Quick Answer: The Dolphin Nautilus CC ($649 sale / $699 list, Maytronics SKU 99996113-USB) is the cheapest corded robot in Maytronics’ Nautilus CC family, and it’s more capable than its reputation suggests: per Maytronics’ own current spec page and an independent Poolbots test, it cleans the floor and walls of inground pools up to 40 ft, not just the floor. What it skips is the waterline scum line — that’s the one feature the pricier Nautilus CC Plus (~$749) adds. It runs a single motor at 4,000 GPH, has no Wi-Fi or weekly timer, and carries a 1-year warranty.
If you’ve shopped Dolphin’s Nautilus CC lineup, you’ve probably seen the base CC described as a “floor-only” robot — a bare-bones unit you’d only buy if another cleaner already handles your walls. That description, which even this site’s own Nautilus CC family guide used until this review, doesn’t match Maytronics’ current spec sheet. Here’s what the base Nautilus CC actually does in 2026, and where the real line between it and the CC Plus falls.
Dolphin Nautilus CC at a glance
| Spec | Dolphin Nautilus CC |
|---|---|
| Type | Corded robotic cleaner |
| Cleans | Floor and walls (no waterline) |
| Max pool size | Up to 40 ft (inground) |
| Cable length | 50 ft, no anti-tangle swivel |
| Motors | 1 |
| Suction | 4,000 GPH (Maytronics) |
| Cleaning cycle | 2 hours |
| Filtration | Top-access Fine Filter Kit (standard mesh, no NanoFilters) |
| Connectivity | None — power-supply control only, no app, no weekly timer |
| Weight | ~14.8 lb |
| Warranty | 1 year (Maytronics US) |
| Price | $649 sale / $699 list (Maytronics) |
| Rating | ★★★☆ |
Dolphin Nautilus CC
- Single motor cleans the floor and climbs the walls of inground pools up to 40 ft.
- Top-access Fine Filter Kit — no cartridges, rinse and reuse.
- 50 ft power cable, plug-and-play — no booster pump, no hoses.
- No app, no Wi-Fi, no weekly timer — runs off the power supply unit alone.
A robot this size usually ships freight — a free 30-day Amazon Prime trial can get it to your door by the weekend instead, and you can cancel before the trial ends if you don’t plan to keep it.
By the numbers
- Coverage, corrected: Maytronics’ own current product page lists the base Nautilus CC’s coverage as “Floor and Walls,” a claim an independent Poolbots test corroborates — not the floor-only description commonly attached to this model.
- Price gap to the CC Plus: At $649 sale, the base CC costs about $100-150 less than the Nautilus CC Plus’s ~$749, per Maytronics’ own US store pricing for both models.
- Suction: A single motor delivers 4,000 GPH, matching the CC Plus’s own single-motor suction figure — the Plus’s price premium buys the waterline scrub and Wi-Fi, not more cleaning power.
- Warranty: A flat 1 year, per Maytronics’ own current page — the same coverage every other Nautilus CC tier carries after Maytronics cut the family-wide warranty from 2-2.5 years in 2026.
What it does well
Genuinely cleans more than “floor-only” implies. The base CC’s wall-climbing is real, confirmed on Maytronics’ own spec sheet and independently by Poolbots — a materially better entry point than a true floor-only robot like the smaller Dolphin Explorer E10 or Dolphin Escape.
Same suction as the step-up model. At 4,000 GPH, it matches the Nautilus CC Plus’s single-motor suction exactly — you lose the waterline scrub stepping down to the base CC, not cleaning power.
Plug-and-play, no plumbing. Like the rest of the Nautilus CC family, it needs no booster pump or hose hookup — plug in the power supply and drop it in.
Reusable filtration. The top-access Fine Filter Kit rinses and reuses rather than requiring cartridge purchases.
Where it falls short
- No waterline scrub. The scum line at the water’s surface — usually the first thing owners notice — is left untouched. That’s the Nautilus CC Plus’s job.
- No app, no Wi-Fi, no weekly timer. You start it manually via the power supply every time; there’s no scheduling or remote control at this tier.
- No anti-tangle swivel cable. The 50 ft cable lacks the swivel fitting that pricier Nautilus CC tiers use to resist tangling over repeated cycles.
- Thin independent testing. Most third-party lab reviews focus on the Nautilus CC Plus as the family’s default pick; the base CC’s own numbers lean more heavily on manufacturer specs than independent verification.
Dolphin Nautilus CC vs the alternatives
| Model | Cleans | Connectivity | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus CC | Floor, walls | None | 1 year | $649-$699 |
| Nautilus CC Plus | Floor, walls, waterline | Wi-Fi + app | 1 year | ~$749 |
| Dolphin Explorer E10 | Floor only | None | 2 years | $499-$699 |
| Dolphin Escape | Floor only | None | 2 years | ~$669-$799 |
Against its own family, the base Nautilus CC’s case is narrow but real: it’s the cheapest Nautilus CC with wall-climbing, and the step up to the Nautilus CC Plus is a small, specific one — waterline coverage plus Wi-Fi, nothing more. Against Maytronics’ true floor-only entry robots, the Dolphin Explorer E10 and Dolphin Escape, the base CC costs more but genuinely cleans more surface area. For the full side-by-side of every Nautilus CC tier, see our Dolphin Nautilus CC explained guide.
Who should buy the Nautilus CC
Buy it if you want floor-and-wall coverage at the lowest Nautilus CC price, don’t mind starting the cycle manually, and can live without the waterline scum-line scrub.
Look elsewhere if you want the waterline cleaned too (step up to the Nautilus CC Plus, still our top pick for most inground pools), app control (also the CC Plus or higher), or a true floor-only budget robot at a lower price point (the Dolphin Explorer E10).
For the complete market beyond Dolphin, see our best robotic pool cleaner guide, and for every Dolphin tier in one place, our best Dolphin pool cleaner guide.
The bottom line
The Dolphin Nautilus CC ($649 sale / $699 list) is a better entry point than its “floor-only” reputation suggests — Maytronics’ own spec sheet and an independent Poolbots test both confirm it climbs the walls, matching the pricier CC Plus’s suction and coverage everywhere except the waterline. If you can live without that scum-line scrub and app control, it’s a genuinely cheaper way into the Nautilus CC family, not a stripped-down afterthought. We rate it ★★★☆.