Aiper EcoSurfer S2 and Scuba S1: a first pool trial, with Scuba S1 Pro buying context

After about 35 minutes with my two Aiper pool robots, larger debris was gone, but missed leaves and insects left me unsure whether to keep it.

September 23, 2026Updated October 15, 2026

Two Aiper robots in my pool

This is my real-world review, not an ad. Technology changes life. Some expenses really are unavoidable.

I originally thought that a few fallen leaves would be nothing more than a job for a leaf net.

Who knew nature’s gifts would always be so unpredictable? All those tiny bits of dirt were genuinely irritating to look at. After only one day of enjoying the pool, I could not wait to order a robot. I also had to get two of them so I could clean the surface and the bottom at the same time.

So far, the experience has been average, but having one is definitely better than having none.

Does anyone have a good brand to recommend? Please send them my way quickly.

Video transcript

Why I Bought Two Pool Robots

We’ve finally got the two pool robots we’ve been waiting for. I'm filming an unboxing. Let's see what they're like. I originally didn't want one, but the pool was in poor shape. It’s only been about two days. and there are still lots of these tiny bits of debris. And here's our filter. Oh, I really regret this. We put limestone on top for the appearance, but now there's no way to open it. It takes two grown men to open the cover of this filtration system.

Let's look over here.

Unboxing the Aiper EcoSurfer S2

[Text: Aiper EcoSurfer S2 Surface Cleaning Robot]

Mm, the price really is a little high, I think. But looks-wise, after searching everywhere, I found this was still one of the better-looking options. I also saw some people recommending brands from overseas. But I think shipping by sea is just too much trouble. The warranty is another issue. So I went with one that had a flagship store. Wow, so many layers. Let's unpack it first and see. Oh, does it go in like this? Huh?

Testing the EcoSurfer S2 on the Pool Surface

Is it moving from inertia, or has it started moving on its own? I'm not quite sure. Let's wait and see what happens. Oh, it seems to be over this way.

[Text: EcoSurfer S2]

Let's take a look. It looks like it started moving on its own. I need to zoom in a bit. (- Is it going to keep swimming?) It’ll swim in a moment. Let's see. Let it clear everything away first. Oh my gosh, watching this is making me anxious. So we’ll just wait quietly like this. (- Why is it not going into the water? Why isn't it going into the water?) Exactly. Look at that little leaf over there.

(- See if it can clean that up.) Let's see if it can. Look, there's a little leaf there—see if it can clean it up. See if it can clean it up. Look at that little yellow leaf. Let’s see if it can clean it up. Huh, it doesn’t seem to be doing anything. Look. Mm, it just moved away from that leaf. And the leaf is still right there. Now let’s see if it can clean up this side.

It cleaned it up. The underwater one is that one. (- [inaudible]) Right. I feel like it's moving randomly. That one...

Unboxing and Launching the Aiper Scuba S1

Now let's unbox this one. Let's see what it's like.

[Text: Aiper Scuba S1 Pool Cleaning Robot]

This is the underwater one. This child loves helping out at this age. Once they get a little older, they won’t want to do it anymore. (- I’m working hard to get the packaging open.) I’m getting ready to put this one in. Oh, oh! Okay, it's going into the water. Let's see how clean it gets.

Comparing Cleaning Paths and Wall Cleaning

Oh, that other one was really driving me crazy. There are constantly things floating around it, but I feel like it's just moving randomly. I thought it would map the area first, then, like other robot vacuums, follow its own route, going up and down, left and right, or in a Z pattern, [inaudible] it's just moving randomly. Let's look at the debris in this pool. It's not a huge amount, but there are some small bits of debris. Let's see how long it takes to finish.

(- [inaudible]) Oh, right, this one has already started cleaning the side wall. Hahaha. Okay, both are working together now. Let’s see when they can get everything clean. (- [inaudible]) The areas it has passed over are cleaned pretty well, so we’ll see whether it keeps moving.

Manual Cleanup Reveals the Robots’ Limitations

We already have to vacuum the bugs manually in this area. It hasn't come over to this side at all. It doesn't seem able to suck them in on its own either. Maybe it has to come over by itself. Okay, move it away. Let's take a look. Hahaha. Does it suction here? [inaudible] Or does it suction from the back? Hey, it suctions from the front, right? (- No.) Oh, you even have to grab it by hand? (- Yes.)

Now let's see whether it can suck it up. Can it suck it up? (- [inaudible]) Did it suck it in? (- It sucked it in.) It sucked it in? (- This one isn't floating.) No, it isn’t. Maybe that’s what the description means.

35-Minute Results and Final Assessment

It's been about 35 minutes now, and overall, it's doing okay. It’s already sucked up the larger pieces. But as you all saw earlier, it stayed over on the other side, and even with that fly right in front of it here, it couldn't suck it up. It only worked when it was pressed right up against the intake. And these two leaves are the ones the underwater cleaner

[Text: These two leaves were missed by the underwater cleaner.]

just skimmed right past—perfectly. Mm. How should I put it? It's just not as smart as I imagined. We'll observe it for another two days and see whether we keep it.

Before You Buy

Models in your region

The owner’s video identifies the surface machine as an Aiper EcoSurfer S2 and the submerged machine on screen as an Aiper Scuba S1, but the exact submerged SKU is not independently confirmed. The regional products below therefore distinguish the confirmed S2 from the closest supplied official submerged-cleaner evidence.

Model in this review	Related regional model	What to know
Aiper EcoSurfer S2	Aiper EcoSurfer S2 (US)	The US EcoSurfer S2 is a solar-powered surface skimmer with a 150-micrometre filter, app control and a listed 35-hour runtime with adapter charging. The owner’s earlier bundle and firmware are unspecified.
Aiper submerged pool cleaner, shown as Aiper Scuba S1	Aiper Scuba S1 Pro (US)	The video label says Scuba S1, but no supplied official S1 regional page is available and the SKU is not independently verified. The US Scuba S1 Pro is used only as a regional submerged-cleaner reference; it is a floor, wall and waterline cleaner, not proof that the owner’s unit is an S1 Pro.

Model in this review: Aiper EcoSurfer S2
Related regional model: Aiper EcoSurfer S2 (US)
What to know: The US EcoSurfer S2 is a solar-powered surface skimmer with a 150-micrometre filter, app control and a listed 35-hour runtime with adapter charging. The owner’s earlier bundle and firmware are unspecified.

Model in this review: Aiper submerged pool cleaner, shown as Aiper Scuba S1
Related regional model: Aiper Scuba S1 Pro (US)
What to know: The video label says Scuba S1, but no supplied official S1 regional page is available and the SKU is not independently verified. The US Scuba S1 Pro is used only as a regional submerged-cleaner reference; it is a floor, wall and waterline cleaner, not proof that the owner’s unit is an S1 Pro.

What the owner actually tested

During the first trial, the surface skimmer’s apparently random movements frustrated the owner. Separately, the submerged Scuba S1 was seen cleaning a side wall. Near the end, the owner estimated that about 35 minutes had passed and said the larger debris had been collected. This was an observation during the trial, not a verified full cleaning-cycle time or proof of complete coverage.

The owner’s surface-cleaning observations were mixed: the machine left one small yellow leaf behind, then cleaned debris from another area. That supports a limited first-use observation of uneven pickup, not a general performance rating or proof of complete pool coverage.

How the two machines divide the work

The owner needed two machines because surface and underwater cleaning are separate jobs. The official EcoSurfer S2 evidence describes it as a surface skimmer, while the official Scuba S1 Pro references describe the submerged product as a floor, wall and waterline cleaner. Buyers should not expect the surface skimmer to replace a submerged cleaner.

The official EcoSurfer S2 listing specifies a 150-micrometre filter, app control and a listed 35-hour runtime with adapter charging; solar operation depends on available light. These are manufacturer-listed regional specifications, not measurements from the owner’s brief trial.

Buying and maintenance considerations

The owner considered overseas brands but chose a product with a flagship store because shipping and warranty support seemed troublesome. That is the owner’s purchasing rationale; local buyers should still verify the seller, warranty terms, included charger and the exact model before ordering.

For the official Scuba X1 regional reference, Aiper describes a removable filter basket and MicroMesh fine filter, and recommends rinsing the fine filter after each use with periodic replacement. Because the owner’s submerged unit is labelled Scuba S1 rather than Scuba X1, those maintenance details should not be assumed to apply without checking the exact manual.

Aiper Scuba X1 · US · Aiper Scuba X1 · EU

The owner also reports that the pool’s filtration-system cover became extremely difficult to open after limestone was installed above it, requiring two men. This is a site-design and access problem described by the owner, not evidence about either Aiper robot; future buyers should keep filter access unobstructed.

What remains uncertain

The owner reported that larger debris had been collected after an estimated 35 minutes, but also described having to handle the insects manually and pointed out two leaves the submerged cleaner had missed. The owner felt the robots were less intelligent than hoped and planned to observe for two more days before deciding whether to keep it. These are first-trial observations; they do not establish a complete cleaning-cycle time, full-pool coverage, battery endurance, failure rates or long-term durability.

The US and EU official pages identify the same regional product families for EcoSurfer S2 and Scuba S1 Pro, but the exact configuration and firmware of earlier S2 units remain unconfirmed. Confirm the local model, accessories and service coverage before transferring this experience to a purchase.

Aiper EcoSurfer S2 · EU · Aiper Scuba S1 Pro · EU