Owning a swimming pool is an incredible experience, especially as the temperatures begin to soar. With the dog days of summer on their way, many of you will find yourself seeking refuge from the brutal heat beneath the cool caress of the waves. Sounds great, right? What’s not so great is the maintenance involved with owning a pool. If you don’t measure out exactly the right amount of chlorine, the pool changes from a fun experience into one that burns the eyes. Sutro hopes to change that.
The company first debuted back in 2015 at TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield. According to TechCrunch, the premise is simple. The Sutro is an internet-connected device that floats in the pool and measures important data for pool owners. The Sutro pool monitor will reportedly be able to tell users their pool’s chlorine content, pH level, and more.
In theory, the device will make it easier for users to keep their pools at the perfect sanitation level for swimming, without the skin and eye irritation that comes from improper chlorine levels. On the other hand, there is still a lot left unknown. According to TechCrunch, Sutro co-founder Ravi Kurani talked about the problems the company had to overcome, including weak Wi-Fi signals in the backyard away from the home.
Sutro plans to ship the initial models of the device for those that purchased directly through the startup’s website. In the months to come, the company wants to begin selling through “pool stores and other channels.”
The major obstacle in Sutro’s way is the price. The device retails at $699 — a hefty price tag for any smart home device, but especially one with such a specific function. The product is catered toward a higher-income audience, however.
Sutro plans to release a second version of the device at some point in the future that can automatically release the necessary chemicals to keep the pool levels regulated. In addition to pools, the Sutro is also supposed to work with spas and hot tubs. Although the high price point is prohibitive for many people, the Sutro serves a market that has not been targeted often in the past.
