Zodiac Mx8 Pool Cleaner (Updated 2022 Review)

By Shiloh McGinley

August 4, 2022


Zodiac Mx8 Features At A Glance

Who's It Ideal For?

  • It's Best For Small Pools - If you have a small swimming pool, then the Zodiac MX8 is the perfect choice for you!
  • It is compact and lightweight, making it easy to store and carry around. It's also quite affordable, so you won't have to break the bank to get one.

The MX8 is also a good choice for those which will see lots of debris. Thanks to its powerful cyclonic action, it can quickly remove leaves, twigs, and other small debris from your pool.

Who's it NOT Good For?

  • It's NOT For Large Pools - If you have a large pool, then the MX8 is NOT the right choice for you. It is designed for smaller ones and will not be able to clean a large pool efficiently.
  • It's Also NOT For Pools With Heavy Debris - If your pool has lots of leaves and twigs, then you should opt for a different cleaner.
Zodiac MX8

Hey All, Shiloh here, In this review, we're going to look at the Zodiac MX8, a fully automatic, low to mid-range suction side pool cleaner that offers aggressive cleaning in all types of inground pools.

Why Listen to Me?

I've been in and around swimming pools since before I could walk!

  • As a kid, I spent the summers at my grandpa's in the pool for what seems like 6-8 hours a day
  • As an adult, I've had my own swimming pool since I first owned my house!
  • I've used & tested DOZENS of Pool Cleaners the past 25 years, I know what to look for, and am here to share my experience with you!

As you know, not all models or brands are made equally. A lot of them are no better than manual suction cleaning, not being able to get the pool sufficiently cleaned in the timeframe advertised. 

For those that don't already know, Zodiac has an amazing range of options that cater to almost everybody's budget and requirements.

Whether you're looking for a budget swimming pool cleaner, or something a bit more advanced, they've got it, and I'll likely review it!

I got my hands on the Zodiac MX8 Suction Side Pool Cleaner and used it for 30 days!

ZODIAC MX8 FEATURES:

Let's take a look at what makes this pool cleaner tick!

Most Efficient Pool Cleaner In It's Class

The MX8 Pool Cleaner is the most efficient cleaner in its class. 

It's intelligent design enables it to deliver unmatched performance while requiring 30% less flow than other models.

This makes it a great match for solar pumps and also for two speed and variable speed pumps.

If power saving is a priority for you, then the Zodiac MX will not disappoint. In the long term, the MX8 costs just a few cents per day to use.

Surely, that's way cheaper than hiring somebody to clean the pool for you. It is also way more convenient, since this zodiac model is a fully automatic device.

The Low Price does NOT mean Poor Quality Cleaning

Do not mistake efficiency for subpar cleaning though!

The MX8 features dual cyclonic suction, the dual cyclonic suction action stirs up a storm within your pool and gets rid of sediment, algae, dust and dirt & debris.

This model has a larger cleaning head than most other models in its range. Hence, it can tackle bigger sized debris.

Great Navigator!

The Zodiac MX8 has been equipped with MAX-Drive Navigation technology.

This means that it can operate in pools of various shapes and sizes. It doesn't lose its composure in tight corners.

The MX8 has high torque and hence it can climb up steep slopes, including pool walls and waterline. (It cleans the entire pool, we love this.)

Many cleaners can do a decent job with the pool bottom but face difficulty cleaning walls, sooooo you have to scrub the walls manually or use another bot.

This can be quite labor intensive and involves a lot of hassle.

It makes much more sense to invest in a cleaner that has ability to clean the entire pool and not just the bottom!

Flex Power Turbine 💪

The secret to Zodiac MX8's performance and efficiency is its Flex-Power turbine. 

This turbine ensures peak power and top performance even with low flow. Car engines are becoming more efficient and the same trend can be observed in robotic pool cleaners too.

Earlier, even family cars had 3 liter V6 motors. However, today they are being powered by tiny 1 liter Eco-Boost motors. These motors are pack quite a bit of grunt and yet they drink much lesser fuel.

The Flex-Power turbine of the MX8 is similar – it performs well without consuming much energy.

This truly makes the Zodiac MX8 stand apart from the competition.

PROS & CONS OF THIS SUCTION SIDE POOL CLEANER

Alright, after using this bad boy for 30 days, HERE is what I REALLY think of it

Pros
  • Two directional gears so it can reverse direction
  • Pool owners love it, as it's honestly NOT that expensive to operate! It costs just a few cents per day to run, making it one of the most price efficient cleaners with a low costs of ownership and operation.
  • Due to it's Powerful Dual Cyclonic Suction Action, it can get rid of dirt and debris quite efficiently. The cleaning path is wide, meaning the pool gets cleaned much faster. The MX8 cuts a wide path through debris, and its dual cyclonic suction system works just as well on organic material as it does on sand and grit.
  • The MX8 comes with a 39 feet long hose, including twist lock elbows and twist lock hose sections.
  • The traction (thanks to it's tank-like conveyor belt) is quite impressive.
Cons
  • Long, narrow debris such as pine needles or palm fronds isn't ideal for the MX8. Vegetation material such as pine needles might wrap around wheel axles and bring your underwater robot to a halt.
  • It does not do well with tree leaves or large debris . It gets stuck inside the mx8, which keeps it from cleaning and moving around.
  • Make sure the hoses are either spread out in the yard or hung from a hose-hanger. When you coil the hoses up, they develop memory and can cause the device to malfunction (move around in circles or loop in a certain path).
  • The MX8 does require some basic maintenance, especially if the pool has a high amount of debris. You must empty the pump basket regularly. This is very important for normal functioning of the device. If the pump basket is full, the cleaner will NOT work properly.
  • If your pool has lots of leaves and other solid debris, then you should opt for the Zodiac in-line leaf canister. This will trap leaves and other objects and prevent them from entering the pump basket.
  • Disconnect the Zodiac MX8 BEFORE you proceed to clean or backwash the pool filter. Once you're done, let the filtering system operate for a few minutes to flush out the suction lines.
Conclusion

My Zodiac MX8 Review: 

The Zodiac MX8 is one of the most popular models on the market, and for good reason.

It's a great machine that does an amazing job at keeping your pool clean.

I've had my MX8 for just over 30 days now and it's been working great.

I've had no issues with it whatsoever and it's really easy to use.

Simply put, it just works.

If you're in the market for a new cleaner, the Zodiac MX8 is definitely worth considering. It comes with a one year warranty and can operate over a variety of pool surfaces such as vinyl, fiberglass, tiles etc.

It's a high-quality cleaning machine that will keep your pool looking great all season long.

If you follow the basic maintenance instructions and get a Zodiac leaf canister, the MX8 will serve you faithfully for several years.

Thanks for reading and I hope this review was helpful!

Shiloh

Editors Recommendation: If you want to avoid the hassle and get hands down the best pool cleaning bot then the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus would be the one to get.  It’s also Amazon’s #1 pool cleaning bot!

The Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus


Our #1 Recommendation

Check out the Dolphin Nautilus CC Plus, our #1 Recommended Robotic Pool Cleaner with over 11,000 positive reviews!

Shiloh McGinley

About the author

Shiloh McGinley has been in and around swimming pools her whole life. She's seen a lot of products come and go, and she wants to share with you the best products that really work!

Shiloh is passionate about helping people stay safe in the water, and she loves educating others on how to choose the right pool products.

When she's not working, Shiloh enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and swimming - of course!

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