iLIFE A80 Max: An affordable robot vacuum cleaner with a turbo brush and wet cleaning.

iLIFE A80 Max — updated version A80 Pro, which I previously reviewed. The Max version has a new design. The specifications and features appear unchanged at first glance. But we'll see how the robot vacuum performs in real-world conditions. I'll test the iLIFE A80 Max later, after which I'll express my opinion on whether the upgrade is a success and whether it's worth buying. The price at the time of writing is around $150, placing it in the budget 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.
3. Separate water tank with built-in microfiber cloth.
4. Spare napkin.
5. Remote control with power supply elements.
6. Two spare side brushes.
7. Spare HEPA filter.
8. Robot cleaning tool.
9. Documentation with translation into Russian.

The package is well-equipped. It includes all the spare accessories and consumables needed to get you started with the robot vacuum.

Appearance

Let's take a look at the iLIFE A80 Max's design. It's round in shape and black and blue in color. It's about 73 mm tall, making it shorter than its sibling. iLIFE V80 Max, which I had previously reviewed.

The front features a soft-touch mechanical bumper. The center houses a WiFi connection indicator and a single mechanical control button: Start/Pause.

The dust container is removed from the back. We see that the manufacturer prohibits rinsing the HEPA filter with water. The container holds up to 450 ml of dry waste. The filtration system in the container itself has a honeycomb structure, similar to iLIFE A10s and the A80 Pro, which we reviewed earlier. Additionally, a HEPA filter is installed on top.

A water tank can be installed in place of the dust collector. It holds 300 ml of water. There's also a small compartment for sweeping up dry debris with the brushes during wet cleaning. I don't see a pump inside, but there is a tube that connects to the main unit of the robot. The pump is most likely installed in the robot itself, as the app has electronic water flow control. The cleaning cloth is attached to the base with Velcro and elastic bands.

The robot's underside is equipped with three fall protection sensors, two side brushes, and a central bristle-petal brush. The turbo brush is non-detachable. Only the cap on one side is removable.

Overall, the build quality is budget-mid-range, as is the price segment.

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of the iLIFE A80 Max, as stated by the manufacturer:

Battery	Li-Ion 2400 mAh
Suction power	Up to 2000 Pa
Cleaning area	up to 80 sq.m.
Battery life	80-100 min
Dust collector	450 ml
Water tank	300 ml
Obstacle clearance	up to 15 mm
Dimensions	330*73 mm

The technical characteristics are quite standard, I can’t highlight anything special.

Functional capabilities

Let's take a look at the features of the iLIFE A80 Max. It's controlled via a proprietary mobile app and remote control. Connecting the robot to the app is straightforward. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Among the functions that can be controlled via a smartphone, it is worth highlighting:

1. Real-time mapping of the room. The robot doesn't store the map in memory, but only draws it and displays it in reports.
2. Starting the cleaning process.
3. Forced return to base for charging.
4. Manual control of the robot.
5. Choose from three additional cleaning modes: perimeter, spot or maximum suction power.
6. Set up a cleaning schedule, where you can select the time and days of the week when the robot should be launched.
7. View cleaning log.
8. Monitoring the status of consumables.
9. Smooth adjustment of suction power.
10. Adjusting the degree of wetting of the napkin.
11. Select the robot's movement pattern, namely: a serpentine motion or cleaning in a chaotic direction until the battery is discharged.
12. Enables automatic power increase when driving on carpets.
13. Search for a robot vacuum cleaner by sound signal and update firmware if necessary.

The most important of these functions are duplicated on the remote control. If connecting the robot to a Wi-Fi network isn't possible, the remote control allows you to access all the important functions.

Overall, the robot's functionality is standard, given its gyroscope-based navigation. These features are sufficient for automatically maintaining cleanliness in a small area.

Testing

A detailed video review of the iLIFE A80 Max, including all tests, has already been prepared and published on the channel. I recommend watching the full video:

Navigation

Finally, let's move on to the tests. First, let's check how the iLIFE A80 Max navigates a room with obstacles. When selecting the serpentine cleaning mode, the robot moves out of the base, reaches the far left edge, and from there begins cleaning the entire accessible area in parallel lines. After doing a perimeter check, it returns to the base. While traversing the perimeter, it got stuck on the dryer's legs, causing the map to become skewed. After escaping the trap, the robot restarted cleaning the areas it had already passed. It didn't sweep around the box or chair legs, although it did attempt to sweep around the legs. After 30 minutes of cleaning, it finally decided to return to the base and found it without any problems.

Regarding navigation within the house, the algorithm remains unchanged: when the iLIFE A80 Max leaves the base, it goes to the far left and begins cleaning in a serpentine pattern from there. While moving from room to room, the map was lost, and the robot began rebuilding it. It also became confused between rooms, repeating the same routes. Apparently, it got lost in space, and the gyroscope couldn't guide it to other rooms. As a result, after 50 minutes of cyclic cleaning in one spot, it was decided to forcefully return it to the base. At least the robot found its base without any problems and was able to automatically return to charge.

Ultimately, the iLIFE A80 Max has navigation issues. If it starts getting lost in your environment, I recommend selecting the automatic cleaning mode in a random direction. This minimizes the chance of the robot getting confused, but it's possible that some areas may be left uncleaned. Overall, I have some complaints about the navigation. The iLIFE V80 Max had similar navigation issues.

Suction power

Speaking of suction power, it was impressive. The iLIFE A80 Max was able to suck up debris not only from a 2mm gap, but also from a 4mm gap. This robot has superior suction power!

Dry cleaning of laminate flooring

The quality of debris collection from laminate flooring was above average, with a variety of textures. The robot vacuum only left a small amount of debris in the corners, which is typical for almost all round robots. Some hair and fur got caught in the side and center brushes, but the majority of the debris was collected in the dust bin, passing this test successfully!

Carpet cleaning

The same debris was scattered on the carpet. The iLIFE A80 Max cleaned it quite well, leaving no hair, pet hair, or small debris behind. This robot is recommended for cleaning carpets.

By the way, the automatic power boost function works correctly on carpets. The robot quickly increases power when it detects carpet, which is a plus!

Wet cleaning

This robot vacuum does a good job of removing dirt. It left no streaks or marks on the stand. The iLIFE A80 Max was only unable to clean a small area along the baseboard, like other robot vacuums, due to their design.

Obstacle clearance

The manufacturer claims a maximum clearance of 15 mm. Indeed, the robot can cross thresholds up to 15 mm high, even with a cleaning pad installed. A 20 mm threshold is beyond its capabilities.

Driving on dark surfaces

A common problem with robot vacuums—a fear of deep black floors—appears the same with the iLIFE A80 Max. It recognizes dark floors as elevation changes and avoids them. It's worth noting that the Pro version didn't experience this issue.

Noise level

As for noise levels, in floor polishing mode with the suction off, it's between 53-54 dB. With smooth power adjustment, the noise level at 10% was 63-64.5 dB, at 30% it was 65-66 dB, at 50% it reached 68 dB, and at maximum power, the peak was 72 dB. Yes, the robot's noise level is elevated, but it's worth noting that its suction power is also above average.

Let's sum it up

The iLIFE A80 Max has been thoroughly reviewed and tested. According to our rating system, it scored 45 out of 100 points, while the Pro version scored 44 out of 100. The updated model actually proved slightly more powerful and added an automatic power boost feature for carpets. However, the robot is now wary of dark surfaces, unlike its predecessor.

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 liked the following:

1. Increased suction power.
2. Good quality dry and wet cleaning.
3. Good equipment.
4. Control via app and remote control.
5. Automatic power boost function on carpets.
6. Small body height.
7. Optimal price.

However, this model also has significant drawbacks. Namely:

1. There are problems with navigation.
2. Afraid of dark floor coverings.
3. In wet cleaning mode, the robot only sweeps, it does not vacuum.
4. Obstacle clearance no more than 15 mm.

As a result, my opinions on this robot vacuum are mixed. Its relatively affordable price and good cleaning performance save it. However, it also has significant drawbacks. I would recommend the iLIFE A80 Max for cleaning smaller areas. In this case, the comments aren't as critical.

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