Viomi S9: 2021's flagship robot vacuum cleaner with a self-cleaning base

In late December 2020, Viomi, a Xiaomi sub-brand, announced and launched its new flagship, the Viomi S9. It's sure to be one of the best robot vacuums of the first half of 2021, as it boasts cutting-edge features, a powerful motor, lidar for navigation, and a self-cleaning base. The Viomi S9 retails for around $500 on AliExpress. We hope to review the new product soon, but for now, let's take a look at what we know so far about the robot.

We've already received this robot for review in the Viomi Alpha UV version (with a UV lamp). You can read the review by following this link: https://robovac.washerhouse.com/en/obzory/viomi/robovac-viomi-alpha-uv-s9.html.

Appearance

So, first of all, let's look at the robot itself. It's white, just like Viomi SE, but the lidar is mounted in the center. At the top, we see two buttons: start/pause and forced return to the base. The mechanical bumper has an obstacle proximity sensor on the front and a wall sensor on the side. Apparently, the dust collector is combined with a water tank, mounted at the rear of the body. Electronic adjustment of the water flow to the cleaning cloth is provided.

 

There's a single, three-pronged, bristle side brush. A bristle-petal turbo brush is installed in the center. Overall, the robot's design isn't much different from previous models; the base is far more interesting.

The self-cleaning base holds up to 3 liters of debris, which is enough for several months of use of the robot vacuum cleaner.

The base features a dust bag full indicator and a battery charge level indicator. The base's power consumption is 950 W.

Equipment

The Viomi S9 package includes the following:

1. Robot vacuum cleaner.
2. Self-cleaning base.
3. Nozzle for wet cleaning.
4. Side brushes (2 pcs).
5. Disposable wipes (10 pcs).
6. Reusable napkin (1 pc).
7. Bags for the base (3 pcs).

The only thing missing is a spare HEPA filter, but the kit includes all the necessary consumables for the first time.

Technical specifications

As for the Viomi S9's specifications, we now know for sure the following:

• Li-Ion battery 5200 mAh.
• Suction power up to 2700 Pa.
• Operating time up to 150 min.
• Charging time up to 220 min.
• Cleaning area up to 250 sq.m.
• The water tank capacity is 250 ml (the dust collector capacity is not specified).
• Passability of thresholds up to 20 mm.
• Dimensions: 350*98 mm.
• Weight 3.8 kg.

As soon as other specifications become known, we'll add them to the list. If you know more, please share in the comments!

Functional capabilities

The Viomi S9 is equipped with all the latest features. Thanks to its lidar technology, it can map a room, store multiple cleaning maps, and divide the room into zones. Furthermore, the robot vacuum cleaner can continue cleaning after recharging at the base station.

Among the remaining functions we highlight:

1. Electronic regulation of suction power and water supply to the cloth.
2. Y-shaped movement during wet cleaning.
3. Adjusting the rotation speed of the side brush.
4. Manual control.
5. Setting up restricted areas and virtual walls on the map.
6. Set up scheduled cleaning and select rooms for cleaning.
7. Adjust the suction power and water flow level individually for each room.
8. Automatic power increase when driving on carpets.

These features are sufficient for automatically maintaining cleanliness in your home. Compared to competitors, the only thing missing is an active camera to recognize objects on the floor.

 

Let's sum it up

Until the robot has been tested in detail, we cannot evaluate it objectively, but given the experience of operating previous models Viomi V2 Pro And Viomi V3, we can assume that the new flagship with a self-cleaning base is a bid to be included in the TOP-10 best models of 2021.

The functionality and specifications are competitive, and the price is on par with its closest competitors, so the question remains how well the Viomi S9 copes with automatically maintaining cleanliness in the home.

That's all from us. Thanks for watching, and happy shopping!