Winbot W1 Pro is a great cleaning bot, but it’s not for everyone
Who would have thought that at a time when society seems to have embraced robotic vacuums and mops, we would also see robot window cleaners coming out with them? Winbot W1 Pro is one such bot, and it fits a certain niche well.
Build it
At its core, the Winbot W1 Pro is a cleaning robot that cuts through windows instead of carpet or hard flooring.
Using a 2,800Pa suction created by a small powerful fan, the Winbot W1 Pro is able to step on glass windows, cleaning them in the same way that a robot vacuum can do its rounds on the floor. Two sequential tires sit on each side, using grippy tracks to slide around.
Instead of a mopping pad, the bottom of the W1 Pro is equipped with a cleaning cloth, which comes out easily. To work well, that fabric needs to be wet. This is where two spray nozzles come into play on the front of the W1 Pro supplied by a 60ml reservoir. During the cleaning route, the W1 Pro will spray the glass as it traverses the vertical surface.
The W1 Pro could have looked more utilitarian, and the concept is as cool as it is. Of course, the Ecovacs has an attractive design with a white casing and a leather strap for easy portability and storage. Even though the W1 Pro looks out of place attached to a window and moving around, it looks good to do.
Actually, the W1 Pro works well. Once it’s connected to your home network and ready to go, it needs to be plugged in and turned off like a modem. The bot itself has a battery, but it’s more insurance than anything else. When the W1 Pro loses power completely, it crashes into the wall and falls to the ground. With a spare battery, the only way it works is if the power goes out and he sits in the window screaming for help for a very long time – 30 minutes, to be exact. A power cord and a wired modem are security measures, which are very acceptable.
Working
The neatest feature, in my opinion, is the first mode of the Winbot W1 Pro. Without using the app, you can start a quick cleaning by pressing the bot on the wall. Once it senses that you have done so, the suction fan starts and begins the cleaning process. It’s easy.
Of course, Ecovacs has loaded the app with tons of features and options if you want to get a tech job. There are three cleaning methods: quick cleaning, deep cleaning, and spot cleaning. The former two use a U-shaped pattern while the spot cleaning mode makes a regular back and forth motion.
Like a regular robot vacuum, the W1 Pro makes its rounds effectively and will clean every window you hit with ease. With just water, the microfiber cloth maintains a strong window print with less effort than sticking to a 90-degree angle.
My one complaint is the volume at which the W1 Pro operates. It’s louder than Ecovac’s Deebot X1 Omni or T20 Omni, which aren’t as quiet. Of course, and it only runs for a few minutes, max.
Another missing feature is Google Home integration. It would be nice to see pause/resume commands available through the Google Assistant after placing it in a window, but that functionality isn’t there. Otherwise, the Ecovacs app has the same user-friendly information available once the W1 Pro is turned on and placed on the wall. You can even use the remote control function to manually call the bot and spray specific areas.
Who is the W1 Pro for?
The W1 Pro solves a problem that a certain niche of people have, with windows that are so big that cleaning them is a pain. For those with windows no taller than one floor, the W1 Pro will probably not be needed. Of course, if you have larger windows that don’t really care about you due to limited comfort, the W1 Pro might be your best friend.
To test its limitations compared to larger windows, I tested the W1 Pro on standard three-meter-wide panels. At that size, the W1 Pro does a good job, but the process of loading the bot, watching it find boundaries, and doing its rounds is more effort than simply spraying a cloth and wiping it.
In fact, the W1 Pro is designed with large windows that allow enough access to place the W1 Pro and let it do its thing. If that fits your situation, I think the W1 Pro is a great product that shines in all the right places. It cleans well and looks great – but it’s also scary – to do.
Buy Winbot W1 Pro
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