Can the Aiper Scuba S1 Pro Tackle Any Pool? | In-Depth Review

Testing the Scuba S1 Pro in a difficult pool

The test pool had a bean-shaped layout and was surrounded by trees, including gum, avocado and other fruit trees. That left the pool with large leaves, smaller debris, dirt and green grime after almost two weeks without cleaning. The pool also used material around a base rather than a conventional hard surface, so the robot needed to clean without causing damage.

The review highlights a common problem with manual and suction-based cleaning systems: large debris such as gumnuts or an avocado can become stuck in pipes and stop the system from collecting debris. The Scuba S1 Pro avoids relying on those pool pipes, instead collecting debris in its own basket.

Cleaning performance and filtration

The Scuba S1 Pro has four brushless motors, with motors at both the front and rear, and caterpillar-like tracks for movement. These help it travel across the pool floor, climb walls and reach the waterline. The robot can clean floors, walls and the waterline separately, or use an automatic mode that combines the main cleaning tasks.

In the test, the robot collected a large amount of leaves and dirt on its first run. After a second run, much of the green grime was gone. The review suggests using the robot regularly, such as daily or every second day, rather than treating it as an occasional once-a-year cleaning device.

Water flow is listed in the review as up to 379 litres per minute. The 5-litre basket includes filtration down to three microns, which is intended to capture fine particles as well as larger leaves. The trade-off is that the basket can fill quickly when a pool is particularly dirty, so it may need to be emptied and rinsed with a hose after use. An additional filter is also included compared with other Aiper robots discussed in the review.

Navigation, controls and battery

Aiper’s Waveline navigation is designed to make the robot’s movement more efficient. The reviewer could not clearly identify a practical difference between this system and navigation on other Aiper robots, although the pool was cleaned successfully. Infrared sensors helped the robot avoid obstacles, pipes, steps and corners, allowing it to move towards walls rather than repeatedly hitting edges.

The robot has a stated runtime of up to 188 minutes and takes approximately three to four hours to charge, depending on how much charge has been used. It can be started by selecting a mode and placing it in the water. The app connection only works when the robot is out of the water, because the signal does not pass through the pool. Available information includes cleaning history and battery level.

The review also mentions scheduled cleaning, but questions its usefulness because the robot still needs to be charged, prepared and placed in the pool.

Handling and pool compatibility

At approximately 11.7 kg, the robot can be lowered into the pool without difficulty, but lifting it out with the supplied hook can require some strength. How easy this is will depend on the pool design and whether the pool is freestanding or installed below ground.

The Scuba S1 Pro is described as suitable for concrete, vinyl and tiled pools. It is not designed to collect leaves floating on the surface, as that is handled by Aiper’s separate Surfer S1 product.

Price and ongoing use

The review gives the Aiper Scuba S1 Pro an Australian price of $1,300. It also notes that specials may improve the value, although the spoken discounted price is unclear. The robot still needs to be removed, emptied, cleaned and stored after use, so it does not eliminate all pool maintenance. Its main benefit is reducing the time spent manually cleaning a large or debris-prone pool.