A Smart Window-Cleaning Robot with a Docking Station

The Winbot W2 Omni in a nutshell

The Winbot W2 Omni from Ecovacs thoroughly cleaned our windows in this review. The docking station made it easier to operate and control the robot if you’re tired of constantly pulling out your smartphone from your pocket. Thanks to the buttons on top of the transport case, you can wind up the cable just like a corded vacuum cleaner or set the cleaning mode of the window cleaning robot according to your preference.

For all this, you’ll have to fork out €599 for the device in Europe. Those living in the USA will have to wait until it is officially released, although pricing details remain unknown, but we would not be surprised to see a $599 sticker price.

Each purchase comes with 230 ml of cleaning solution, which you have to replenish yourself in future purchases. You won’t need to replace the replenish the wet mop so quickly, as Ecovacs included two more mops in the box.

This article is part of a collaboration between nextpit and Ecovacs. This collaboration has no influence on the editorial content of nextpit.

Design and performance

The window cleaning robot can be easily transported alongside all its accessories in a stylish all-in-one case. This transportation and storage case also doubles up as the control center. Alternatively, it also works via the smartphone app, but at least you are not dependent on software support.

Pros:

• Chic design.
• Cleaning solution is included.

Cons:

The Winbot W2 Omni is the latest window-cleaning robot model from Ecovacs. The robot works in tandem with a docking station that combines all the accessories. In addition to having a slot for the robot, you will also find two mops, a 230 ml cleaning solution, and a safety cable. The all-in-one case weighs a total of 8.5 kg, including the robot. The transportation box is also stable to bring around as Ecovacs has attached suction cups to the underside for this purpose.

The 5.2 kg case is also equipped with an automatic wire coiler which eliminates the issue of tangled cables. The keyword here is cables: The power cable and the safety cable are hidden in the compartment behind. According to Ecovacs, the 2-in-1 compound cable attached to the robot has a high tensile strength of up to 100 kg.

A case would be nothing without a carrying handle. Thanks to the rubber-coated, foldable carrying handle, you can easily transport the docking station from window to window. Let’s move on to the robot itself. The Ecovacs Winbot W2 Omni measures 27.1 × 27.1 × 7.7 cm and tips the scales at 1.6 kg. On top, you will find buttons for the following functions:

• Automatic wire coiler.
• Power on/off.
• Start/Pause.
• Selection of cleaning modes.
• Returning to the starting point.
• Unlocking the suction cup.

Cleaning and navigation

The Ecovacs Winbot W2 Omni scored well in the review with its thorough cleaning and great corner detection. The Ecovacs app and obstacle detection, on the other hand, still have room for improvement. Last but not least, there is a very specific reason why the shock absorbers literally save the robot’s butt.

Pros:

• Convincing cleaning results.
• Great corner detection.
• Can be controlled without an app.

Cons:

• Charging and cleaning simultaneously is not possible.
• Obstacle detection is not error-free.

The Winbot W2 Omni is suitable for all types of flat windows that measure at least 30 × 40 cm and have a slope of 30 degrees. You need to allow approximately three hours for a full charge. The window-cleaning process can be summarized this way: You place the window cleaning robot on the window, press the button for two seconds until the voice assistant confirms that the robot is stuck to the window, before you let it go. Ecovacs guarantees a running time of 110 minutes.

You don’t need to worry about the Winbot W2 Omni falling. The window cleaning robot remains stuck to your windows at 5,500 Pa suction power. You are also informed via voice control as soon as you can let go of the Winbot or need to hold on to it. The same applies after the cleaning process.

When the W2 Omni has completed its cleaning, it returns to the starting point and remains stuck on the window until you grab it and hold the button down for two seconds.

You have two options to control the robot. You can do so via the Ecovacs app or you can use the docking station as a control panel. You can find three buttons here: an on/off button, a button to wind up the cable, and finally, a button to change the cleaning mode.

The only two functions reserved for the app are control via a virtual gamepad and setting the water spray rate. The fact that Ecovacs keeps the range of functions minimal is a positive thing, but having fixed settings for the spray rate which is similar to the water flow rate when mopping with robot vacuum cleaners (Best Of list) would have been a practical inclusion for the window cleaning robot.

The Winbot W2 Omni is quite loud. We measured the sound volume at a full 66 dB in the review when the window-cleaning robot was in operation. Contrary to expectations, the mops are “only” damp and not wet after the cleaning process. Hence, you don’t have to get your hands dirty by wringing dirty and soaked mops afterward.

In the “Remote Control” window, you control the robot and are responsible for spraying the cleaning solution yourself. However, this is only possible every eight seconds. Regardless of whether you control the window-cleaning robot or have it run autonomously, your windows will be thoroughly cleaned. What’s more, the cleaning solution leaves behind a pleasant fragrance which we could still smell after about an hour.

We are ambivalent about the navigation after the review. Ecovacs installed a gravity acceleration sensor in the window-cleaning robot, which is responsible for the robot’s stability, and a so-called optocoupler sensor, which the Winbot uses to detect edges. Corner and edge detection worked excellently. However, obstacle detection was not convincing in the review. It did not recognize the doorknob of our shower door. Instead, it hit it with full force. Fortunately, Ecovacs included shock absorbers on each side of the robot to reduce such heartaches. Hence, it’s better to clear your windowsill before cleaning, at least as far as light vases and fragile items are concerned.

Final verdict