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CES 2024 sweeps (and mops) the floor with advanced robovacs

From extra arms to clean those tricky corners, to hair-detangling brushes, a ton of cool robovacs are coming soon.

ecovacs deebot x2 robovac cleaning underneath a bed
Image: Ecovacs

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CES has always been full of robotic vacuums, but this year brings some interesting new features.

These include ways to grab the last bits of dirt traditional robovacs struggle with, expanded emptying docks that also connect to your plumbing, and the welcome return of AI cameras to some models.

Here’s what’s new and worth checking out.

Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra

roborock s8 maxv ultra cleaning a corner with its arm
Image: Roborock

Robovacs are great for keeping your floors tidy, but one area they have trouble with is cleaning right into corners. It makes sense; after all, they’re round, and corners, well, aren’t.

Roborock has one solution on its newest S8 MaxV Ultra–a small arm that pushes the side brush out further to get into those tricky corners.

It also has a second mop, with a spinning mop being added to the side of the existing flat, oscillating pad, which should mean cleaner floors.

The robot also gains a new voice assistant, 10,000 Pa of suction, and a new camera that is used for AI obstacle avoidance but also for video calling. Think “check in on the pets” or “intruder alert” rather than FaceTime replacement.

The auto-emptying dock gets a few new upgrades, including the ability to connect directly to your home’s drainage system so you never have to deal with stinky floor water ever again. If that’s not worth the $1,800 price tag, I need to find out what is.

Narwal Freo X Ultra

narwal freo x ultra robovac cleaning a floor next to a family playing together
Image: Narwal

Narwal’s Freo X Ultra is the latest flagship robovac from the company, boasting an impressive 8,200 Pa of suction. That’s on par with flagships from other brands, keeping your carpets cleaner.

It’s also more maintenance-free, with a self-emptying dock that can compress the dust only to need emptying every 60 days or even longer.

But the significant innovation here is what Narwal calls “hairodynamics.” This redesigned brush whisks hair off to one side and into the dustbin instead of tangling around the brush.

And with dual rotating scrubbing mops, every floor type in your home will be cleaned with aplomb.

The Narwal Freo X Ultra will be available for $1,099 in March.

Deebot X2 Combo

ecovacs deebot x2 combo in a living room
Image: Ecovacs

Ecovacs makes some of our favorite robovacs, and the Deebot X2 Combo will probably join that list once we get hands-on in a few months.

It combines the already-great X2 Omni robovac with self-emptying dock and square, low-to-the-ground design so it can get under furniture with a handheld vac.

The handheld is also auto-emptying, so you never have to manually empty a vac dustbin again, and has all the accessories you’d want to clean floors, overhead fans, or curtains.

It’s only $100 more than the standalone X2 Omni at $1,599, making this a cost-effective way to keep your house dust-free.

Robovacs are only going to get smarter

While these upgraded robovacs bring something different to the space under your dining table, the trend toward ever-smarter devices continues.

It’s refreshing to see manual cleaning options returned to the mix, as sometimes that’s the best way for specific tasks.

We’re looking forward to torture testing these new robovacs in the coming months.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience at KnowTechie, SlashGear and XDA Developers. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere, with particular focus in gadgetry and handheld gaming. Shoot him an email at joe@knowtechie.com.

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