We have tested both the Dolphin Explorer E70 and the Polaris Freedom in real pools, measured their suction at the intake, and lived with the filtration and daily routine each one requires. This comparison brings those results together so you can see the real-world trade-offs without relying on the numbers printed on either box.
This is also a corded-versus-cordless decision: one prioritizes continuous power and scheduling, while the other removes the cable but adds charging.
The short answer: we recommend skipping both. Neither robot earned a buy call in our pool testing. If you want our closest recommended alternative for what you are shopping here, look at the Dolphin Sigma (2.0 PSI). If you are strictly choosing between these two models, the Dolphin Explorer E70 is the lesser compromise (pulling 1.7 vs 0.8 PSI on our gauge).
Quick Answer
Our honest call is to skip both robots and buy the Dolphin Sigma instead. Closest smart-flagship alternative: boosts suction from 0.8–1.7 PSI to 2.0 PSI across a 10-inch dual intake, includes top-load pleated NanoFilters, and keeps full underwater Wi-Fi app control with a 3-year warranty. If your priorities lean more toward leafy pools and owners who want the strongest pull we have measured, also look at the Dolphin Premier (2.2 PSI).
If you are already committed to one of these two, Dolphin Explorer E70 takes the narrow edge (pulling 1.7 vs 0.8 PSI on our gauge). The Polaris Freedom is only worth considering for Polaris loyalists whose first priority is avoiding a cord.
Our calls in the full reviews are Not recommended for the Dolphin Explorer E70 and Not recommended for the Polaris Freedom. Those calls matter here: PSI is the first round, not the entire verdict.
Suction Power: 1.7 PSI vs 0.8 PSI
On our hydro manometer, the Dolphin Explorer E70 measured 1.7 PSI and the Polaris Freedom measured 0.8 PSI. That gives the Dolphin Explorer E70 a 0.9 PSI advantage, or about 112% more intake pressure than the lower reading.
We measure pressure directly at the intake with the same gauge and pool setup. That is different from manufacturer flow-rate claims in gallons per hour: GPH describes water movement, while PSI shows how hard the intake pulls on debris. Cordless results are recorded at full charge. Our complete pool-robot suction test explains the method and shows where both robots sit on the full board.
The number needs context. Its 1.7 PSI reading, navigation, app, and three-year warranty make it a capable cleaner. It covers the main pool surfaces and its filter basket is easy to reach and rinse. The stronger gauge result gets this round, though intake pressure alone cannot make up for a filter that lets fine debris escape or a routine that makes you handle the robot every day.
Filtration and Debris Handling
The Dolphin Explorer E70 uses top-loading mesh basket without the filter versatility of the proline picks. The Polaris Freedom uses basic top-access mesh basket.
We give the filtration edge to the Dolphin Explorer E70. Our comparison favors fine-particle capture, usable debris capacity, easy cleaning, and whether the better filter is included rather than sold as an upgrade.
For leaves, capacity and intake design matter. For pollen, silt, and the haze that dulls otherwise clear water, the filter media matters more. A basic mesh screen can look clean after a run while still passing the smallest material back into the pool.
Automation and Daily Work
The Dolphin Explorer E70 is corded. Connected app control and scheduled corded cleaning. The Polaris Freedom is cordless. Four app modes, but every cycle still ends with retrieval and a long recharge.
That power difference changes the ownership routine. The corded robot can keep full power through the cycle and run from a schedule when its controls support one. The cordless robot removes the floating cable, but it must come out of the water to recharge. For frequent cleaning, that usually means deploying and retrieving it every day.
The automation round goes to the Dolphin Explorer E70.
Coverage and Pool Fit
For the Dolphin Explorer E70, our review found floor, walls, and waterline with smart navigation. The Polaris Freedom is built for floor, walls, and waterline without a cable.
The Dolphin Explorer E70 wins the coverage round on the breadth of surfaces and pool situations it can handle.
Surface coverage on a spec sheet only goes so far if suction fades or the filter misses fine dust. Match the robot’s reach to your pool size, and weigh how often you are willing to handle the unit to keep those surfaces clean.
Value: Performance for the Money and Time
Our value take on the Dolphin Explorer E70: Capable but overpriced beside stronger, better-filtering Dolphins. For the Polaris Freedom: Convenient on paper, but the lowest measured suction and daily charging weaken the case.
We score value evenly. In that case, your pool fit should break the tie.
Value is not the same thing as the lowest checkout price. We count cleaning power, filtration, how many surfaces the robot covers, and how often you have to retrieve or charge it. A cheaper robot that leaves you vacuuming behind it is not a bargain, and an expensive robot only earns its price when its extra capability solves a real problem in your pool.
What to Buy Instead
Because both the Dolphin Explorer E70 and Polaris Freedom earned a skip in our testing, compare them directly against any pick from our Best Robotic Pool Cleaners of 2026 list below — starting with our closest match, the Dolphin Sigma:
| Category | Explorer E70 | Freedom | Sigma (Buy Instead) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Our review call | Skip | Skip | Recommended |
| Measured suction | 1.7 PSI | 0.8 PSI (full charge) | 2.0 PSI (constant corded) |
| Filtration | Top-loading mesh basket without the filter versatility of the ProLine picks | Basic top-access mesh basket | Top-loading pleated NanoFilter cartridges for fine dust, pollen, and silt |
| Automation | Connected app control and scheduled corded cleaning | Four app modes, but every cycle still ends with retrieval and a long recharge | MyDolphin Plus app works underwater and supports weekly scheduling |
Closest smart-flagship alternative: boosts suction from 0.8–1.7 PSI to 2.0 PSI across a 10-inch dual intake, includes top-load pleated NanoFilters, and keeps full underwater Wi-Fi app control with a 3-year warranty.
You can also read our direct head-to-head breakdowns for Dolphin Explorer E70 vs Dolphin Sigma and Polaris Freedom vs Dolphin Sigma, or look at the Dolphin Premier (2.2 PSI) if your pool leans more toward leafy pools and owners who want the strongest pull we have measured.
If You Still Pick Between These Two
- Lesser compromise — Dolphin Explorer E70: Takes the head-to-head edge (pulling 1.7 vs 0.8 PSI on our gauge). Its 1.7 PSI reading, navigation, app, and three-year warranty make it a capable cleaner.
- Narrow case for Polaris Freedom: Only relevant for Polaris loyalists whose first priority is avoiding a cord. It covers the main pool surfaces and its filter basket is easy to reach and rinse.
- Why we skip both overall: Dolphin Explorer E70 — At its normal price, the Premier and Sigma deliver more suction and better filtration. Polaris Freedom — Its 0.8 PSI is the lowest cordless reading in our canonical set, followed by a four-to-six-hour recharge.
Final Verdict
Skip both — buy the Dolphin Sigma instead. Dolphin Explorer E70 edges out Polaris Freedom in a forced comparison (pulling 1.7 vs 0.8 PSI on our gauge), but both carry a Not recommended call in our reviews. The Dolphin Sigma (2.0 PSI) is the closest recommended robot to buy instead.
Read the complete Dolphin Explorer E70 review and Polaris Freedom review for every test photo, setup detail, and long-form ownership note. You can also return to all pool-robot comparisons to see any other matchup from the 19 cleaners in our test set.
