The Dolphin EON 120d stands out with its innovative filter basket that excels at capturing various types of debris, yet emptying it presents significant difficulties.
Pools often accumulate leaves and substantial particles, but it's the accumulation of subtle elements like sand and fine particles that truly clouds the water.
Introduced at CES 2026, the Maytronics Dolphin EON 120d robotic pool cleaner focuses on combating these fine particles and buildup through an advanced filtration mechanism aimed at securing tiny debris and preventing its release. The key concern remains whether this innovative approach delivers on its promises in practice.
Although the DebrisLock filter proves highly capable at retaining diverse debris, particularly sand and fine grit, the process of clearing it out turns out to be exceptionally cumbersome.
The Dolphin EON series includes the 120d model under review and a more affordable EON 100 variant, which surprisingly omits the debris-retention feature highlighted earlier. The 120d sports a mostly conventional exterior, featuring uneven tracks—wider at the front and slimmer at the rear—along with a pair of rotating brushes positioned ahead between the tracks.
Weighing 24 pounds, the device matches typical standards for its class, and its streamlined build allows for straightforward handling on dry surfaces and extraction from the pool. It functions effectively in depths as shallow as eight inches.
Equipped with a 9600 mAh battery rated for a maximum of four and a half hours of operation, testing the full duration proves tricky since the standard cycle lasts two hours and the extended option reaches three hours. An UltraRun setting operates in brief sessions every two or three days, enabling continuous pool presence for as long as two and a half weeks.
A lone button on the front panel cycles through primary functions such as floor cleaning, waterline focus, complete pool coverage, or UltraRun. The Maytronics One mobile application allows adjustments to duration and additional settings. Importantly, the company's MyDolphin Plus app does not support this model.
The Dolphin EON 120d's filter assembly represents a market first in design, though servicing it demands considerable effort.
True to its description, the 120d's debris container innovates with a compact rectangular enclosure encased in filter screens similar to those in HEPA air purifiers. Once inside, particles become securely contained, with no easy way out. Further details on this follow.
The 120d requires minimal preparation upon unboxing—just a complete charge and configuration via the app to begin. The Maytronics One app detects the unit swiftly; following a software update and several hours connected to an outlet, operations commenced without issue.
One detail worth mentioning: the power cord entry sits beneath the control interface and features a removable rubber cover when idle. This cover lacks attachment to the body, raising concerns about misplacement during storage. Its necessity during use remains unspecified, but protecting exposed components seemed prudent.
The device's longest operational period caps at three hours, leaving some battery potential unused.
Initial trials with the EON 120d encountered unexpected hurdles. After selecting the app's 'Smart mode'—which incorporates pool mapping for future reference—and placing it in the water, the unit simply rested motionless on the bottom. Retrieval via the provided hook led to a second failed attempt. A complete restart finally activated it on the third try, launching the cleaning process successfully.
Observing the robot at work provided unexpected entertainment: it frequently toppled onto its back while descending edges or scaling walls from below. Fortunately, it recovers quickly, though the frequent tumbling appears unusual.
The app provides essential data on sessions, such as the volume of water filtered in liters.
Testing various modes, including the three-hour full-pool setting covering floor, walls, and waterline, yielded 95 percent coverage using artificial leaves. Performance with natural debris mirrored this, showing strong results across most areas but overlooking some leaves on stairs and, notably, failing to clear corners where residues persisted. Achieving 95 percent overall counts as respectable, despite repeated issues in specific locations.
Users can extract the 120d using a standard pole or the included 'clicker' accessory from Maytronics. The clicker involves submerging it and agitating briefly like a noisemaker, prompting the robot to halt and ascend to the surface for simple pickup. Despite initial skepticism, this tool functioned reliably and outperformed traditional hooking methods.
Post-use maintenance yields mixed results. The DebrisLock system adeptly secures all debris varieties, with particular strength against sand and grit, but removal demands intense labor. The screens cling to leaves amid fibrous layers, resisting hose rinsing entirely. Instead, manual extraction of numerous leaves proved necessary, piece by piece, leaving the basket imperfectly cleared. This cleanup ordeal stands as the model's most glaring drawback.
Priced at $1,199, the EON 120d offers strong capabilities at a cost below comparable premium options such as the Beatbot Sora 70 and Polaris Freedom Plus. For budget-conscious buyers seeking modest savings, it merits consideration—yet the burdensome filter maintenance diminished enthusiasm for routine deployment.