Xiaomi Mi Robot: Budget Vacuum Cleaner With Premium Features
Supplied with a powerful 5,200 mAh battery and various advanced features, like the NIDEC brushless motor and Wi-Fi intelligent fast connection, the Xiaomi Mi Robot is definitely one of the most impressive budget robot vacuum cleaners on the modern market.
Dimensions
Its dimensions are 13.6 x 13.6 x 3.8 inches. So it is a quite compact vac with a 420 ml dust bin. Weighing 8.4 pounds, the device can be easily carried from room to room.
Features
The Xiaomi Mi Robot vacuum cleaner is a smart device with a lot of sensors that make the cleaning process simple and thorough. The cleaning robot is equipped with a sensitive optical laser and an ultrasonic sensor that work to measure the distance and build the cleaning plan in real-time. This way, once the cleaning has started, the device performs the intellectual scanning, dividing the whole clearing space into zones and builds its cleaning route as letter Z.
There is also a partial cleaning feature for more effective cleaning of the dirtiest areas: long press the Home button and the device will start cleaning the 59 x 59 inches area around itself.
In the case of error, the vacuum robot will inform you about that with a voice message. If the device doesn’t operate for more than 10 seconds, it automatically goes into sleep mode to save the battery charge.
This robot vac cleaner has a maximum cleaning area of 2700 square feet. It features a fairly strong suction power of 1800 Pa. The device brings strong wind pressure to quickly and effectively suck the dust out of the surface. The main brush of the Mi Robot vacuum has an adjustable height to create a tight seal with the floor surface (even if it’s uneven). Also, the device accurately keeps a 0.3-inch distance from walls during cleaning while the side brushes extend to clean up the gaps between floor and wall.
You can control this robot vacuum using your smartphone with the help of the Mi Home app. It allows seeing the cleaning scheme and its condition, as well as set the most convenient cleaning schedule (you can also set the automatic regular cleaning schedule). With the help of this app, you can switch between different working modes: quiet, active, and standard. There is also the possibility to set the device in the Do Not Disturb mode (for the nighttime, for example) when it can’t continue/perform cleaning and informs about it by voice messages. This app also should be used to update the device’s software.
This robot vacuum cleaner from Xiaomi works for 150 minutes on one charge (at standard mode) and takes 4 hours to charge in full (the unit automatically returns to charging after the cleaning is complete). A special constant voltage charging mechanism ensures that you won't have a need to change the battery for 2 years or more. To prevent the battery from sudden breakages, it features the multi-string protection board which protects the battery from overcharge, overdischarge, overheating, overcurrent, etc.
Being supplied with the noise reduction feature and ultra-quiet airflow, the device works quietly, having 65 dB of the noise level. However, if you have sensitive hearing, the Xiaomi Mi vacuum may possibly bother you during the cleaning process if it’s not in a quiet mode.
This vacuum robot can clean both floors and carpets. However, note that it’s not very effective against small and thin debris on the carpet surfaces. Another issue is that it can’t clean carpet and floor if it has a dark color: the device will recognize it as a cliff and will not go there. Plus, this vacuum cleaner goes without a virtual barrier to limit cleaning in undesirable areas. However, the manufacturer offers to buy it separately. You will also have to clean the main brush out of the tangled hair after each cleaning with the help of a special device which is included in the kit. The side brush should be cleaned monthly.
Design
The Xiaomi Mi Robot has white color and features the most common for robot vacuum cleaners circular shape. Thanks to its slim design, the device is capable of cleaning in the narrowest spaces. This way, you can easily use it to perform cleaning in difficult spaces. The whole body of the device is made of a high-strength impact ABS material to reduce wear.
On top of the unit, you will find a 360° laser distance sensor. Below it, right on the lifting cover, you can find the power on/off button. There is also the ring indicator lamp which indicates the battery charging status (white color: the battery level is more than 50%; yellow: 50% – 20%; red: the battery needs to be charged; blinking in the respiratory rate: the device is on recharge or run; fast flashing red: alarm condition). There is also a Home button that you can use to return the device to charging or activate the partial cleaning.
On the side of the Xiaomi Mi Robot vacuum, you can find a speaker, with the help of which the device informs you about the cleaning process, and a bunch of different sensors: wall sensor, dust bin sensor, collision sensor, and an ultrasonic radar sensor.
If you turn the device upside down, on its bottom side, you will find a cliff sensor, an electronic compass, a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a drop sensor, a speedometer, and a fan speed sensor.
Conclusion
As a conclusion of this Xiaomi Mi Robot vacuum review, I would like to recommend this smart and affordable unit to those who have not time or desire to worry about the cleaning process. Having a multi-sensor co-operation, this smart unit won’t require too much of your attention to carry out the cleaning process: it builds up the cleaning plan, cleans in the hard-to-reach places, and returns to charging automatically.
