Aiper Scuba V3 Robot Pool Cleaner review:

Robot pool cleaners have come a long way in just a few years. They are all great at cleaning, but there seems to be a new trend in new models: Simplicity. We’re starting to see more robots using AI, advanced sensors, and even the apps are getting pretty simple to use. The Aiper Scuba V3 ($1099.99 at Manufacturer site) robotic pool cleaner is the perfect example of this. But how does it stack up against the competition?

While impressive, robot pool cleaners can be a bit confusing to operate. This has changed a lot with more recent models from the top brands, and the Aiper Scuba V3 shows us just how simple pool cleaning can be. The setup can be done in just a few minutes, really — under five in my experience, though most of that time was spent creating the Aiper account. And I swear, when I saw the app’s UI, I asked myself: “Where are all the options?”

There aren’t many, and that is the whole point. The idea is to get you started as quickly and seamlessly as possible. You really just have to turn it on, choose your cleaning mode, and throw it in the pool. It will submerge itself and get started.

But before you do that, one tip: Make sure to set the mode before putting the robot in the water! Like pretty much all other robot pool cleaners, this one will lose connectivity once it’s submerged. This means you’ll have to manually retrieve it if you want to make any changes mid-cleaning (I have had to do this way too many times while testing pool cleaners). There is an optional HydroComm Wi-Fi system if you want to add underwater connectivity, but it’s over $300 and that will drive down the overall value package a little bit.

There’s no need to map the pool or customize the map, which was standard before. The Scuba V3’s mapping features will do all the work for you. There’s no need to play with many settings, either, but you should still check them out to make sure the few things you can change are to your liking.

When the Aiper Scuba V3 finishes cleaning, it will approach the edge of the pool and park itself at the waterline. You can then leave it out for the charging contacts to dry for a bit and put it back in its charging dock. It’s all shockingly easy.

OK, so you know using it will be a breeze, but the most important factor is how well it actually cleans.

To really test it, I threw some extra dirt into the pool, but it was really cool to see that after going around the pool for a minute or two, the robot went straight to the dirty spot. This is because the first mode I wanted to try was “AI Patrol.” This mode uses VisionPath, which combines an AI vision camera with dToF (Direct Time-of-Flight) sensors to actively detect dirt and debris. The robot will boost its cleaning power and focus on these areas.

Of course, this all means less wasted time on cleaning, especially dirty areas. It won’t just roam around or follow a pattern. The same system can detect anything that isn’t debris and avoid it. This could include water intakes, toys, and even animals.

Talking about modes, you can also use “Auto,” which cleans the floor, walls, and waterline. If you want the robot to focus on a specific area of the pool, you can also use “Floor,” “Walls,” or “Waterline.” The waterline clean is also great thanks to JetAssist. This feature is a directed water jet that pushes the robot horizontally along the waterline to hit areas that most pool cleaners typically struggle with.

Another really cool thing about this robot is that it has integrated lights that help it clean at night. This will be really nice during those hot summer weekends, when you want to use the pool. Just let it clean overnight, pull it out in the morning, and jump in for a quick refresh.

If I had one complaint, it’s that the battery life isn’t especially good. It can run for about three hours on a full charge. Of course, this was enough to clean the pool I used (about 400 sq ft) in about an hour. This means I could probably clean the pool three times on a full charge. It is meant to clean pools up to 1,600 sq ft in size on a full charge, though that may require the help of “AI Patrol”. When it’s time to recharge, it should go from zero to 100% in about five hours, which I found to be true.

The good news is that Aiper has something that could make up for the shorter battery life. After using the robot a few times, it will keep details about the cleaning sessions. This is when “AI Navium Mode” will come in handy. This mode can schedule quick cleans to keep the pool clean for a full week. You can leave it in the water the whole time and only charge once a week.

AI Navium Mode will consider multiple factors. Of course, the cleaning history is one of them. Additionally, it will use the pool’s shape and even weather information to optimize faster cleaning sessions and conserve battery life. I didn’t have enough pool time to test this feature, though.

In terms of actual cleaning performance, it has dual brushes and four motors that worked amazingly in my experience. As for the 4,500 GPH suction power, it isn’t bad, but it’s not the most impressive either if you’re looking a raw specs. For reference, the Beatbot Sora 70 clocks in at 6,800 GPH, but it’s also drastically more expensive. What matters is that it cleans well, and the Aiper Scuba V3 does.

The debris basket features 180µm filtering. That’s enough for regular debris. If you really want to tackle small debris, such as fine sand, dust, and pollen, you can add a MicroMesh 3µm filter. The basket can fit 3.5 liters of debris, which is honestly quite large. You won’t have to empty it very often.

As already mentioned, there isn’t much to the Aiper Scuba V3’s app. The main buttons only let you change the cleaning mode, enter AI Navium Mode, or access the schedule settings. There is also a “Start” button, of course. Even the settings are quite simple.

I wish I could say more, but the whole thing is honestly super self-explanatory. Again, this is part of the beauty of using the Aiper Scuba V3. You really don’t need to mess with the app much.

Pool maintenance is already a hassle as it is. If you’re investing in a robot pool cleaner and spending $1,099.99 on it (this is its MSRP), you want it to make the job as simple as possible. The Aiper Scuba V3 accomplishes this very well.

Setting it up is fast, the app is as simple as they get, and there’s little you have to do to keep it running. It’s also pretty fast if you use AI Patrol to target dirty areas first. And what’s most important, it is really good at cleaning without any manual interference.

Battery life may not be great, but it makes up for it with efficiency thanks to artificial intelligence. Also, it doesn’t clean the pool surface, but that is a feature usually exclusive to much more expensive models. You can get the Aiper Surfer S2 ($359.98 at Amazon) if you want to handle that. They can work together, and Aiper actually sells both of these robots as a discounted combo called the Aiper Experts Duo.

If you really want a single unit to handle the pool floor, walls, waterline, and surface, I would recommend the Beatbot Sora 70 ($1499 at Beatbot). That one is $1,499.99, making it among the cheapest robot pool cleaners that can clean surfaces and everything underwater. At MSRP, that’s the same price as Aiper’s Experts Duo combo, though that bundle is frequently on sale — at the time of writing it’s down to $1249.99.