iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua: An affordable robot vacuum cleaner that cleans better into corners.

Welcome to all our readers! This article will focus on the new iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua robot vacuum cleaner. Its distinctive feature is its D-shaped body, which often makes these robots better at sweeping debris into corners. Additionally, the robot is equipped with a gyroscope for navigation, dry and wet cleaning functions, and control via a proprietary mobile app. The price ranges from $150 to $170. Below, we'll explore the robot's design, its features, and, most importantly, how it performs its primary function. Let's get started!

Equipment

First, let's take a look at the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua package. The robot comes with a charging base, a power adapter, a wet cleaning attachment with a microfiber cloth attached, a Russian-language instruction manual, a remote control, a spare cloth, a spare HEPA filter, a dust bin cleaning brush, and two spare side brushes.

The package is good, the only things missing are batteries for the remote control and a motion limiter in the form of a magnetic strip or virtual wall.

Appearance

Now let's take a closer look at how this robot vacuum cleaner works. A soft-touch mechanical bumper is installed at the front. A single start/pause button is located at the top of the body. We also see a soft pink frame that looks stylish when paired with white and black. This robot vacuum cleaner would certainly make a great gift for a girl. Incidentally, it's only 7.5 cm tall.

 

The dust collector is located under the top cover, which opens with a gentle press.

The dust container itself is compact, holding up to 400 ml of dry waste. The lid opens for easy emptying. A protective flap is located on the back to prevent waste from spilling out when the container is removed.

Let's take a look at the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua's underside. We can see two side brushes and a central suction opening. This model doesn't have a center brush.

A small-capacity wet cleaning nozzle holds up to 80 ml of water. Locking buttons are located on the side, and a sealed water inlet valve is located on the top. Liquid flows by gravity through three openings onto the cleaning pad.

Technical specifications

Now let's look at the main characteristics of the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua:

• Li-Ion battery with a capacity of 2200 mAh.
• Operating time up to 120 min.
• Charging time up to 360 min.
• Dust collector capacity is 400 ml.
• The water tank capacity is 80 ml.
• Dimensions 295*75 mm.
• Weight 1.9 kg.

The manufacturer doesn't specify suction power or cleaning area. However, from experience, I can say that robotic vacuum cleaners with a gyroscope can effectively clean areas of approximately 60 square meters, or up to 80 square meters at most.

Functional capabilities

Let's move on to an overview of the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua's features. All the main functionality is available in the mobile app, which needs to be downloaded to your smartphone. The instructions include a QR code for downloading. Before using, you need to register and connect the robot to a Wi-Fi network. Follow the manufacturer's instructions; you shouldn't encounter any problems at this stage.

In the main settings, you can enable offline notifications, share control with other family members, and update the app if necessary. The main control panel contains the most important functions. In the center is a joystick for manual control, below which you can adjust the suction power (3 levels). Below that, you can turn on and off standby mode, automatically clean the entire available area, spot mode, force the robot to return to the charging base, search for the robot vacuum by sound, perimeter cleaning mode, and schedule cleaning.

The timer is worth stopping at and explaining in more detail. You can set the robot vacuum's start time, days of the week, write a note, and enable notifications when cleaning starts. There's also a feature called "order a wake-up." You can also view the map it's created. The robot doesn't create it in real time, but it saves the most recently created map in reports. There's also a cleaning history where you can explore details of past cleanings, including the maps it's created.

In the advanced settings, you can disable voice notifications, adjust their volume, and select a language. Unfortunately, Russian isn't listed. So, the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua speaks English, so keep that in mind.

It's also important to note that this robot vacuum cleaner is controlled via Yandex.Alice, which is a plus.

Now let's look at what opportunities are available when using the remote control.

There's a button to force the robot to return to its base. A joystick for manual control. A start/pause button is in the center. Below that are two buttons for adjusting the suction power, and below that is a button for activating the spot cleaning mode.

That's all the functionality. Basically, it has everything you need to automatically keep your home clean, except for electronic water supply regulation and movement restrictions.

Testing

We recommend watching our video review of the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua, which also shows all the tests:

Navigation

Let's move on to the tests. First, we'll check how the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua navigates a single room with obstacles.

Initially, it swept the entire available area in a zigzag pattern. It didn't clean around the box, but it did clean around the chair legs on the second pass. However, the robot got stuck on the legs of the clothes dryer, and after I lifted it up and freed it, it restarted the cleaning cycle, following a less intuitive algorithm. When I activated the forced return to base feature, it couldn't find the base because it hadn't started from there. Overall, the navigation test in challenging conditions failed.

Nevertheless, the robot built a map and, as you can see, it is accurate.

Now let's see how the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua cleans larger areas if the rooms are prepared and all unnecessary clutter is removed before starting the cleaning. In our case, this involved five rooms with a total area of ​​approximately 34 square meters.

And in this case, there were no problems. The robot was able to cover the entire accessible area and return to the base to charge. It spent 65 minutes cleaning, first in a zigzag pattern and then around the perimeter of the room. So, there are no complaints about navigation under standard conditions.

An interesting aspect of the return to the base surprised me. Before docking, the robot completely turns off the suction and rotation of the side brushes. It slowly and very quietly drives back to the base, as if sneaking up on you.

Suction power

Let's test the suction power of this robot on a special stand with slots of varying depths.

It can suck up debris from crevices as small as 2 and 4 mm deep. This is a good result for a robot vacuum cleaner.

Dry cleaning of laminate flooring

More interesting is how the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua handles cleaning debris, especially in corners. In our case, the stand was littered with hair, fur, grains, and ground coffee, all intended to simulate dust.

And I can say that this robot vacuum cleaner did an excellent job. Two corners were completely cleaned, and two others still had a little debris left, but given the initial condition of the stand, the test passes.

Cleaning the carpet

The same debris was scattered on the carpet. Cleaning performance on carpet was worse. This is due to the lack of a central brush, which is better at picking up debris on carpet. However, the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua picked up most of the debris, so cleaning performance on carpet is average.

Wet cleaning

Now let's test whether the robot can remove dried-on dirt from laminate flooring. Due to the poor wetting of the cloth and the lack of pressure on the nozzle, the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua is unable to completely remove heavy dirt. However, it did remove some dirt from the surface.

This nozzle design is more suitable for delicate wet cleaning. Incidentally, the water in the tank is sufficient for approximately 30 square meters of wet cleaning. This is also important to consider.

Obstacle clearance

Regarding crossing thresholds, the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua can overcome obstacles 10 and 15 meters high. However, it has difficulty crossing a 20 mm threshold, but then gets stuck, causing an error. Therefore, its cross-country ability is no more than 15 mm.

Driving on dark surfaces

The robot isn't afraid of dark surfaces, which is a plus. In our case, it drove onto a black carpet without a problem.

Noise level

Finally, we measured the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua's noise level in different modes. At minimum power, the noise level reaches 64 dB, while in medium mode it's around 65.5 dB. At maximum power, the noise level reaches 66.7 dB. This is standard for robotic vacuum cleaners.

Let's sum it up

The iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. our grading system he was able to dial 41 out of 100 points.

Now I'll share my impressions of the robot after getting to know it. I definitely liked its low profile, its ability to sweep debris well into corners, and the ability to control it not only through the app but also via Alice and the remote control. Other advantages include the included spare parts, the ability to clean areas up to a medium size, and the manufacturer's warranty and service support. The price is also comparable to similar robots with a gyroscope. I also can't help but note its attractive appearance, which might appeal to women, especially if it's a gift.

As for the downsides, I would highlight the not very effective wet cleaning function, the lack of a central brush and movement limiter in the kit, and the robot's poor maneuverability.

Ultimately, I would recommend the iBoto Smart N520GT Aqua to those with a home size of no more than 80 square meters and no carpets or low-pile carpets. Ideally, it would perform well on hard floors. In this case, the robot vacuum cleaner will be able to automatically maintain cleanliness throughout the home.

That's all I have for now. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Happy shopping, everyone!

Analogues:

• Yeedi K650
• REDMOND RV-R650S WiFi
• 360 C50
• Clever&Clean AQUA Light
• Roborock E4
• ABIR X5
• Eufy RoboVac G10 Hybrid