How to use a cordless pool vacuum
Updated: 21 October 2026
The head is in the water and the leaves are still sitting where they were. How to use a cordless pool vacuum, on the eight handhelds in this set, is a short order: bag on, outlet under the water, then run. Switch off before you lift, empty the chamber, and charge only when the port is dry. The [cordless pool vacuum comparison](/hub/pool-care/cordless-pool-vacuum) is the eight amazon.co.uk listings, about £59.99 to £89.99 on 19 October 2026. This page is the session, not a ranking. We did not run these vacuums. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The head is in the water and the leaves are still sitting where they were. How to use a cordless pool vacuum, on the eight handhelds in this set, is a short order: bag on, outlet under the water, then run.
The head is in the water and the leaves are still sitting where they were. How to use a cordless pool vacuum, on the eight handhelds in this set, is a short order: bag on, outlet under the water, then run. Switch off before you lift, empty the chamber, and charge only when the port is dry. The cordless pool vacuum comparison is the eight amazon.co.uk listings, about £59.99 to £89.99 on 19 October 2026. This page is the session, not a ranking. We did not run these vacuums. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Start | Bags | Runtime | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  VIVOHOME VIVOHOME VH1715 blue | A review says fill the chamber before switching on | 3× 180 mesh, 1× 300 mesh | Up to 60 minutes | 8.6 | about £79.83 | View offer |
| Best value |  PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1818 | Submerge the water outlet | Basket, plus a finer filter | About 60 minutes | 8.1 | about £59.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  PoolyPoly PoolyPoly 1814 | Sensor on from about 30 cm; stops when lifted | Three heads; filter | About 1.5 hours; highlight says 90 minutes | 6.9 | about £59.99 | View offer |
On this page
Fit the bag, then put the head under
Fit the bag before the pole goes in. The VH1351 and VH1715 list four rinseable bags, three at 180 mesh and one at 300. The VH1869 lists four 2.6 litre bags, including 500 mesh. The 1818 is a basket, or the basket plus a finer filter. The 1814 and 1822 use a triangular head, a long head or a suction nozzle. Which bag you bought is the cordless pool vacuum buying guide.
Then get the outlet under the water. The 1822 and 1818 say to submerge the outlet. The 1814 and 1822 switch on from about 30 cm and stop when lifted. A shared VIVOHOME review says to fill the chamber before you switch on. Starting in air gives noise and little suction. A 20 cm plunge will not satisfy a 30 cm line. Shallow water for a spa is on the cordless hot tub vacuum page.
Coarse mesh, fine mesh, and a blocked bag
Suction with the wrong bag still looks like failure. A shared review says 180 mesh lets sand through. For sand, fit the 300-mesh bag. Leaves and twigs are the coarse-bag job, and the finer bag fills faster. On the VH1869, a review says to go coarse then fine, or the bag blocks. Another says dirt was kicked straight back out.
Algae is the case where a second pass may not help. One shared review reports no suction on algae, then an overheating shutdown. The algae-mode bullet is a setting name, not a promise. Green water needs the filter pump first.
On the 1818, some reviews describe sand cleared and others say dirt falls straight back. Lift so the chamber can drain. Which body is the right length is the best cordless pool vacuum page.
Switch off, empty, and charge dry
Switch off before you lift a running head. The 1814 and 1822 are stated to stop when lifted. The others need you to stop them. Chamber water falls back on the short PoolyPoly reviews. Empty at the side, rinse the mesh under a tap, and do not leave a stopped head in the water.
Charge only with a dry port, indoors, on the original charger. The VH1351 and the blue VH1715 print that line. The yellow file does not: dry the port anyway. Electrical Safety First’s advice is an original charger and a UK 3-pin plug, on 230 V mains. A travel adaptor is not a repair. Stated charges are about 1.5 or 2 hours. Those are listing times, not another brand’s manual.
A swollen pack, a hot charger, or a plug that is not BS 1363 is the moment you stop. Do not open the pack. The retailer is the next step under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
When it is not a technique problem
Some failures survive a rinse. Shared VIVOHOME reviews describe an overheating shutdown after a pass that only pushed algae. A VH1869 arrived with a broken bottom and a loose head. An 1818 arrived with no suction, a missing mesh or a charger that does not work. A second lap will not fit a snapped clip.
That is a retailer claim. GOV.UK sets out refunds for faulty goods, 14 days to cancel an online order, and a six-month presumption if a fault appears. Weak suction after a correct bag and a submerged outlet can still be a fault. Weak suction in air, or with 180 mesh on sand, is the session you can fix yourself. Stop for a professional when the liner is torn, the pool is a neglected opening, or you are adding poolside electrics.
Common questions
Do you switch it on before it is under water?
No. Submerge the outlet first. The 1822 and 1818 say that in the bullet. The 1814 and 1822 also wait for a sensor at about 30 cm, then stop when lifted. A shared VIVOHOME review says to fill the chamber and keep the vents under. Running in air is the usual reason a new head seems to have no suction.
What if there is no suction?
Confirm the outlet is under the water and the bag is seated. On sand, move from the 180-mesh bag to the 300-mesh bag on the VIVOHOME poles. If the unit arrived with no suction, as one 1818 reviewer reported, that is a refund conversation with the seller, not a longer charge. Algae that is only pushed, followed by a hot shutdown, is the limit of these heads in the reviews.
How do you charge it after a session?
Dry the port, then charge indoors on the original UK 3-pin charger. The dry-port sentence is printed on the VH1351 and the blue VH1715. Do not leave the head in the water while it charges. Quoted charge times here are about 1.5 or 2 hours, depending on the listing, not an overnight figure borrowed from another brand’s manual.
Why does it get hot and stop?
Reviews on the shared VIVOHOME poles describe an overheating shutdown after a pass that did not pick up algae. VH1869 reviews describe cut-outs and debris blown back. Let it cool, empty the bag, and try one submerged pass on loose debris. If it cuts out again on a clean bag, treat it as a fault and go to the retailer. Do not open the battery.
Is it a substitute for the filter pump?
No. These heads pick up a pile you can steer into a bag. They do not circulate the pool, and they do not replace the filter. Green water and a coated floor need the chemistry and the pump first. A handheld is the follow-up for leaves, grit and corners, once the water is in a state a bag can cope with.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for the charger, the plug and your rights if a unit is faulty. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 19 October 2026.
- amazon.co.uk best sellers, Handheld Pool Vacuums (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- amazon.co.uk listings for the eight ASINs in this comparison (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- OPSS product safety report, lithium-ion battery charger (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Electrical Safety First, chargers and UK plugs (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, refunds and the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Intex ZR100 English manual (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Sharkswell cordless pool vacuum listing, price context only (retrieved 19 October 2026)