Don’t like or can’t clean your window panes? Entrust this thankless task to a cleaning robot, such as the Winbot W2 Omni from Ecovacs, a specialized model, unfortunately quite expensive for individuals.
Summer is finally here. And with it, the sun that hits the windows… and reminds you that you probably haven’t washed them in a while. A thankless task that requires not only time but also a bit of technique to avoid the result being worse than before you started. But just as there are robots to vacuum, mop or mow the lawn, there are also ones that can clean windows.
This is the case of this W2 Omni model from Ecovacs. This is not Ecovacs’ first attempt. A few years ago, the Chinese brand already offered a model that we were able to see in action… without being really convinced. The W1 Omni needed to be connected to an electrical outlet and did not provide a convincing result. The firm therefore persevered and finally came up with the W2 Omni. A completely autonomous device since it is now connected to a docking station that provides it with all the energy necessary to accomplish its task.
The operation of a window cleaning robot is quite complex. It must be able to adhere to a completely smooth surface, move vertically and horizontally while cleaning as it passes. To do this, it has a powerful suction motor that allows it to remain pressed against the window. The W2 Omni develops a suction power of 5500 Pa for a weight of 1.6 kg. In fact, it is not suitable for windows less than 4 mm thick. Equipped with a removable and washable mop, small nozzles to spray the surface to be washed with cleaning liquid and tracks to move around, it can thus take care of washing bay windows or large windows.
Is a window cleaning robot really useful? Not necessarily for everyone, especially at a price of 600 euros. However, it can be profitable in certain conditions. We were able to test the Ecovacs W2 Omni for several weeks. Here is our verdict.
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Ecovacs W2 Omni: a rather imposing device
The Ecovacs robot mop consists of two parts. The first is its case / docking station which in reality looks more like a cooler that you take to the beach. Quite imposing with its dimensions of 31.2 x 21.5 x 32.7 cm, it also weighs 5.2 kg. Normal since it contains the battery necessary to power the robot it carries. It is also equipped with a suction system to keep it on the ground and prevent the robot from falling if you live upstairs.
At the back of this case, a hatch conceals several compartments where we find two mops, a safety cable equipped with a carabiner (to possibly secure the case) and a power cord to recharge the battery.
A second hatch opens from above. It provides access to the robot, the second part of this set. It is stored vertically and held firmly in its housing by two hooks. It is connected to the case by a 5.5 m long cable that provides it with the power it needs to operate and ensures its safety. This cable unwinds by itself and also rewinds automatically thanks to a small motor. Its length allows it to reach fairly high windows and even inaccessible without a ladder.
The robot itself is also quite large. Square in shape, it measures 27.1 cm on each side, is 7.7 cm thick and weighs 1.6 kg. The putty or joints on your windows need to be solid. Its size also prevents it from tackling tiles smaller than 30 x 40 cm since it has to rotate to move.
The top of the robot includes a handle, a start button and a small opening giving access to a tank. This is where the cleaning liquid supplied is stored. On two of the four edges there are three nozzles that allow the liquid to be sprayed onto the windows.
Under the robot, we find the removable mop as well as the suction system (in the center) and two tracks that allow it to move. At the four corners, rotating bumpers inform the device that it is arriving at the edges of the window.
We appreciate the all-in-one and autonomous side of the device which avoids having to be near an electrical outlet to operate. Although quite heavy (almost 7 kg in total), the whole thing is easily transported thanks to the handle.
Ecovacs W2 Omni: it works with or without an app
To control this robot, Ecovacs of course provides a smartphone app. However, this is not essential. The robot can work perfectly well without it. A button on the case allows you to vary the cleaning modes. Intensive for fairly dirty windows, Deep for the exterior face of the windows in addition to special care for the edges, Fastfor regular maintenance and Edge cleaning which, as its name suggests, asks the robot to focus on the other edges of the window. The app allows you to control the robot via Bluetooth. It becomes possible to orient the robot manually or to spray the window with detergent on demand.
What we like is that it is possible in this way to lend the robot to your neighbors or relatives without them having to install an app on their mobile to use it. The manipulations remain very simple and within everyone’s reach.
Ecovacs W2 Omni: efficiency could be improved
The implementation of the W2 Omni is quite simple. First, you need to moisten the mop before attaching it under the robot and fill the detergent tank. All that remains is to turn on the case, place the robot on the window to be cleaned and press the button near the handle of the device.
The suction system immediately starts up. The robot adheres to the window and begins its cleaning cycle. The device then moves alone on the surface, identifies the edges thanks to the bumpers placed on its corners and then navigates in a zig-zag pattern while spraying the window with cleaning liquid.
When it has finished its cycle, it theoretically returns to its starting point. In theory only because we have seen it stop at the exact opposite point several times. The result? Quite impressive, we must admit. Even if two sessions are sometimes necessary to get the windows clean again, especially the dirty exterior surfaces. The edges could also do with a little more care. The finishes are not perfect and require, when possible, an extra wipe. Furthermore, if the window seals are also a little dirty, it is not uncommon for the robot to take the dirt with it and spread it over the entire window. A second or even third pass is then necessary.
Navigation remains quite effective overall. The robot correctly avoids obstacles that may appear in its path, such as a handle or a roller shutter. However, it is not equipped with LiDAR or a camera like some robot vacuum cleaners. It cannot therefore anticipate obstacles. It only detects their presence by hitting them. Fortunately, its powerful suction system prevents it from tipping over into the void. As for the noise, we measured it at 75 dB. That’s pretty loud.
On the other hand, a defect systematically persists. When the robot has finished its work, it remains “attached” to the window while waiting for someone to come and detach it. An operation that systematically results in clearly visible traces. The trick is therefore to ask the robot to come and position itself in the most accessible place at the end of the cycle to be able to remove these traces easily. Unfortunately, this is not always possible.
Ecovacs W2 Omni: a truly useful robot?
The W2 Omni may seem like a bit of a gimmick. It is, without a doubt, if you have very few windows to maintain and you only worry about cleaning them occasionally. However, it is very useful for upper-floor homes with sliding windows that overlap, for example. At least one of the two exterior parts always remains inaccessible unless you engage in dangerous acrobatics. With the robot, the operation is carried out correctly. Similarly, it is effective with high, unreachable windows. But for windows within arm’s reach or where external access is not difficult, the W2 Omni is of no interest (unless you really hate cleaning windows).
Above all, its price is quite dissuasive. At 600 euros, it is a very heavy investment for too occasional use. The best way to make it profitable is to buy it with several people and share its use, between neighbors for example. For tighter budgets, Ecovacs offers a version without a case with which the robot plugs directly into an electrical outlet. It is billed 100 euros less.