The SwitchBot S10 offers an innovative approach to how a robot vacuum cleaner works. Unlike many high-end models that come with multi-purpose docks for vacuuming and mopping, the S10 splits these functions into two separate stations. One is dedicated to charging and vacuuming, while the other is a sleek water station that connects directly to your home’s water and sewer supply, greatly reducing the need for manual intervention.
In a crowded market, the SwitchBot S10 offers a unique and innovative approach to home cleaning. Let’s see if this innovative design makes it a better robot than its competitors.
SwitchBot S10
The SwitchBot S10 is a rare robotic vacuum that does something truly unique: It’s a robotic mop that can automatically refill its water tank. The downside, of course, is that you’ll have to plug its base station into your plumbing, which will limit where you can place it and may require some DIY skills. Get past that hurdle, though, and you may never have to lift a finger again.
- Integrated sidewalks
- Innovative water station
- Self-cleaning roller brush
- Low maintenance
- Cleaning performance is not effective.
- noisy process
- Poor obstacle detection
- Incomplete app and limited features
Price, availability and specifications
The SwitchBot S10 is available at the SwitchBot online store and on Amazon for $1,200. There’s a coupon currently bringing it down to just $900, making it a better buy overall. And if you can’t or don’t want to hook it up to your plumbing, an optional kit with external water tanks will be available in the coming weeks for $80.
What’s good about SwitchBot S10?
He cleans himself with a mop.
The SwitchBot S10 features two distinct bases: a self-emptying base that also serves as a charging station and a water station. The latter takes up minimal space and is intended exclusively for refilling and draining water. It’s designed to fit under furniture or even kitchen baseboards and doesn’t require a power outlet, as it uses an internal battery. Once connected directly to your water pipes, the robot can drain and refill water tanks without your help.
SwitchBot ships the S10 with various connectors and seals, ensuring it’s compatible with any home water source and drain pipe. And to be sure, you can also purchase external water tanks that plug into your water station if you don’t want to connect them to your pipes.
What’s more, the S10’s brush roll is designed like that of wet and dry vacuums, like the Roborock Dyad Pro Combo. This means it comes with a built-in scraper and self-cleaning capabilities. This is a big plus, as the robot doesn’t have to go back to the dock repeatedly to wash its mop.
Speaking of which, the S10 vacuum washes and dries its roller brush internally, eliminating the need to return to the station. In fact, the vacuum only goes to the water station to refill and drain its tanks, helping to make the overall design more compact.
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The Roborock Dyad Pro Combo can reach every surface, and more importantly, every spill.
Furthermore, the SwitchBot S10’s design significantly reduces the amount of maintenance required. Since the docks are only used to empty the trash can and drain and refill the water tank, there is no maintenance required. This is in stark contrast to most of its competitors, which require frequent washing of the dock’s base plates.
The self-cleaning roller brush also reduces manual cleaning efforts, washing and drying the interior of the robot without contaminating the sidewalk.
Additionally, the bristle-free brush helps prevent hair tangling, making maintenance even easier. The dedicated water station also connects to running water, ensuring routine tasks like emptying the dust and refilling the water are automated. Simply replace the dust bag occasionally, refill the cleaning solution, and clean the filter, making the S10 a low-maintenance option for busy households.
What’s bad about the SwitchBot S10?
Not the best mop
Despite being innovative, the S10’s cleaning system doesn’t deliver great results. Since it uses a brush roller instead of a flat mop or pads, it’s less effective than I expected. The brush roller doesn’t apply enough pressure or moisture to effectively tackle dry, tough stains. The water distribution is also uneven across the floor, leaving some areas dry after cleaning.
The robot also lacks some of the advanced features that modern robot vacuums have, such as extending mops and brushes to clean side panels and corners, like the Roborock Qrevo MaxV. Also, while most modern leading robot vacuums come with a hot water mop wash, the S10 doesn’t offer that option, which would have added extra cleanliness. It does, however, dry the mop using hot air.
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Thorough cleaning, despite the specified price.
In addition to its poor cleaning performance, the SwitchBot S10 is incredibly noisy, perhaps one of the noisiest machines I’ve tested. Its wheels and motor produce a lot of noise, making the noise really noticeable. Even worse, the cleaning mode is particularly loud, producing a constant hum, which is annoying if you’re working or trying to relax. The vacuuming modes are a bit quieter, but it’s unacceptable for a robot to be this loud.
Additionally, the S10 has difficulty detecting obstacles and acts as if it doesn’t have a proper detection system. During testing, it acted as if it was relying solely on LiDAR to sense obstacles despite the clearly visible sensors in the front.
The vacuum cleaner often bumps into furniture legs and other objects placed in its path, and even pushes them while vacuuming or mopping. Worse, if you leave the cables on the floor, the vacuum cleaner will suck them up, which can cause serious damage.
Finally, the app experience for controlling the S10 is very basic and lacks some advanced features. While it allows for customizing the map, cleaning schedules, and adjusting suction power and water levels, it lacks in several areas. For example, it doesn’t list the obstacles detected during a cleaning cycle and doesn’t offer off-peak charging. Customization options are also limited, especially for cleaning settings, such as mop wetness or self-cleaning frequency.
Should you buy it?
The SwitchBot S10 brings a fresh take on robotic vacuums with its dual docking system and innovative water station, dramatically reducing the need for human intervention. It’s convenient and easy to maintain, with features like self-cleaning and automatic refilling that set it apart from many competitors.
However, the S10’s cleaning system is less effective at removing tough stains, and it has a hard time detecting and avoiding obstacles, which can be frustrating in a busy home environment. Then there’s its noisy operation, which could be a major drawback for those who need a quieter cleaner.
If you’re looking for a robot vacuum that delivers excellent cleaning performance while reducing maintenance by connecting to a plumbing system, consider the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra instead. Its dock may require a bit more manual intervention, but the overall cleaning experience will be worth it.
SwitchBot S10
The SwitchBot S10 is a rare robot that does something truly unique: it’s a robotic mop that can automatically refill its water tank. The downside, of course, is that you’ll have to plug its base station into your plumbing, which limits where you can place it—and may require some DIY skills. Get past that hurdle, though, and you may never have to lift a finger again.
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