Robot Vacuum Cleaner Viomi SE 2022: a detailed review with tests + Video review
Viomi (Xiaomi) SEis the new robot vacuum cleaner in the line. The improved model is a continuation of the V2 and V2 Pro versions, which have established themselves in the US/EU market, having received many positive feedback from users.
Buy VIOMI V3 Robot Vacuum Cleaner 2022 2600Pa Suction LDS Laser Navigation Home Cleaning Mopping Wet and Dry for Pet Hair Auto Recharge
VIOMI SE on Aliexpress with discount
The SE is capable of performing dry and wet cleaning either separately or simultaneously. For each type of cleaning, there is a tank, there are three of them. They are supplied with the robot. This is one of the main features of the company’s models. The robot is equipped with a lidar for navigation. For high-quality and long-term cleaning, it is equipped with a powerful motor, a capacious lithium-ion battery and a turbo brush. The device is controlled by remote control via the mihome application via a wi-fi network. The functionality of the application has been improved — you can set virtual boundaries, send the robot to a certain area and save up to 5 different room maps.
The average cost of a robot vacuum cleaner at the beginning of autumn 2022 is 600$.
I’ll start by unpacking and reviewing the package contents
The kit includes:
- Instruction (in several languages, including English).
- Robot vacuum cleaner.
- Module for wet cleaning with a fixed napkin.
- Spare microfiber cloth and 2 disposable cloths.
- Additional hepa filter.
- Power adapter.
- Dock station.
- Three containers (a dust collector that is installed in the robot, plus a water tank and a 2-in-1 tank).
In my opinion, the equipment is good, the manufacturer took care of the consumer, putting in all the necessary accessories.
A little about the appearance of the robot
The design is made in a simple minimalistic style. The round body is made of glossy black plastic that collects fingerprints. Case dimensions: diameter 350 mm and height 94.5 mm.
On the front panel there is one control button that performs two functions: play (start / pause), home (return to the docking station). Closer to the back is a laser rangefinder with a V-shaped logo. There is no mechanical button on the lidar. As in the new robots of the Roborok line. The button protects against getting stuck under low furniture.
A dust collector and a brush for cleaning the device are located under the cover.
The volume of the waste container is 550 ml, it is enough for 2–3 cleanings (of course, it all depends on how dirty the apartment is). There are special holes for the fingers to remove, by pressing the button, it is easy to get out.
The container is equipped with a lid for easy garbage removal, which I was missing in the Roborock E4. It has a hepa filter and a coarse strainer. The manufacturer does not indicate that hepa can be washed.
Depending on the type of cleaning, the tanks can be changed:
- To the 550 ml water tank — if we just want to clean the floors. Water is poured into the tank from above and closed tightly with a valve. The pump inside draws fluid through the outlets at the bottom.
Or
- For a 2-in-1 combination tank designed for both wet and dry cleaning. Its design provides separate compartments for water and debris, and also has a hepa filter.
A mechanical bumper is installed in the front for protection and shock absorption in a collision. In the center of the bumper there is a small window behind tinted glass, which hides the base search sensor.
At the back are perforated holes for air flow, speakers and contacts for charging from the base.
We turn the robot vacuum cleaner over to see what is located below:
- 3-beam side brush with bristles;
- 4 height difference sensors;
- two drive wheels with independent suspension and a ground clearance of 2 cm;
- swivel roller;
- contacts for charging;
- bristly-petal turbo brush. It cannot be disassembled, but it is equipped with a protection against hair wrap. The brush is covered with a bounding frame, which can be easily removed if necessary.
And also at the bottom there are outlets through which water flows. First, you need to install the module with a fixed microfiber cloth. And one of the tanks for liquid, depending on the type of cleaning, only for wet or combined cleaning.
Let’s move on to the technical specifications. I have highlighted the main ones to study, pause.
Function name — Viomi V3
Battery capacity — 4900 (mAh)
Working hours — 150 (min)
Charging time — 300 (min)
Rated power — 40 (W)
Suction power — 2600 (Pa)
Cleaning area — 250 (sq. M)
Noise level — 72 (dB)
Trash can volume — 550 (ml)
Water tank capacity — 550 (ml)
Overcomes thresholds high — 20 (mm)
Recharge and resume cleaning — there is
Auto return to dock for charging — there is
Voice prompts — there is
Dimensions — 350x350x94.5 (mm)
The weight — 3.6 (kg).
We install the docking station to the wall, put the robot on charge and connect it to the network.
We first download the Mi Home app from the App Store or Google Play. I will not give detailed instructions on how to connect, as I told it in the previous video, if you are interested, see the Roborock E4 review, it tells you step by step how to add a robot to the application. The principle is the same, everyone can handle anything difficult.
Mi home app
Opening the application on a smartphone, at the top of the display is displayed: the cleaning area, battery charge and the time spent on cleaning.
The application duplicates buttons on the control panel and provides access to additional functions:
- Forcing the robot to the charging base.
- Start cleaning in automatic mode.
- Interaction with the map.
- There are 3 types of cleaning to choose from, depending on the installed container: dry, combined and wet.
- In the dry cleaning mode, it is available — Adjustment of the suction power (4 levels — quiet, standard, medium and maximum).
- In wet cleaning mode, 3 levels of water adjustment are available.
Moving on to the map functions:
- Editing the built map — here you can merge, rename and divide rooms.
- Install virtual walls and restricted areas.
- Send to clean at a certain point.
- Send to clean a specific area.
In the Additional settings you can set:
- Cleaning along the edge.
- Repeated cleaning (the robot will clean the entire area twice).
- Movement mode while cleaning the floor (S-shaped or Y-shaped).
- Cleaning history.
- Set the Timer (choice of time, day of the week, a certain type of cleaning, suitable suction power and level of wetting, as well as the rooms in which cleaning will be performed).
- In the “Do not disturb” mode, voice notifications will not pass, and the cleaning program will also start.
- List of cards — at this point you can choose a suitable card for a specific apartment or floor, if a multi-storey building is kept in memory in total 5 different cards. You can delete them and create new ones.
- If desired, you can turn off voice notifications, adjust the volume, view the status of consumables, find the device by sound in case of stuck, control the assistant with buttons.
- In addition to all of the above, the user can calibrate the sensors, share control with other users, update the firmware and set a password.
We turn to the first test of cleaning a room with a total area of 19 sq. m with hard surface (laminate)
Before starting, I scattered sand, rice, buckwheat and oatmeal. It took the V3 a little over 15 minutes to clean the entire area of the room, for example the Roborock E4 took a little longer to clean. This suggests that robots with lidar clean up faster, as they understand where they are, where they have already cleaned up, and of course, where there is still left to clean.
Driving away from the station, the robot turns 360 degrees to scan the room and starts work — going around the perimeter, and then goes through the entire area in a snake.
Everything found on the floor flies into the container thanks to a powerful motor. And the hepa filter is practically not clogged. The mesh filter helps trap debris, so the hepa does not need to be cleaned all the time.
Second wet cleaning test in the same room
This time, I installed a tank with a microfiber cloth, filled up 550 ml of water and started the assistant. In this model, it is not necessary to wet the cloth before starting, as I advised in the Roborock E4, due to the electric pump inside the tank and 4 nozzles, the water quickly wets the cloth.
In terms of the quality of washing, this is the best robot that I have come across. The herringbone passes help the device to scrub away dried stains. Of course, if you compare this process with manual cleaning of a person, then the V3 will lose, but only over a short distance. You cannot ignore the fact that people do not wash floors every day, and the robot can do this indefinitely or as long as the battery runs out. Keeping the house clean on a daily basis.
Third test Obstacle cleaning
I put toys, curling irons and shoes around the room. Viomi V3 has lidar-based navigation, but it, like the e4 robot, moves small objects. He defines larger toys as obstacles and tries to go around, but he does not always successfully determine the boundaries of the object, therefore he touches and moves. But heavier objects, such as a flower and a bottle, the robot goes around.
To back up my words, I made a video review of all the tests, which you can also watch.
Concluding the review , I want to highlight several advantages and disadvantages.
I attributed to the advantages:
- Good quality wet and dry cleaning.
- Advanced navigation with building a room map and saving up to 5 different maps.
- Able to deep clean low to medium pile carpets.
- High suction power 2600 Pa.
- A rich set with three containers for each type of cleaning, the volume of each is 550 ml.
- Electronic regulation of power and water supply to the napkin.
- Capacious 4900 mAh Li-Ion battery.
- Remote control from the phone.
- Application functionality with setting virtual boundaries and zones, editing maps, zoning into rooms and sending to a specific zone or room for cleaning.
I attributed to the disadvantages:
- No power increase option on carpets.
- The turbo brush cannot be disassembled.
Summarize
Viomi V3 (analogue SE) worth 600$ showed excellent cleaning results both in a one-room and in a three-room apartment. I am satisfied with this model and can safely recommend it for purchase. It is also the best robot vacuum cleaner for cleaning the floor with excellent navigation.
The V3 (analogue SE) model is perfect for medium and large apartments, and is also suitable for multi-storey buildings, since there is a function for storing up to 5 cards.
And for those users who do not need wet cleaning, since there are a lot of carpets or carpets in the apartment, then one cannot do without the function of determining and increasing the power on the carpets. In this case, take a look at the Roborock S6 Pure. “Puree”, although less in terms of suction power, but with daily cleaning, you will not notice a big difference. The updated silicone side brush and turbo brush with removable tips clean surfaces efficiently and are easy to maintain. The model will be a good alternative to the V3.
Video review + tests:
That’s all for me. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments below the article. Happy shopping everyone!
