Professional’s Score
Professionals
Vacuums and mopsCompact charging stationTurbo modeMops giant areas with out refilling
Cons
Not efficient on mid-pile carpetNo automated emptyingDoesn’t recognise carpet when mopping
Our Verdict
There are some helpful options packed into Aeno’s RC2S: a big water tank for plenty of mopping, controls for the fundamentals so that you don’t have to select up a tool, and loads of app performance. Nevertheless, in different methods, it’s restricted: you’ll have to inform it to not mop rooms with carpets, it could actually get caught simply, and it’s restricted to both mopping or vacuuming, not each concurrently.
Value When Reviewed
Not accessible within the US
Sensible dwelling equipment maker Aeno presents merchandise as numerous as sous vide and electrical toothbrushes however one in every of its specialities is holding your flooring clear.
Its robotic vacuum cleaner RC2S is one in every of 4 robotic vacs supplied by the model (the RC3S has the identical spec however is in black), and packs in the whole lot you’d anticipate – app management, Lidar room mapping and a boosted suction mode – in addition to some you may not, similar to mopping and chunky wheels for climbing obstacles. Different highlights embrace a compact charging base that’s something however a ground hog, and spoken alerts that inform you what it’s about to do.
Design and Construct
Low profile at 9.6cm
Compact base
0.6L dustbin swaps out for 350ml mopping module
White and shiny, Aeno’s Robotic Vacuum Cleaner RC2S follows a normal robotic vac construct by way of its spherical form, nimble weight (2.87kg) and dimensions (Dia33 x D9.6cm). Nonetheless, there are some notable design options. Flip it over and also you’ll discover a pair of chunky wheels with a tread, so it could actually climb onto rugs and carpet from arduous flooring, two spinning brushes and a brush bar.
Flip it the proper manner once more and there’s the choice of handbook controls courtesy of buttons: one to start out or cease it cleansing, one other to ship it again to the bottom to cost. The charging dock itself is pleasingly compact, measuring H8 x W13 x D13cm, so it takes up much less ground area.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Nevertheless, it’s the mopping module that’s in all probability of most observe. It swaps in rather than the 0.6-litre dustbin to show it from a robotic vac right into a robotic mop, full with a detachable, washable pad. Unusually, this has a beneficiant capability – 350ml – giving it the potential to mop as much as 150 sq m of arduous flooring earlier than needing a refill.
The charging dock itself is pleasingly compact
The extent of mopping may be various from low to excessive, as can the suction energy, which ranges as much as 2500 Pa when in Turbo mode. One other plus is the inclusion of substitute brushes, Hepa filter and a second mop pad, so you may preserve cleansing when one has change into soiled.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Efficiency, App and Options
App may very well be extra user-friendly
Voice management choices
A lot stronger on arduous flooring than on carpets
Having the ability to begin and cease cleansing with out a smartphone at hand is unquestionably a very good factor with Aeno’s RC2S – as a result of it’s possible you’ll run into connectivity points with the app as we did. It’ll solely run utilizing 2.5GHz, so initially rejected the mixed sign from our router, and required some troubleshooting.
As soon as the robotic vac was linked, issues ran extra easily, though not flawlessly. For instance, somewhat than dividing a kitchen and hallway on the doorway, the mapping made the kitchen an ideal rectangle and allotted a part of the kitchen area to the corridor. Whilst you can break up, merge and identify rooms (or run the mapping a second time to attempt to right errors), there doesn’t seem like an choice to relocate the boundaries between incorrectly divided areas.
You’ll need to dig round within the app to search out the options you need because it’s not at all times apparent. As an illustration, the cleansing schedule, which you may alter semi-regularly, is hidden underneath settings, which isn’t a pure place to look.
Different options aren’t clearly named, similar to Pin and Go, which offers a focused metre-square clear to wherever you drop a pin on the map. It’s a helpful characteristic however dangers being ignored provided that there’s no clarification of what it does. It may be redundant as you may select a zoned clear, which is just about the identical aside from the dimensions of the realm is versatile.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
There was lots to love although: the RC2S discovered its base right away somewhat than trundling round, and you’ll management its course from the app with arrow buttons if you wish to ship it a selected manner. You may as well set ‘digital partitions’ or restricted areas should you desire to maintain it out of an area, and it’s suitable with voice management.
We examined it by vacuuming each arduous and mushy flooring (a medium-pile carpet), in addition to mopping. We used flour to symbolize mud and oats as particles of particles, and set it to scrub the particular space twice.
You’ll need to dig round within the app to search out the options you need because it’s not at all times apparent
On the arduous ground, a small patch of flour was left behind however in any other case it had good pick-up. It was an identical end result with oats: a number of had been flicked round however majority had been picked up. It was, nonetheless, much less profitable on carpet.
Whereas mud elimination was initially good, flour that hadn’t been sucked up into the bin tended to drop off the comb bar again onto the carpet. Some smaller particles of oats had been left behind, whereas once more, a number of dropped out.
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Rachel Ogden / Foundry
Mopping efficiency was good on current grime, though stuck-on meals was left behind, and we needed to set it to not mop the carpeted room. Nevertheless, the largest challenge was that whereas the mop pad was hooked up, it was susceptible to getting caught. It turned caught on a doormat greater than as soon as earlier than we needed to take away it. We had been shocked that after rescued, the robotic vac didn’t resume its job – one thing you’ll have to inform it to do from the app.
It was pretty sluggish to cost. You’ll want to permit 5 hours to cost it from flat, and though mopping makes use of little energy, the Turbo vacuuming mode does. That is additionally fairly noisy at round 65dB.
We discovered post-cleaning upkeep to be extra concerned than with some rivals. Whereas the dustbin slides out to be emptied, there are not any arrows exhibiting you the best way to open it. And should you’re mopping, the pad have to be washed and dried, and the module aired out.
Value and Availability
Within the UK, the Aeno robotic vacuum RC2S has an RRP of £399.99 however is usually accessible for much less. You should purchase it from Amazon for £382.82 or from Equipment Home for £369. It’s not accessible within the US.
Robotic vacuums are costly and, for its characteristic set, this one is fairly well-priced. It lacks the superior settings you’ll discover on pricier fashions however in case you have a variety of tiled or vinyl flooring, it’s a cost-effective and straightforward strategy to preserve it clear.
Not the proper robotic vacuum for you? Take a look at our round-up of one of the best robotic vacuums we’ve examined for extra suggestions.
Must you purchase the Aeno RC2S?
Aeno’s RC2S is a robotic vac of two halves. Whereas it performs properly in some areas, you’d anticipate a extra seamless consumer expertise and fewer compromises for its value. For instance, many robotic vacs aren’t nice on deeper carpets, however others recognise them and ramp up the suction, and keep away from getting them moist routinely. That mentioned, in case you have giant areas of arduous flooring, the RC2S’s focused and scheduled cleansing may very well be invaluable for each spills and on a regular basis sweeping.
