Gadgets
Review: Kyvol Cybovac S31 robot vacuum and mop – a brilliant budget dustbuster
This robot vacuum even empties itself!
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Robot vacuum cleaners are an excellent way to keep your home clean without having to lift a finger. The Kyvol Cybovac S31 packs in the features and carries a price tag below $500. This means you can defeat the dust without dropping too many dollars.
For under $500, you get a robot vacuum and mop hybrid and an auto-empty station. That’s right, this robot doesn’t just vacuum, it mops hard floors as well, then goes and empties its own dustbin! Sound too good to be true? It isn’t. Let’s take a look at this marvelous machine.
What’s in the box?
The box contains:
- The LDS Robot Vacuum Cleaner S31
- Automatic dust-emptying base
- Remote with batteries
- Cleaning brush
- 2 x Spare Side Brushes
- Water tank with washable mopping pad
- Spare washable mopping pad
- 10 x spare disposable mopping pads
- Spare HEPA filter and sponge
- 2 x spare dust bags
- User guide and app manual
Looks familiar
Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie
The Cybovac S31 follows a familiar form with robot vacuum cleaners. It is a circular device and comes in a black colorway, like many other robot vacuums, so we’re not breaking the mold design-wise here. But why fix what isn’t broke?
The top of the device carries the multi-function power button, the return-to-base button, and the LDS laser sensor. The side of the vacuum has three infrared sensors, an air outlet, a speaker, and a reset button. A bumper also protects the front edge, which stops the vacuum from being damaged should it throw itself against the nearest table leg with a bit too much gusto.
Underneath the vacuum is where most of the magic happens. The belly of this beast carries the dustbin, various sensors, the wheels, the two side brushes, the main brush and dust inlet, the charging contacts, and clips to hold the water tank in place when you mop with the S31.
How does the S31 work?
Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie
The S31 works like most robot vacuums. However, this device has a neat trick or two hidden up its sleeve to ensure that it cleans in the most efficient way possible.
First, it will carry out a site recon, so it will leave the charging base and use its laser system to map your home. It will clean during this first pass, but don’t expect it to be super fast. The robot needs to get used to its surroundings first. So it will map the floor of the home you are cleaning, then return to the charging base to empty any dust automatically into the dustbin.
Once it has the place mapped out, future cleans should be much quicker. The robot cleans linearly, so it will zig-zag your floor to ensure it cleans every inch. The vacuum will vacuum and mop at the same time, and is intelligent enough to know when it shouldn’t be mopping your carpets, so no wet rugs for you!
The S31 also works with the Kyvol app (Android and iOS), allowing you to schedule cleans easily. You can even set the device to clean while you are away at work and it will have the task complete by the time you get home. Genius!
Peak performance
Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie
Performance-wise, the S31 is a great vacuum. It has 3000 Pa suction power, so it doesn’t struggle with carpets. I have four cats, and this robovac doesn’t struggle with lifting cat hair and kitty litter trails at all.
The linear cleaning mode is a godsend. I recall the first robot vacuum I ever reviewed didn’t use linear cleaning. Instead, it used a random cleaning mode (also known as bounce mode), which is very inefficient, and you end up having to do a bunch of manual remote control guidance.
Mopping is easy enough too. However, as with ALL robot vacuums, there is not enough pressure between the mopping pad and the floor, so don’t expect an industrial mopping session from the S31. Instead, you are best to perform a manual mop (yes, with a proper mop, like one you have to push around with your own arms and hands) then let the S31 keep on top of the basic mopping for you.
Image: KnowTechie
Kyvol has put together a great app, and it is easy to navigate. The ability to operate the vacuum remotely is excellent. The app allows you to view the map of your home, direct the vacuum to clean certain areas, and schedule cleans for the same time every day.
The charging/emptying station is another fantastic feature. You don’t need to interact with the vacuum at all, really. Aside from filling the mopping reservoir or removing any trailing wires from its greedy mouth, the S31 is fairly autonomous – a great lazy person’s cleaning bot!
Should you buy the Cybovac S31?
Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie
Hell yeah! You are getting so much for your money, here. Ecovacs, for example, is a Kyvol competitor with a similar product; the Deebot OZMO T8. It sells its robot vacuum and emptying station separately. Together they cost nearly $900, so the Kyvol is half the price. Having tested both, I can tell you that the Kyvol stands up as being just as good as its more expensive peers.
If you are looking for ways to make cleaning a lot easier, then short of inventing in a Fallout-style Mr. Handy, a robot vacuum is your best bet. If it mops and empties itself as well, who are you to argue?! You’ll find the S31 hard to beat at this price.
Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here for more. A sample unit was provided for the purpose of this review.
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