Four robot vacuum cleaners on trial to clean everything -
20 Minutes
Robot vacuum cleaners are gradually establishing themselves in our interiors.
Capable of vacuuming, but also for some of washing, even monitoring the house, their use provides multiple services.
However, it is difficult to navigate when it comes time to equip yourself, as the price of these machines, from 400 to 1500 euros, makes the big difference.
It is up to everyone to understand their needs in terms of functionality, regularity of use, and of course efficiency.
Work, robot, sleep!
Yesterday a little gadget, robot vacuum cleaners are gradually establishing themselves in our interiors.
While they are not a complete substitute for a broom or sled vacuum cleaner that can really go everywhere, they allow us to keep our homes almost clean between two more intensive cleaning sessions.
From day to day, we expect them to relieve us of the small household chores that come on top of teleworking, running before the curfew… and family life.
"20 Minutes" tested four new robots for all budgets.
Verdict.
The most indiscreet: Trifo Max (399 euros)
Arriving late on the market, the American start-up Trifo invests Europe with Max, a robot vacuum cleaner which wants, in addition, to play the spies by monitoring our interior.
The concept, launched by LG many years ago, is based on the presence on board Max of a camera, a microphone and a speaker.
Connected to Wifi, the vacuum cleaner can thus alert its owner in the event of motion detection and transmit image and sound to a smartphone while recording a video.
The Trifo Max is versatile and can even monitor our interiors.
- TRIFO
Fun: in addition to the classic cleaning sessions that can be programmed, we can ask Max to perform rounds at the desired times ... The idea is original but needs to be improved: the device is not equipped with facial recognition and may inadvertently sound the alarm when returning home.
However, the camera can still be deactivated.
Practical advantage: the Max robot container empties from the top and offers a large capacity.
- TRIFO
Compatible with Amazon Alexa, the robot is working properly.
Our interior was hardly a problem for him, except with our coconut rugs: his brush sometimes got stuck underneath, interrupting the cleaning process.
Accessible from the top of the device (quite rare), the collector offers a good capacity: 600 ml.
We also appreciated that the robot is white, much less messy than dark robots that often have to be dusted.
The most versatile: Ecovacs Deebot Osmo 920 (419 euros)
With its Deebot Osmo 920, the manufacturer Ecovacs takes up a challenge: to offer a high-end robot vacuum cleaner at a contained price.
Connected, mapping its universe, working with an application to schedule cleaning or demarcate areas where it must not pass, the Osmo 920 seduces by the quality of its work.
And it is compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
With its Deebot Osmo 920, Ecovacs signs a relevant vacuum and mop robot.
- ECOVACS
In addition to its initial charge time, about fifteen minutes is necessary for its first use.
The rest is simple to use.
Can be activated by voice, by programming for by simply pressing its button, the device will suck but also wash.
In addition to its classic rotating brush, the Osmo 920 has a suction mouth to replace it.
This is particularly useful for hard floors and animal hair.
These bulky items will not wrap around the rotating brush.
A mop ensures in addition to the suction a little washing to maintain the floors.
- ECOVACS
Very well thought out, fast, going almost everywhere, able to cross door sills (up to 2 cm) with flying colors with its wheels mounted on springs, offering impeccable suction performance even on carpet, the Deebot has achieved a almost flawless during our tests.
Two passes may still be necessary on the thickest or dirtiest surfaces.
The laser rangefinder, an absolute weapon for mapping spaces and improving cleaning efficiency.
- ECOVACS
For its part, the washing function of the device is also satisfactory for small regular cleanings, but you should not hope for too much, the vacuum cleaner / washer can not scrub a really dirty floor.
The autonomy of the robot reaches just 2 hours, where that of its big brother, the Deebot Osmo 950 (600 euros) offers up to 3 hours of cleaning.
419 euros.
The quietest: Roborock S6 Max V (549 euros)
Vacuum cleaner and mop, the S6 Max V from Ecovacs is versatile.
Weighted down with a dual camera at the front, it claims better obstacle management than its competitors (a sock on the ground will not be sucked up!).
Advantage shared with its rivals equipped with a camera: real-time monitoring, by interposed application, of its work.
On trial, the function is hardly interesting if we simply want to check that the machine passes correctly here and there.
The Roborock, S6 Max V able to overcome small obstacles.
- ROBOROCK
Offering more than correct overall performance, supported by its ability to map up to four floors, the S6 Max V seemed relevant to us.
Its washing function will not replace the necessary use of a mop, but we have found it very convenient to occasionally clean our entrance soiled by traces of shoes in these rainy weather.
The two cameras of the S6 Max V allow it to avoid small obstacles.
- ROBOROCK
The significant thickness of the machine (9.6 cm) does not however allow it to pass under all obstacles: it has interfered well under the Ikea TV cabinet, but our Louis-Philippe cabinet resisted it.
Good point nonetheless: in addition to an autonomy of about 3 hours, a fairly low noise level which allows the use of the S6 Max V even when you are at home teleworking.
The most autonomous, but also the most expensive: iRobot, S9 + (1499 euros)
At iRobot, the S7 and S7 + had inaugurated a new breed of robot vacuum cleaners: once the cleaning is finished and returned to its charging base, the device empties its dust compartment by itself into a container.
Advantage?
No need to empty the vacuum cleaner container after each pass, the machine gains in autonomy.
Newcomer, the S9 + retains this concept but improves its ergonomics: the vacuum cleaner is no longer round, but "D" shaped.
The interest?
Easier to walk along the walls of the household and flush out dust in the corners, an area neglected by most machines.
IRobot has revised the ergonomics of its S9 +, better suited for cleaning along walls.
- IROBOT
Connected, equipped with a camera and a laser range finder, the robot offers, according to its three cleaning qualities ("thorough", "silent" and "personalized"), intelligent maps of your interior.
"Intelligent"?
Yes, because it is possible to integrate it through the application of virtual barriers that prevent the vacuum cleaner from going where it shouldn't be, or complete areas that it should avoid.
In addition to its integrated collector with a capacity of 0.4 liters, the S9 + benefits from the container of its base in which a 1.7 liter bag is placed.
This is where it comes to empty after each suction cycle.
Tested for several weeks, we did not have to worry about the robot, except for a classic little cleaning of its HEPA filter that it suffices to shake outside to get rid of its excess dust.
Please note: the combination of the vacuum cleaner and its base takes up a little space.
And the autonomy of the S9 + is limited to around 90 min.
1499 euros.
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