Enlarge image
The test devices: small robots with large garages
Photo: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt
More and more vacuum and floor mopping robots save you from annoying cleaning routines by not only sweeping the floor, but also wiping it with a damp cloth in one go.
Nevertheless, this approach leaves some pre- and post-processing work to be done.
For example, fill the water tank, mount the wiping accessories and clean and dry them after use.
Newer models promise to reduce even these movements.
They live in car washes the size of a bedside table.
These rinse the cleaning rags or mops, pump the dirty liquid into a canister and supply the cleaning robots with fresh water.
Rubber grommets keep odors out of the nose and spring tides out of the robot's battery charging contacts.
The washing systems also take care of drying the fabric.
Some models also empty the robotic flounder's small dust reservoirs and store their prey in a cloth sack.
Sooner or later, however, the depots of the cleaning forts also need a refresher - albeit much less frequently than is the case with vacuum and floor mopping robots with conventional loading docks.
That sounds like a tempting all-round carefree package.
Are they also in practice?
To find out, we tested four vacuum and floor mopping robots with self-washing systems.
The tested models at a glance:
Dreame Bot W10 (790 euros)
The most compact station in the test saves space by not refueling the robot and not vacuuming its dirt.
The dust container must therefore be emptied regularly by hand.
In order to moisten the mops, the robot has to interrupt the cleaning service for a pit stop.
Ecovacs Deebot X1 Omni (1500 euros)
In the suitcase-high tower there are large tanks, a blower that sucks up the dirt and a hair dryer that dries the mops with hot air.
AI-supported navigation software prevents collisions with small items.
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra (1400 euros)
Because there is no hair dryer, the cleaning cloth has to dry in the air.
Otherwise, the set covers all trends of the high-tech cleaning season with flushing and tank system, dirt emptying and AI small object detection.
Yeedi Mop Station (650 euros)
The cheapest set in the test refuels, rinses and blow-dry with cold air, but does not suck the dirt out of the robot.
This has only small tanks and few sensors, so it is particularly flat.
This is how we tested:
Navigation:
As a good cleaning aid, the robots shouldn't miss anything, shouldn't damage the equipment and don't get wedged.
A course with small items such as shoes, socks, cables and a dummy droppings shows how important it is to clean up beforehand.
Vacuuming:
How carefully the robots remove dirt in standard mode has to be proven on a test surface interspersed with cocoa powder, oatmeal and cat litter.
Mopping:
As an indicator of the wiping performance, we count how many trips the robots need at the highest power level to remove dried ketchup, mustard and soy sauce stains.
Self-cleaning:
How much preparatory and follow-up work do the base stations actually save?
How well do you rinse and blow dry?
How much attention do they need in practice?
Handling
: In view of the high prices, the devices should be easy to operate using buttons on the device and on the station, via smartphone and by voice command.
Can everyone do it or does one show his or her nakedness?
Dream Bot W10
Enlarge image
Photo: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt
At the second lowest price, Dreame does not offer a dream, but a good overall performance.
Without a win in every discipline, but also without any real weaknesses.
Its laser sensors navigate the Bot W10 effortlessly over the cleaning surface.
The fact that it rumbles vigorously against table legs and baseboards has no consequences in the test.
As expected, odds and ends are to be cleared away before cleaning.
The robot lacks the technology to recognize small obstacles.
The suction power is the second best in the test, and the wiping power is even the best.
The mops stay moist enough even without replenishment from a built-in tank.
However, the pit stops required for moistening increase the cleaning time.
The base station greatly simplifies operation.
The washer cleans the mops well and dries them quickly.
The large four-liter tanks offer enough reserve for enduring running times.
Because the small dust container has to be emptied often because the station does not store it temporarily, the Dreame is only partially autonomous.
Operation via the app and device buttons is comfortable overall.
A nice bonus is the robot battery remaining indicator on the base station display.
Ecovac's Deebot X1 Omni
Enlarge image
Photo: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt
The most expensive set in the test is the best equipped.
The robot navigates through the room using a precise laser scan.
He locates obstacles with a camera mounted in the direction of travel, the software of which was trained with images of small items.
As a result, it precisely covers the cleaning surface without driving over the heap of toys or massaging animal excrement into the carpet.
He just overlooks a champagne glass and makes it shake.
Still an excellent result.
The base station does not lack any self-cleaning function and comes closest to the ideal of autonomous operation.
The hair dryer dries the mops particularly quietly because of the closed housing.
The metallic accents are chic.
Few household appliances look so elegant.
The great app offers a lot of cleaning settings and is exemplary easy to use.
A nice extra is a live video function, which makes the robot suitable as a mobile security camera.
With Ecovac's new voice assistant Yiko, the Deebot can be sent to cleaning services in individual rooms or under the bed much more precisely than it works with Alexa or Google Assistant.
However, the microphone in the robot housing does not yet understand all commands perfectly.
Many extras alone are not enough if the main thing is neglected.
Ecovacs weakens when it comes to vacuuming and wiping.
In the test, it sucked up less dirt and wet cleaned less efficiently than the Roborock and Dreame models.
Even at the highest level, the water flow is unusually low.
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Enlarge image
Photo: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt
This robot is a Cavalier.
With his laser navigation system, he moves past the furniture over the cleaning surface almost without touching it.
Just like the Deebot, it uses a camera with AI software to circumnavigate small items perfectly except for a champagne glass.
The suction power is the best in the test.
Stains, on the other hand, are not removed by the Roborock with its vibrating cloth quite as efficiently as Dreame's rotating mop duo.
In the combined suction and wiping mode, the S7 MaxV offers a practical advantage.
On low-pile carpets, he raises the rear so the rag doesn't soak them unwanted.
This means that carpeting is not left out when vacuuming.
The self-cleaning station is not an eye-catcher because of the uncovered tanks, but it works effectively.
The cleaning cloth rarely has to go into the real washing machine because a brush runs along the fabric and scrubs it firmly.
Nevertheless, there is rework to be done.
The filigree filter screen has to be cleaned by hand more often and the cleaning cloth dries better on a line.
Otherwise it gets musty if there is no hair dryer.
The extensive and easy-to-understand app operation, which offers a live video function of the camera as a bonus, is exemplary.
Yeedi Mop Station
Enlarge image
Photo: Berti Kolbow-Lehradt
The cleaning robot from Yeedi's set falls behind in comparison.
Instead of using a laser, he locates the transitions between walls and ceilings with an upward-pointing camera.
He finds it hard to get along with it, especially in dim light.
At the same time, he takes a long time and ruthlessly bumps into furniture.
In the absence of an additional sensor, the Yeedi robot drives over the heap of small items lying around or gets tangled up in them.
The main roller blocked several times on carpets and required a rescue operation.
When vacuuming, the device clearly brings up the rear in the test, and just barely when wiping.
This performance would be fine for a cheap solo cleaning flounder.
But the price of the set raises higher expectations.
Only the base station fulfills them.
In the test, the washing system rinses the mops and reliably fills the water tank.
The fact that the cold air blower takes up to six hours to dry the fabric is bearable.
What is more annoying is that the station does not vacuum the dust.
Therefore, the small dirt tank of the robot has to be emptied by hand as often as before.
Ease of use is at a high level.
The app offers many functions and is easy to use.
Conclusion: They do almost everything themselves
Water in and off you go: not much more is needed for the tested household robots to vacuum and wipe the floor - and then clean themselves before they go back to the corner with the cleaning things.
In all models, the washing and tank system proves to be a real working aid.
In the search for the right high-tech cleaning power, other differences come into focus.
For example, drying the wiping accessories or whether automatic dirt emptying saves additional manual work.
Last but not least, the quality of the floor cleaning is the most important criterion.
Roborock puts together the best overall package with the S7 MaxV Ultra.
Given the results in the other disciplines, the lack of a hair dryer is forgivable.
Ecovacs offers more functions and a more stylish look.
But the suction and wiping result of the Deebot X1 Omni does not do well enough in relation to the high price.
At best, it is used by high-tech fans who value comfort and style over cleaning performance.
The Dreame Bot W10 offers the most bang for the buck.
The even cheaper Yeedi Mop Station is deprived of a purchase recommendation by a poorly equipped suction and wiping robot.
/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/GP2ZXWJRROQQUNBAGJPH3WIOVQ.jpg)