Hey, Ryan here from ActuallyUsed! Today, we’re diving into a head-to-head matchup between two very different pool cleaners: the Aiper Scuba X1 and the Dolphin Premier. They both aim to tackle the same job—keeping your pool clean—but they go about it in totally different ways.
Both models come in around the $1,000 mark, but there’s one big thing that separates them: one’s cordless, the other’s corded. After putting them both to the test in my neighbor’s pool, I found that going cordless isn’t the move, the corded Dolphin Premier wins when it comes to suction, power, filtration and overall experience. Let me break down why.
Price & Value: Are You Paying More for Less?
At first glance, the Aiper Scuba X1 looks like a solid deal — at just over a grand. But that price only makes sense if it delivers top-tier performance… In real world testing, the Scuba X1 doesn’ make the cut.
On the flip side, the Dolphin Premier costs a couple hundred more, but you’re getting a commercial-grade cleaner from a brand with a proven track record.
If you’re ready to drop a grand on a pool robot, you want something that actually works and works well. That’s where the Premier justifies its price tag. From commercial-grade motors, weekly smart timer, Multi-Media, NanoFilters, and standard filters, you get a lot more bang for your buck.
We’ll dive more into the performance next, but who is the winner for value? The Dolphin Premier—it justifies its higher cost with better filters, commercial-grade motors, and true automation with a weekly smart timer.
Suction Power: The Real Cleaning Test
Suction power is the heart of any pool robot. It’s where you separate the pretenders from the contenders. A flashy design or slick marketing doesn’t matter if the cleaner can’t actually pull debris off the floor and walls.
To find out what these machines were capable of, I hooked both up to a manometer—a tool that measures suction pressure underwater. It’s the same method used by pros to test pump strength, and it gives you a clear, measurable picture of their vacuuming power.
The Aiper Scuba X1 barely hit 1 PSI, which honestly surprised me considering how much its marketing emphasizes high flow rates. But advertised flow rate and real world suction power aren’t the same thing. A wide hose might move a lot of water, but if there’s no force behind it, it’s not going to be able to pick up a heavier debris load in your pool.
Then came the Dolphin Premier. It clocked in at just over 2 PSI of suction power—nearly double the Scuba X1. And that extra power shows up fast. The Premier has no trouble pulling in large leaves, small twigs, and gritty sediment.
If you’re investing this kind of money into a pool robot, it needs to replace manual cleaning—not add to it. In terms of raw suction and real-world cleaning performance, there’s a clear winner.
Winner: Dolphin Premier — superior suction means a cleaner pool, and less work
Automation: Daily Chore or True Hands-Off Convenience?
Cordless pool cleaners sound convenient—until you realize you have to charge the battery every single time before using them.
Take the Aiper Scuba X1. It runs for about three hours, then just sits there at the bottom of your pool like a stranded fish. You have to grab the retrieval hook, pull it out, plug it into the charger, wait four hours, then drop it back in the pool… and repeat. Every. Single. Time.
At first, you might think, “Eh, that’s not so bad.” But after using the Aiper for a week, trust me—it’s a pain. Picture this: you check on your pool in the morning, fish the robot out, plug it in, wait a few hours, then toss it back in… only to do it all over again the next day. That’s 14 separate interactions a week just to keep your pool clean. Compare that to the Dolphin Premier, where you set it once and don’t think about it again for days.
And if you’re like me, you probably don’t love the idea of leaving the Aiper charging unattended—especially not after hearing the safety recalls on other Aiper models. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently recalled over 35,000 Aiper Seagull Pros due to fire and burn risks. There have been 19 reports of the robot smoking, melting, or catching fire—five of which caused property damage. And that’s after another recall of 22,000 Aiper Elite Pros back in August of 2023.
It’s all because of the lithium-ion battery inside of cordless pool robots —this is a risk you don’t have with corded units like the Dolphin Premier.
The Premier plugs into a wall outlet, and runs on a smart programmable weekly timer. No charging cycles, no waiting around, and no need to babysit the thing. You set it once, and it just goes to work—day after day, like clockwork.
If what you want is true hands-off convenience, the Premier wipes the floor with the X1. No charging. No retrieval. No fire hazards. Just reliable, fully automated cleaning.
Winner: Dolphin Premier — no battery to babysit, no daily hassle.
Pool Coverage: Floor, Walls, and Waterline
When it comes to cleaning coverage—floor, walls, and waterline—both the Aiper Scuba X1 and Dolphin Premier are designed to clean the entire pool. They’re both capable of reaching every part of the pool, and neither left major areas untouched during testing.
But the Dolphin Premier stands out thanks to its dual stabilizer setup, which helps it cling to walls more effectively. It climbs higher with better control and doesn’t slide down or get thrown off by slippery surfaces. The X1 does an okay job on the walls, but it wasn’t as impressive in my testing.
Winner: Dolphin Premier — both offer full coverage, but the Premier’s stability and grip give it the edge, especially when it comes to wall and waterline cleaning.
Filtration: Who Actually Keeps Your Pool Clean?
Filtration may be the most important part of a pool robot, after suction. So what’s the big difference?
The Aiper Scuba X1 uses a basic filter basket with a dual-layer design—an outer mesh and an inner fine screen. It sounds good on paper, but in practice, it still seemed to struggle with finer debris. It handled larger leaves and bugs without issue, but anything smaller—like dust, pollen, or fine silt may get left behind.
The Dolphin Premier takes a different approach with its MultiMedia™ filtration system, and after testing both, we preferred it. Instead of relying on a single dual-layer setup, the Premier lets you swap between different types of filters depending on the job.
You can run NanoFilters™ for ultrafine debris. These filters are very similar to full sized pool filters. You’ll also get standard cartridges for everyday cleaning, or an oversized leaf bag for heavy-duty cleanups or leaves. You can even choose disposable bages for messy clean ups, an avoid cleaning altogether. It’s the only pool robot on the market with this MultiMedia option – and we loved it. That flexibility made a big difference. Whether we were dealing with spring pollen, small debris, or large leaf piles, the Premier delivered better results.
So why do NanoFilters™ matter? Because they trap the tiny stuff you don’t always see—but you definitely feel. Fine particles can leave your water looking hazy or dull. The NanoFilters are pleated and dense, more like a true cartridge filter, and in our side-by-side testing, they pulled noticeably more fine debris than Aiper’s layered mesh. The difference in water clarity and polish was obvious after just one cycle.
And finally, the cleaning path. The Dolphin Premier uses two suction ports, each 4¾ inches long, for a total effective cleaning width of 9½ inches. The Aiper Scuba X1 has a single intake measuring 7¾ inches. That wider track on the Premier means it covers more surface area with each pass—leading to faster, more efficient cleanings.
Winner: Dolphin Premier — Its MultiMedia™ system isn’t just different—it’s smarter, more useful, and more effective.
Smart Features & App Control
On paper, the Scuba X1’s app seems great —you can set what mode you want and adjust settings. But there’s a major flaw: the moment it dives underwater, the connection drops.
Want to switch modes mid-clean? Too bad. Need to redirect it to a missed spot? Not happening. The app becomes a flashy interface for a robot you can’t actually talk to while it’s doing its job. While Aiper claims you will be able to control it when the new Aiper HydroComm comes out for $500 later this year, it still isn’t out yet.
The Dolphin Premier is a lot different in that it doesn’t rely onan app—it skips the app entirely in favor of a built-in weekly timer with a good old fashioned buttons on the power supply. It just works. Every day, same time, no dropped connections, no nonsense. True to form, it’s a commercial-grade cleaner built to do one thing: clean.
If you want real-time app control that stays connected underwater, you’d have to look at something like the Dolphin Sigma. Between these two, the Premier may be simpler—but it’s better priced and reliable. And when it comes to pool cleaning, that counts for more.
Winner: Aiper Scuba X1 by default – since the Premier doesn’t have an app.
Why the Cord Debate Actually Matters
Everything’s cordless these days—your phone, your headphones, your Roomba. So it’s easy to assume cordless is better for robotic pool cleaners too. But just because it works for gadgets doesn’t mean it’s the right call for cleaning your pool.
Cordless might be perfect for a home vacuum or a drill, but with a pool robot, you’re giving up consistent, uninterrupted power for the limitations of a battery. The Aiper Scuba X1 is a perfect example: weaker suction, daily charging hassles, and lingering concerns about lithium-ion battery safety. It ends up being more of a headache than a help.
The Dolphin Premier, on the other hand, is corded—and that’s a good thing. It never runs out of power, never needs to recharge, and never leaves you wondering if it’s done the job. Sometimes, the simplest solution really is the smartest one.
Final Verdict: Which One Should You Buy?
Let’s boil it down by category so you can see exactly who wins where:
| Feature | Winner |
|---|---|
| Price & Value | Dolphin Premier |
| Suction Power | Dolphin Premier |
| Automation | Dolphin Premier |
| Pool Coverage | Dolphin Premier |
| Filtration | Dolphin Premier |
| App | Aiper Scuba X1 |
When it comes to overall value, the Dolphin Premier takes the win. It costs a bit more, but you’re getting a lot for the price—stronger performance, better build, and less daily hassle.
In terms of suction power, it’s not even close. The Premier pulls harder and cleans more thoroughly in a single pass.
For automation, again, the Premier easily wins. Just set the weekly smart timer and forget it—it takes care of the pool without the daily hassle.
When looking at pool coverage, the Premier felt more consistent and thorough, especially on walls and at the waterline. It just clings better and misses less.
As for filtration, the Premier’s MultiMedia™ system with NanoFilters easily outperforms Aiper’s basic mesh. The water looks more polished and feels cleaner.
Now, the only area where the Aiper Scuba X1 wins is the app. It hasa scheduling app but you can’t schedule it and run it for more than one cycle. So this doesn’t provide much value. You can do manual steering (even if it doesn’t always stay connected underwater). On paper, it’s the connectedrobot—but in real-world use, the Premier is the one that actually delivers.
Overall Winner: Dolphin Premier.
If you’re looking for a pool cleaner that actually makes life easier, the Dolphin Premier is the clear standout. With stronger suction, smarter filtration, and fully automated pool cleaning——it just works. The best part is the consistent corded power – no daily recharging.
The Aiper Scuba X1 looks sleek and sounds impressive in marketing, tThe reality is it takes about 2 days to figure out you’re dealing with weaker suction, a smaller filter basket, and a robot that demands constant hands-on attention,
The best pool robot is the one you don’t have to think about. It just works in the background. The Scuba X1 grabs your attention with its flashy marketing and cordless design, but ends up demanding way too much of your time… The Dolphin Premier, on the other hand, gets the job done—day in, day out—like a reliable pro.
I’m Ryan with ActuallyUsed—thanks for hanging out, and I’ll see you in the next review.
