Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra: increased power, floor polisher mode and optional self-cleaning!

This review examines a definitely noteworthy robot vacuum cleaner, the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra. Priced under $300, this device features a gyroscope for navigation, dry and wet cleaning functions with a mopping mode, a full set of accessories, a proprietary app and remote control, and even an optional self-cleaning station. In my opinion, these features qualify it as the best robot vacuum with a gyroscope in 2022. All that remains is to see how it all works in practice and how well the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra performs in its primary role. To do this, the robot vacuum will be thoroughly tested under various conditions. So, let's get started!

Equipment

The robot vacuum cleaner arrived in a branded box like this:

The package includes:

1. Charging base with storage compartment for remote control and excess cord.
2. Power adapter.
3. A combined container for water and waste with a cloth installed (the robot already has a dust collector installed).
4. Spare napkin.
5. Remote control with power supply elements.
6. Magnetic tape to restrict movement.
7. Replaceable central brush in the form of a fluffy roller (while the robot has a rubber turbo brush installed out of the box).
8. Robot cleaning tool.
9. Two spare side brushes.
10. Spare HEPA filter.
11. Double-sided tape for attaching the base to the floor.
12. Robot vacuum cleaner documentation in several languages.

The complete package includes all the necessary accessories and consumables for the robot's first use. As mentioned earlier, you can also purchase a self-cleaning station if needed. It costs approximately $150-200.

Appearance

Let's take a look at the design of the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra. It's round and black. The body is just under 8 cm tall.

The front features a soft-touch mechanical bumper. The control panel features two mechanical buttons: start/pause and forced return to the charging base.

The dust collector is located at the rear of the robot. The first thing you'll notice is the opening with a curtain behind the dust collector, which allows you to empty the dust into the self-cleaning station. At least you don't have to pay extra for a dedicated dust collector when purchasing the station, which is a plus. The filtration system uses a HEPA filter and a mesh filter. The dust collector capacity isn't stated, but it's quite large—I'd guess at least 500 ml.

A combined water and waste container can be installed in place of the dust collector. It also has a curtain for emptying waste into the station. The cleaning cloth attachment is secured with a mechanical latch. Water flows through three openings onto the cloth. The cloth consists of two separate sections. One section receives water, while the other, drier section, is used to collect residual liquid from the floor. The cloth is secured with Velcro and a groove—a very clever solution.

A pump for electronically regulating the water supply is installed inside the container. Again, the capacity is not stated, but it is similar to the container of other robots, which claim to hold approximately 300 ml of waste and 200-250 ml of water. The filtration system uses a mesh and HEPA filter.

Let's take a look at the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra's underside. It's equipped with two side brushes, which is a plus. Three fall protection sensors are located under the bumper.

The rubber central brush is non-detachable. You can remove the side sections with some effort, but I don't think that's the manufacturer's intention. It can be replaced with a fluffy roller called Jalisco. This one, however, easily disassembles from both sides. That's a plus.

Overall, I was pleased with the build quality of this robot vacuum. All components are easy to maintain, and the plastic is of fairly high quality. No complaints whatsoever.

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra, as declared by the manufacturer:

• Battery: 2600 mAh.
• Suction power 2100 Pa.
• Cleaning area up to 80 sq.m.
• Operating time up to 160 min.
• Passability up to 20 mm.
• Dimensions 350*80 mm.

Functional capabilities

Let's move on to an overview of the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra's features. The robot vacuum cleaner can be controlled via both the proprietary mobile app and the remote control. First, let's look at the app's functionality. Connecting the robot to a Wi-Fi network is quite simple; follow the manufacturer's instructions. Unfortunately, the app interface is currently only in English. However, the brand promises to release a Russian language version of the app in the near future.

On the main control panel, the robot vacuum cleaner creates a real-time map of the room. However, please note that this map is not saved in memory. Below the map are buttons to start the cleaning process and to force the robot to return to the charging base. Pressing the start button prompts you to select manual control or set up an automatic cleaning process. Here, you first select a cleaning mode. This includes automatic cleaning of the entire accessible area in a serpentine pattern, random cleaning until the battery is depleted, cleaning along the perimeter, spot cleaning in a spiral pattern, cleaning a single room, or a mopping mode in which the robot vacuum cleaner moves in a Y-shaped pattern. After selecting a mode, you can adjust the suction power and the degree of wetting of the cleaning cloth. When setting up a scheduled cleaning, you are again prompted to select the cleaning mode, power and water flow level, as well as the desired time and day of the week.

The next section listed below is the cleaning log. The final section is settings. Here you can specify the charging station type, adjust the self-cleaning frequency, view notifications, and configure voice assistant controls. The Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra syncs with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

As for the remote control functions, all the same functions are duplicated here: setting the current time, forced return to charging, manual control, spot cleaning mode, cleaning time setting, room cleaning mode, perimeter cleaning mode, as well as adjusting the water supply level and suction power.

Overall, the robot's functionality is quite interesting, considering its gyroscope-based navigation. I was particularly impressed by the optional self-cleaning and floor polishing modes. It's also worth noting that the Conga 2290 can automatically increase suction power when entering carpets. However, this feature is a bit crude, and there's a delay before the power increase occurs.

Testing

A detailed video review with all the tests has already been prepared and published on the channel. I recommend watching the entire video:

Navigation

And finally, let's move on to the tests. First, we'll test the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra's navigation in a room with obstacles. The robot vacuum divides the area into manageable zones and first cleans them in a zigzag pattern, then along the perimeter. I was surprised, but it even cleaned around the legs of a chair, even though it had to move it. It didn't clean around the box separately, and it returned to its base without any problems after completing the cleaning cycle. I consider this test a success, considering it's a gyroscope-based robot vacuum!

As for navigation within the house, again, the Conga 2290 first traverses the entire accessible area in a zigzag pattern, then retracts along the perimeter and returns to the base. However, over larger areas, the map is inaccurate, and as a result, the resulting map doesn't correspond to reality. Compare this to how it mapped the same room. Cecotec Conga 3890, which was previously reviewed:

Nevertheless, there were no missed areas, and the robot was able to independently find its base and return to it for charging. It took it 53 minutes to cover the 32 square meters of open space. I'm passing this test, although the accuracy of the map is questionable.

Suction power

The Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra's suction power was impressive. Even with a standard suction power rating of 2100 Pa, the robot vacuum cleaner managed to suck up debris from not only 2 mm but also 4 mm deep. This increased suction power is a plus!

Dry cleaning of laminate flooring

Dirt collection performance on laminate floors is good. With the rubber brush, the robot vacuum was able to pick up all types of debris from the floor, leaving only a small amount in the corners, like most other round robot vacuums. The central brush didn't pick up any hair or lint, but the side brushes did pick up some. However, with the lint roller, dust collection performance was slightly lower, although still acceptable. Larger debris simply couldn't fit through the gap between the suction channel and the brush. I recommend this type of central brush for picking up hair and dust on hard floors.

Carpet cleaning

The situation is similar with carpet cleaning. A robot vacuum cleaner with a rubber brush attached cleans carpets well, but with a fluffy roller, the cleaning performance is inferior. This is important to keep in mind.

Wet cleaning

However, the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra boasts excellent cleaning performance on slightly dried-on dirt. After two passes, it leaves no traces of dirt or streaks. There is a small, narrow area along the baseboard, but not all robot vacuums clean this area. At least, not all the ones we reviewed.

It's important to note, however, that the robot vacuum cleaner can not only vacuum and mop simultaneously, but also move in a herringbone pattern in wet cleaning mode. This is a major advantage of the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra.

Wet cleaning and carpets

Regarding wet cleaning on carpeted floors, the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra doesn't detect carpets very well, although it's capable of doing so. However, the water supply doesn't shut off when the machine enters carpeted areas. Therefore, I recommend protecting carpets with the included magnetic tape.

Obstacle clearance

While crossing 2-centimeter thresholds can be challenging, the robot vacuum cleaner can handle them, both with and without the mop attachment.

Driving on dark surfaces

Another advantage of the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra is that it easily navigates deep black surfaces. It doesn't recognize them as elevation changes. That's a plus!

Noise level

Finally, we measured the noise level of the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra in different modes. With the suction off, it was between 55-56 dB. In minimum power mode, the noise level rose to 57-57.5 dB. At medium power, the noise level reached 58 dB, and in Turbo mode, the peak noise level was 61 dB. Admittedly, this robot vacuum is quite quiet, and its suction power is slightly above average.

Let's sum it up

The Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. our evaluation system he managed to gain 62 points, if you take into account the self-cleaning package, well or 57 out of 100 points with a regular charging base. Any of the results is still the best when compared to others. robotic vacuum cleaners with a gyroscopeWell, I can say right away that for me, the Cecotec Conga 2290 Ultra is the best gyroscope robot vacuum cleaner of 2022.

Overall rating of models tested on robovac.washerhouse.com: https://robovac.washerhouse.com/en/rejtingi/robovac-obshhij-rejting-robotov-pylesosov-robo.html.

Now I'll tell you what I liked and didn't like about this robot. Among its advantages, I can highlight:

1. Simultaneous dry and wet cleaning.
2. Self-cleaning base available as an option.
3. High quality cleaning.
4. Increased suction power.
5. Y-shaped wet cleaning mode.
6. Complete set.
7. Control is possible both from the remote control and via a mobile application.
8. The robot vacuum cleaner is not afraid of dark surfaces.
9. Low noise level.
10. High quality assembly.
11. Availability of warranty and service support.

As for comments about the robot, they are not critical and there are not many of them. Namely:

1. There are errors in constructing the map of the premises.
2. Automatic power increase on carpets does not work immediately.
3. The application interface is in English (temporarily).

Overall, this robot vacuum is definitely worth considering, and I think it could easily compete with the iRobot Roomba i3+, which features similar navigation and self-cleaning features, but costs half as much and lacks a wet mopping feature. Overall, I'm very impressed with the robot, so I highly recommend it!

On that note, I'd like to end this review. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Thank you all for your attention. Happy shopping. Bye!