360 S8: The Best Budget Robot Vacuum with Lidar and Wet Cleaning

The 360 ​​S8 robot vacuum, starting at $150 (or $220 at the exchange rate at the time of writing), boasts lidar navigation, wet and dry cleaning capabilities, and decent build quality for its price. It also has several cool features, which I'll cover in this review. Next, I'll review and test the 360 ​​S8 robot vacuum in detail, after which I'll express my opinion on whether it's worth buying and whether it's the best in the $200-$250 price range. So, let's get started!

Equipment

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

The package includes:

1. Charging base.
2. Power adapter with adapters for different types of sockets.
3. Holder with napkin.
4. Documentation for the robot with translation into Russian.
5. Spare side brush.
6. Robot cleaning tool.

Standard equipment.

Appearance

Let's take a look at the 360 ​​S8 robot vacuum cleaner. It's white and has a round body, standing 95 mm above the floor. A wall sensor is mounted on the right side of the mechanical bumper, and a large obstacle detection sensor is located in the center.

The panel contains two mechanical control buttons. Navigation is handled by a lidar sensor, which is equipped with a spring-loaded cover to prevent the robot from getting stuck under furniture.

The combined water and dirt container is removable from the rear. The water tank holds 320 ml and features a pump for electronically controlling the flow of liquid. The dust container holds up to 360 ml of dry dirt and is rinseable with water. The filtration system includes a mesh and HEPA filter.

The robot has only three fall protection sensors installed underneath. It has a single side brush: a three-beam, quick-release unit. The center brush unit doesn't float; only the frame with the scraper moves slightly, but that's barely enough. The center brush is made of bristles and petals. Unfortunately, it can't be disassembled; only one cap on the bottom can be removed.

Here's what the wet cleaning attachment looks like. The cloth is attached to the holder using pockets and Velcro, which isn't very convenient.

Overall, as mentioned earlier, for a price of around $200-250, the robot vacuum is fairly well-built. There are some quirks, but for the price, they're acceptable compared to competitors.

It's important to note that this robot vacuum is also sold with a self-cleaning station in the 360 ​​Botslab S8 Plus version. In theory, the S8 model could support a self-cleaning station if the combined container is replaced with one like the 360 ​​Botslab S8 Plus, which has a dust discharge curtain. However, I couldn't find the station for purchase separately, and it's unclear whether this upgrade is supported by the software. Brand representatives haven't responded to this question, so it's likely not yet available. It would be great if you could purchase an additional station if needed!

Technical specifications

Key features of the 360 ​​S8 robot vacuum cleaner:

• Li-Ion battery 3200 mAh.
• Suction power up to 2700 Pa.
• Operating time up to 120 min.
• Cleaning area up to 100 sq.m.
• Dust collector 360 ml.
• Water tank 320 ml.
• Obstacle clearance up to 20 mm.
• Dimensions: 340*95 mm.
• Weight: 3.45 kg.

It's worth noting that the battery is a bit weak for this type of navigation. Consequently, the battery life isn't very long compared to similar devices. But then again, most lidar robots in this price range have batteries of similar capacity. This is a common practice for reducing the cost of a model.

Functional capabilities

Speaking of functionality, the robot vacuum cleaner is controlled via the proprietary 360robot mobile app. The interface is fully localized, and installation and connection are straightforward, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Main functions of 360 S8:

• Saving multiple cleaning maps (up to 10 maps).
• Automatic zoning of premises into rooms.
• Selecting areas and rooms for cleaning.
• Virtual walls and no-go zones (and for wet cleaning mode).
• Suction power adjustment.
• Adjusting the water supply level.
• User mode.
• Cleaning log.
• Setting up cleaning according to a schedule.
• Voice notifications in Russian.
• Creative voice pack.
• Automatic power increase on carpet.
• Obstacle avoidance mode.
• Yandex.Alice support.

There are several important features worth highlighting here. First, it supports creative voice commands, featuring a grumpy robot.

The second, more important feature of the model is the obstacle avoidance mode. In other words, the ability to manually turn on/off the sensor on the front bumper. When enabled, the robot carefully navigates around any obstacles in its path. But when disabled, it can even clean behind curtains and drapes, pushing them past them—something most robot vacuums with lidar navigation can't do. However, when avoidance mode is disabled, the robot bumps into objects more forcefully. Something like this: robots with a camera for navigation and gyroscopic models. It's not critical, but it's still worth considering.

In any case, the functionality is quite diverse and allows for flexible adjustment of cleaning parameters to suit individual needs. That's a plus!

Testing

A detailed 360-degree video review of the S8, including all tests, has already been prepared and published on the channel:

Navigation

And finally, let's move on to the tests. First, we'll test the S8's 360 navigation in a room with obstacles. The robot vacuum first moves around the perimeter of the room, then cleans the entire accessible area in a serpentine pattern. The dryer's legs presented no particular problems. It also swept around the box and chair legs separately, then returned to the station. Its touch on the objects was gentle, and the test was successful!

Speaking of navigation within the home, the 360 ​​S8 cleans room by room, first along the perimeter, then in a serpentine pattern. There are no uncleaned areas, the cleaning speed is high, and this model has excellent navigation!

Suction power

The robot vacuum cleaner's suction power is quite average. It only managed to suck up debris from a 2 mm deep crevice. This is generally sufficient for household cleaning and cleaning on hard surfaces.

Dry cleaning

The collection performance of various types of debris on laminate floors is good. The robot even managed to sweep debris out of corners better than other round models. That's a plus! Hair and pet hair got tangled up in the center brush, but the majority of the debris ended up in the dust bin. Test passed!

Carpet cleaning

Regarding cleaning medium-pile carpets, the robot vacuum cleaner was able to pick up most of the debris, but some hair and fur did get stuck in the pile. The somewhat weak power and the fact that the central brush doesn't float affected cleaning performance, in my opinion. However, the robot is perfectly suitable for household use and low- and medium-pile carpets.

Wet cleaning

The 360 ​​S8 is also capable of removing light dirt. It left a few streaks, but the results are still better than even similar mid-range models from its closest competitors, Roborock and Dreame. Furthermore, the area along the baseboards isn't cleaned, as is the case with other robot vacuums reviewed.

It's also important to note that the 360 ​​S8 can vacuum and mop simultaneously. Moreover, the cloth is thoroughly wetted at the maximum setting, leaving a visible wet mark on the floor. This test was passed successfully!

Wet cleaning and carpets

Regarding wet cleaning on carpets, the 360 ​​S8 doesn't have a carpet detection sensor, so it can't recognize carpets or avoid them in wet cleaning mode. Separate no-go zones for wet cleaning mode will protect carpets from getting wet.

I'd like to point out right away that the robot vacuum cleaner has an issue with increasing power on carpets. It doesn't always do this, and it doesn't do it in a timely manner. Sometimes, the power increases just as the robot is about to leave the carpet, which isn't good.

Obstacle clearance

The robot vacuum cleaner can overcome thresholds as low as 2 cm. It doesn't always do it on the first try, but it does manage to do it.

Driving through black surfaces

However, the obstacle detection sensors recognize black as a height difference, causing the robot to back away and avoid such surfaces. This is a problem with most robot vacuums, and it's worth considering when choosing the 360 ​​S8.

Noise level

Finally, we measured the 360 ​​S8's noise level in different modes. In "Quiet" mode, it ranged from 59-62 dB, in "Auto" mode it increased to 64-66 dB, in "Boost" mode it reached 67 dB, and at maximum power, the peak was 70 dB. The noise level is slightly elevated, considering the fairly standard suction power.

Personal opinion

The 360 ​​S8 robot vacuum cleaner has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. our evaluation system he managed to gain 114 pointsThis is a good result for a typical lidar robot vacuum cleaner, especially for the price.

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

I'll share my impressions of the model. I liked the following:

1. Good navigation.
2. Simultaneous dry and wet cleaning.
3. Good cleaning quality on different surfaces.
4. It sweeps out debris in corners a little better.
5. Cleaning behind the curtains.
6. A large number of functions for flexible adjustment of cleaning parameters.
7. Complete Russification.
8. Creative voice pack.
9. Yandex.Alice support.
10. Good cross-country ability.
11. Large capacity water tank.
12. Optimal price.

As for the shortcomings, I had the following comments about the robot after testing:

1. The battery is a bit weak.
2. Afraid of black coatings.
3. Non-detachable turbo brush.
4. Small capacity dust collector.
5. The automatic power increase function does not work correctly on carpets.

Overall, at a price of $220-$250, I consider most of the aforementioned shortcomings to be forgivable. For the price, this robot vacuum is a very attractive purchase and is likely to be considered the best for a budget of under $150, if the price stays the same. The 360 ​​S8 has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, making it a recommended purchase. If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments. Happy shopping. Bye!