I tested the world’s smallest smart robot vacuum, and it left a big impression – Narender Ghoghar

Key Takeaways for ZDNET

• the Switchbot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ It launches today for $500, and I’ve been testing it for about a week. For a limited time, users can get $100 off by using code 20K10HOT during checkout.
• The K10+ is a small robot vacuum and mop that has some powerful features, like a self-emptying trash can and the ability to squeeze into tight spaces that other robot vacuums can’t reach.
• Its simplistic design means it doesn’t have AI object detection technology, it only has 2500Pa of suction power, and its scanning feature leaves something to be desired.

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When I took out my SwitchBot K10+ robotic vacuum to start testing it, I was impressed by its small size. I was expecting small, but at just 9.7 inches in diameter, the K10+ is smaller than a dinner plate—about the size of a round cake pan that’s larger than a traditional robot vacuum.

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But don’t let its size fool you. The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ may be small in size, but it packs some huge features. This small robot expertly vacuums floors with increased cleaning coverage, as it can easily fit through chair legs and between furniture, where other robot vacuums cannot reach.

Aside from the compact form factor, the SwitchBot K10+ has features you wouldn’t expect from a “mini” robot vacuum, like a self-emptying trash can, a common feature on high-end robot vacuums. The bag inside the base station where the dust is discharged can withstand up to 70 days of cleaning. That’s four liters of dust, debris, hair, and other things you definitely don’t want to touch. I don’t even want to see how much dust a 70-day vacuuming process produces (but neither do I).

Since I already have multiple SwitchBot devices and have the app on my phone, setting up the robot vacuum was easy. The K10+ isn’t a replacement for a Roomba that cleans your entire home — it’s designed for smaller homes, like apartments, or to be kept in limited areas.

For this reason, I didn’t set up the K10+ to clean the main floor or upstairs like I did with other robot vacuums I’ve tested, and instead decided to keep it in our TV room. Our family loves to hang out in the TV room and watch TV while eating popcorn or have an impromptu pizza and movie night – this room is adjacent to the kids’ playroom and sees a lot of traffic and crumbs.

ALSO: Roomba Combo J7+ review: A 2-in-1 robot vacuum done right (almost).

This room is also carpeted, and although the SwitchBot K10+ is technically a robot vacuum and mop, the mopping feature leaves a lot to be desired. While the K10+ can mop, it does so using disposable mop pads and a removable mop pad that goes over the brush roller.

The mopping feature works well enough for small areas, but it’s not the feature I’d rely on to clean an entire apartment. You’ll have to constantly change the cleansing pad while cleaning, and you’ll quickly go through the packet of wet cloths in the box, although I can’t understand why another brand of cleansing cloths wouldn’t work.

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For this reason, I’d use the K10+ more as a robot vacuum than a mop, but it’s nice to know the feature is there if needed — just don’t expect it to remove stains from your floors.

In keeping with its compact size, the suction power of the K10+ is only 2500Pa, which is much lower than Market leader 8000Pa, but it is also much smaller. The suction power of the K10+ is similar to the suction power of the K10+ Roborock Q5+which also has a self-emptying trash can.

Although it’s not the most powerful vacuum on the market, the SwitchBot K10+ proved quite effective in tackling crumbs and dust found in the medium-pile carpet in the TV room. The K10+ runs every night after kids clean up their toys and go to bed, leaving behind evidence of a good time: a layer of confetti, stickers, snack crumbs, and other debris on the carpet.

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Every night, I return to the TV room to find a satisfyingly clean carpet, complete with beautiful carpet stripes.

ZDNET Buying Advice

The SwitchBot K10+ is on sale right now for $500, but an on-page coupon on Amazon or code 20K10HOT on the SwitchBot website brings that down to $400 as an introductory offer. For this price, you get a mini robot vacuum and mop with LiDAR mapping, restricted zones, a self-emptying garbage can, two dust collection bags, a removable mop pad, and a pack of mopping cloths.

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Due to its limited features, I advise you to use it SwitchBot Mini K10+ For someone looking for a robot vacuum cleaner to keep the floors of their small home free of dust and debris. Although this can be mopped in a pinch, I wouldn’t rely on the mopping feature to clean an entire apartment.

Right now, the SwitchBot K10+ is the perfect addition to a carpeted TV room, and if it proves more than capable of handling the crumbs and debris of three kids, I’m sure it can handle almost any task it’s given.