Aiper EcoSurfer S2 Solar Powered Pool Surface Skimmer Robot (Review)

The weather is warming up, and it’s time to get the pool ready for summertime fun. You already have a million things to do this time of year. But when you open the back door and see the wind has blown debris into the pool, the last thing you want to do is get the skimmer out and spend precious time cleaning it up.

Now, instead, imagine opening up the back door and seeing Aiper’s EcoSurfer S2 Robotic Pool Skimmer taking care of this work for you. Paired with the Scuba V3, the EcoSurfer S2 is the second half of Aiper’s Expert Duo Suite package (if you want both). With one patrolling the floor and the other patrolling the surface, Aiper has you covered. We’ve already put the Scuba V3 to the test; now it’s time for the EcoSurfer S2 to show us what it can do.

Initial Impression:

Aiper’s care with packaging is once again on display. The EcoSurfer S2 had a protective plastic covering along with foam blocks covering the propellers.

Also in the box was the charger, a large quick-start guide, a manual, and a foam noodle.

Features:

The EcoSurfer S2 connects to the Aiper app just as its Scuba V3 partner. Since we already had the app downloaded, connecting to the EcoSurfer S2 was basically done as soon as it was turned on. While there is a charger included, the EcoSurfer S2 does utilize solar charging. If the pool is in the sun, then it is charging while it is cleaning.

Aiper states the battery life is 35 hours, but with solar charging, it is basically infinite. It also uses Aiper’s “SolarSeeker” technology, where if the battery is running low, the EcoSurfer S2 will find a sunny spot for a 15-minute quick charge before resuming cleaning.

The EcoSurfer S2 has 2 optical sensors that are used for object avoidance. This keeps it from getting damaged from hitting the walls of the pool. It also has anti-stranding bars that can be extended underneath the unit to keep it from getting stuck in shallow water, such as steps near the surface.

The foam noodle that was included in the box can be put in the skimmer intake to keep it from getting stuck in there. It also has a large filter box that includes a chlorine tablet dispenser.

Testing Testing:

When turning it on and placing it in the pool, the default mode is “Auto”. With this mode, the EcoSurfer S2 will run (continuously) day and night, 24/7, charging when the sun is out. In the app, there is also an Eco mode, where it runs for 3 hours and turns off for 3 hours.

By using the app, you are also able to set up schedules. These can be used one at a time or in combination. For example, you can have a schedule where it runs every day for a few hours in the morning and add an afternoon cleaning on specific days. And yes, you can control the EcoSurfer S2 manually from the app as well.

The solar charging seems to work well. During our tests, the EcoSurfer S2 always had at least a 90% charge. Keep in mind that we are testing in a perpetually sunny environment. The EcoSurfer S2 works as expected; it continuously travels around the pool pulling in any floating debris. We added a good number of dead leaves to get a good idea of how quickly it would clean a dirty pool. Within an hour or so, most of the leaves had been picked up by the EcoSurfer S2.

Since the EcoSurfer S2 is always on the surface, it stays connected to the app. (In our review of the Scuba V3, we mentioned how it [the Scuba V3]will disconnect once under the surface). The app does have a manual remote control. We found that this is most helpful for directing it back for retrieval. The response is a little slow for directing it around the pool to clean, so it is better to leave that to its own process for the overall job.

The filter box uses what Aiper calls “Industry First DebrisGuard Design” and an Aquadynamic Baffle that closes when the EcoSurfer S2 is either stationary or moving backward to prevent the debris in the filter box from coming back out.

Battery:

Aiper states the battery life is 35 hours from a full charge. However, since it charges through solar, we can’t verify this, as it was always charging in our situation. As stated earlier, it has always been charged at least 90% during our tests. So it doesn’t seem like battery life would be an issue. However, if used in a place where sunshine is limited, the experience may be different.

Cleaning:

The filter box is easily removed with all the debris it picked up. Just a quick dump out and a rinse with a hose is all you need to get it back into the pool. It is incredibly efficient.

Our Conclusion

The EcoSurfer S2 works as advertised. It definitely gathers up all the floating debris in the pool. The solar charging allows it to stay in the pool, with only having to remove it to clean and add another chlorine tab.

Unless there is constant debris being blown into the pool, the scheduling in the app is probably the most efficient way to clean. The Eco mode also allows it to clean and sleep intermittently. The remote control works to get it over to the side for retrieval, although the response is slow at times.

Aiper’s Expert Duo Suite has the Scuba V3 cleaning the walls and the floor while the EcoSurfer S2 replaces the manual skimming of the surface debris. The perfect Dynamic Duo.

Additional Images:

Specifications:

Corrections: The Surfer 2 is now referred to as EcoSurfer 2

Are you a manufacturer or distributor that would like us to test something out for review? Contact us, and we can let you know where to send the product, and we will try it out.