Update in 2024: The Aiper Seagull 600 has been discontinued and replaced by the Aiper Seagull SE, which we cover in our in-depth review
This is the most popular unit that Aiper manufacturers, and since it costs less than half as much as entry-level cleaners from Dolphin and Aquabot, many pool owners are tempted to try this robot. There's a reason why units such as the Dolphin Escape cost twice as much though, and the price cuts really show on the Aiper Seagull 600. As usual, I will be ranking it on a scale of 1-5 in the categories of pool coverage, filtration ability, and feature set and warranty. So let's dive in!
When it comes to pool coverage, the Aiper Seagull 600 can cover just the floors of your pool. Its tiny plastic wheels and weak motors cannot carry it up most inclines, let alone up the walls of your pool. This was not a great start for the Seagull 600, and it only got worse once I put it into the pool. Its quick pace left a lot of debris behind, if it ever went over the debris, because it has no navigation system.
Without a navigation system, the Seagull 600 just wandered around my pool, got stuck, and cleaned the same corner again and again. To put it simply, the Seagull cannot clean any of your pool. It cannot navigate your pool, is not powerful enough to pick up debris, and cannot clean the walls of your pool. On the other hand, we found in the our Dolphin Escape Review, it can do all of these things with ease thanks to its powerful DC motors, active brush, and Smart Nav 2.0.
Since it can't clean your pool, I have to give it a 2/5 in pool coverage.
Next, let's look at the Aiper Seagull 600's filtration ability. Just like what we found in our Aiper Seagull SE review and Aiper Seagull 1000 review, another disappointing robot, the Seagull 600 only comes with a flat filter. This filter cannot collect debris very well, much less filter your water. I also found this filter to be annoying to clean as it leaves the debris the unit collects at the bottom of the unit itself, which is hard to clean.
The flat filter, just like the cleaning ability of the Seagull 600, shows its cheap price. It simply cannot filter your water and it leaves any debris it manages to pick up in the bottom of the unit, which is annoying to clean. I really cannot emphasize enough how disappointing this filter is, especially when compared to the filter basket on the Dolphin Escape. The Escape's filter basket is easy to clean, has more storage capacity, and more filter surface area to move the water through.
I have to give the Aiper Seagull 600 a 2/5 in filtration ability because it simply cannot filter or store debris.
Finally, let's look at the feature set and warranty. The biggest selling point for the Aiper Seagull 600 is its cordless design. We all know cords of any variety can be a hassle, and the Seagull 600 seems to do away with this hassle. In reality though, the long charging times and weak motors offset any positives of a cordless design.
You have to charge the unit for at least a few hours in order to get a single 90-minute clean. So there is no quick and easy cleaning with the Seagull 600, and its battery operation is also the culprit behind its poor cleaning ability.
The batteries in the Aiper cannot hold enough power to suck up leaves and debris, especially when so much of the power is going to its speed. We aren't done talking about the battery yet though, as it is a big concern when looking at the one-year warranty.
Many users and reviewers have said that their Seagull 600s stopped holding a charge a little after a year, which is right after the warranty expires. This means you will have to foot the bill for a repair or replacement unit, most likely after a pool season, and maybe two. So what was a cost savings is now more expensive than an entry-level cleaner such as the Escape. The Escape comes with a two-year warranty and typically lasts much longer than that. When you do the math on the cost per use, the Escape is the far better deal, especially once its extra cleaning ability is factored in. Since it has no features to speak of, its cordless design is a nuisance, and its warranty isn't long enough to cover the unit's lifespan, I have to give the Seagull 600 another 2/5.
Totaling up its points, the Aiper Seagull 600 scores a 4/10. Just like the other Aipers I have tested, the Aiper Seagull SE and Aiper Seagull 1000, the Seagull 600 cannot clean your pool. It is too weak to suck up debris, it has no active scrubbing brush, a useless flat filter, and a short lifespan. It is worth the extra money to get a unit like the Dolphin Escape or Cayman since they can actually clean your pool, which means you can spend more time enjoying it.
Check back soon with the Pool Pad team, as we will be constantly letting you in on the best products and methods to keep your pool clean and healthy!
While affordable, the Aiper 600's weak motor, no active brush, and screen filter is disappointing and isn't an all-in-one cleaning solution that we've found elsewhere.
