Scuba S3
Limited evidenceRead the findings →Aiper's mid-range cordless pool robot, sitting between the Scuba S1 and the camera-guided V3. It cleans the floor, walls and waterline of in-ground pools without needing a camera. Charging takes about four hours, so plan on one run, then a recharge.
Updated
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Feedback
What we know
The one hands-on account of the Scuba S3 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 read it as Aiper's 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 well in its 8 by 4 metre in-ground pool without going over the same spots again and again, though it occasionally missed small corners.
One full clean per charge
Aiper claims up to 180 minutes in standard mode and 240 in Eco, per Aiper. In its 8 by 4 metre pool, Mon Robot Piscine got one complete clean per charge 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. When that worked, Mon Robot Piscine could lean over and lift it by the handle without getting wet. A few times, though, the robot stayed on the bottom after struggling at the end of a cycle, and the tester had to fish it out. 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 the same tester found the handle well placed for lifting one-handed. The app loses contact underwater, so set modes and schedules before the run.
Still to be proven
We couldn't verify any magazine, lab or video test of the Scuba S3, and Mon Robot Piscine is an affiliate site built around shop listings. So the cleaning, the route planning in irregular pools, the 180-minute runtime and the waterline parking all rest on one account plus Aiper's own figures Aiper. We'll update this page when independent reviews appear.
Our take
Should you buy the Scuba S3?
Best for: Regularly shaped pools needing floor and wall cleaning. Skip it if: You want a stronger record in independent tests before buying.
wait for proper tests before buying. If you want independent testing now, the Aiper Scuba V3 adds a camera and has been reviewed by several testers, and the Beatbot Sora 10 is a lighter cordless option PCWorld has tried.
The Scuba S3 is Aiper's new mid-range cordless robot for in-ground pools, sitting between the older Scuba S1 and the camera-guided Scuba V3. It cleans the floor, climbs the walls and scrubs along the waterline, using a distance sensor rather than a camera to plan its route. When it finishes it parks at the waterline and alerts your phone.
Aiper claims up to three hours a run in standard mode and four in Eco, with about four hours to recharge, and the S3 has the same basket size and pump rating as the Scuba V3 at a little over 8kg. The only hands-on account comes from an affiliate site, which liked the cleaning but found one charge covered a single full clean and that parking wasn't always reliable.
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. There's no mention of 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 get 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.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Scuba V3
Why consider it: Same size basket and pump rating, plus a camera that heads for dirt; three testers found it cleans floors, walls and the waterline well.
The compromise: You only get about 10 minutes to collect it before it sinks.
Scuba S1 2026
Why consider it: The older model it sits above, also climbing walls, and EFTM settled into a practical daily routine with it.
The compromise: PCWorld kept finding whole patches of floor it never visited.
Sora 10
Why consider it: Light, simple and cordless, and it cleans walls and the waterline too.
The compromise: Testers found it wanders, skips steps, and may sink again if you're slow to collect it.
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 S3?
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
- Mon Robot Piscine: Test AIPER Scuba S3 : le robot piscine sans fil qui simplifie (vraiment) l'entretien ↗Hands-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)
Sources
- Aiper: Scuba S3 product page (US) ↗Manufacturer
- Aiper: Scuba S3 store page (US) ↗Manufacturer
- Aiper: Scuba S3 store page (Australia) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Aiper Scuba S3 ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.