Test: Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Robot Vacuum Cleaner

In the test of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Vacuum cleaner robots from China have shown some advantages and disadvantages that I do not want to withhold from you. So that you can get an idea of ​​this vacuum robot, I wrote the following review, in which I outlined my experiences with the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum. How well does it sweep and vacuum? When do problems arise? And how loud is it when it drives through the apartment? Answers and information on We Home App there is also.

Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Test - Unboxing

At the beginning of the test there is of course the unboxing with the checking of the package contents and the subsequent commissioning of the product. But before the vacuum robot from China leaves, I noticed that there is a small problem - the cable for the docking and charging station does not have a Euro plug, but only a Chinese one. So you either have to buy a cable (Cable for small device socket C7) or take one from a radio. Most radios have a C7 socket, which is why such a cable was over with me and I was able to start right away.

What's in the box

So what is in the box if there is no cable for European sockets? I have put the scope of delivery of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum into a clear list:

• Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Robot Vacuum Cleaner
• Docking and charging station (including cable that cannot be used in this country)
• Comb with blade for separating hair on the brush
• Instruction manual in Chinese

There are two solutions to the problem with the operating instructions in Chinese. On the one hand, you can use the Google translator also translate images or texts in front of the smartphone's camera; so also the instructions. On the other hand, you can simply look for an English manual. A small note: On the official Xiaomi website you can find the instructions for the device under its name Mijia or simply with this link.

Technical data

Before my experiences with / assessments of the Xiaomi vacuum cleaner robot, here are the technical data of the device. Because not only the functionality, operation and intuitive use should be right, but also the size, dimensions and so on:

The operating instructions also state that the charging station of the vacuum cleaner robot has an output voltage of 20V and an output current of 2,2A. That's not too much, but I wanted to know whether this only applies when the vacuum cleaner is docked or also when the station is free. The result is that there is always a voltage of around 20V, but a current without a consumer cannot be detected:

Xiaomi Mi Robot in the vacuum test

The charging station is not necessarily essential for commissioning. So if you want to buy a cable and let the robot vacuum it, you can - as long as the battery does not arrive empty. You don't necessarily need the app either, just briefly press the On / Off button when the device is switched on. Then the robot vacuum first orientates itself and measures a few square meters. After vacuuming it, he goes to other parts of the apartment. He proceeds in a structured manner and rarely drives back and forth (only when he drives from a corner into a new area, etc.).

However, the apartment should not be completely unprepared when you send the Xiaomi Mi robot into action. Because the device has its problems with cables, items of clothing lying around, paper and other larger things with which the main brush could be blocked. But if the vacuum cleaner robot is integrated into the WLAN and you have the app (Android or iOS) on your smartphone, you will at least receive a push message that describes the error and tells you that the vacuum cleaner has switched itself off. You can also see where it has stopped (a map of the apartment is created while cleaning).

When using the app, however, you can have much more individual cleaning. After an update, there is now also Spot Cleanups, i.e. cleaning a specific area, and you can also choose from four different modes. Depending on whether you are at home and prefer a quick or a quiet cleaning, you have the following choice:

• Quiet: quieter and slower
• Balance: good cleaning and little noise
• Turbo: faster and also good
• MAX: full speed and louder too

Setting up the station

According to the operating instructions, the station via which the Xiaomi robot is charged should offer a bit of space so that the vacuum robot can drive off and connect again. There should be 50 cm to the sides and 1 m to the front. Less space shouldn't be a problem either, as the robot can also approach in a straight line, then turn around on the spot and move backwards to the charging contacts. In the test, he managed to do this with less space.

Mi Home app: download and information

The Mi Home app, with which you can control and monitor the Mi Robot Vacuum, can be downloaded and installed for your Android smartphone or for the Apple iPhone with iOS. You can find the Android download of the app in Google Play Store. For the Mi Home download for iOS on the iPhone, just click the following box:
[appbox app store id957323480]

A little note on data protection: The app is not just about your individual control unit for the vacuum cleaner robot. Rather, it is the complete smart home solution from Xiaomi that you can use for all possible devices, gadgets and systems. Accordingly, the program also wants all possible authorizations - not just access to WLAN and connection information, but to contacts, call functions, SMS functions, storage, etc. That is a bit deterring at first, but as an overall solution for the smart home, this range of authorizations naturally results Sense. I downloaded and installed it - and it makes using the robot a lot easier.

Schedules, DND mode, and more

Within the Mi Home app, you can also set schedules for the Xiaomi Mi Robot so that it automatically keeps the apartment or its floors clean. Since it does not vacuum completely silently (but quieter than many common vacuum cleaners), you can also switch on the DND mode, i.e. the “Do Not Disturb” mode or define a rest period during which the device should always be inactive. You can find all settings in the overview - everything worked well in the test:

The “Cleaning History” shows how many minutes and how many square meters the robot has already been in use and how many cleaning cycles it took. The "Care" item shows you the individual elements (side brush, main brush, sensors, filter) and their percentage for life expectancy. Since no replacement is included in the scope of delivery, the “Buy Now” button in the app is of course available. You can find an accessory set with filters and brushes linked below (Amazon).

Under "Remote Controls" you can activate the remote control of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum vacuum cleaner robot. If you are using the latest version of the software (updated on vacuum cleaner and smartphone), then there is also a spot cleanup like the iRobot and the new Mi Robot from 2017 with wiping function.

Voice Pack: Speech output of the device

Under the menu item “Voice Pack” you can choose the language pack to be used, which I can only recommend because the standard language is Chinese. If you're from China or want to learn the language, okay. But I prefer the voice output in English; a package in German is not yet available - but soon, as Xiaomi is increasingly gaining a foothold on the European market. As a little extra, the settings in the Mi Home app also offer you a user guide with a manual and the like in English.

cleaning performance

But now we come to the main function of the household helper from China - vacuuming. In the test he did very well and exceeded my expectations; especially because I'd screwed it down a long way. But I am really convinced. Thanks to the side brush, the round robot vacuum cleaner can also cope with corners and cleans the apartment well. After the first test, I was already convinced that the Xiaomi Mi Robot would clean the apartment much better than I would with a broom.

I didn't have a vacuum cleaner until I started using the vacuum robot, as the noise from these machines annoys me. But I can live with the quieter vacuum cleaner robot and its good cleaning performance - especially since it can also zoom through the apartment when I'm shopping;) For the 50 square meter cleaning area of ​​my 60 square meter apartment, it needs around 53 minutes and 29% in balance mode Battery power. The 2,5 hours average runtime per charge can therefore be exceeded in economical but sufficient modes.

dirt container

Especially after the first test, I can recommend you to take the container out of the robot and empty it properly. He can find a lot of dust, hair and fluff everywhere, even under furniture. Anyone who has pets or long hair will definitely benefit from the supplied comb including a blade for separating coiled hair. You can't get rid of long hair without cutting it, especially on the main brush. You can check the container during the vacuuming process or afterwards by lifting the lid of the vacuum cleaner robot. The fuller the container, the more suction power is naturally lost. Therefore, you should also tap and knock the filter more often - this has proven itself in the test.

Buy Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum

You can now buy the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum vacuum cleaner robot from 2016 on Amazon. In addition to the main device itself, you can also get various replacement and exchange parts from Amazon. If you compare the accessory set and vacuum cleaner bags of conventional devices, the price for the Xiaomi products is right. Of course, besides Amazon, the best-known source of supply for Xiaomi products and parts is the online shop GearBest. At GearBest you could also get the new one until November 2017 Pre-order the Xiaomi Smart Robot with wipe function. Now he's on the GearBest page for official sales.

And there is also a second generation of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum (2016) tested here - without a wiping function - which has a slightly different structure and also comes with a Euro plug. However, it costs around 200 to 300 euros more. So it is probably better if you buy the first generation device and then a cable for the C7 small device socket. Here are the links to the individual product pages:

• Xiaomi Mi Robot Generation 1 and 2 at GearBest: View and order here
• Xiaomi Mi Robot Generation 1 at Amazon: Product page with discount price
• Accessory set with brushes, filters and brush comb at Amazon: Here
• Xiaomi Smart Robot (with wipe function) at GearBest: Secure here

Shipping from the EU

If you want to buy the Xiaomi Mi Vacuum Robot vacuum cleaner of the first generation, then I can now also offer you a link for shipping via the EU warehouse so that you do not have to wait long for the delivery and there is no delay due to customs controls gives. You can get the EU version of the vacuum robot at an attractive price with this link to back up. (Update for August / September 2018: you can order the device for € 14.09.2018 until September 261,15, XNUMX.)

Robot test in the video

In addition to the pure text information and pictures, I also recorded one and the other video of the vacuum cleaner robot. So you can see the vacuum cleaner in action. In addition to my own videos for Sir-Apfelot.de, I have put together a few more videos for you - including a hardcore test with a lot of dirt, which I did not want to do to my model voluntarily;)

Use on carpet

Since I don't have my own carpet to test, I have to rely on the first video in the overview above when I say: the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum robot vacuum cleaner can also convince on carpets. However, I would define a limitation of the statement for this; namely, that it should not be a shaggy carpet with long threads or protuberances, but a "short-haired" carpet. Otherwise the side or main brush could get stuck.

advantages and disadvantages

Before I come to the conclusion, here are a few advantages, neutral points and disadvantages of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum vacuum cleaner robot 2016/2017 that I noticed in the test. Perhaps they will help you with the comparison with your model (iRobot, Ecovacs, iLife or something like that) or with the purchase decision:

Benefits

Neutral points

Disadvantages

Conclusion

After testing the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum vacuum cleaner robot, I can really only recommend it. If you consider the time savings resulting from the smart vacuum robot equipped with 12 sensors and WiFi connection, the purchase price from Amazon or GearBest definitely pays off. The accessories for replacing the most important wearing parts are also inexpensive. With the app you can control the robot individually and with a current update even Spot Clean, English voice output and more are possible. Top! Clear purchase recommendation!

Johannes Domke

[On vacation] After graduating from high school, Johannes completed training as a business assistant specializing in foreign languages. But then he decided to research and write, which led to his independence. He has been working for Sir Apfelot, among others, for several years now. His articles include product introductions, news, instructions, video games, consoles and much more. He follows Apple keynotes live via stream.