iLife A7

In mid-2018, Chuwi, a renowned Chinese manufacturer of robotic cleaners, announced the major launch of the iLife A7 as a premium addition to its A-series robotic vacuum cleaners. The robot boasts a sophisticated design, improved technical specifications, and increased cleaning efficiency thanks to its third-generation CyclonePower Cleaning System. To understand the device's distinctive features, we've prepared a review of the iLife A7, its key features, and specifications.

Equipment

The robot vacuum cleaner comes in a protective cardboard box bearing the manufacturer's logo and a sticker with basic information about the device. Inside this shipping box is another branded box featuring an image of the robot and a brief description of its specifications.

The basic iLife A7 package includes:

1. Robot vacuum cleaner.
2. Charging base.
3. Power adapter.
4. Remote control with batteries of the appropriate type.
5. Two sets of side brushes.
6. Turbo brush.
7. Brush for cleaning the filter.
8. Additional HEPA filter.
9. Brief and detailed instructions.
10. Guarantee.

An overview of the iLife A7's configuration is shown in the photo below:

Design

The robot vacuum cleaner is made of plastic and, viewed from above, has a disc-shaped form with a diameter of 32 centimeters. A protective bumper protrudes slightly on one side, approximately 1 centimeter. The top panel of the iLife A7 is made of glossy black plastic with a glittery finish, adding a touch of class and elegance. Thanks to IML technology, the glass cover of the robot offers increased resistance to damage and wear.

At the top of the panel there is an LED display and five control buttons that are responsible for selecting the mode and setting the operating schedule, and at the bottom there is a button for opening the waste compartment.

On the side of the robot vacuum cleaner there is a protective bumper, a power connector and a power button.

Turning the iLife A7 over reveals a pair of drive wheels and a front wheel for turning, contact pads for automatic charging on the docking station, a dust collector compartment that, although it slides out from the side, is visible from below, a lithium-ion battery panel, two brushes on the sides, and a main brush.

Technical specifications

Before we look at the robot vacuum cleaner's functions, let's review its main technical and operational parameters:

Power supply	Non-removable Li-Ion battery, 2600 mAh
Battery life	120-150 minutes
Charging time	300 minutes
Power consumption	22 W
Suction power	500 Pa in normal mode, 1000 Pa in turbo mode
Dust collector	Cyclone filter, 600 ml capacity
Overall dimensions	33x32x7.6 cm
Weight	2.5 kg
Noise level	Up to 68 dB

Functional capabilities

The Chuwi iLife A7 robot vacuum cleaner features a third-generation CyclonePower Cleaning System for cleaning all types of surfaces. This system combines the coordinated operation of side brushes, a main turbo brush, and high suction power with the ability to increase it further.

The side brushes feature medium-elastic bristles of precisely selected size, allowing for thorough collection of fine debris and dust. The main floating turbo brush is designed for effective cleaning of long-pile carpets and hard floors, taking into account elevation changes. Using aerodynamic principles, the robot's completely sealed air duct reduces air resistance, ensuring high suction power.

The robot vacuum collects debris into a 600-milliliter dust bin equipped with three filters: a main filter, a cotton filter, and a high-efficiency filter. This technology collects more fine dust during cleaning and purifies the surrounding air.

The Chuwi iLife A7 navigates its environment thanks to the intelligent Anti-Stuck system. The system includes 15 OBS sensors mounted on the front bumper and wheels, ensuring the robot will detect obstacles in front of it and determine its location on elevated surfaces. However, if the robot decides to reverse, the sensors, unfortunately, won't be of any help.

As a real-world test of the iLife A7 showed, the device can circle a room twice on a single battery charge, with a total cleaning area of ​​over 20 square meters.

Overview of the iLife A7 robot vacuum cleaner's cleaning modes:

• Automatic – the vacuum cleaner automatically navigates based on environmental conditions, remembering previously cleaned areas. When finished or the battery is low, the device automatically returns to the docking station.
• Classic - a robot vacuum cleaner starts by moving around the perimeter, after which it proceeds to thoroughly clean the surface inside.
• Spot cleaning – cleans a specific, small area of ​​the room. To activate this mode, manually position the device in the desired location and press the button with the spiral icon.
• Manual mode – remote control of movement manually using a remote control or via a special application on a smartphone via a Wi-Fi network.

You can also manually double the suction power, which will improve cleaning performance, but will result in increased battery consumption and higher noise levels.

Advantages and disadvantages

Let's talk about the main advantages of the Chuwi iLife A7:

1. Decent premium appearance.
2. High-quality assembly and thoughtful design.
3. Compact dimensions, low height.
4. High autonomy, different operating modes.
5. Programming a cleaning schedule.
6. Modern technology for surface cleaning.
7. Three-level air filtration system.
8. Good suction power and the ability to increase it.
9. Control from remote control and smartphone.

And finally, let's list a number of disadvantages of a robot vacuum cleaner:

1. No movement limiter included.
2. Voice notifications are not provided.
3. The application does not display information about the cleaning process.
4. Not the lowest noise level, especially in turbo mode.
5. There is no wet cleaning function.
6. Does not create a map of the premises.

In summary, I'd like to point out that this robot vacuum cleaner is currently one of the best in the iLife line, and therefore the price is appropriate—from $120 to $170. In terms of features and specifications, the robot is quite competitive in its segment, but far from the best. The main areas where this model falls short are the lack of a wet cleaning function and a motion limiter. For this price, these features could have been included. However, if the lack of a virtual wall and the availability of dry cleaning only don't bother you, then this robot vacuum cleaner makes sense. Its dry cleaning performance is quite high, as confirmed by tests.

Finally, we recommend watching a video review of the iLife A7:

Analogues:

• iRobot Roomba 650
• Xrobot X1
• Samsung VR10M7010UW
• Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Cleaner
• Philips FC8776
• iRobot Roomba 681
• iCLEBO Pop