Product test
Winbot W1 Pro review: are window cleaning robots worth it?
by Simon Balissat
New robot hoover from Ecovacs cleans edges and corners better
19.8.2023
Translation: machine translated
Robot specialist Ecovacs is bringing two new household helpers to Europe at the IFA in Berlin. One vacuums and mops better than ever before. The other will finally be able to clean windows properly.
Ecovacs claims to be the market leader in household robots. Nevertheless, the Chinese manufacturer is not satisfied with itself. CEO David Qian was self-critical at the big innovation keynote.
On the one hand, he criticised the first generation of window cleaning robots, which did not really satisfy the majority of customers (or the Galaxus tester). On the other hand, he criticised the industry for only copying innovations instead of investing resources in its own developments.
Sleeker, edgier, better cleaning
That's why Ecovacs has further developed the Deebot X1 Omni, which is also popular with the Community, after just one year. And it has done so fundamentally.
The new model is called the Deebot X2 Omni and will be on show for the first time at the IFA tech fair in Berlin from 1 to 5 September. It should then also be available to order in our shop. The price is likely to be around 1400 francs at launch - similar to its predecessor at the time.
Source: Ecovacs
Optically, there is a big difference: the new robot hoover is no longer round, but square. And for a practical reason, as Ecovacs CEO David Qian explains. With the new shape, the robot hoover cleans corners and edges better - and is still very compact. Incidentally, the main brush is also almost 20 per cent wider than before.
It also gets under furniture better and gets stuck less, as it is only 9.5 centimetres high and completely flat on the top. The predecessor still had the typical laser tower on top of the device, now the sensors are integrated directly into the housing. Of course, the X2 can still measure rooms, avoid obstacles and intelligently find the best route.
Source: Ecovacs
The robot's increased suction power should also ensure better cleaning. Mopping plates are also available that are automatically raised by 1.5 centimetres when a carpet comes in or the robot moves over an area that has already been cleaned.
The X2 then automatically washes the cloths on the mopping plates in the suction station with 55-degree water and dries them with hot air. The dust container is of course emptied at the same time. That's total convenience. What's more, the vacuum cleaner is autonomous for a long time and doesn't need any manual assistance.
Source: Ecovacs
A suitable window cleaning robot at last?
The second new product is not expected to arrive in Europe until next year. Nevertheless, it is no less exciting. After all, many households dream of finally having a really good robot that cleans their windows.
Ecovacs is the leader here with a market share of 60 per cent. But they themselves are not really satisfied with their current models. They just clean as well as they can at the moment. The new Winbot W2 is intended to remedy three previous disadvantages: the difficulty of handling, the varying cleaning results and the safety problems with regard to falls.
The Winbot W2 comes with a "ground station", so to speak. This multifunctional station has a large battery for running times of up to 80 minutes. The safety cable and power cable are combined in a composite cable so that the robot can no longer get tangled up.
Source: Ecovacs
In addition, the cable is automatically retracted and extended and the suction cup on the multifunction station has been reinforced. An improved control system should further reduce the risk of a fall.
The window is not cleaned with dry cloths. You don't have to wet the glass yourself. The W2 has three nozzles that spray the window at a wide angle. Thanks to better planning of the cleaning process, it should also be possible to clean the edges with fewer streaks. You can definitely look forward to this - perhaps the dream will come true: always a crystal-clear view without the hassle of cleaning.
By the way: Ecovacs has also introduced a third robot. The Airbot Z2 is an air purifier that drives around autonomously and can remove pollutants and humidify the air throughout the home. However, the Z2 will probably not be coming to us.
Source: Ecovacs
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
4 comments
later