Seagull SE
4 independent reviewsRead the findings →One of Aiper's oldest and simplest cordless robots, now being phased out. It's a cheap, light helper for sand and small debris in flat-bottomed pools. It won't clean walls and stalls on big leaves.
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What reviewers found
Four hands-on accounts, and all agree it's a floor-only helper rather than a full pool cleaner. PCWorld saw it pick up about 90 percent of the leaves in a messy pool, and Bob Vila found it good at dirt, sand and bugs. The Gadgeteer and Smartzone both liked how easy it is to run, and Smartzone beat the claimed runtime. They disagree on parking, which failed for PCWorld, and on how fiddly it is to empty. The Pool Nerd, a site that earns commission from rivals, rates it poorly.
PCWorld, hands-on, Nov 2022 · The Gadgeteer, hands-on, About a month in the reviewer's own in-ground pool, Dec 2022 · Smartzone, hands-on, Tested in wooden, fibreglass and frame pools, Sept 2023 · Bob Vila, hands-on
Floor, wall and waterline
Reviewers rate it highlyAs a floor-only cleaner it does its job: PCWorld found the pool clean after one run in a leafy pool, Bob Vila found it effective for everyday upkeep, and Smartzone called it solid work. It doesn't climb walls, so brush those yourself.
Debris
Mixed resultsSmall debris suits it: Bob Vila found it good on dirt, sand and bugs, and The Gadgeteer liked it for sand. Big leaves are harder, as PCWorld saw it struggle with larger ones and The Gadgeteer's got stuck on storm debris.
Coverage and navigation
Mixed resultsOn a truly level floor Smartzone never had it stick. On uneven or sloping floors it's less sure: Smartzone's frame pool base caught it, and The Gadgeteer saw it struggle on a steeper section, wedge in a corner and drive off a ledge.
Battery and charging
Reviewers rate it highlySmartzone got 90 to 100 minutes on every run, and PCWorld and Bob Vila both saw about 90 minutes, enough for a small pool. Expect to charge it after each run.
Filter and retrieval
Mixed resultsThe Gadgeteer found its low weight made it easier for the family to lift than their heavier Aiper. It failed to park by the wall for PCWorld, though a pool pole and hook reached it. Emptying took Smartzone seconds; PCWorld found it messy.
Pool types it suits
Mixed resultsIt's for flat floors. Smartzone tried several pools and found it reliable on level floors but prone to sticking on an uneven frame-pool base, and The Gadgeteer had trouble on a steeper slope and a shallow ledge.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use ran it long-term or judged Aiper's support. The Gadgeteer used it for a month without reporting faults.
Value
Reviewers rate it highlyBob Vila found it performed far better than expected for its low price, PCWorld called it a solid helper considering the cost, and Smartzone thought it worth a look for floor cleaning at its 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
Good on small debris, not big leaves
In a pool full of fallen leaves, PCWorld watched it sweep up about 90 percent of the debris in one 90-minute run, though larger leaves gave it trouble. The Gadgeteer found its low clearance good for sand and small bits, but it got stuck on bigger debris after a storm and had to be emptied three times in one run, because it can't tell when it's full. Bob Vila found it collected dirt, sand, bugs and small debris well. Skim big leaves off first.
Flat floors only
Aiper says it's built for flat-floored pools, and testers found where that stops. Smartzone tried it in several pools: on truly level floors it never stuck, but on a frame pool with an uneven base it sometimes hung up and needed a nudge. The Gadgeteer found it coped with a gentle slope in most places, but struggled on one steeper section, wedged itself in a corner once and drove straight off a shallow ledge. In its rectangular vinyl pool, The Pool Nerd found it bumped around at random.
Around 90 minutes per charge
Aiper promises over 90 minutes from a 2.5-hour charge. Smartzone reached 90 minutes on every run and often got close to 100, though a full charge could take up to three hours. PCWorld and Bob Vila both saw about 90 minutes. That's plenty for a small pool, but it means charging after every run, so expect a daily chore rather than a robot you set and forget. The Pool Nerd complains it spends more time charging than cleaning.
Parking and getting it out
It's meant to park by the nearest wall when the battery runs low. That didn't happen for PCWorld, whose robot ended up near the middle of the pool, though the included hook on a pool pole reached it easily. Smartzone fished it out with the hook too. At 3.5kg, The Gadgeteer found it easy for anyone in the family to lift out and charge, compared with a much heavier Aiper it also owned.
Emptying: quick or messy
You unclip the top half to reach the flat filter tray. Smartzone found rinsing it took seconds, and liked that the parts only fit back one way. PCWorld called the same job messy when wet, with reassembly confusing at first, and noted you need to do it daily rather than weekly. The Gadgeteer warns there can be a lot of water to tip out of the body before you lift out the filter. The Pool Nerd thinks the flat filter doesn't hold debris well.
This covers the Seagull SE, not the newer Aiper Scuba SE, which is a separate model.
Our take
Should you buy the Seagull SE?
Best for: Small, flat pools where only the floor needs cleaning. Skip it if: You need it to clean the walls or waterline as well as the floor.
a cheap second cleaner for a small flat pool, for sand and bugs after a windy day. If you want the walls done or have sloping sides, the Aiper Scuba S1 climbs walls, and the Beatbot Sora 10 covers walls and waterline in a light package.
The Seagull SE is one of Aiper's oldest robots and is being phased out. It vacuums the floor only, pushed along by water jets, with no app and no route planning. You charge it, press the button and drop it in. At about 3.5kg it is lighter than most pool robots.
All four testers treat it as a floor helper rather than a full cleaner. PCWorld saw it pick up about 90 percent of the leaves in a messy pool though it struggled with larger ones, Bob Vila found it good on dirt, sand and bugs, and The Gadgeteer's got stuck on storm debris. It only suits flat floors. Smartzone never had it stick on level ground but found an uneven frame pool base caught it, and The Gadgeteer saw it wedge in a corner and drive off a ledge. It runs about an hour and a half and needs charging after every run, and the filter tray needs rinsing each time, which Smartzone found took seconds and PCWorld found messy. It didn't park by the wall for PCWorld.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
Does it climb walls and clean the waterline?
No. It only cleans the floor, per the specifications. The Gadgeteer points out that most sediment ends up on the floor anyway, and a quick brush of the walls knocks the rest down for it. If you want the walls scrubbed for you, you need a climbing model.
Will it work in an above-ground pool?
Yes, if the floor is flat. Aiper lists round above-ground pools up to 33ft across and flat in-ground pools up to 40 by 20ft, per the specifications. Smartzone found it reliable on level floors, but it sometimes got stuck on an uneven frame pool base.
Is it cordless, and how long does a charge last?
Yes, fully cordless. Aiper claims over 90 minutes from a 2.5-hour charge, per the specifications. Smartzone got 90 to 100 minutes every time, and PCWorld about 90 minutes. Expect to charge it after every run.
How do I get it out of the water?
It's supposed to park by a wall when the battery runs low, and you hook it out with the included retrieval hook on a pool pole. PCWorld found it stopped mid-pool instead, but the hook still reached it. It's light, at 7.6lb, per the specifications.
Does it handle leaves as well as fine dirt?
Small debris, yes; big leaves, not really. PCWorld found it struggled with larger leaves, and The Gadgeteer saw it get stuck on them after a storm. Bob Vila found it good with dirt, sand and bugs. The flat filter won't catch the finest particles.
How do I clean the filter?
Unclip the front and back latches, lift off the top, tip out the water and rinse the filter tray, as The Gadgeteer describes. Smartzone found it took seconds; PCWorld found it messy. Either way, it's a job after every run.
Alternatives
Other robotic pool cleaners to compare.
Scuba S1 2026
Why consider it: The Scuba S1 adds wall and waterline cleaning. The reviews linked on its page tested the earlier edition.
The compromise: Those earlier tests disagreed on coverage, and the current edition needs separate testing.
Sora 10
Why consider it: PCWorld found it light, easy to lift and simple to empty, and it cleans walls and the waterline.
The compromise: Steps were a problem, and it sank again if nobody collected it within a few minutes.
Scuba E1
Why consider it: Also floor-only for flat pools, with a roller brush and a much finer second filter listed by Aiper.
The compromise: There isn't enough owner feedback on this exact model to judge how it performs.
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 Seagull SE?
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
- PCWorld: Aiper Seagull SE robotic pool cleaner review: An aquatic Roomba ↗4 / 5Hands-on
- The Gadgeteer: Aiper Seagull SE cordless robotic pool cleaner review ↗Hands-on, About a month in the reviewer's own in-ground pool
- Smartzone: Aiper Seagull SE Poolroboter im Test ↗Hands-on, Tested in wooden, fibreglass and frame pools
- Bob Vila: The Best Robotic Pool Cleaners, Tested by Pool Owners ↗Hands-on
Sources
- The Pool Nerd: Aiper Seagull SE Review ↗Retailer, Tested in an 8 x 20ft vinyl pool
- Aiper: Seagull SE store page (US) ↗Manufacturer
Videos
- Search YouTube for Aiper Seagull SE ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.