring me to retrieve it with a pole and shut it earlier than restarting the run. I’ve additionally caught the robotic spinning round in circles on the floor of the pool for no clear motive, maybe quickly unable to re-descend.
I had significantly higher luck when working the robotic with its cable related, largely as a result of utilizing the utmost 4-hour working time setting permits it to cowl twice as a lot floor per run. On this mode, the robotic was in a position to gather 99 p.c of particles—together with particles on the steps—though it did get caught there once more as soon as. Other than that, it left behind only one leaf in a nook of the pool.
Retrieval can also be a lot less complicated when corded, requiring only a single faucet within the app to convey it again to the floor. Be aware additionally that the battery will cost every time the cable is related, together with whereas the unit is actively working.
Bublue doesnt present any with regards to administration of the BuHybrid L6’s 49-foot wire.
Christopher Null/Foundry
The BuHybrid’s cable doesn’t resolve each downside, although. When tethered, I discovered the unit had a propensity for popping wheelies, because it regarded just like the unit struggled with the burden of the cable. If sufficient cable wasn’t positioned within the pool to start out with, the BuHybrid would usually get caught close to the wall, unable to generate sufficient energy to drag the cable into the water.
Out of the water, the cable presents one other problem. Whereas robots just like the VRX iQ+ include a rolling dock that features the facility field and a spot to neatly retailer the cable when not in use, the BuHybrid doesn’t. The ability field simply lays on the bottom, and it’s as much as you to determine how you can handle the cable. All through my testing, the pool deck regarded about like this: [see photo messy pool deck]. It’s an eyesore at greatest, a hazard at worst.
The BuHybrid L6’s backlit buttons are very tough to see in any kind of mild.
Christopher Null/Foundry
Cleanup within reason straightforward. The filter basket options a big and easy hinged lid that hoses clear with out an excessive amount of bother. I did, nonetheless, repeatedly battle to get the lid again closed correctly, because the latch didn’t catch in addition to it ought to.
The robotic’s wi-fi implementation and the Bublue app additionally want some continued improvement. For instance, Bluetooth have to be reinitiated every time you need to use the remote-control characteristic by first bodily urgent the suitable button on the facility field, mitigating its utility. Why Bluetooth can’t simply keep lively is a thriller. And whereas it’s useful to have a working log of cleansing operations, each entry within the app’s historical past displayed a recorded cleansing time of 0 minutes.
The powerbox for the Bublue BuHybrid L6 robotic pool cleaner.
Christopher Null/Foundry
I encountered different error messages and bugs whereas utilizing the app together with maddening instances when the robotic wouldn’t reply in any respect to any instructions whereas working a cleansing cycle (equivalent to aborting the session). Disconnects from the app had been widespread, too, although these may usually be resolved by energy biking the facility field and force-quitting the app.
Must you purchase the Bublue BuHybrid L6?
The BuHybrid L6 has an inventory worth of $1,599, though it was accessible on Amazon for $999 on the time of this writing. That’s nonetheless very dear given a number of the efficiency points current; particularly, the robotic’s poor displaying in battery mode and its tendency to get caught and ignore instructions. Pool house owners who’re contemplating the L6 will most likely have to plan for it to stay cabled always, however that can imply devising a DIY cable administration resolution as nicely.
For me, despite the fact that it has distinctive cleansing energy whereas in corded mode, it nonetheless has too many negatives to benefit its price ticket.
This evaluate is a part of TechHive’s in-depth protection of the very best robotic pool cleaners.
