Got to love a company with a whole product line. Aquabot have a pool cleaner for every consumer, and today I’ll be taking a look at another of their budget options, the Pool Rover S2 40i, the PRJ’s big brother. Not only did they give this robotic pool cleaner a cool name, they also packed it with a few extra features not seen in the PRJ. It can suck faster, and has limited utility in in ground pools, though it is primarily made for the above ground type. That old issue still exists, an inability to clean pool walls, but so long as you know that going in you will be happy with your purchase.
So let’s take a closer look at the Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40, and maybe we’ll take a quick gander at the S2 50 while we’re at it.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40i Design and Build Quality
We all like to believe that looks don’t matter, but it is a truth that we judge, sometimes harshly, based on a first glance. The aesthetics of a pool cleaner should not matter, unless you’re schtupping him, but I am still glad to report that the Pool Rover S2 40i looks nice. It isn’t the prettiest automatic pool cleaner in the Aquabot line, that honor falls to the Breeze XLS, but it is at least better looking than the S2 50, with its yellow plastic finish. All of that isn’t particularly important though, or at least you shouldn’t be buying a pool cleaner because it matches the finish of you steps. Speaking of, neither the S2 40i nor the 50 do well with steps. The wheels seem a little exposed, but beyond that the device is well built, but still light weight, at 22 pounds.
Not the most important section, which is why it comes first, but important enough to discuss anyway. The S2 series is well put together, and issues with build quality in the first batch of S2 40i’s has been fixed at this point.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40i Features and Specs
Dimension-wise we are looking at 11.9 x 18.3 x 17.5 and 22 pounds of pool cleaner here. So a light enough build. The S2 series have a terrific pump though, siphoning thorough an impressive 4,800 gallons f water per hour. The cable is 40 feet, so not suitable for larger pools, but it is a swivel cable, so there is a lower chance of it becoming tangled as it cleans. The filter bags that come with the S2 40i should last you a long while, one is a fine mesh for tiny particles while the other is a wider net for picking up leaves and other larger debris. You can find replacement bags for around $20 on Amazon, if you find yourself needing a replacement, and i would always advise you buy some just in case. The S2 40i does not have a brush on it, so if you have algae issues on your pool floor you might be better served by the S2 50, which has a fixed brush. Not quite as effective as a rotating brush, but still a good option on a budget. The cleaning cycles are 1 hour and 2 hour, but you will likely still have to clean the pool walls by hand, as neither the S2 40i nor the S2 50 can clean flat walls. They can both clean the lower section of a wall if there is a smooth transition up to it, think curved walls, which is better than nothing.
In all, both of these cleaners are well suited to their niche, the above ground pool market. I would have liked to see a little more hustle on the pool wall, but for the price you would be hard pressed to do better.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40i Ease of Use
As is the case with all of the robotic pool cleaners I review, the learning curve for both the S2 40i and the 50 is low. You simple remove it from the box and drop it in your above ground pool. Granted, they will both work in an in ground pool, but the shorter cable length will limit their utility somewhat. I realize that bots that connect to an external pump can be more effective, but the difference these days is negligible, while the differences in difficulty are fairly large. Unlike some of the bigger pool cleaners, the lack of a handle on either the S2 40i or the 50 is less of an issue. Sure, getting it out of the pool is slightly more cumbersome, but the weight of these cleaners is so low that you shouldn’t have many issues. Replacing the bag is simple too, though it uses a bottom loading system, and I am not a fan.
Overall it’s easy to use the S2 series. Drop it in the water and it will do everything else. Replacing the bag will take a few goes to get right, but once you have it down it takes less than a minute.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40i Pricing
For the low end this is one of the best. Excellently priced and guaranteed to save you time and effort. The warranty really is icing on the cake here, as Aquabot’s warranty covers everything. Overall great value.
Aquabot Pool Rover S2 40i Conclusion
I love that this range has two very similar products that are excellently priced and serving a specific niche. if you have an above ground pool and don’t mind scrubbing the walls every so often then the S2 40i is perfect, if you have that and an algae problem then the S2 50 is your best bet in this price range.
Pros 40i:
- Automatic, requires no supervision.
- Wonderfully priced
- Almost Silent
- Looks great
- Specialized
Pros 50:
- Same as above
- That brush is great for stubborn impressions.
Cons both:
- Does not do walls
- Cable could be longer.
- Only suitable for above ground pools.
