The Atvel Robotic R85 Self-Cleaning Station: A Useful Upgrade to the Atvel SmartGyro R80

This review will examine a new option for the popular Atvel SmartGyro R80 robot vacuum cleaner—the Atvel Robotic R85 self-cleaning station. It will be available for purchase in July 2022. I received a test unit to demonstrate the station in action and to inform those who have already purchased or are considering an Atvel R80 robot vacuum cleaner about its availability. Below, I'll demonstrate how it works and highlight some key points about this self-cleaning station. Let's get started!

Briefly about the robot vacuum cleaner

First, I'd like to briefly discuss the Atvel SmartGyro R80 robot vacuum cleaner, which I previously reviewed. This device boasts excellent navigation for a gyroscopic robot, as well as excellent dry and wet cleaning performance.

It demonstrated high-quality debris collection on both hard floors and carpets. The wet cleaning function is also well implemented. The robot can not only scrub dirt from the floor, but also vacuum and mop simultaneously, as well as move in floor polishing mode, which increases cleaning efficiency. Thanks to all this, the Atvel SmartGyro R80 topped the list. A rating of the best robot vacuum cleaners with a gyroscope for navigation in 2022. I recommend reading a detailed review of the model separately: https://robovac.washerhouse.com/en/obzory/drugie-brendy/robovac-atvel-smartgyro-r80.html.

Self-cleaning station

Technical specifications

The main characteristics of the Atvel Robotic R85 self-cleaning station, as stated by the manufacturer:

• Dimensions: 318*242*255 mm.
• Power consumption: 600 W.
• Suction power 14000 Pa.
• Capacity of the bag in the station: 3 liters.
• Dust container capacity: 180 ml.
• Weight: 3.4 kg.

Appearance

Now about the station itself. It's black:

The waste discharge opening is located at the end of the station. Underneath it are the charging terminals and special movable pins that operate levers in the dust collector.

When the robot is docked, the pins engage the levers, which then opens the shutter on the suction port to empty the dust from the dust bin. Basically, it's a bit of a complicated setup.

The bag is located on top, under the lid. It holds up to 3 liters of dry waste. The engine vents, additionally protected by a mesh filter, are located next to the bag.

The station comes with a dedicated dust container. Pressing the levers opens the shutter. The container holds up to 180 ml of dry waste. The filtration system uses a mesh filter and a HEPA filter. There is no water tank.

The station is designed to empty only the dry dust container. So, you'll have to choose between using the robot vacuum cleaner for dry cleaning only, which will make it self-cleaning, or installing a combined water and dust container, which will then simply charge the robot at the station. It's a confusing decision.

We install a special dust collector in the robot and check how well the self-cleaning station performs its task.

Test

First, we started the Atvel SmartGyro R80 to collect hair and lint from the stand. It collected everything in the dust container. We activated the forced return to the base and saw that after the self-cleaning process, the container was completely empty.

Let's test the self-cleaning efficiency again with small household waste, such as spilled grains and crumbs. The station handled this task as well, completely emptying the dust container.

I can say that the self-cleaning station for Atvel SmartGyro R80 is truly effective.

Personal opinion

Now I'll share my personal opinion about the station. I liked the following:

1. The station effectively unloads waste from the dust collector into a bag.
2. The suction channel can be disassembled from below for cleaning in case something gets stuck inside.
3. The station is 32 cm high, making it lower than most other self-cleaning stations.

In principle, the engineers managed to achieve everything that was most important.

As for the disadvantages, when compared with similar products, the following comments apply:

1. There's no combined water and waste container compatible with the waste discharge station. This means the Atvel SmartGyro R80 can only self-clean when used with dry cleaning.
2. The app doesn't have any self-cleaning settings. You can't configure the frequency of garbage disposal or, for example, force self-cleaning. The algorithm is designed so that the robot self-cleans each time it returns to the station. According to the manufacturer, no additional station settings are necessary. The robot simply empties the garbage after each cleaning cycle, and no additional adjustments are required.

Overall, this new option will please Atvel SmartGyro R80 owners and, most importantly, expand the robot's capabilities, which is important for potential buyers. According to the manufacturer, this station will initially cost around $140 or $200, which is quite reasonable.

Finally, I recommend watching a video review of the new Atvel R80 station:

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