The verdict · Dolphin Skimmi
The Skimmi has the sturdy Maytronics housing I expected, and its paddle pulls in low-riding debris. But I had to lift the whole wet skimmer out to empty it. With the Betta SE, I can grab the basket from above.
What works
- The thick plastic and tight seams feel like the Maytronics equipment I know
- The paddle wheel grabs low-riding, waterlogged debris that a passive intake can miss
- Its solar panel and battery kept it moving through the day and night
- Mine worked along the walls and kept crossing the open water
What doesn't
- I had to lift the whole wet unit out to empty the basket
- Setup and manual control require a smartphone app
- It's heavier than the Betta SE, especially with a basket of wet leaves
Dolphin Skimmi — key specs
| Power | Solar panel and internal battery; runs day and night |
|---|---|
| Debris pickup | Active front paddle wheel sweeps debris into the basket |
| Basket access | Lift the whole wet skimmer out, then open it up |
| Controls | Dolphin smartphone app (setup, monitoring, manual steering) |
| Build | Thick Maytronics housing; noticeably heavier than the Betta SE |
| Best for | Dolphin owners who don't mind the app and pools with lighter debris loads |
On this page
I expected to like the Dolphin Skimmi. My Dolphin Premier cleaned the bottom of my pool for four years without a major failure, and Maytronics still makes the most dependable bottom cleaners I've used. A Dolphin for the surface sounded like a safe choice.
I bought its main competitor, the Betta SE, too. Then I ran both in the same pool through Texas pollen and falling oak leaves.
The Skimmi grabbed partly submerged debris better than the Betta and felt heavier and sturdier. I still kept the Betta because I could empty its basket without lifting the skimmer out of the water. I noticed that difference every day.
Build Quality and Solar Charging
The Skimmi feels like a Maytronics product. The plastic is thick, the seams fit tightly, and the body reminds me of my Premier. Next to the light, catamaran-shaped Betta SE, it feels more like regular pool equipment. If I were judging the housing alone, I'd pick the Skimmi.
Most of the top deck is a solar panel that charges the battery inside. Like the Betta, I could leave the Skimmi in the pool instead of carrying it to a wall charger. That's exactly what I want from a surface cleaner sitting in direct sun. On sunny days, mine ran around the clock and stored enough power to clean overnight.
The Paddle Wheel
The Skimmi has a rotating paddle up front that sweeps floating debris into the basket. The Betta pulls water through an open intake.
That paddle helped with waterlogged leaves, partly submerged acorns, and other debris riding just below the surface. A passive intake could pass right over those pieces, but the Skimmi often pulled them in.
What It Picked Up
Mine worked along the walls, where floating debris gathers, and kept crossing the open water. It didn't get caught on my tanning ledge or steps more often than the Betta. During the fall leaf drop, it filled its basket every day. In pollen season, I found a thick layer of yellow pollen in the basket. The pool's wall-skimmer basket stayed nearly empty while the Skimmi ran.
I had no complaint about the cleaning. The trouble started when the basket filled up.
Why the Basket Cost It the Comparison
Emptying the basket is the one regular chore with a surface skimmer. I do it every day, and sometimes twice a day in fall, so basket access matters more to me than an app feature I might use once in a while.
The Skimmi doesn't have a top hatch. I had to lift the whole wet skimmer onto the deck, open the housing, pull and rinse the basket, put everything back together, and lower it into the pool again. All that weight worked against it here, especially with wet leaves inside. Water ran down my arm in the process.
With the Betta SE, I could press the top release and lift the handled basket while the skimmer stayed in the pool. Dumping, rinsing, and replacing it took 20 to 30 seconds, and my sleeves stayed dry.
What bothers me most about cordless bottom cleaners is hauling them out every day to recharge. The Skimmi's solar panel fixes the charging problem, but the basket brings back the same wet lift. After a few weeks of caring for both skimmers side by side, the Betta's top hatch was much easier to live with.
The App
Setup, monitoring, and manual steering all happen in Dolphin's smartphone app. Pairing was painless, and I could check the Skimmi without walking outside.
After setup, I didn't need the connection much. The Betta has a physical power button and remote, and after two years with it, I haven't missed Wi-Fi or firmware updates. The app wasn't the reason I passed on the Skimmi, but it added an account and phone dependency to a job that basic controls handle just fine.
Skimmi vs. Betta SE: The Scorecard
See my full Betta SE vs. Dolphin Skimmi comparison for the detailed head-to-head breakdown.
| Feature | Dolphin Skimmi | Betta SE |
|---|---|---|
| Build quality | Thick plastic with classic Maytronics heft | Lighter, thinner plastic |
| Debris pickup | Active paddle wheel, grabs low-riding debris | Passive intake, occasionally misses soggy stragglers |
| Basket access | Haul the entire unit out of the pool | Top hatch; unit stays in the water |
| Emptying time | Lift, drain, and open the whole unit | 20–30 seconds |
| Control | App-dependent | Physical button and simple remote |
| Power | Solar with battery backup | Solar with battery backup |
The Skimmi has the heavier housing and a better paddle for partly submerged debris. The Betta is much quicker to empty and doesn't need a phone. Those everyday differences mattered more to me than the Skimmi's hardware advantages.
Why I Kept the Betta SE
The Dolphin Skimmi is well built. Its solar panel, battery, and paddle wheel all worked as expected, and it kept my pool surface clean the whole time. If you already like Dolphin's app and don't mind lifting the machine for every basket cleaning, it can do the job.
I'd buy the Betta SE instead. Its top hatch lets me pull the basket while the skimmer stays in the water. That saved me time and mess every day, which mattered more than the Skimmi's heavier plastic and active intake.
I gave the Skimmi to a friend with a screened-in pool and a lighter debris load, and it's still working well there. The Betta stayed in my pool and is still there two years later. If you choose the Skimmi, expect a clean surface along with a wet, fairly heavy lift every time the basket needs attention.
Compare the Dolphin Skimmi
- Betta SE vs. Dolphin Skimmi: Why I Kept the Betta A side-by-side Betta SE vs. Dolphin Skimmi comparison covering basket access, debris pickup, solar operation, controls, ownership, warranty, and current price.
