Robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Dreame F9: review, specifications, pros/cons, reviews

Robot vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Dreame F9 belongs to the medium price category. In some countries - the best-selling model from Xiaomi. The key differences from other robotic vacuum cleaners of this brand: an increased battery, advanced wet cleaning mode, as well as support for intelligent cleaning of carpets.

What else is remarkable about Xiaomi Dreame F9 that competitors offer for a similar price? How to properly service this robot vacuum cleaner and whether there are no difficulties with the purchase of consumables for it?

General information and robot vacuum cleaner design

Externally the same as the Mija 1C. The color is only white, with a clearly distinguished control panel (where the main buttons for manual control of the technique are located). The bumper is separated by tinted glass, with an observation camera on top (used to build an interactive map of the room).

Specifications

The dimensions of the device:

• diameter - 35 centimeters;
• Height - 8 centimeters;
• Weight - 3.7 kg (without container filling, with filters and bumper installed)

Just above the control buttons is a hinged lid (opens "backwards"). Under it there is a dust canister for up to 600 milliliters. The side bumper is spring loaded which additionally protects the housing from mechanical damage. Behind the tinted glass there is a set of sensors (they are only visible when the vacuum cleaner is exposed to the sunlight). In the back is the louvered part behind which the filter is hidden and from which the air is blown out.

In the lower part there is a bevel to the front. No, this is not a manufacturing defect, but a special solution to increase the walkability of the robot. It really copes with usual thresholds without any problems at all due to this. In the central part there is a "floating" frame (used for wet cleaning), as well as a turbo brush. There are also 2 wheels with independent suspension (clearance - 20 mm).

Included with the robot vacuum cleaner are:

• power adapter;
• charging base;
• removable module for wet cleaning the room;
• Instruction (multilingual, including Russian).

Overview of Xiaomi Dreame F9 functionality

Xiaomi Dreame F9 is designed to clean small and medium-sized rooms with few obstacles. The manufacturer provides 4 working modes of the robot vacuum cleaner:

1. Cleaning hard-to-reach places. Performed by the end brush, slightly protruding beyond the body.
2. Cleaning of carpets. At the expense of the built-in turbo brush.
3. Vacuuming your cleaning surface. Claimed suction power up to 2500 Pa.
4. Wet cleaning with optional microfiber nozzle. Water is supplied through a nozzle, the tank capacity is only 200 milliliters, which is enough for about one complete cleaning cycle of the room, an area up to 120 m².

Control - through the buttons on the body, as well as remotely (using the proprietary application for smartphones Android and iOS).

According to the manufacturer's recommendations, the robot-vacuum cleaner Dreame F9 is suitable for cleaning:

• carpets with high pile;
• carpeting;
• laminate;
• parquet;
• linoleum;
• tile.

Additional functions include:

• automatic return to the charging station (regardless of which room the robot vacuum cleaner is currently in);
• protection against falling down the stairs (the sensors located in the lower part of the body are responsible for this);
• automatic carpet skipping when performing wet mopping in the room;
• increased suction power when cleaning carpets;
• voice reports (configurable through the app, can be completely disabled or use your own "voice");
• a system that prevents entanglement in wires (when the robot detects a hit-and-run, it changes its trajectory, but does not make skipping areas);
• the function of automatic continuation of cleaning after recharging.

Advantages and disadvantages of Xiaomi Dreame F9

According to the results of surveys, as well as testing, the following advantages of the robotic vacuum cleaner Xiaomi Dreame F9 can be identified:

1. This vacuum cleaner has an official warranty of 2 years. Applies only to those versions that are officially imported into the country (for the rest - the standard "international" warranty of 12 months).
2. A long battery life. The manufacturer stated - 3 hours, in fact - almost 4 hours without wet cleaning.
3. It supports simultaneous dry and wet cleaning of the room with the skipping of carpets. Through the settings of the application you can set a complex mode of operation. That is, only dry cleaning in the beginning, and wet cleaning right after it.
4. Full integration into the system "Smart home" from Xiaomi. That is, you can also connect through the Xiaomi base.
5. Power suction. An order of magnitude higher than that of the budget models of this manufacturer.
6. Relatively low cost for the stated functionality.

But there are disadvantages, too. The most frequently mentioned ones are:

• Only one star brush, so it takes a long time to clean corners and hard-to-reach places;
• a small water tank, so wet cleaning of large rooms has to be done with refills;
• the basic package does not provide spare filters or brushes, you have to buy all the consumables separately.

Preparation and first launch of Xiaomi Dreame F9

The first thing to do is to charge the robot vacuum cleaner for the first use. To do this, you need to place and connect the charging station. Place it in such a way as to provide free access for the robot at a distance:

• 0.5 meters - on the sides;
• 1.5 meters - in front of the charging station.

If you ignore these recommendations, the robot vacuum cleaner simply will not be able to automatically recharge. Naturally, to connect the charging station it is necessary to use the standard complete adapter. Estimated charging time - about 16 hours (you can be guided by the light indicator on the vacuum cleaner itself, as well as through a mobile app). It should also be taken into account that it is impossible to install the module for wet cleaning before charging the robot. This is done just before switching it into working mode.

Next, the robot vacuum cleaner should be synchronized with your smartphone. The first step is to download and install the MiHome app (available on AppStore and GooglePlay). After the first launch of the program - grant all requested permissions (necessary for the application to work in the background, as well as to navigate more correctly). After that - register Xiaomi account or authorize from the existing profile.

Synchronization algorithm:

• on the main page of Mi Home to select a room (you can choose any room);
• click on the icon with an image of "+" (add a device);
• from the list select "robot vacuum cleaner" or activate the automatic device search;
• switch on the vacuum cleaner (press once on the power button);
• select the detected device;
• If necessary - update the software of the robot vacuum cleaner (it is done automatically after synchronization).

The app may also ask you to enter the code from your home WiFi network (this will be necessary to automatically synchronize the settings of MiHome and the robot vacuum cleaner).

There are only 4 modes of cleaning available in the application itself:

• Quiet (cleaning is done only with the side brush);
• normal (side brush and turbo brush);
• intensive;
• turbo mode (suitable for carpets).

If necessary - you can change them at your discretion.

To perform important cleaning you need:

• install the wet cleaning module (pre-fill the container with water according to the instructions on the stand itself);
• turn on the cleaning (in the latest version of the application you can also include a notification-alert on the connection of an additional module).

How to control the robot vacuum cleaner during cleaning

There are 2 options for controlling the robot vacuum cleaner:

1. Local. That is, without using your smartphone. By default, the "standard" mode is used. That is, cleaning is done with the side brush, the turbo brush is automatically activated when the carpet is detected. The suction power is medium. By pressing the "Home" button, cleaning stops, the robot vacuum cleaner returns to the charging station. If you press the "Home" button for 3 seconds, then the robot vacuum cleaner starts local cleaning mode. That is, the robot vacuum cleaner cleans an area of 1.5 by 1.5 meters.
2. Using a smartphone. You can build an interactive map, add virtual walls and obstacles, as well as set fine-tuning for each cleaning mode.

Cleaning the vacuum cleaner after you finish cleaning

After the container is full, to clean it, you need to:

• turn off the robot vacuum cleaner or move it to the charging station;
• Open the top lid (there is space for grabbing);
• Slide the 2 latches to the side;
• Remove the container.

After that, disconnect the HEPA filter. It is located on the side, to remove it, you just need to push the 2 latches that hold it. Then - shake out the container, washing - is not recommended (if you do, then put it back only after a complete drying).

The filter should not be washed (HEPA). It can be cleaned with a soft dry sponge or brush. Then install it and, if necessary, replace it with a new compatible one.

The fibers on the wet cleaning module are cleaned in a similar way. It can be washed under running water, the use of detergents is not recommended.

The mesh filter, located behind the container in the vacuum cleaner, can be washed. But this should not be done every time. Instead, clean it with a brush or simply shake it out.

Also after cleaning it is recommended to wipe the bumper (tinted glass, behind which a set of sensors of the vacuum cleaner is hidden), as well as the bottom sensors (responsible for protection against falling from the steps, and are also used in the construction of an interactive map of the room). Otherwise, the navigation may not work correctly.

When consumables need to be replaced

The service life of the filters with regular use of the robot vacuum cleaner is from 3 to 6 months. Brushes are replaced as needed (about once a year). Sold under part number MJSTG1.

Competitors' offers in this price category

The main competitors for F9 are robotic vacuum cleaners from Rowenta, Samsung (JetBot series), iRobot (Roomba series). The functionality in all of them is similar, but there are a few differences.

Laser navigation (LDS).

It is available in iRobot vacuum cleaners. Laser navigation works more accurately, allows you to set the exact boundaries of the surrounding objects. But along with this iRobot has problems with the software. Often there are complaints that the official application for the smartphone hangs, works incorrectly. Xiaomi such problems also occur, but much less often (and in most cases are eliminated by switching the correct region in the Mi Home settings).

Smart Navigation

Mode "smart navigation", found in Samsung vacuum cleaners, allows the robot to determine the height of furniture and, if possible, to clean under it (the clearance in this case changes automatically). Compared with Xiaomi, most robotic vacuum cleaners from the group have a lower height (e.g. JetBot VR30). But for that price, Samsung has no wet cleaning support at all, and less autonomy.

Automatic detection of dark shades of flooring

In vacuum cleaners from Rowenta in a similar price category, additional sensors are ubiquitously installed to detect the dark color of the floor covering. After that, the navigation works more accurately. In other respects, the functionality and characteristics are similar, but wet cleaning is only available in more expensive models.

All in all, Xiaomi Dreame F9 is one of the best robot vacuum cleaners by functionality in its price category. The only significant drawback is the lack of laser navigation, as well as a small water tank. Otherwise, it has a greater suction power and a lot of settings, you can even replace the voice commands to third parties.

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