This robotic vacuum cleaner meets most expectations

The Milton Group, the importer of the Xiaomi brand in Israel, recently launched the new S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum, with a promise of significant performance improvement and upgraded suction power through a powerful battery (8000PA) and an advanced laser-based navigation system.

The abundance of products of this kind, which have entered the market of electrical appliances and have become popular in Israel in recent years, allows us to examine the most intriguing models. When a product such as this one is promised to us at a relatively accessible price, with high power, strong features, and capabilities that can make our most tedious daily task - maintaining the home - easier, we are tempted to try it out. So that you won't be disappointed with a vacuum cleaner that may turn out to be a failed purchase, we are here to provide you with all the details.

In this article, I will not compare different models, but rather evaluate the S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum based on my experience testing similar products and as a consumer examining the new household assistant that promised to make the task possible.

Engine:

For the new model, S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum, a powerful suction engine that can be operated in 3 different speeds: Super 8000Pa, Turbo 4000Pa, and Standard - 2000Pa. Navigation system: Using the advanced LDS navigation system, a 360-degree scan and precise mapping of the entire house is performed, significantly reducing collisions with objects even in a dark environment. With the navigation system, the vacuum avoids collisions with objects and can pass over obstacles up to 20mm in height.

Battery and working duration: The vacuum has a powerful battery with a capacity of 5200mAh, sufficient for up to 2 continuous hours of cleaning and charging as needed during operation, a single and continuous suction cycle is enough to cover an area of up to 180 square meters (at normal speed). Patented protected technology: The vacuum is equipped with a unique patented technology to prevent hair tangling in the brushes, using automatic hair cutting without the need for manual removal. Water control: With 3 settings for water quantity according to your cleaning needs. It can be conveniently and simply set through the Mi Home application. Remote operation and control: Wireless connection to the Mi Home application and support for voice operation with Amazon Alexa® (2022.8) and Google Assistant®.

Among the convenient functions for easy operation, you can choose the desired cleaning area, select a separate work program for each room, choose your preferred cleaning order, and set "virtual walls" while monitoring the cleaning route in real-time. When necessary, the application will alert you to faults and the need to replace consumables: filter, main brush, etc. Warranty: The product comes with a 2-year warranty from the official importer, Milton, for the robotic vacuum and docking station, and a 1-year warranty for the battery.

Model - STFCR01SZ

Dimensions - 102.3 x 345 x 345 mm

Battery - Lithium 14.4V / 5200mAh

Weight (net) - 3.8 kg

Wireless connectivity - Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz

Operating voltage - 14.4 volts

Output power - 70 watts

Kit contents:

- Water tank including cleaning cloth

- Side brush

- Rechargeable lithium battery

- Dust container 450 ml

- Water tank 250 ml

- Charging dock

- Power cable

- Cleaning tool

- User manual in Hebrew

- Warranty document

During the testing of Xiaomi's new robotic vacuum cleaner, the S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum, we observed key features that we liked and a few features that we didn't like as much. The external design of the vacuum cleaner is modern and can be considered visually appealing. The vacuum's navigation capabilities are efficient, and it is able to avoid collisions with obstacles in its path. It detects and navigates around them to maximize its cleaning performance.

The physical height of the vacuum cleaner is low enough to allow it to go under furniture such as sofas, tables, chairs, and beds (as long as the furniture is elevated at a height of 12 cm or higher), including the kick plate under kitchen cabinets, for example. The cleaning area in which the vacuum was tested did not exceed 100 square meters, so there was no need for continuous work for two hours, as the manufacturer promises. Its cleaning route lasted no more than an hour for me.

Xiaomi's new robot vacuum cleaner is capable of autonomously returning to its charging station (which is also the docking station) and charging itself as needed while working. After the charging is complete, it can return to work from the same point it stopped.

After completing the operation, it returns to the same docking position. During suction, it can identify different surfaces for cleaning and adjust itself for suction or suction+washing according to the surface type (parquet/floor/carpet), ensuring that the carpets do not remain damp after the operation. In addition to the suction or suction+washing function, it also adjusts the suction power for the area it is standing on. I noticed that as it climbed onto the carpet, the suction power increased without the need for human intervention. This can also be heard in the noise produced during operation.

The obstacles it identified and successfully overcome at my place were the entrance threshold to the bathroom, bathmat, kitchen mat, living room carpet, and the aluminum rail (leading to the balcony). The operation of the new S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum Cleaner was convenient and easy, and allowed full control through the Mi Home application, even for those who are not familiar with advanced technologies.

The range of control options is not particularly large, but it allows those who want to delve deeper to use capabilities such as: scheduling a weekly cleaning schedule for the vacuum, suction power, amount of water to use during the washing operation, etc. It greatly helps me, for example, that I preset the fixed days and exact hours when I want it to go to work (days when I am working outside the house and hours when I am not present).

So it turns out that I always come back to a clean house. However, it is important to understand that he does not do everything himself, and in order for the cleaning to be truly maximal, there is a need to "prepare the house for cleaning", meaning, moving chairs, bins, rugs, electrical cords, and other obstacles that could interfere with the cleaner's operation and even cause it to get tangled in them.

Another convenient function that the application allows is the ability to choose the areas we want to clean in real time. For example, after hosting the family for a Friday evening meal, I prepared the house as I mentioned before, activated the public area (excluding the rooms), and went to sleep. The cleaner did its job in the dirty area without disturbing me. A closed door in the bedroom was barely a barrier to the noise level. Through the application, we can not only choose the desired area but also the cleaning method (vacuuming only, mopping only, or both) as well as the suction power, the amount of water required for cleaning, and so on.

When it comes to efficiency, it can be summarized that it provides all the functions that the operator needs in order to enjoy a "house helper" that does the work in our place, but when talking about cleaning quality, I have some reservations... After the simultaneous vacuuming and mopping action, the house appears clean and without signs of mopping, but it should be emphasized that it does not succeed in cleaning tougher stains (such as spilled and dried sauce, for example) and it does not excel in cleaning corners.

Additionally, there were some minor missed spots during the vacuuming process, but not ones that justify a feeling of disappointment. The robot vacuum is equipped with a water tank that performs a controlled water release action without leakage, and supports three levels of water flow control, but the amount of water produced during vacuuming is not always sufficient for a thorough cleaning, and if we increase the amount of water in the application, the built-in tank is not enough for the cleaning area and there is a need to refill it during the operation.

The new S10T Xiaomi Robot Vacuum provides an efficient cleaning solution at a fair price. Its modern design and the size of its docking station allow for a stable placement in public areas of the house (for example, I placed it under the couch, next to the wall, and close to a low power outlet that powers it) and it is only visible when it goes to work. It has noticeable high efficiency suction that also includes mopping in a short and not too noisy operation that leaves no marks.

Daily use of it, in addition to regular house maintenance, enhances the feeling of cleanliness and its clear and numerous advantages. However, as mentioned, its weak points are cleaning in corners and the water quantity that is not enough for thorough mopping. It is also important to note that a robotic vacuum cleaner does not replace the need for an additional vacuum cleaner used by a human, as it cannot reach areas such as ceiling corners, rails, sofas, mattresses, and so on.

In other words, the purchase of a robotic vacuum cleaner is considered optional for those who need to choose only one vacuum cleaner for house maintenance. The price of the Robot Vacuum S10T model by Xiaomi is considered reasonable compared to similar mopping vacuum cleaners available on the market: 2,490 shekels. The new models will be available at Mi Store branches in Rishon LeZion Rothschild 64, Dizengoff Center, Modi'in, Ofer HaKiryon Mall, and the Mall HaYam in Eilat, on the official Xiaomi Israel website, and from authorized retailers.