Scuba S1 Pro
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →Aiper's former cordless flagship, since overtaken by the Scuba X1 range. It's a thorough cleaner of floors, walls and the waterline. It's heavy and awkward to lift out once full of water, and the app does little.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Aiper’s range
- Scuba S1 2026Earlier S1 model; check the generation and included filter before comparing
- Scuba S1 ProThis model
- Scuba N1 ProSame robot in white, sold through pool shops
- Scuba X12025 model with a charging dock
- Scuba V3Newer, uses a camera to find debris
Feedback
What reviewers found
PCWorld and Clubic both rate its cleaning highly. PCWorld removed 95% of its test leaves, and Clubic found the fine filter caught plenty that would otherwise have stayed in the water. Both found it heavy and awkward to lift out, and neither thought much of the app. They split on the basket, which Clubic found fairly easy to rinse and PCWorld found awkward, and on how much the fine filter actually collects.
PCWorld, hands-on, Jul 2024 · Clubic, hands-on, Jul 2024
Floor, wall and waterline
Reviewers rate it highlyPCWorld found it very thorough on the floor, and Clubic watched it scrub right up to and just above the waterline, rating the waterline-only mode very good. It climbs steps but, per Clubic, is too big to clean the back of each one.
Debris
Reviewers rate it highlyPCWorld saw it pick up almost all of its test leaves along with real grit, and Clubic found the fine filter discoloured after every session. PCWorld's fine filter caught little, possibly because its pool had less silt.
Coverage and navigation
Mixed resultsIn PCWorld's small pool it worked in tidy back-and-forth lines. Clubic explains it has no mapping, so it zigzags regularly in a rectangular pool but at random in a rounded one, relying on its long runtime to get everywhere.
Battery and charging
Mixed resultsRun time is a strength: about three hours for PCWorld and two and a half for Clubic. Charging is slow, though, as Clubic found the new charger half as powerful as before.
Filter and retrieval
Reviewers found problemsIt's heavy: PCWorld found it awkward to haul out, and Clubic warns it's heavier still full of water and can tip debris back if lifted clumsily. PCWorld also found the hinged basket lid got in the way when rinsing.
Pool types it suits
Not enough evidenceNeither review tried an above-ground pool. Clubic notes that its random path in rounded pools may leave curvy shapes with patchier coverage than rectangles.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Aiper's support. PCWorld's app cleaning records didn't register reliably.
Value
Not enough evidenceOnly PCWorld judged value: expensive next to Aiper's Seagull Pro, but close to pricier rivals' performance for hundreds less. No other review we use weighed up the price.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Strong pickup, from leaves to silt
PCWorld found it collected real leaves and grit well, and it removed 95% of the synthetic leaves added on purpose. Clubic called the suction excellent: big debris went straight in, and the fine filter came out discoloured after every session. The fine filter in PCWorld's test caught little, but that was a small pool that may just have had less silt. One catch from Clubic: the intake is only 15.5cm wide on a 42cm body, so a very dirty floor takes several passes.
Walls and waterline are its strength
Clubic watched it cling to the wall right up to the waterline and scrub a centimetre or two above the surface. The waterline-only mode, which runs along the edge scraping as it goes, gave very good results, handy after a day of sun cream. Its tracks get it up steps too, but Clubic found it too big to reach the back of each step, so it climbs them diagonally. Keep the broom for steps with heavier debris.
No map, so the route varies
In PCWorld's small pool it went back and forth in straight lines, like mowing a lawn. Clubic explains why that won't always happen: there's no mapping, so it works the edges until about half the battery's gone, then zigzags across the floor. The zigzags are regular in a rectangular pool and random in a rounded one. The long runtime makes up for a lot of that, but a curvy pool may get patchier coverage.
Heavy, and you fish it out
Clubic puts it at 12.3kg, against 8.5kg for Aiper's older Seagull Pro, and it's heavier again full of water. PCWorld put it at 26lb and found it heavy and awkward. When it's done it parks near a wall and you hook it out with a pole. Clubic's tip is to bring it to the edge and let the water drain before lifting it clear, or you risk tipping debris back into the pool, or hurting your shoulder.
Battery, basket and a thin app
Clubic got about two and a half hours per run, a little under Aiper's claim, and found the new charger half as powerful as before, so there's no fast charging. The two split on cleaning the basket: Clubic found the flat fine filter easy to hose but wanted a basket with an opening bottom, while PCWorld found the hinged lid got in the way and debris lodged above the filter. Both found the app limited, and PCWorld's cleaning records didn't register reliably.
Our take
Should you buy the Scuba S1 Pro?
Best for: Large in-ground pools needing floors, walls and the waterline cleaned. Skip it if: You would struggle to lift a heavy robot out of the water.
Consider it for cleaning pool floors, walls and the waterline if its weight and filter routine suit you. Tests differed on coverage and fine debris, so look for results from a pool with a similar shape. For curves, steps or ledges, check each alternative's operating limits and tests instead of assuming a camera will solve navigation problems.
The Scuba S1 Pro was Aiper's flagship in 2024, a step up from the plain Scuba S1. It keeps the S1's cordless, tracked design and adds a second, much finer filter that catches particles down to 3 microns, plus front and rear scrubbing rollers and a waterline-only mode. It has since been overtaken by the Scuba X1 family, which adds a charging dock and a slightly stronger pump, and by the camera-guided Scuba V3.
The catch is handling. It weighs around 12kg dry, more once it's full of water, and you fish it out with a hook on a pool pole. It doesn't map the pool, so on a curved pool its route is fairly random, and your phone loses contact once it's underwater.
In some shops it's sold in white as the Scuba N1 Pro. Apart from the colour, it's the same robot.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
Yes, and well. Clubic found it stuck to the wall right up to the waterline and scrubbed just above the surface. There's also a mode that cleans only the waterline, which Clubic rated very good.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
Yes, with up to 180 minutes claimed and a four-hour charge, per the specifications. Clubic got about two and a half hours per run. An Eco mode runs 45 minutes every 48 hours, so one charge covers three cleans across a week.
How do I get it out of the water?
It parks near the wall, and you lift it out with the supplied hook on a pool pole. PCWorld found it heavy and awkward. Clubic suggests letting it drain at the edge first, because it holds a lot of water.
Can it cope with steps and a deep end?
It climbs steps, which older wheeled Aipers couldn't, Clubic found. It's too big to reach the back of each step, though, so it goes up diagonally and only shifts light debris. Walls up to vertical are within its stated range, per the specifications.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Scuba X1
Why consider it: PCWorld and Les Numériques found it good at catching fine dirt, and it sits on a charging dock instead of taking a plug.
The compromise: PCWorld found its layered fine filter a chore to scrub, and you still hook it out after runs.
Scuba V3
Why consider it: Bob Vila watched it steer towards debris and lift sand and algae, and WIRED also credited its camera guidance.
The compromise: WIRED found it waits only briefly at the waterline before sinking, and had trouble with scheduling.
Sora 10
Why consider it: PCWorld found it light enough to lift easily, with a basket that's simple to hose out.
The compromise: Steps were a problem, and it sinks again if nobody collects it within a few minutes.
Scuba S1 Pro head to head
Head to head
Aiper Scuba X1 vs Scuba S1 Pro
Our verdict: PCWorld's tester got slightly better leaf pickup from the S1 Pro than from the X1, while Digital Trends calls the X1 a worthwhile step up. The X1 adds a charging dock and a stronger pump. Both need hooking out, and both have fussy filters.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the Scuba S1 Pro?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- The Pool Nerd: Is the Aiper Scuba S1 Pro Worth $1000+? Honest Review & Real-World Test ↗
- Jammin's DIY & Reviews: Aiper Robotic Pool Cleaner - Scuba S1 Pro - Full Review ↗
- Search YouTube for Aiper Scuba S1 Pro ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.