Automatic pool skimmers

Pool Skimmers

Automatic, solar-powered surface skimmers that clear floating debris your floor cleaner can’t reach — leaves, bugs, pollen, and oils, cleared before they sink.

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A pool skimmer removes floating debris from the surface of your pool before it becomes a problem. Leaves, pollen, bugs, sunscreen oils, and fine dust all land on the water first — and if they aren’t collected quickly, they waterlog, sink to the floor, and feed algae. Skimming the surface is the single most effective way to keep a pool clear and reduce how hard the rest of your equipment has to work.

Types of pool skimmers

“Pool skimmer” can mean a few different things, so it helps to know what you’re actually shopping for:

Built-in (pump) skimmers

Every pool has a fixed skimmer built into the wall — the rectangular door near the top of the water that pulls surface water into your filtration system. It only pulls from one spot, so debris on the far side of the pool can float for hours before it ever reaches the intake. It also stops working the moment your pump is off.

Handheld skimmer nets

A pole and net is the manual option. It works, but it puts the job on you — every day, especially in fall or during pollen season.

Automatic robotic surface skimmers

A robotic, solar-powered surface skimmer roams the entire surface on its own, collecting floating debris into an onboard basket. It doesn’t depend on your pump, it charges itself from the sun, and it covers the whole pool — not just the water near a fixed intake. This is the category the Dolphin Skimmi belongs to, and it’s the most hands-off way to keep a surface clean.

Do I need a skimmer if I already have a robotic pool cleaner?

They do two different jobs. A robotic pool cleaner vacuums and scrubs the floor, walls, and waterline. A surface skimmer clears floating debris off the top of the water before it ever sinks. Run them together and debris never gets the chance to settle: the skimmer catches leaves and bugs while they float, and the robot handles anything that makes it to the bottom. For heavily-treed yards or pollen-prone regions, the combination is what keeps a pool consistently clear with almost no manual effort.

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Dolphin Skimmi

Dolphin Skimmi

$599$549Save $50

Solar-powered surface skimmer with smart navigation and automatic charging — clears floating leaves, bugs, pollen & oils across pools up to 65 ft.

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What an automatic pool skimmer is used for

A roaming solar skimmer earns its place by handling the debris that lands on the water every day:

  • Leaves & blossoms — collected while they float, before they waterlog and sink to the floor.
  • Bugs & insects — beetles, water boatmen, and gnats are cleared continuously all day.
  • Pollen & fine dust — skims the surface film off the top before it clouds the water.
  • Oils & scum — sunscreen and body oils that form a waterline ring are pulled off the surface.
  • Lower chemical & energy use — less organic debris in the water means less chlorine demand and less strain on your pump.
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Pool skimmer FAQs

What does a pool skimmer do?

A pool skimmer removes floating debris — leaves, bugs, pollen, and oils — from the surface of the water before it sinks to the floor. An automatic solar skimmer does this continuously across the whole pool, without relying on your pump.

Is an automatic pool skimmer better than my built-in wall skimmer?

It complements it. Your built-in skimmer only pulls surface water toward one fixed intake and only works while the pump runs. A roaming solar skimmer covers the entire surface and keeps working around the clock, catching debris the fixed skimmer misses.

Do I still need a robotic pool cleaner if I have a skimmer?

Yes — they do different jobs. A robotic pool cleaner scrubs the floor, walls, and waterline, while a surface skimmer clears floating debris off the top. Used together, debris never gets a chance to settle.

Does a solar pool skimmer need to be plugged in?

No. The Dolphin Skimmi charges itself from the sun during the day and stores energy to keep skimming at night, so there’s nothing to plug in and no added energy cost.

What size pool does the Skimmi work in?

The Dolphin Skimmi is designed for pools up to 65 ft and adapts to any shape — rectangular, round, kidney, or free-form — thanks to its infrared navigation sensors.