Review of the Xiaomi Lydsto R1: a hoover for the laziest of people
The body of the hoover is made of brushed plastic. The glass top panel easily collects dust and dirt, but is easy to clean: just wipe it occasionally with a damp cloth. The front has a spring-loaded front bumper that softens contact with furniture and walls. The gadget is available in black and white.
On the underside, there's a main and an auxiliary brush, two drive wheels and an auxiliary wheel that allows the robot to manoeuvre even in small spaces. On the back, there is a container. It consists of two receptacles: one for waste (200ml) and one for water (250ml). The package includes seven rubbish bags, 30 disposable wipes and a wet cleaning block with a microfibre cloth.
The Xiaomi Lydsto R1 navigates using lidar, a gyroscope and optical sensors on the front end. At the bottom of the case there are a number of height difference detection sensors. As a result, the vehicle starts moving in the opposite direction at a distance of 8 cm from stairs. An advanced navigation system based on a dual-core Quanzhi MR112 processor helps the novelty to recognize any objects, bypass them and build a digital map of the room. The gadget creates a precise cleaning plan, dividing the room into small areas, taking into account the location of furniture. During cleaning, it doesn't miss a single inch of the surface.
The robot remembers several maps at the same time. The different rooms are stored in an app, which is useful for houses with several floors. When it has finished cleaning, the device returns to the docking station on its own. The Lydsto R1 finds the charging station, even if it is located at the other end of the flat.
The main feature of the model is its own self-cleaning station. It comes with the device and solves the problem of many smart hoovers that have a small dust canister. With conventional robots, you can't set up a daily cleaning routine and forget about maintaining the gadget - you have to empty the collection bin regularly.
With the Xiaomi Lydsto R1, things are simpler. After each cleaning, the smart assistant returns to the suction station, becomes charged and automatically empties the rubbish into the large bin. The 3 litre bag has enough capacity for a month's use.
The air channel on the station is 430 mm long and the stationary motor power reaches up to 1000 watts. So the self-cleaning performance is high. The bag has a dust collector that prevents dust from leaking out and contaminating your hands. It has a dustbag fullness indicator that tells you when the dustbag needs replacing.
Interaction with the gadget is not through the usual Mi Home app, which is usually used for Xiaomi smart appliances, but through a separate utility Lydsto. It is available on Android and iOS, fully translated into Russian and features a simple interface. There are a minimum of superfluous functions, which noticeably simplifies interaction with the device.
To connect the novelty to your smartphone, you need to enter your Wi-Fi password and connect to the hoover's network. Cleaning can be started from the main screen of the utility. Or using one of a pair of buttons on the body of the hoover. A second button returns the gadget to the charging station.
The app will let you see the battery level, initiate the cleaning process, adjust the schedule, check the location of the unit, and adjust the suction power. In options it is possible to choose the language in which Lydsto R1 will talk to the user - the Russian sounding is also provided. It is possible to separate with a virtual wall an area, where the smart device should not go. For example, in the area with food and water for pets. In addition, through the utility, the device reports problems: objects stuck in the brush and the like.
The Xiaomi Lydsto R1 was tested in a 50 square metre two-room flat with small bedside mats and a furry cat. The robot pulled away from the base and vacuumed all the rooms, moving in an S-line. It would then return to its starting point and go around the perimeter, moving counterclockwise.
As it turns out, the clever helper does a much better job than many people with an ordinary hoover. Even a picky housewife is unlikely to find any missed areas that the gadget couldn't get under. The robot understands which surfaces it's on, so it adjusts its power by itself. On carpets, the motor starts running at full speed.
The maximum suction power is 2700 Pa. It is powerful enough for smooth linoleum, carpet and thin mats. Old Soviet carpets are not as efficient, so it is better to use a wire hoover for additional cleaning of shaggy, heavily-polluted surfaces. If you have pets or people with luxurious hair, the brush will occasionally get clogged with hair and hair. I had to clean the device once during the week of testing. However, this is easy to do and does not take much time.
Another trump card of the new product is wet cleaning. The Xiaomi Lydsto R1 vacuums the surface and simultaneously wipes the dust-free floor with a damp nozzle. The water tank keeps the microfiber wet. One refill is sufficient to clean a flat of approx. 200 square metres. Unlike cheaper models, the R1 is able to detect the type of surface it is moving on at any given time. And when it hits a carpet, the unit stops the flow of liquid.
The only drawback with wet mopping is that it can't be automated as thoroughly as a dry mopping machine. First of all, you have to fill the tank, wet the nozzle, attach it to the hoover. At the end, you remove it, empty it, rinse the microfibre cloth and leave it to dry.
The 5200mAh battery gives you more than enough power to clean most rooms. In 30 minutes of use in a two-room flat, the hoover only drained by 20%, and the battery provides a total of two and a half hours of battery life. The lucky owners of a large apartment will not be left out either: a discharged robot will return to the base, restore energy and continue to clean where you finished.
Xiaomi Lydsto R1 is a powerful gadget that does its job well. With it, your flat or house will be clean. It requires minimum effort and time from the owner, including thanks to the self-cleaning station. The clever helper needs to be taken care of once a month by changing the rubbish bin. The robot is equipped with many sensors, determines the type of surface for wet and dry cleaning - and all that at an affordable price.
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