As smart robot vacuums continue to grow in popularity, new manufacturers and models begin to enter the market. These handy devices do a great job of cleaning up the floors in your home so you don’t have to worry about mopping, sweeping, or vacuuming. They get the job done for you.
One such company that has thrown their hat into the proverbial ring is Xiaomi (pronounced Sh-Ow-Mi). Its Roborock robot vacuum is new to the smart vacuum arena yet is rapidly growing. The devices, along with their features, makes Xiaomi’s robots worth considering.
For example, the vacuum has a 5200 mAh battery, which provides almost two and a half hours worth of cleaning on a single charge. Additionally, the Roborock has the ability to identify carpet. It will boost its suction power when it begins to clean carpet, providing a higher quality clean.
These and many other abilities are standard with the Roborock robot vacuum. Let’s take a look at what else this device has to offer and whether or not it might be the right smart vacuum for you.
Packaging
The box the Roborock comes in consists of recycled cardboard, which shows Xiaomi is trying to do their part in helping the environment. Inside the box is a smaller box that holds the vacuum, along with a user manual. In addition to the manual, you’ll find a container for holding water, along with a cloth that helps it wipe up the floor.
Docking Station
Since the Roborock smart vacuum does more than just suck up dirt, it comes with a mat that goes under the docking station. This helps to protect the floor since there’s always the possibility that the vacuum will be wet from mopping.
Performance
The Roborock begins each room by cleaning the corners, moving around the perimeter or the room without leaving the area. While it’s navigating the perimeter, it is also scanning the space for potential obstacles or obstructions that may get in its way.
Once it has performed its scan, the Roborock robot vacuum divides the room into smaller, more manageable pieces and begins its clean. It moves back and forth throughout the room until it is satisfied with its performance. After each room is cleaned, the vacuum moves on to the next room and repeats its behavior.
You’ll discover that the Roborock smart vacuum can clean roughly 60 square meters in about half an hour. If it has enough battery to move on to the next area, it will. Otherwise, it will return to its docking station and recharge. Once charged, it will resume its previous path until everything is clean.
Appearance
The Roborock robot vacuum comes with a smooth plastic bumper that contains four built-in proximity sensors that allow it to maneuver around the room without bumping into furniture and other obstacles.
On the device itself, you’ll find three buttons. Each button has its own purpose. One turns the device on or shuts it off. Another button will tell the Roborock to return to its docking station, while the last button enables zoned cleanup mode on the vacuum.
If you’re interested in the dimensions of the Roborock smart vacuum, it checks in at 13.6 x 13.6 x 3.8 inches (W x D x H). Thanks to its build, this robot vacuum has the ability to clean low sitting furniture, as well as navigate doorsteps between rooms. This helps to prevent the Roborock from getting stuck as it goes about its routine.
The Roborock robot vacuum checks in at 7.7 pounds, so it’s not too difficult to pick up and move in the rare instance that it does get stuck somewhere or runs out of juice. Lastly, one cool feature the Roborock vacuum has is its ability to climb slopes up to 20 degrees. So if you have a ramp from one room to the next, you don’t have to worry about moving the vacuum yourself. It’ll climb right up on its own.
Sensors
We’ve talked a little about some of the sensors the Roborock robot vacuum uses to make its cleaning routine more efficient and effective, however, this cleaner has much more to offer. Embedded in the device are 13 sensors which help not only with cleaning but with safety as well.
Here’s a quick rundown of the sensors on the Roborock robot vacuum:
- Side sensor detects the distance from walls.
- Dust sensor.
- Laser LDS detection system sensor.
- IR radar sensor.
- Crash sensor to detect obstacles and obstructions.
- Electronic compass.
- Coarse particle and hair sensor.
- Speedometer.
- Accelerometer.
- Rotating fan sensor.
- Drop sensor.
- Gyro sensor.
As you can see, the Roborock robot vacuum has no shortage of sensors, which help it to navigate throughout your home. Many of these sensors help the device to successfully circumvent obstacles or determine whether or not it might get stuck in certain places.
Mobile Application
Xiaomi has created a well-designed, high-quality mobile application to go along with its robot vacuum. Within the mobile application – which is available on both the iOS and Android marketplaces – you’ll have the ability to adjust and control the device from your smartphone as needed.
Additionally, you can use your smartphone to move the Roborock around your home, just like you would with a remote-control car. This is especially helpful if you need a specific area cleaned and Spot mode just isn’t getting the job done. The app also lets you see a map of your home so you can see just where your robot is currently cleaning.
Here are just a few of the functions and features you’ll get with the mobile application:
- Go – This mode lets you determine a set point and the robot vacuum will navigate to it.
- Dock – Tells the Roborock to return to its docking station.
- Zone Cleanup – When you need a specific area cleaned.
- Clean – Initiates a cleaning cycle.
Also included in the application is a map of your home, which shows you how much of it has been cleaned, how long the Roborock has been cleaning, and how much battery it has left. You can also choose between floor types like carpet, hardwood, or tile, so you get the best clean possible no matter what type of material the Roborock is cleaning.
Last, but certainly not least, the mobile app provides the ability to set a cleaning schedule. Through the app, you can tell your robot vacuum exactly where it should be cleaning and when it should be doing so. For instance, if you want the Roborock to clean while you’re at work, just set up the schedule so you won’t be bothered when you get home.
Navigation
While navigation isn’t available on all robot vacuums, it is a great feature to have. But why would you want to have navigation on your cleaning device? Well, for one, it prevents your cleaner from just moving randomly around your room and bumping into walls and furniture. Who knows what type of damage might be caused as a result. You’ll also have to deal with the possibility that your robot might get stuck and just keep cleaning the same area of the floor over and over.
With a navigation system, you’ll have a device that creates a room-by-room map of your home. This means the device knows which area has been cleaned, and which ones are still dirty. The Roborock makes use of SLAM (Simultaneous Location And Mapping) technology to navigate through your home without concern about whether or not every area will be cleaned.
In addition to using SLAM, the Roborock also utilizes a precise laser sensor which resides on top of the device. This allows the robot to identify and determine exactly where it is, which helps it to avoid obstacles and furniture. This laser sensor also gives the Roborock the ability to determine the most efficient cleaning method and easily find the docking station when it’s time to charge its battery.
Battery
The battery for the Roborock has a capacity of 5200 mAh and a suction power of 2000 Pa. This means you’re getting great suction power that doesn’t drain half your battery while the robot is cleaning. When the battery has drained enough, the Roborock will automatically head back toward its docking station so it can recharge.
If you need your robot vacuum to function off-line, the Roborock has the ability to clean nearly 250 square meters and function for almost two and a half hours. So even in the event that you have to use your robot vacuum in off-line mode, you can still get a pretty good clean.
Dustbin
The dustbin contained within the Roborock robot vacuum is transparent and plastic. The fact that you can see through it is nice, that way you always know how much dirt and debris it has. With the ability to hold 480 ml, the Roborock has a good sized dustbin that will hold plenty of dirt.
Along with the dustbin, the robot includes an accessory you can use to clean out the brush on the bottom of the Roborock. This “nib” as the company refers to it, is a small plate with a sharpened edge. With the sharpened edge, you can cut out hair and thread that might have become entangled or wound in the brush. You can keep the “nib” right next to the dustbin, so you don’t have to wonder where you left it the last time you cleaned out the vacuum.
Filter
If you’re looking for a good robot vacuum cleaner, you’ll want to find one that comes with a HEPA filter. With its HEPA filter, the Roborock has the ability to capture all types of dirt and dust and keep it in the dustbin. The rubber surrounding along the outside of this robot vacuum prevents debris from escaping. Additionally, due to one of its thirteen built-in sensors, the Roborock won’t start a cleaning cycle until it senses that the HEPA filter is in place.
The Roborock smart vacuum cleaner uses a HEPA E11 filter, which boasts an efficiency rating of 99%. You’ll also get a spare filter with your robot vacuum, so you can swap them out between cleanings which will help lengthen the life of the filters.
Wet Cleaning
One of the key features you get with the Roborock robot vacuum is its wet cleaning capabilities. In the bottom of the Roborock, you’ll find a container specifically for water along with a cloth the device uses to wipe the floor. Once you have everything set up for wet cleaning, the container has enough water to clean for about an hour.
Keep in mind, however, that the Roborock isn’t going to clean your floor as well as a robot mop will. That doesn’t mean it won’t do a good job of cleaning your floor, it just doesn’t have the capabilities that a device made for mopping does.
Noise
While the Roborock isn’t a completely quiet robot vacuum, it doesn’t make a whole lot of noise either. It’s not annoying, and you can hold a conversation while it goes about its cleaning. The Roborock noise level checks in at 54 dB, which is about the same level as most dishwashers.
Specs
Now that you have a better understanding of what the Roborock robot vacuum has to offer, here’s a review of some of the device’s features and specifications.
- Mops and dries.
- Laser guidance system.
- SLAM technology.
- Wifi capability.
- Smartphone app for iOS and Android.
- 5200 mAH battery.
- Intelligent planning path.
- 150-minute run-time.
- One-year warranty.
- Suction power of 2000 Pa.
- Automatically returns to dock.
- Schedule cleanings.
- Soft bumper.
- 13 built-in sensors.
- HEPA filter.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a solid robot vacuum cleaner, the Roborock might be a good option for you. With its smart cleaning quad-core processor, SLAM technology, 13 built-in sensors, and navigation capabilities, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with this device. Its high-powered suction means you’ll get a thorough clean every time.
The Roborock offers a 5200 mAh battery, which means you’ll have two and a half hours of cleaning time per charge. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind in knowing that when its battery gets low, the Roborock will return to its docking station, charge up, then pick up right where it left off. Overall, the Roborock offers plenty of features and capabilities and can get the job done without being too loud or annoying.
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