I tested the world’s smallest smart robot vacuum, and it left a big impression

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ is launching today for $500, and I’ve been testing it for about a week. For a limited time, users can get $100 off by using code 20K10HOT during checkout. 
• The K10+ is a tiny robot vacuum and mop that has some strong features, like a self-emptying dustbin and the ability to squeeze into narrow spaces that other robot vacuums can’t reach.
• Its simplified design means it doesn’t have AI object detection, only has 2,500Pa of suction power, and its mopping feature leaves something to be desired. 

When I unboxed SwitchBot’s K10+ robot vacuum to begin testing it, I was struck by its small size. I was expecting small, but with a diameter of only 9.7 inches, the K10+ is smaller than a dinnerplate — more the size of a round cake pan than a traditional robot vacuum.

Also: This all-in-one robot vacuum and mop is $200 off ahead of Black Friday

But don’t let its size fool you. The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ may be tiny, but it has some huge features. This little robot expertly vacuums floors with an increased cleaning coverage, as it can easily fit through chair legs and between furniture, where other robot vacuums can’t reach. 

ZDNET RECOMMENDS

SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+

The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ is a quiet device designed to clean small spaces with a self-emptying dustbin and 2500Pa of suction power.

Compact form factor aside, the SwitchBot K10+ has features you wouldn’t expect from a ‘mini’ robot vacuum, like a self-emptying dustbin, which is a popular feature in high-end robot vacuums. The bag inside the base station where the dust is emptied can hold up to 70 days’ worth of cleaning. That’s four liters of dust, debris, hair, and other things you definitely don’t want to touch. I don’t even want to see how much dust 70 days’ worth of vacuuming produces (but also, I kind of do). 

Since I already have several SwitchBot devices and had the app on my phone, setting up the robot vacuum was easy. The K10+ is not a replacement for the Roomba that cleans your whole house — it’s instead designed for small homes, like apartments or to be kept in confined areas. 

Because of this, I didn’t set up the K10+ to clean my main floor or upstairs as I’ve done with other…