This time in my hands was a robot vacuum cleaner iLife V8 Plus with wet cleaning function. What this baby is capable of – we will find out in today’s review.
Specifications
- Cleaning type: dry and wet.
- Waste container: 750 ml.
- Water container: 300 ml.
- Power: 22 W.
- Suction power: up to 1000 Pa.
- Continuous cleaning time: up to 120 minutes.
- Battery: 2600 mAh.
- Dimensions: 330 × 320 × 80 mm.
- Weight: 2.7 kg.
- Features: virtual barrier included.
Delivery set
ILife robot vacuum cleaners are equipped with a full range of not only necessary, but also spare parts. The box contains: a charging dock, a power supply, a virtual wall, a control panel, a set of spare brushes, a spare cloth for wet cleaning, containers for dry and wet cleaning, a spare HEPA filter and a brush for vacuum cleaning.
Design work
Our hero is made in an established format and is compact in size. The diameter is only 320 mm and the height does not exceed 80 mm. The body is entirely made of white glossy plastic. The color has an unobvious advantage: dust is invisible on it, which somehow settles on all surfaces in the apartment. There is practically no easily soiled black plastic on the case. From these features, an unambiguous conclusion can be drawn: iLife V8 Plus will retain its neat appearance throughout its entire service life.
For orientation in space, iLife V8 Plus uses sensors divided into 4 functional groups. First of all, I will note the gyroscope. On the front side there are IR sensors that early detect obstacles along the way. If the obstacle is too small for them, a soft collision will occur and a mechanical sensor in the bumper with a rubber pad will be triggered.
Additional infrared sensors on the bottom monitor the presence of a surface under the robot to prevent falls from a height.
Our hero supports two types of cleaning. During the dry time, dust and small debris are simply sucked into the dust collector. Wet cleaning wipes the floor with a damp cloth and is relevant for parquet, laminate, linoleum or tile. Water is supplied to the rag by drip through the valve. The type of cleaning depends on the selected dust container.
Experience of use and care
The novelty does not have its own smartphone app. It sounds out of date, today even small household appliances have companions. But in practice, I like this approach more. All control is tied to the familiar IR remote control with a clear set of keys. All household members have access to management.
Also, do not forget about the buttons and display on the body of the vacuum cleaner itself, they almost completely duplicate the control panel.
There are four cleaning modes in total. Automatic is activated by the “Play” key and is aimed at a complete cleaning. The robot moves chaotically enough to cover the entire room, and when it encounters obstacles, it seeks to collect garbage around their perimeter. Cleaning accuracy and orientation accuracy are really good. There is a lot of furniture in my room, including tables with legs and chairs, they were not a problem for the V8 Plus. If the vacuum cleaner does allow a collision, it is soft and does not scratch. The second mode, according to its tasks, repeats the automatic one, but the movement is a little more meaningful – zigzags from obstacle to obstacle. The third cleaning mode puts even more emphasis on collecting dust along walls and furniture.
The last mode is in my special account, as it is intended for local cleaning. Personally, I regularly drop or spill something on the floor on my way from the kitchen to my work table. I don’t want to take a scoop with a broom or a rag, it is much easier to fit the robot to the place of embarrassment and turn on the local cleaning mode. Manual control is performed by arrows on the remote control. The automatic cleaning time can be programmed by a timer. The suction power and the water flow rate are adjustable.
The lack of an application on a smartphone makes it impossible to mark restricted areas in which cleaning is not required. A virtual infrared (IR) wall copes with this task. It runs on batteries and does not require undue attention to itself, but has a controversial glossy look with a noticeable light sticker. One obstacle is included, additional ones are sold separately from 1500 rubles at the time of writing the review.
The design of the cleaning system is common for models without a central rotating roller. A pair of brushes sweep debris towards the center where the suction port is. The decoration of all surfaces is aimed at practicality: matte black plastic does not scratch from contact with the surface to be cleaned. The peculiarity lies in the location of the motor directly in the removable dust container, and not in the body of the vacuum cleaner. The solution shortens the path length and provides more suction power for the same engine power.
The absence of a central roller greatly simplifies maintenance. In the case of dry cleaning, it is necessary to empty the dust container from time to time. For my room, 20 square meters of an impressive volume of 750 ml was enough for 4 days. The second point is related to the maintenance of the three-stage filtration system. The large debris mesh and foam pad are reusable, the HEPA fine filter requires regular replacement. Consumable kits are on sale.
Before wet cleaning, it is necessary to fill the tank with water, and then rinse the rag. Side brushes effectively brush off wool and hair without getting dirty. It is impossible to miss the moment of maintenance, the robot is able to notify about the jam and the filling of the dust collector.
Charging and battery life
The lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 2600 mAh with a voltage of 14.4 V is enough for 120 minutes of operation. This is equivalent to cleaning 150 m² in minimum power mode. Important details are the hardware power switch and its own power supply socket on the body of the vacuum cleaner.
In everyday life, a docking station is used for charging. It is a small area with IR sensors for mutual detection.
Recall after two weeks of use
Do you need a wet-cleaning robot vacuum cleaner: functional and reliable, but without unnecessary bells and whistles? For my taste, the iLife V8 Plus fully meets these criteria. I especially liked the absence of the need to pair the vacuum cleaner with a smartphone, the control of the remote control and buttons seems much more rational. The new product copes with its main task, it is a good tool for maintaining cleanliness in the house between serious cleanings. And the pleasure not to go for a broom, but to fit the robot to the place of pollution can hardly be described in words. Perhaps such helpers should be in every home!
Pros:
- practical white gloss without soiled inserts;
- relative compactness;
- wet cleaning function;
- capacious garbage container;
- consumables included;
- easy control of the remote control;
- three-stage filtration;
- battery life is enough for 150 m².
Minuses:
- dust is not absorbed during wet cleaning.
May not like:
- no rotating roller;
- controversial virtual wall design.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
