Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum: two-minute review
The Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum is ridiculously affordable for what it offers. This robot vacuum sits on the cusp between budget and mid-range price brackets, but has features and specs in line with what you’d normally find on premium models. That includes a does-it-all dock that takes care of not only emptying the onboard bin, but refilling the water tanks and washing and drying the mop pads.
On test, I found it did a good job of vacuuming. Although it comes with a little less suction than some of the very best robot vacuums out there, it’ll be plenty powerful enough for most people’s needs, and more than capable of staying on top of light cleaning. Where it really shines, though, is with its mopping. The spinning circular mop pads proved great at cleaning my hard floors, and the fact they’ll automatically retract when the bot senses its on carpet is useful. While I’ll go over all of this in more depth later, just know that you probably won’t be disappointed in the performance department here.
There are a few issues that could be related to that cheaper price tag. For instance, though its object avoidance is very good, when I threw a rug in front of it (with a setting selected to vacuum the rug), it still avoided it. And it also lacks the extra features you’ll find on genuinely premium models, such as the ability to use it as a security camera. These features will be superfluous for most people, though, and what this bot does offer is still impressive for how much it costs.
Maybe we’ll see the price drop across the board for these kinds of do-it-all models, but currently, it’s outstanding value for money, and the perhaps the best cheap robot vacuum I’ve tested. Read on for my full Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum review.
Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum review: price & availability
- List price: £399.99 (about $510 / AU$780)
- Launched: September 2024
- Available: UK
The X20 Pro was announced in September 2024. It’s available to buy direct from Xiaomi, in the UK and several European countries.
This robot vacuum’s best feature might be its price tag. It has the look and most of the performance and features of flagship robot vacuums from other companies but comes in at a much more affordable £399.99 (about $510 / AU$780) price point. That’s just at the top of TechRadar’s budget price bracket for robot vacuums.
You’re getting very decent performance and specs for that price: the 7,000Pa of suction is right up there with premium models, and the multi-functional base station is similarly more in line with what I’d expect from a far more expensive robovac. There are some compromises – the features aren’t quite in line with flagship models like the Narwal Freo X Ultra. However, for most day-to-day cleaning and for most people, the difference is not a dealbreaker. Overall, the Xiaomi X20 Pro offers outstanding value for money.
- Value for money score: 4.5 out of 5
Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum specs
| Max suction: | 7,000 Pa |
| Robot diameter: | 13.8″ / 35cm |
| Robot height: | 3.8″ / 9.7cm |
| Dock dimensions (W x D x H): | 13.39 x 16.54 x 22.17″ / 34 x 42 x 56.3 cm |
| Dust bin volume (onboard): | 0.32L |
| Dust bin volume (base): | 2.5L |
| Water tank volume: | Onboard not stated; 4L in dock |
| Base type: | Charge, empty dust, refill water, clean and dry mop pads |
| Max noise level: | 64dB |
Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum review: design
- Combination robot vacuum and mop
- Comprehensive dock with water tanks and mop cleaning
- Specs in line with much pricier models
When it comes to the design of the Xiaomi X20 Pro, there’s nothing all that unexpected. It comes in the same plastic white that most of the high-end robot vacuums from Chinese companies come in (Ecovacs, Yeedi, and so on). The robot vacuum itself is round with a raised center that looks like a control center for ants.
And if you flip it over, you’ll find one side brush, a center brushroll made to avoid tangling (and it does a good job at that), and two circular mop pads that spin and apply pressure to the floor when in use. They can also be raised 10mm when going over carpeting or rugs.
In terms of cleaning features, it’s fairly comprehensive. There are four modes to choose from: vacuum only, mop only, vacuum and mop, and vacuum before mopping. There’s smart carpet detection, so the mop pads will automatically rise to avoid damp carpets.
The base station is impressively fully-featured. There are two large water reservoirs accessible at the top, both with a capacity of 4 liters, as well as a dust bag for automatic self-emptying that only needs to be replaced every 75 days (according Xiaomi and depending on how much debris it’s picking up). Like other premium-leaning robot vacuums with mopping ability, the base station also comes with mop pad washing and hot air drying to avoid bacterial buildup in the mop pads. The mop pads can, of course, be easily removed from the vacuum for manual cleaning as well if need be.
The tray on which the mop pads rest and get washed is removable, which is helpful as it tends to get dirty after just a few weeks of use.
Range and alternatives
Figuring out the Xiaomi range can be confusing, and one particular point worth clarifying is how the X20 Pro relates to the Xiaomi X20+. Despite the very similar names, these are two different models.
The Pro has higher suction (7,000 Pa compared to 6,000 Pa on the Plus model) and a bigger battery. Other features included with the Pro but not the Plus include the ability to detect carpet and automatically lifts mop pads in response, and mop pad drying in the base station. As you’d expect, the Pro is a little pricier than the Plus, although both are impressively reasonable. Head to TechRadar’s Xiaomi X20+ review for a closer look at that model.
- Design score: 4.5 out of 5
Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum review: performance
- Decent vacuuming but great mopping
- A bit on the loud side
- Great object avoidance
The Xiaomi X20 Pro is an interesting robot vacuum to review in terms of performance. Yes, it looks like all the other premium robovacs and has a lot of the same functions and features. But, when it comes to how it vacuums and mops, it slightly underperforms and over-performs respectively.
With 7,000Pa of power, this is among the more powerful of Xiaomi’s robot vacuum models. Yet, there are models (including in the company’s own lineup) with a bit more power under the hood. This means that its suction is not going to be quite up to par with something like the Ecovacs Deebot T30S Combo (which is also a bit more expensive).
To test this robot vacuum’s performance, I ran it every day for a couple weeks, and also completed a series of standardized tests with flour, sugar, and cereal (Cheerios). With each of these tests, the Xiaomi X20 Pro needed an extra pass to pick everything up. Now, I did put a lot of flour down, so it gets a pass there, but it also dragged some of the Cheerios along for a ride instead of sucking them all up at once. Slightly disappointing.
However, in regular daily use, I found it kept the floors – and it mostly went over hardwood and marble flooring – spotless. Part of that, however, can be attributed to its mopping ability.
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The mopping on the Xiaomi X20 Pro is very good. Not only was I able to select three different levels of wetness (sometimes you only get two), but the X20 Pro left an even layer of water across all flooring that dried relatively quickly. As a specific test, I poured some milk on the floor and it mopped it up fairly quickly. My only minor complaint is the fact that it mopped up part of it, didn’t recognize that there was more, went on its regular circuit of cleaning, only to come back much later to mop up the rest of it, all while I was trying hold back a French Bulldog from licking it up.
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While running, the Xiaomi X20 Pro is a bit louder than a lot of robot vacuums I’ve used, reaching up to 64 dB when on its highest settings. Though no robot vacuum is all that quiet, that’s still a bit louder than some other models I’ve tested.
The object detection is very good here. When encountering the legs of a chair or even frisbees, it gets close enough without trying to push it and then goes around it. I really have no complaints, even though it did manage to somehow not detect a wheelchair and knock it down a step. And, of course, cords and cables remain every robot vacuum’s enemy, the X20 Pro included.
Battery life
Battery life is a hard thing to write about on robot vacuums like the Xiaomi X20 Pro simply because it never really gets a chance to be fully pushed. This is because, like most robot vacuums with mop pad washing, the X20 Pro will continually return to its base station to wash the mop pads. While doing so, it will charge up a bit.
Still, it offers up to 160 minutes of battery life, which is more than enough to take care of four rooms without significant charging downtime. There are other models with up to over 200 minutes of battery life if you’re particularly concerned and have a very large space to clean.
- Performance score: 4 out of 5
Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum review: app
- Easy to use and navigate
- Lighter on features than some of the competition
- Good ability to edit mapping
Using the Mi Home app is about as easy as any other robot vacuum-related one. It’s not necessarily the most attractive, but it’s fine and does most of what you might need it to. The various settings for vacuum and mop strength and modes are easy to get to and adjust, and setting a schedule is straightforward too. And there’s not a deep learning curve to diving further into various settings.
Part of that, however, is because the X20 Pro eschews some of the features you might find on other premium models. You can’t use it as your own little video drone, for instance. And despite being advertised as working with Alexa and Google Assistant, there’s nothing in the app itself to help you figure that out. Plus, it doesn’t have its own voice assistant like some (admittedly premium) models do.
On the mapping front, it did allow me to subdivide the semi-open floor plan into individual rooms – something that I found works 50 per cent of the time with the robot vacuums I test. Plus, you’re able to save multiple maps.
Should you buy the Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum?
| Attribute | Notes | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Value | Sits on the cusp between budget and mid-range brackets, with features and specs in line with premium models. | 4.5/5 |
| Design | Combo model with spinning mop pads, and a comprehensive base station that takes care of most maintenance. | 4.5/5 |
| Performance | Vacuuming is decent while mopping is very good. It is a bit on the louder side. | 4/5 |
| App | App and its mapping is easy to use, though a little light on features. | 4/5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Xiaomi X20 Pro review: alternatives to consider
How I tested the Xiaomi X20 Pro robot vacuum
To test the Xiaomi X20 Pro, I used it for a couple weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors and carpeting in my house. I tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to scheduling. I took note of how well the vacuum performed with both vacuuming and mopping as well as how it handled obstacles.
Read more about how we test robot vacuum cleaners
- First reviewed November 2024
Read the full article here
