Scuba S3
Aiper's 2026 mid-range cordless pool robot: it scrubs the floor, walls and waterline without a camera, and runs up to four hours on a charge. Nobody independent has tested it properly yet.
The short version
The Scuba S3 is new for 2026 and sits between the older Scuba S1 and the camera-guided Scuba V3. It's a cordless robot for in-ground pools that cleans the floor, climbs the walls and scrubs along the waterline, using a distance sensor to plan its route rather than a camera. Aiper claims up to three hours in standard mode and four in Eco, and it parks at the waterline and pings your phone when it's done.
What you give up against the Scuba V3 is the camera that spots dirt and drives to it. The basket is the same size, the pump is rated the same, and the S3 is about the same weight, at a little over 8kg. So far the only hands-on account comes from an affiliate site, which liked the cleaning but found one charge covered only one full clean and parking wasn't always reliable.
Our take: Wait for proper tests before buying. On paper it suits a medium in-ground pool where you want the walls and waterline done and don't need a camera. If you want something with independent testing now, the Aiper Scuba V3 adds the camera and has been reviewed by several testers, and the Beatbot Sora 10 is a lighter cordless option that PCWorld tested.
Where it sits in Aiper’s range
What we know so far
Limited evidence No independent, finished hands-on review of this robot yet. What follows comes from the maker's specifications and early coverage, and says where something is untested.
There's no magazine, lab or video test of the Scuba S3 that we could verify yet. The only hands-on account is from Mon Robot Piscine, a French affiliate site built around shop listings, which tested it for several weeks in an 8 by 4 metre pool. It liked the cleaning and the fine filter, but got one full clean per charge and found parking at the waterline unreliable. Everything else here comes from Aiper's own pages, so treat it as claims.
Mon Robot Piscine, hands-on, Several weeks in an 8 x 4m in-ground pool, Sept 2026 (Affiliate site built around shop listings, so we don't count it as an independent test.)
Cleaning and route planning
Aiper says the S3 uses a distance sensor and an updated wave-shaped route to cover even irregular pools, with two active brushes and a pump rated at 4,800 gallons an hour. Mon Robot Piscine found it cleaned the floor, walls and waterline effectively in its 8 by 4 metre in-ground pool and didn't keep going over the same spots, though it occasionally missed small corners. That's a single account from an affiliate site, so it's encouraging rather than proof.
One full clean per charge
Aiper claims up to 180 minutes in standard mode and 240 in Eco, per Aiper. Mon Robot Piscine found that in its 8 by 4 metre pool one charge gave one complete clean in automatic mode, but not two back to back. It used Eco mode on weekdays through the app. Charging takes about four hours, so plan on one run, then a recharge.
Parking isn't always reliable
At the end of a run the S3 is meant to climb to the waterline and send a phone alert so you can grab it, per Aiper. Mon Robot Piscine found that works when it works: you lean over and lift it by the handle without getting wet. But a few times the robot stayed on the bottom after struggling at the end of a cycle, so it had to fetch it. Keep a hook handy.
Fine filter and a light body
The basket holds 3.5 litres, with a standard 180-micron layer and a 3-micron ultra-fine layer, per Aiper. Mon Robot Piscine found the fine layer caught very small particles and called it one of the robot's best points. It weighs a little over 8kg dry, and Mon Robot Piscine found the handle well placed for one-handed lifting. The app loses contact underwater, so you set modes and schedules before the run.
Only one hands-on account exists so far, from an affiliate site. We'll update this page when independent reviews appear.
Prices
Where to buy the Scuba S3 in Australia
| Retailer | Price | Delivery | Stock | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AiperCheapest Official store | $1,199.99 | — | In stock | Go to Aiper |
We’re still looking for more Australia retailers for this model. Prices shown are read from each seller’s own page.
Prices read from each seller’s own page on 24 September 2026. Some links are affiliate links and are marked where they appear. Commission never changes the order or the recommendation.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes. It cleans the floor, walls and waterline, and Aiper says jets push it sideways along the waterline to scrub it, per the specifications. Mon Robot Piscine found it handled the walls and waterline convincingly in an 8 by 4 metre pool.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
Yes. Aiper claims up to 180 minutes in standard mode and 240 in Eco, with about four hours to recharge, per the specifications. Mon Robot Piscine got one full clean per charge in an 8 by 4 metre pool, not two.
How do I get it out of the water?
It's meant to stop at the waterline and alert your phone, and water drains out quickly as you lift it, per the specifications. Mon Robot Piscine found it sometimes stayed on the bottom instead, so keep a pole and hook nearby.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Aiper's US store lists it for in-ground pools with concrete, vinyl, fibreglass or tiled surfaces, per the specifications. It doesn't mention above-ground pools, so check with Aiper before buying one for a frame or above-ground pool.
Does it need an app?
For the extras, yes. The app lets you start runs, pick cleaning modes and receive the waterline parking alert, per the specifications. Mon Robot Piscine used it to set a weekly plan and Eco mode, but notes it loses signal underwater, so you can't steer or track it live.
Compare with
Scuba V3
Same size basket and pump rating, plus a camera that heads for dirt; three testers found it cleans floors, walls and the waterline well.
You only get about 10 minutes to collect it before it sinks.
Scuba S1 2026
The older model it sits above, also climbing walls, and EFTM settled into a practical daily routine with it.
PCWorld kept finding whole patches of floor it never visited.
Sora 10
Light, simple and cordless, and it cleans walls and the waterline too.
Testers found it wanders, skips steps, and may sink again if you're slow to collect it.
Full specifications
Figures come from the manufacturer’s product page unless a source is named. A blank means nobody we trust has confirmed it.
Owner reviews
Own a Scuba S3?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner reviews are shown separately from expert tests and never mixed into the score.
Sources
Everything cited on this page. Expert scores are shown as the reviewer gave them.
- Mon Robot Piscine: Test AIPER Scuba S3 : le robot piscine sans fil qui simplifie (vraiment) l'entretienHands-on, Several weeks in an 8 x 4m in-ground pool · Affiliate site built around shop listings, so we don't count it as an independent test. (not counted towards our two-review minimum)
- Aiper: Scuba S3 product page (US)Manufacturer
- Aiper: Scuba S3 store page (US)Manufacturer
- Aiper: Scuba S3 store page (Australia)Manufacturer