Ecovacs has long been known for its robot cleaning devices in Australia, which could be about to change with the Deebot X2 Combo it revealed at CES 2024.
As good as a decent robot vacuum is, it won’t get into every nook and cranny – that’s what a stick vacuum is for. Building on the X2 Omni from last year, the Combo includes Ecovacs’ first handheld vacuum, offering a more well-rounded cleaning experience.
While announcing the X2 Combo, the robotics brand also showed off the Winbot W2 Omni, an upgraded version of its automatic window-cleaning device. Additionally, Ecovacs demoed its latest lawnmowing and air purification tech.
Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo
As far as robot cleaners go, the Deebot X2 Omni is one of the best available. With the Deebot X2 Combo, Ecovacs is aiming to make a true all-in-one cleaning bundle. In addition to the mopping-proficient robot vacuum and docking station, the bundle includes a hand vacuum designed to clean wherever the robot can’t go.
Full details, including specifications, are limited at this point, but the Deebot X2 Combo will offer two variations of the hand vac. One comes with the handheld vacuum as is, while the other will include a stick attachment to help you reach further. According to the information provided by Ecovacs, the additional vacuum will share the same 8,000Pa suction power as the X2 Omni robot.
As part of the combo, the docking station also includes space for the handheld device. It’ll automatically empty the dustbin, just like the dock empties the robot. Pending certification, the Deebot X2 Combo will also support the Matter smart home platform, pairing seamlessly with any other compatible devices.
It’s a clever idea, pairing a robot vacuum and mop with a manual device. Sometimes, you just want to do a spot clean without firing up the robot. Price is what will ultimately make or break the value proposition.
Cleaning windows, gardens, and air
If there’s one thing worse than cleaning floors, it’s cleaning windows. Launched early last year, the Winbot W1 Pro targeted that exact bugbear. At CES 2024, Ecovacs displayed the Winbot W2 Omni, the latest generation of its window-cleaning technology.
There are a few new design features that stand out, starting with the amusingly named WIN-SLAM 3.0 navigation technology. It’s said to comprehensively clean right to edges while moving around obstacles in the way. Equipped with four new cleaning modes – Fast, Deep, Spot, and Custom – the Winbot W2 Omni offers more cleaning customisation than previous generations.
Moving to the garden, the Goat GX-600 will be the first robot lawn mower Ecovacs launches in the US. Seemingly an evolution from the Goat G1 model launched in Australia last year, the GX-600 promises “no boundary setup or physical boundary settings”.
For comparison, the Goat G1 reduced setup time by using ultra-wideband beacons you install around the garden. It streamlined the wire-installation process used by other robot lawnmowers. Meanwhile, the GX-600 appears to take things one step further, using improved smarts to automatically stick to grass and avoid obstacles.
Adding to the various robotics Ecovacs demoed on the CES floor, some existing devices also claimed the spotlight. Already available overseas, the Airbot Z2 is a robot air purifier that moves around the house to freshen your surroundings. It’d be a good device to see locally, particularly during the Australian bushfire season, when air purifiers come in handy.
An important disclaimer to add is that all of the above was catered towards a US audience. There’s no word yet on Australian availability or pricing yet. However, it’s a fair indication of what might come to Australian shores in the coming months.
