Aiper vs Dolphin: which robotic pool cleaner should you buy?

Aiper and Dolphin are the two names most Australians end up choosing between, and they come at the job from opposite ends. Aiper sells only cordless robots and competes hard on price. Maytronics, which makes Dolphin, sells both corded and cordless robots through pool shops, its own store and big retailers, with warranties that run longer on its upper models. Prices below are from Maytronics, Aiper, Clark Rubber, Pool and Spa Warehouse and Bunnings on 18 October 2026; we compared maker specifications and listings rather than running the robots ourselves.

The two brands side by side

Price ladders

Both brands also sell through their own Amazon Australia seller accounts; check the current price on Amazon.

The pattern is clear. Up to about $1,600, Aiper and Maytronics’ Niya brand give you the most robot for the money: the Scuba S1 does the floor, walls and waterline for less than half the price of the cheapest corded Dolphin, and the Niya Sonar F3 is cheaper again for pools up to 10 m. From $2,000 up the gap closes, and Dolphin’s longer warranties and corded options start to count.

Corded or cordless decides it for many pools

If you want a corded robot, the choice is made: Aiper does not sell one here. Corded robots finish every cycle, never need charging and have no battery to replace, which suits big pools, heavy leaf loads and owners who want to run the robot daily. The Dolphin S 1000 has a 12 m cable for pools up to 10 m; the S 3000 has 17 m with a swivel for pools up to 15 m.

For cordless, the brands are closer. Aiper’s Scuba S1 lists up to 180 minutes in its normal modes and a 150 m² rating. Dolphin’s EON 120d lists up to 4.5 hours and a 15 m rating, and the Liberty 400 up to 2.5 hours and 10 m. Aiper’s X1 Pro Max goes furthest on size, rated for 300 m² with up to 5 hours on the floor. The cordless robotic pool cleaner guide compares charging and retrieval across both brands and others.

Cleaning and filtration

Apart from the entry floor-only models, the robots compared here clean the floor, walls and waterline. Aiper’s Scuba S1 and V3 pair a 180 micron basket with a 3 micron MicroMesh insert for fine dust. Dolphin’s S 1000 uses a fine-filter top-load basket, the S 2000 and S 3000 add interchangeable ultra-fine filters, and the EON 120d uses Maytronics’ DebrisLock backwash filter. Dolphin’s S range cleans steps and ledges from 30 cm deep and the EON 120d from 20 cm; Aiper says the Scuba S1 cleans shallow areas deeper than 12 inches, about 30 cm.

One difference to check: Clark Rubber’s listings for the Aiper Scuba S1 (2026) and X1 Pro Max say they are not suitable for vinyl pools, though Aiper’s own S1 specification lists vinyl. Pool and Spa Warehouse’s specification table lists vinyl among the surfaces for the Dolphin S range. If your pool is vinyl-lined, ask before buying an Aiper.

Warranty and service

Aiper’s Australian warranty table gives 24 months on the Scuba S1, V3 and most of the range, 36 months on the X1 Pro Max and 12 months on entry models such as the Scuba 800. A claim means shipping the robot back to Aiper on a return label, the warranty applies only in the country where the product was received, and it excludes purchases from unauthorised resellers. Aiper also sells paid Aiper Care plans, from $109 to $279 on the Scuba S1 page.

Maytronics gives two years on the S 1000 and EON 100 and three on the S 3000, Liberty 400, Liberty 600 and EON 120d. The Liberty 400 and 600 add its Maytronics For Life benefits: a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, a trade-in guarantee, an annual robot health check and lifetime professional support. Maytronics also runs a dealer network and a repairs and parts service.

Which to buy for which pool

• Typical in-ground pool, budget under $1,000: Aiper Scuba S1 (2026), $799.
• Want a corded robot and no battery: Dolphin S 1000 for pools up to 10 m, S 3000 up to 15 m.
• Premium cordless for a pool up to 15 m: Dolphin EON 120d, $2,299, with three years of warranty.
• Pool up to 10 m and want a Dolphin cordless: the Liberty 400 on clearance at Clark Rubber for $1,999.
• Pool larger than 15 m, cordless: Aiper Scuba X1 Pro Max, rated for 300 m².
• Small pool, Dolphin-made, under $800: Maytronics’ Niya Sonar F3, $749 at Pool and Spa Warehouse.

The robotic pool cleaner guide puts both brands alongside the Bunnings options from Hy-Clor and Pozie.

The one trap

Buying from the wrong seller to save a hundred dollars. Aiper’s warranty excludes purchases from unauthorised resellers, and on Amazon some listings come from other sellers: the Aiper Seagull Pro listing we found was sold by a third party, not Aiper. Before you pay, check the “Sold by” line reads Aiper or Maytronics Australia, or buy from a retailer on the brand’s list. Bunnings is not on Aiper’s published list of authorised sellers as we read it, though it stocks three Aiper robot cleaners; keep the receipt and ask the store how warranty claims are handled.