Samsung Navibot robot vacuum cleaner Samsung Navibot first look review
Samsung’s new Navibot robot vacuum cleaners will be available on the high street from Currys in April 2010.
There are two models to choose from: a basic Navibot costing from £399, and a premium version priced from £449. The latter version comes with a touchscreen control panel and a scheduler that lets you program it to clean at a precise time each day.
It’s the first robot vacuum cleaner we’ve seen from a major manufacturer since the short-lived Electrolux Trilobite back in 2001.
We’ve already had a look at the popular iRobot Roomba robot vac. Samsung claims that its new Navibot uses market-leading technology and innovation to deliver faster, more intelligent cleaning than rival robot vacuum cleaners.
We tried out this robot vac to bring you our initial impressions.
Samsung Navibot robot vacuum cleaner
Navibot sensors
With its circular body, the Navibot looks much like the iRobot Roomba robot vac. Like the Roomba, it also comes with a self-charging base which it returns to automatically when the battery runs low.
Rather than bouncing around the room erratically like other robot vacuum cleaners we’ve seen, the Samsung Navibot comes with a visionary mapping system.
It uses a built-in camera to create a map of the room it’s in. This enables it to differentiate between the places it has and hasn’t already cleaned.
Built-in sensors detect drop offs like stairs and a wide rubber guard around the Navibot protects furniture it bumps into.
The premium model comes with two ‘virtual guards’. These are battery operated pillars that create a virtual fence it won’t cross. You get one with the basic Navibot and two with the more expensive version.
Robot vacuum settings
When set to ‘auto’ the Navibot will clean a whole house without stairs by moving to a new room each time it finishes one - without you needing to pick it up or move it around.
Cleverly, if the Navibot runs out of battery it returns to its docking station to recharge before returning to its last location to resume cleaning.
The base unit needs to be placed somewhere the Navibot can access easily - so not tucked away in an awkward corner.
The ‘max’ setting instructs the robot vacuum cleaner to clean until its battery runs out and then return to its docking station. A ‘spot’ mode concentrates the Navibot on any particularly dirty patches for it to thoroughly clean.
There’s a remote control and a manual setting so you can direct the Navibot yourself if you fancy it.
You can also delay the start of cleaning for up to 23 hours on the basic model.
If you go for the more expensive version of the Navibot you can use the weekly scheduler to program it to clean at a set time each day.
You can set the Navibot to automatically begin cleaning at certain times
It’s also got two anti-tangle sensors which automatically unwind any cords or tassles that it gets tangled in. Plus it has a HEPA filter to trap dust and allergens.
The end of vacuuming?
The Navibot is certainly more methodical in its vacuuming than other robot vacuum cleaners we’ve tried out.
When we set it loose in our studio, it did stick to one side of the room before moving to the other.
It’s got flexible wheels so can move from one flooring type to another up to 2cm higher. It certainly climbed onto our rug with ease - but it can't go up and down steps.
But we were a little disappointed with its cleaning on carpet. While it definitely brushed up larger bits of fluff and crumbs, it did leave behind visible smaller debris and didn’t seem to suck up dust from our thicker pile rug very well.
It would certainly save you sweeping up on hard floors, and regular use would help prevent a build up of dust and dirt.
But, we think you’ll still need your regular vacuum cleaner for thorough cleaning and with prices starting at £399, the Samsung Navibot is not a cheap helping hand.
Pros: More methodical cleaning, able to recharge itself and resume cleaning, easy to use
Cons: You’ll still need a regular vac for thorough cleaning, no weekly scheduler on the basic model, expensive
