Just the other day, I thought of how in this day and age, us commoners cannot afford to get a live-in helper or house maid. But we can at least spare some cash to invest in a robot vacuum to be our "maid".
As an owner to two cats that like to whack the living out of each other, therefore my house is also home to random speck of fur dancing on our home floor. Not to mention, my commute to and from work now leaves me less time to do basic maintenance of our home on a daily basis.
What does all of these mean? I truly deserve and should have a robot vacuum at home to clean my floors.
I was pleased to get the opportunity to test a Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+, and that it costs only RM1,999. Not a price that's considered cheap but it gives us: advanced mapping system, instantaneous feedback to commands, self-disposal rubbish and a mop too (but that's not my most used feature, frankly speaking).
Editor
Jodee Tan chevron_right
Table of Contents
Why get the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+?
- Excellent response to commands via physical power button and MiHome app
- Very fast mapping
- Great detection system and nimble movements
- Self-disposal rubbish feature which does not often appear in mid-range robot vacuums at this prive level
- Robot vacuum's prospect in battery efficiency is accurate; goes back to its base for necessary recharging in the middle of cleaning
In a nutshell, the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+ is great for its value, given the couple of features it has that typically comes in higher-end robot vacuums only.
Having activated the robot at least 10 times for cleaning before this review was concluded, we find the robot vacuum to clean well and that it does not leave a single speck of dust. From setup to automation of cleaning schedule, the robot vacuum was seamless to handle. It also detects its surrounding very fast (mapping was done in just 10 minutes).
I also truly liked the fact that the robot prospects when to go back to its base for charging in the middle of cleaning, which is something that doesn't go as well in entry-level robot vacuums. A quip we had though was that it doesn't do edge-to-edge cleaning well.
Overall, this is a value-for-money robot vacuum in the mid-range tier, with some higher-end features in it.
We are not saying that this product is superior than higher-end robot vacuums in terms of quality or durability, but that it offers you a good glimpse into managing a robot vacuum with its automatic dust disposal, almost accurate detection, mapping system and excellent response to commands via physical power button or through the MiHome app.
Essentially, the X20+ will give you a good experience into the spectrum end of mid-range robot vacuums or slightly entry levels into higher-range robot vacuums.
[This product was tested in a one-level condominium home consisting of approximately 1,400 square feet in space.]
About Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+
The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+ is notable for its base station which serves its 10-second rubbish disposal and charging needs. It has an agile obstacle avoidance performance thanks to its LDS navigation system, automatic mopping system (if you have the pad attached), a huge 4-liter water tank for mopping, and an overall sturdy built with easy-to-detach dust trays and all for cleaning and maintenance.
Regarding the automatic rubbish disposal system; the robot will deposit dirt from its own dust tray into the base, where it can hold up to 75 days worth of dust before it needs to be emptied.
Whereas for the mop, it automatically sets to "vacuum only" if you have a carpeted area. After mopping, the base will soak and scrub the mop pad with powerful water jets to remove dirt. After that, the mop pads are automatically air-dried in order to hinder mould growth and musty odours caused by moisture.
Finally, the robot vacuum is easily controlled via the Xiaomi Home/Mi Home app as well.
Set Up
Setting up and installing the robot vacuum and its base was very easy. Althought big in size, the box was not very heavy in its packaging; a tiny 5-feet human like me could easily set it up. And I appreciate that unlike many robot vacuums or appliances that relies on manual books for installation, Xiaomi has also made a big "how to set up" card.
Wi-fi connection for Mi Home app access is also easy. If anything, I find that its detection of the home router has improved compared to earlier or more basic Xiaomi Robot Vacuum models.
I also appreciate the fact that it was easy on the wiring; all that was needed was to plug into a wall socket. Done.
Inside the packaging of the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+ should consists:
- Robot Vacuum ×1
- All-in-one Station ×1 (disposable bag, clean water tank, dirty water tank, washboard base extender, washboard included)
- Brush ×1
- Brush Cover ×1
- Dust Compartment ×1
- Filter ×1 (Pre-installed on the dust compartment)
- Side Brush ×1
- Cord Set ×1
- Mop Pad Holder ×2
- Mop Pad ×2(Pre-installed on the mop pad holder)
- User Manual ×1
Design
Upon installing, I noticed that the slope where the robot rests (in the charging base) makes me uneasy. Before activating for the first time, I had to push the robot vacuum in deeply so that it charges. Initially it did charge but half way, the robot actually stopped charging. Thankfully this only happened for the first time I set it up, as I presume that after charging to full, the robot vacuum would park itself nicely to ensure successful charging.
The base, as mentioned, houses the automatic dust (bag) disposal which should be emptied in 75 days (max), a water tank reservoir for mopping (and cleaning the mop pad), as well as the charging base. Its design is overall simple, functional and minimalistic, thus it shouldn't be difficult to pick a spot to install this in.
Key info
- Power: 75W
- Suction power: 6000Pa
- Dust capacity: N/A
- Water tank capacity: 4L
- Noise: N/A
- Working Time: N/A
- Charging time: N/A
- Robot dimension: 350×350×97 mm
- Dock dimensions: 586×427×340 mm