Pool Cleaner Filtration: Bag vs Cartridge vs Screen

Three ways a pool cleaner collects debris

A pool cleaner listing names the debris collection system in the title or the bullet list. The three common types are the filter bag, the cartridge, and the screen. They all hold what the cleaner picks up, but the listing words differ and each media type is built for a different kind of pool debris.

A filter bag is a fabric container, usually with a zipper or a drawstring, that the cleaner fills as it moves. Bag volume is often stated in liters. A cartridge is a pleated element, like a small filter, that traps particles as water passes through it. A screen is a mesh panel with openings large enough to hold bigger items while letting water flow through.

The media type is not a performance claim. It is a description of how the cleaner stores the debris it collects. The wall climbing pool cleaner guide lists each model's stated media type so you can compare them side by side.

What a listing says about filtration

Read the cleaner title for the words 'filter bag', 'cartridge', or 'screen'. A title that says 'large-capacity filter bag' states the volume of the bag in the seller's words. A title that says 'replaceable cartridge' tells you the media is a cartridge you swap out. A title that says 'screen basket' names a mesh container.

Some listings state the bag or cartridge is included with the cleaner. Others sell the media separately. Check the image set to see whether the media is shown as a removable part or as a built-in component.

The listing rarely states how fine the media is. If a micron figure appears, it is the seller's stated number; the site does not convert or rank it.

A cleaner that runs off the pool pump, a suction-side or pressure-side model, collects debris in a bag or screen that you empty. A robotic cleaner, which runs on its own power supply, collects debris in a built-in filter that you rinse or replace. Our Dreame pool cleaner guide shows how these models state their media types.

What each media type captures

Filter bags capture leaves, twigs, and large debris. They hold a lot before they need emptying, which makes them a common choice for pools surrounded by trees. The bag opening lets water pass while the fabric holds the solid items.

Cartridges trap finer particles such as dirt, sand, and dust. The pleated media gives more surface area than a flat screen, so it can hold smaller particles without clogging quickly. A cartridge is a sealed unit that you rinse or replace when it fills.

Screens are the coarsest of the three. They hold large items like leaves and acorns while letting fine particles pass back into the pool. A screen is easy to rinse but it does not trap fine dirt the way a cartridge does.

What each media captures is described by the listing terms, not by a cleaning promise. The site's inground cleaner guide compares the stated filtration words so you can match a media type to your pool's debris pattern.

Matching the media to your pool's debris

If your pool collects mostly leaves and large debris, a cleaner with a filter bag or a screen keeps the media from clogging quickly. Bag capacity is the number to read: a larger stated capacity means fewer trips to empty it.

If your pool sees fine dirt, sand, or dust, a cartridge is the media that holds those small particles. The cartridge traps them so they do not settle back on the pool floor.

Pools with a mix of debris, leaves plus fine dirt, do not need a single media type. Some cleaners combine a screen and a finer filter in one unit. Read the listing to see whether the debris path passes through a coarse screen first and then a finer media second.

The pool environment matters more than the cleaner brand. A cleaner in a leafy above-ground pool needs a different media than one in an inground pool with fine sediment. The above ground pool pump guide includes suction-side cleaners that use bags and screens.

Emptying and replacing the media

The maker's manual states how often to empty the bag or screen and when to replace the cartridge. The listing may say 'easy-empty bag' or 'tool-free cartridge access', which describes how the media comes out, not how often.

A filter bag empties by unzipping and turning it out. A screen lifts out of the cleaner body. A cartridge rinses under a hose and is replaced when the pleats stay dirty after rinsing. Those are general descriptions; the manual for the specific cleaner is the source for care steps.

Filtration media in pump and cleaner combos

A pool pump listing and a pool cleaner listing state different things. The pump listing names the filter that cleans the whole pool, usually a sand or cartridge filter. The cleaner listing names the media that holds what the cleaner picks up.

A suction-side cleaner uses the pool pump's suction to move. Its collection bag or screen is part of the cleaner, not the pump. A robotic cleaner is independent of the pump and carries its own filter media.

When you read a pump and cleaner side by side, you are reading two separate collections: the pump's filter for the pool water and the cleaner's media for the floor debris.

What to pick for your situation

Questions

What is the difference between a filter bag and a cartridge in a pool cleaner?

A filter bag is a fabric container that holds large debris like leaves and twigs. A cartridge is a pleated element that traps finer particles like dirt and sand. The listing states which one the cleaner uses. See the wall climbing cleaner guide for comparisons.

Can a pool cleaner screen replace a filter bag?

A screen holds large items and lets fine particles pass through. It is a coarser media than a bag or cartridge. The right choice depends on the debris your pool collects. The above ground pool pump guide explains suction-side cleaners that use screens.

Do robotic pool cleaners use the same filter media as suction-side cleaners?

Robotic cleaners collect debris in a built-in filter, often a bag or cartridge that you rinse or replace. Suction-side cleaners collect in a bag or screen attached to the cleaner body. Both hold the debris the cleaner picks up. The Dreame pool cleaner guide lists robotic models and their media types.

What does the micron number on a cleaner listing mean?

A micron number is the seller's stated measure of the opening size in the media. A lower number states a finer media. The site does not rank or verify these figures. For more on how media types are described, see the wall climbing cleaner guide.