The modern smart appliance market offers many solutions for home automation, and the Mi Home ecosystem is confidently taking the lead. Choosing a robotic assistant for an apartment has ceased to be a simple task of buying a “just vacuum cleaner”, becoming a complex process of selecting a gadget with specific characteristics. Wet cleaning has become the de facto standard, but the implementation of this function in different models is significantly different.
It is important for property owners to understand that basic models often only wipe the floor with a slightly wet cloth, while flagship devices are able to fully wash surfaces with pressure. Only models with a vibration platform or rotating discs provide real removal of dried spots, not just dust smearing. In this article, we will discuss the key aspects that will help you not overpay for unnecessary functions or, conversely, not to be disappointed in buying a budget segment.
Before you get to the technical details, you need to decide on the type of flooring in your home, and if you have laminate flooring or parquet flooring, the water control requirements will be one thing, and the tiles and linoleum will be completely different, and an intelligent water management system is something that you should pay attention to first.
Types of navigation and map construction
The fundamental difference between modern models and their predecessors is the way they navigate in space. Older devices moved randomly, like a billiard ball, which led to skips and long operating times. LDS-laser or visual cameras to scan the room.
A laser rangefinder, located in a characteristic turret on the housing, creates a precise map of the room in minutes. This allows the device to build efficient routes without encountering obstacles and without getting stuck. Camera systems, in turn, are better at recognizing objects, but can have difficulty in the dark, requiring additional lighting.
- 📐 LDS-Navigation – creates an accurate map even in complete darkness, ideal for complex layouts.
- 📷 VSLAM (camera – better bypasses small objects (wires, toys), but requires light.
- 🧭 Gyroscope - budget option without a map, movement in stripes, but less effective.
When choosing a camera model, consider having IR lights that are activated at night. Without this feature, a robot can simply stand in the middle of a room waiting for better lighting conditions. For studio apartments and large areas, having a map is critical.
⚠️ Warning: Robots without mapping (chaotic) do not know how to divide the room into rooms and do not support virtual walls, making them unsuitable for apartments with carpets or areas where access is prohibited.
Wet cleaning systems: from wiping to washing
Xiaomi's wet cleaning function has evolved from simple gravity water supply to complex mechanical systems. In the simplest models, water drips onto the cloth by gravity, often resulting in puddles or dry stripes. An electronic pump solves this problem by dosed liquid depending on the mode chosen.
Two basic approaches are used to clean up pollution: a vibration platform and rotating discs. Vibration mimics the movement of a person's hand, intensively erasing stains, while the discs work on the principle of mop, twisting into hard-to-reach places. Xiaomi Vacuum Mop 2 Pro+ and newer flagships are equipped with such advanced systems.
It is important to consider the volume of the water tank. 80-100 ml is enough for a one-bedroom apartment, but for (large areas) a tank of 150 ml or higher is required. Some top models have an automatic station that cleans and dries the cloth itself, eliminating the user's contact with dirt.
💡
If you have a lot of carpets, choose models with the function of automatic lifting of the cloth when entering the carpet or with the ability to install “no-go zones” in the application.
Suction power and types of carpeting
The suction power metered in Pascals (Pa) directly affects the quality of cleaning carpets and puffy surfaces. Budget models offer about 2000-2500 Pa, which is enough for hard floors. For apartments with carpet or long-tail carpets, it is recommended to look for devices with a score of 3000 Pa and above.
Modern algorithms allow the robot to automatically increase power when it comes to the carpet, through differential elevation sensors or through camera data analysis, but it's worth remembering that the robot won't be able to pull deep-seated animal hair out of a dense pile as efficiently as a vertical vacuum cleaner.
Special attention should be paid to the design of the main brush. The classic brush with pile collects dust perfectly, but often gets entangled in hair and wool. The silicone brush, which is installed in many new models, is practically not subject to hair wounding, which greatly simplifies maintenance.
- 🌪️ 2000-2500 Pa - optimal for laminate, tiles and short pile.
- 🌪️ 3000-4000 Pa - necessary for carpets, animal wool and deep cleaning.
- 🌪️ 5000+ Pa – flagship level for maximum removal of contaminants.
Don't chase the maximum numbers if you don't have carpets. On hard floors, the difference between 3,000 and 5,000 Pa is almost imperceptible, and noise and power consumption will be higher, and the balance between power and autonomy is a key factor in choosing.
Management through Application and Ecosystem
All modern Xiaomi robots are controlled through the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Home).The interface allows you not only to start cleaning, but also to customize complex scenarios. You can install virtual walls, forbidden areas, adjust the suction force and water supply level for each room separately.
Integration with voice assistants like Alice, Google Assistant or Siri adds an extra level of comfort. You can ask the assistant to start cleaning the kitchen while you are in the living room. This functionality often requires the use of gateways or special plugins, but the basic functions work directly.
Way to menu: Mi Home → Device → Settings (three dots) → Voice controlRegular updates from developers improve mapping algorithms and fix bugs. Make sure that the server to which the robot is connected (often a server called Russia or China) is stable in your region.
What if the robot can’t see 5GHz Wi-Fi?
Comparison of popular models with wet cleaning
To make it easier to choose, let's take a comparative table of popular models available in the market, and this data will help you quickly navigate the characteristics and price categories.
| Model | Navigation | Power (Pa) | Type of wet cleaning | Tank volume (ml) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mijia 1S | LDS Laser | 2000 | Gravitational | 180 |
| Vacuum Mop 2 Pro | LDS Laser | 3000 | Electronic pump | 200 |
| Vacuum Mop 2 Ultra | LDS + Camera | 3000 | Vibration + Car wash | 80 (in robot) |
| X10+ | LDS + Camera | 4000 | Rotating discs | 80 (in robot) |
The Mijia 1S remains a hit thanks to its low price and laser availability, but the lack of an electronic pump makes wet cleaning more symbolic.The Vacuum Mop 2 Pro is the middle ground for most apartments, offering a great balance of price and quality cleaning.
The flagships of the Ultra and X10+ series are aimed at users who want to eliminate contact with dirt completely. Having a self-cleaning base increases the size of the design, but radically changes the experience of use. The choice depends on whether you are willing to put up with the need to wash the cloth often by hand.
⚠️ Note: When buying a version for the Chinese market (CN) Make sure the app supports your region, otherwise you may encounter connection issues and language barrier in the interface.
Services and supplies
The durability of a robot vacuum cleaner depends on regular maintenance. HEPA filters need to be changed every 2-4 months, depending on the dustiness of the room. Replaceable filters for Xiaomi models are inexpensive and always available, which is a big plus of the ecosystem.
The main brush should be cleaned regularly from wound hair, even if it is silicone. Side brushes wear out over time and begin to put the garbage under the robot worse, their resource is usually 6-12 months. Pollution sensors and a laser rangefinder require periodic wipe with dry soft cloth.
☑️ Monthly maintenance of the robot
Don't forget to change the water in the tank in time and don't leave it there for a long time if the robot is not in use. Stagnant water can cause unpleasant odors and bacteria to multiply inside the tube system, especially in models with electronic pumps.
💡
Regularly replacing filters and cleaning sensors prolong the life of the robot and maintain the declared power of suction for many years.