Robo Vacuum ; Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P long term review ; Worth the money!!!
This pandemic has taught us many things in its long tenure of one and a half years. We learnt that distance (social) is the key to survival. Surviving a modern non-connected world is as challenging as surviving in the wild. And automation in many things is essential if not a compulsion. I have taken to automation as it streamlines my daily activities and helps me balance my work/personal time.
I have been using the Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P for months now and, I have not missed my maid or had a backache since then. The Mi Robot has been cleaning up my house regularly, recharging itself every time it was low on power and calling out to me only when its inbuilt dustpan was full.
I was able to focus on other things like work and my hobbies. And since the Mi Robot Mop P has spent a great deal of time working for me, this is my take of the Mi's automated vacuum Robot.
Inside the Box
The box feels heavy for its size. But once you open the well-packaged box of the Mi Robot Mop, the weight is justified. Apart from the Robot Vacuum, there are two dust collectors (one for dust and the other for dust and water), two side brushes, an AC adaptor, a charging dock, two mop pads (for dry and wet) and a mop pad holder.
Setting up the Mi Robot Vacuum Without Mi Home App
I had the install the dust compartment and the mop attachment. And the Robot Vacuum was good to go. Yes, I did have to set up the charging dock, but really should not count as setup. The Mi Robot Vacuum is fully autonomous and can run without the need for an App. Without the App, the Robot Vacuum checks the dimensions of the room, vacuums the area and returns to the dock for charging. You can press the Power button on the top to start or stop vacuuming or press to home key to return to the charging station. Though the Vacuum continues to remain autonomous without the App, many of the functions can only be controlled by the Mi Home App.
Setting up the Mi Robot Vacuum with the Mi Home App and Features
Watch the above video to watch our video review of the Mi Robot. Also, watch how to set up the Mi Robot Vacuum on Mi's Home App.
The setup for the Mi Vacuum is pretty straightforward.
Once the setup is complete, the App provides additional controls for the Vacuum. I was able to set up virtual walls for the Vacuum and even restrict areas of my house where the Vacuum should not venture (eg. washrooms). The App also provides an overview of the room/house from the perspective of the Vacuum. I was able to schedule the cleaning activities for the Vacuum, set up the kind of cleaning required (Vacuum only or Vacuum and mop) and choose the pattern of cleaning. During my meeting calls, I would switch the Vacuum to silent mode and the Vacuum would continue to clean silently. My favourite feature from the App was the one that allowed me to manually control the Vacuum's movements around my house. It is a great feeling to know that we humans are always in control of technology and not the other way around.
Usability
The Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P is on most grounds, Autonomous, except when you need to clean the dust or wash the Mop attachment. I left it on a table and covered the ground with pillows, hoping the Vacuum would take a tumble. But it did not, as the three depth sensors under the Vacuum did a great job of keeping the Vacuum from falling off. The Vacuum can also tackle obstacles up to 2cm which is important when it comes to doormats or door frames. The LDS ( Laser Distance Sensor) sensor on the top Vacuum, maps the area of the room for charting a path for cleaning and also avoiding obstacles. My house is roughly around 900 sq/feet (excluding the washrooms) and the Mi Robot Vacuum takes around 40-45 mins to clean the whole place. A full charge on the Vacuum easily gets me two sweeps around the house (or normal vacuum mode). Cleaning the dust compartment is easy and Mi had provided the cleaning tool, that sits right next to the dust compartment for easy access and cleaning. The Vacuum would prompt me to clean the dust compartment every time it was charging or when the bin was full.
Verdict
The Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P is not a must-have for everyone. But it is definitely worth spending on if you have the bandwidth too. There are many other robot Vacuums available in the market, but the Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P offers premium features at a not so premium price(just like Mi's smartphones).
For people with pets, the Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P can be an extremely handy tool to keep the place clean of pet hair. And for bachelor and tech enthusiasts, the Mi Robot Vacuum Mop P is a high tech pet, that will clean up after you, With You.
Price - 24,999 INR of Mi's website
