Pentair is a well-known brand in pool equipment and pool maintenance with a 40-year history. The Pentair Racer is the company’s most robust pressure pool cleaner, featuring four wheels and jets for extra maneuverability and cleaning effectiveness. While a top performer, the Pentair Kreepy Krauly Racer is among the most expensive pool cleaners we evaluated.
The Racer has an extra-wide intake throat and a large bag to scoop up any debris that’s lying on the bottom of your pool. It has four separate Venturi jets that propel dirt into the intake bag. Many similar cleaners only have three jets. If your pool is surrounded by vegetation or landscaping that sheds a lot of leaves and twigs, this is a good option for you to consider. Rotating brushes located at the front of the pool cleaner pick up fine debris and scrub the pool surface evenly. It can also clean in forward and reverse mode, enhancing its cleaning efficiency.
The backup jets fire automatically every few minute, and side thrust jets navigate the cleaner from laterally ensuring a thorough cleaning cycle. The Kreepy Krauly Racer is ideal for cleaning an average-sized pool and can do so for most pools within one to two hours. Its tires are extra wide, which gives it more traction when it climbs the sides of the pool or rolls over a drain.
The LED lights on the device not only add ambiance but also reflect off the bottom of your pool making it easy to inspect its progress during a nighttime cleaning. This isn’t a make it or break it feature, but rather a fanciful extra. The lights are powered by an internal turbine, not batteries, so they automatically power up whenever the cleaner starts.
A handle on the side of the cleaner makes it more convenient to lift out of the pool, as well as to carry. Its rear sweep hose helps loosen debris from crevices that the vacuum won’t be able to reach. The four-wheel design reduces the likelihood that it tips over or tangling with the pressure hose. The pack includes a 30-foot lead hoseand the device attaches quickly to a dedicated suction line. If you need a cleaner with a longer hose, consider the Poolvergnuegen PoolCleaner.
The Racer requires a dedicated pressure line from a booster pump to run. If you don’t currently have a booster pump, please note that you will have to install one to take full advantage of the Racer’s cleaning power. While rotating scrubbing brushes are ideal for concrete pools, they may damage softer surfaces like vinyl.
