Living in Arizona means pool weather is always right around the corner. But as any pool owner knows, keeping the water sparkling isn’t just a summer task—it’s a year-round commitment. In my backyard, that means a weekly pool service, a solar-powered skimmer that patrols the surface and a traditional hose-connected vacuum that suctions the pool floor.
While this cleaning combo gets the job done, the hose has always been my biggest frustration. It snakes across the water, gets in the way during swims, tangles with the skimmer and occasionally disconnects from the wall. So when I had the opportunity to test the Beatbot Sora 70, a cordless robotic pool cleaner that promises to handle multiple cleaning tasks in a single device, I was curious whether it could streamline my routine.
Beatbot Sora 70
An all-in-one cordless robotic pool cleaner designed to vacuum debris, scrub walls and waterlines, and skim the pool's surface.
What is the Beatbot Sora 70?
While many of the best pool vacuum cleaners do an excellent job cleaning the pool floor, they often come with long hoses and other tradeoffs.
That’s where the Beatbot Sora 70 comes in. Rather than relying on a hose or connection to the pool’s filtration system, this cordless robotic cleaner is designed to handle multiple cleaning tasks all on its own. It vacuums debris from the floor, scrubs walls and waterlines, and even skims floating leaves from the surface.
The Sora 70 uses smart navigation to move throughout the pool and can be monitored and scheduled through the Beatbot app. By combining floor cleaning, wall scrubbing and surface skimming in a single unit, this smart pool cleaner is designed to simplify pool care while reducing clutter and freeing up more space to actually enjoy the water.
Beatbot Sora 70 pool cleaner features
- Complete pool coverage: Cleans the pool floor, walls, waterline, surface, steps and shallow platforms with at least 8 inches of water.
- Cordless design: Operates independently without hoses, suction lines or connections to the pool’s filtration system.
- JetPulse water surface cleaning: Twin jets help funnel floating debris toward the intake basket for more efficient surface skimming.
- 6,800 GPH suction power: Designed to collect everything from large leaves to fine sand in a single pass.
- SonicSense AI ultrasonic obstacle avoidance: Dual ultrasonic sensors and AI-powered navigation help the robot avoid obstacles and navigate tight spaces.
- Five cleaning modes: Standard, Surface, Floor, Pro and Eco.
- 10,000 mAh battery: Provides up to 7 hours of surface skimming or up to 5 hours of floor cleaning on a single charge.
- 6-liter debris basket: Includes a large 6-liter, 150-micron filter basket for everyday cleaning, with an optional 3-micron ultra-fine filter available for even smaller particles.
- App and offline control: Operate the robot through the Beatbot app or onboard buttons. The app features scheduling, battery monitoring, cleaning records, Remote Mode navigation and one-tap retrieval.
- Smart water-surface parking: Automatically returns to the pool’s edge at the end of a cleaning cycle or when battery levels run low for easy retrieval.
- Three-year full replacement protection: Includes three years of coverage with full unit replacement.
How we tested it
Before I even dropped the Beatbot Sora 70 into the pool, I was reminded why I wanted to test it in the first place.
When I stepped outside, I was greeted by a familiar sight: my solar skimmer and pool vacuum cleaner locked in what can only be described as an aquatic tango. The skimmer had become caught on the cleaner’s hose, pulling it just enough to disconnect the cleaner from the pool wall. If you’re a pool owner, you’ve probably experienced a similar scene at some point.
Needless to say, I was more than ready to see whether the Beatbot Sora 70 could simplify my pool-cleaning routine—and maybe even eliminate the need for that troublesome hose altogether.
Set-up and app experience
Inside the box, I found a quick-start guide that clearly outlined the robot’s components, charging process, app setup and cleaning modes, along with a more detailed user manual and a retrieval tool that resembles a pirate’s hook for lifting the robot from the pool.
The Beatbot Sora 70 arrived well-protected, with molded packaging and protective wrapping that kept everything secure during shipping. One thing I noticed immediately was its weight. At roughly 23 pounds, the Sora 70 isn’t exactly lightweight—a detail worth noting since you’ll be removing it from the pool between cleaning cycles.
To prepare for testing, I began charging the robot using the included charging cable and downloaded the Beatbot app. The unit arrived with about 45% battery remaining and reached a full charge in about two hours. Downloading the app, connecting to Wi-Fi and pairing the robot were all quick and intuitive. The app also allows you to further customize the cleaning experience based on your pool’s shape, surface material and sanitation system.
Although you can operate the Sora 70 directly from the robot itself, I quickly found the app to be the more practical option since it allowed me to monitor battery life, switch between cleaning modes and manually navigate the robot during surface cleaning.
With the robot fully charged and connected, it was time to take it for a swim.
Cleaning performance
Floor, walls and waterline
For my initial test, I selected Standard Mode, which cleans the pool floor, walls and waterline. The robot also offers:
- Surface Mode for skimming floating debris
- Floor Mode for floor-only cleaning
- Pro Mode, which combines floor, wall, waterline and surface cleaning into a single cycle
- Eco Mode, an energy-saving setting designed for routine maintenance between deeper cleans
Because my pool already receives regular upkeep, I wasn’t looking for a dramatic before-and-after transformation. Instead, I wanted to see whether the Sora 70 could maintain the same level of cleanliness while simplifying my overall pool-care routine (and potentially saving me some money in the process).
After lowering the robot into the pool, I watched it sink slowly to the bottom, where it paused briefly to calibrate before beginning the cleaning cycle. Thankfully, the quick-start guide had already prepared me for this part of the process. A few moments later, the robot began its first cleaning pass.
My pool’s rock features provided an immediate test for the Sora 70. Several rocks extend directly into the pool walls, creating uneven surfaces and tight corners that could challenge many robotic cleaners. My pool also includes a tucked-away loveseat area along with multiple steps. The robot navigated those spaces with ease and climbed nearly every reachable surface. Only the top step remained untouched because the robot requires at least 8 inches of water to operate.
Unlike my traditional hose-connected cleaner, which mostly sticks to the pool floor and only climbs partway up the walls, the Sora 70 repeatedly climbed all the way to the waterline. Once there, it slowed down and spent extra time scrubbing before continuing its route. Since my current cleaner rarely reaches that area, the difference stood out immediately—especially around the waterline where residue and buildup tend to collect over time.
Many Beatbot pool cleaner reviews highlight the robot’s S-shaped cleaning pattern. In my pool, the route looked a little less uniform, likely because of the pool’s unusual shape and rock features. Still, the robot consistently covered the floor, walls, steps and tucked-away seating area during each cleaning cycle.
After roughly three hours—the estimated runtime displayed in the app—the cleaning cycle ended. The Sora 70 surfaced, moved to the side of the pool and parked itself while draining excess water, making it noticeably lighter and easier to retrieve.
Surface
Next, I switched to Surface Mode. Almost immediately, the robot transitioned into skimming mode and began collecting floating debris from the water’s surface. With several trees surrounding my backyard, leaves and flower petals regularly drift into the pool, so the robot had plenty of opportunities to prove itself.
As the Sora 70 moved across the surface, its dual-jet propulsion system created a noticeable funnel effect, corraling leaves and flower petals inward. While my solar skimmer typically handles day-to-day surface cleanup, the Sora 70 worked more quickly by grabbing debris from beyond its immediate path.
That said, there were a few instances in which I saw leaves pushed away from the robot’s jets rather than drawn toward the intake. The feature seemed most effective along the pool’s edges, where it helped sweep debris away from the sides and into the collection basket. The app also includes a Remote Mode that lets you manually steer the robot toward specific areas for targeted surface cleaning.
By the end of testing, the Sora 70 had successfully cleaned the floor, climbed the walls, scrubbed the waterline and skimmed the surface. While my existing setup already kept the pool clean, the robot demonstrated that it could perform many of those same tasks in a single, cordless unit.
Maintenance and charging
After each cleaning cycle, I gave the Sora 70 a few minutes to self-drain before lifting it out of the pool. Once I emptied the debris basket and gave it a quick rinse, I allowed the robot to dry before connecting the charging cable to a standard outlet. Beatbot recommends charging and storing the robot indoors in a cool, dry location, which is exactly what I did between cleaning sessions.
Thanks to its large 6-liter debris basket, the Sora 70 collected a surprising amount of leaves, flower petals, twigs and other debris before needing to be emptied. During testing, emptying the basket only took a minute or two and quickly became part of the routine.
I also appreciated that the Beatbot app includes a dedicated maintenance section with cleaning recommendations for the filter basket, sensors, roller brushes and other key components. Having those instructions readily available made it easy to stay on top of routine maintenance without digging through the user manual.
Once connected to the charger, the Sora 70 takes about 4.5 hours to reach a full charge. According to Beatbot, a single charge can provide up to 7 hours of surface skimming or up to 5 hours of floor cleaning, depending on the selected cleaning mode. The robot also automatically returns to the pool’s edge when the battery drops below 12%, making it easy to retrieve when it’s time to recharge.
Pros
- Combines floor, wall, waterline and surface cleaning in one device
- Cordless design eliminates hoses and tangles
- Large 6-liter basket
- Multiple cleaning modes for different needs
- App scheduling and remote-control functionality
- Automatic parking features simplify retrieval
- Strong wall-climbing and waterline scrubbing performance
Cons
- At nearly 23 pounds, it might be heavy for some users
- Can’t operate in water less than 8 inches deep
Final verdict
After a few weeks of testing, the Beatbot Sora 70 proved that a cordless robotic cleaner really can replace my hose-connected vacuum. Not only did it handle floor cleaning with ease, but its ability to climb walls and actively scrub the waterline gave it an advantage over my previous setup.
For my pool, I’ll still keep my weekly pool service to manage chemical maintenance and water testing. And because surface debris is a near-constant battle in my backyard, I’ll likely continue using my solar-powered skimmer between deeper cleaning cycles. That said, pool owners with different layouts, debris levels or maintenance routines may find the Sora 70 capable of handling an even larger share of their overall pool care on its own.
What the Sora 70 did eliminate was the most frustrating part of my setup: the long floating hose constantly tangling with my skimmer, drifting across the pool and frequently disconnecting from the wall. By the end of testing, my pool looked just as clean—but with far less equipment floating in it.
Where to buy
Beatbot Sora 70
An all-in-one cordless robotic pool cleaner designed to vacuum debris, scrub walls and waterlines, and skim the pool's surface.
You can purchase the Beatbot Sora 70 directly through the brand’s website, or on Walmart and Amazon. It retails for $1,499, but this model does occasionally go on sale. When it does, you can save upwards of $300.
FAQ
How do you use a Beatbot pool cleaner?
After charging the robot, users can select a cleaning mode in the Beatbot app or via onboard controls before placing it in the pool. Depending on the model, Beatbot cleaners can clean the floor, walls, waterline and surface without relying on hoses or connections to the pool’s filtration system. Once the cleaning cycle ends, the robot returns to the edge of the pool for retrieval and recharging.
Are Beatbot pool cleaners good?
Beatbot pool cleaners stand out for their cordless designs, smart navigation technology and ability to combine multiple cleaning tasks into a single robot. While features vary by model, many Beatbot pool cleaner reviews highlight strong wall-climbing performance, waterline scrubbing, app connectivity and surface skimming capabilities. Beatbot cleaners are generally best suited for pool owners looking for a more automated, all-in-one cleaning experience.
How much is a Beatbot pool cleaner?
Beatbot offers several different robotic pool cleaners across its Sora and AquaSense series. Entry-level models like the Sora 10 start around $700, while premium options in the AquaSense lineup can climb well above $4,000 depending on the features included. The Sora 70 falls somewhere in the middle, offering cordless operation, surface skimming, wall climbing and app controls at a more approachable price point than some of Beatbot’s flagship models.
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The post I Swapped My Old Pool Cleaner for the Beatbot Sora 70—And I’m Never Going Back appeared first on Reader's Digest.
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