I have said it before, the ILIFE was my first robot vacuum so when I have a chance to test one, I try to test it. This time it is one of a few mopping robots on the market and the only one that contains two water tanks inside the machine, the ILIFE W450. It is an upgraded version of the previous W400 model. The W450 got improved navigation thanks to the camera and it can be connected and controlled by the app. It costs $349.99 on Amazon or even cheaper on Geekbuying ($259.99), so let's see if it is worth the price.
ILIFE W400 vs. W450 What Has Changed
- the W450 has a camera that helps to create a more accurate map
- you can track the robot in the app in real-time
- the W450 navigates faster
- no app in the ILIFE W400
- water output control in the W450
- larger battery (2,500 vs. 2,900 mAh)
- comes with a cleaning solution in the box
ILIFE W450 Highlights
- Two water tanks. One for clean, one for dirty water
- The brushroll is a fully fluffy roller that is supposed to scrab floors and remove stains better
- A camera for more efficient navigation and mapping
- A small in diameter body fits between chair legs and narrow spaces
- Ability to change the brushroll speed and moving speed as well control the water output
ILIFE W450 video review
Design and a few words
The ILIFE W450 is a tall guy. Taller than you might think. It means the robot wouldn't get fit under some of your furniture tho even the shortest robots don't go under my couch so it's not a concern for me. However, it might not be short but it's definitely smaller than most robots as its diameter is only 11.5 in (29.2 cm).
There are buttons on top that allow using the robot without the app. There is a start/stop button, as well as a cleaning mode button. However, if you'd want the ILIFE to clean a specific zone, slow down the movement, and brush roll speed you'd need to use the app or an IR remote controller that comes in the box. There is also a handle that helps to move the robot around as it doesn't go to the dock automatically, you have to do so manually.
The brushroll is unique too, it is all fluffy made for scrabbing and wiping hard floors.
The ILIFE is the only manufacturer that produces robots with two water tanks inside, one for clean water (850 ml) and one for dirty water (900 ml). As the robot mops, it collects dirty water in a separate water tank.
Underneath there is a filter that should be washed once in a while as well.
The charging dock does not look like most docks I've seen. It is basically a plate with contacts that powers up via an adaptor.
I must say, if you are looking for a robot vacuum that would also vacuum your floors, the ILIFE W450 is not what you need. Yes, it picks up some pet's hair but I wouldn't run it without vacuuming the floors first. The W450 is firstly a mop and basically a mop, it doesn't work on carpets nor pick up debris.
Since the robot does not have no-go zones, its climbing height is reduced so it doesn't go on carpets and because of that, it can't cross even a small threshold. I have two thresholds between a corridor, bedroom, and living room and I have to pick up the robot and move it to those rooms to clean.
Camera navigation
Unlike the previous W400, the W450 uses a camera that helps it to navigate around creating a map of you house.
The robot still relies a lot on a gyroscope and acts like a gyroscope-guided robot, the camera only helps it to be a bit more accurate. You can track the robot's movements in real-time. The created maps disappear when cleaning is done so the robot doesn't know its location when starts a new cleaning cycle, it has to create a new map every time. However, its coverage is close is more than 90% and it almost doesn't leave spots while mopping.
You can change the robot's speed in the app. By slowing it down, the robot might remove some stains better. Controlling the robot’s speed is a feature I see the first time in robot vacuums.
Since the robot doesn’t have good clearance, it doesn’t go over carpets as well as thresholds so when you manually move it to another room, the previous map disappears too and it builds a new one again. The robot also loses a map when notifying about an error like when something gets stuck in the wheel or around the brush.
Mopping Performance
To start mopping, all you need to do is filling the clean water tank with water and run the robot. When the robot is done cleaning in my apartment, the waste water container is always full of dirty water, it does collect a lot of dirt around my apartment.
I like that the robot has a water tank alert. When the clean water tank is empty, the robot stops moving and notifies you about it. The same goes for the dirty water tank getting full. The ILIFE W450 would not keep cleaning when it either doesn’t have clean water or have lots of dirty water.
When testing it with dried-on stains, I wouldn’t say it was much better or worse than premium hybrid robots (vacuum & mop) like the Roborock S7 at removing stains. However, the most important to me is how my floors look after the whole place cleaning. Because it continuously washes the brush while mopping, it doesn't drag all the dirt around your house like most of the hybrid robots do.
I have run it even without vacuuming the floors first and they still felt clean after although I would not recommend doing so especially if you have a pet. I had to clean the brushroll as it had hair wrapped around which never happened after vacuuming first. The room behind the brushroll was full of hair as well so having a look there is a part of the maintenance routine too.
The ILIFE W450 does not remove old stubborn stains, in fact none of these robots does, but it is a very useful addition to keep the floors clean for longer. Unlike other robots that drag the dirty mopping cloth around, the ILIFE uses clean water and washes the mop so the floors feel cleaner. Does it make sense?
As to ease of use, you don’t have to use a water-proof mat or remove the mopping plate to prevent the floors from damaging when put the robot on charge. The clearance of the robot is small preventing it from going over carpets but the same issue leading to it not being able to cross thresholds. There is a handle for such purposes, you put it to the other room manually. The thresholds in my place are not tall at all so occasionally the robot goes over them and I don’t have to babysit it but I assume most places are not the same so you have to keep that in mind.
Another pro of the reduced clearance is that the robot does not get stuck on cords simply because it can’t catch one between its wheels. There is a chance to go over a USB cable, so I always prepare floor before starting the robot.
ILIFEHOME App
The app is simpler than most apps I have seen. There are not many features but some of them are very new to me. On the main screen, you see the map and the robot's movements in real-time.
You can also select a cleaning plan between cleaning and drying. The drying function dries out your floors. Cleaning mops them up.
To make the robot clean a specific area, there is a zoned cleaning function that rather works as spot cleaning. You draw a rectangle on a black screen around the robot's location and make it work within this zone. So if the robot is in the kitchen, you can't make it work in the bedroom, only where it is placed.
There in the app, you can also see cleaning history, change voice volume, etc.
What makes the robot unique is the ability to change water usage, travel, and brushroll rotation speed.
The app works fine, I didn't notice glitches or bugs yet. It doesn't freeze and in general works fine.
You can’t program the cleaner to work at a specific time too. That makes sense as the robot can not dock on its own. The same goes to room cleaning, you can’t send the robot to a specific rooms.
Where to buy
Conclusion
The ILIFE W450 is a robot mop that can set you free of mopping chores. I personally hate mopping even more than vacuuming so when I have a chance not to, I don’t do manual mopping. And the ILIFE W450 is one of these chances for me that let me do my things without worrying about mopping the floors.
Yes, I have to manually move it to the bedroom and living room but this thing does the job and does it well. And it’s relatively small even tho the body is tall, with the charging dock, the robot doesn’t take a lot of space. Normally mopping robots have one water tank, vibrated mopping pad, or spray water on the floor. The ILIFE has a fluffy roller that scrubs the floor, and two water tank so you can see how dirty your floor was based on the dirty water tank content. Call me crazy but noticing the dirty tank getting full is so fascinated. My floors feel clean after the job is done and the robot cleans around 1 sqm (10 sqft) in one minute which is an average speed even for premium robot vacuums. So it doesn’t take longer to mop the floors compared to a hybrid vacuum and mop.
Keep in mind, the robot does not vacuum the floors, it only mops them so you have to vacuum first. I run my Roborock S6 MaxV first, and then turn on the ILIFE W450.