Comparison Xiaomi MiJia 1C vs Xiaomi Xiaowa E20

The cleaning method determines whether the robot can only collect dry debris or also wipe the floor covering with water, and which methods are available for this.

— Dry. The robot cleans the floor with brushes and an airflow, directing dust, crumbs, hair and pet fur into the dust container. This option is suitable for carpets and hard floors, but does not remove stains and marks from the floor.

— Dry and wet. The device combines debris suction with floor wiping using a damp attachment. Depending on the design, this may be a simple cloth or an active washing module that can better handle fresh stains and shoe marks.

— Side brushes. Small rotating elements that sweep debris along walls, near furniture and out of corners towards the main suction opening. One side brush on the edge of the body sweeps debris along walls, near furniture and out of corners towards the central suction channel. This design is usually sufficient, as the robot most often moves along obstacles with one particular side. Two brushes operate on both sides of the body and cover a wider strip of floor in one pass. This setup is especially convenient when moving along walls and between furniture, although on smooth floors fast brushes can sometimes scatter light debris.

— Extendable brush. A mov...able side brush automatically extends beyond the body when cleaning corners and areas near walls. Compared to a conventional fixed design, it reduces uncleaned areas where the robot body cannot get close enough.

— Turbo brush. A motorized module at the bottom of the robot that picks up debris and directs it into the suction channel. The working part may consist of a roller with bristles, rubber blades, or a combined surface. This system collects pet fur, hair and dirt from carpets more effectively than a simple suction opening, but bristled elements need regular cleaning to remove tangled hair.

— Floor scrubber. An active washing module with rotating mops or a roller that does not simply glide over the floor but mechanically scrubs away dirt. This system removes stains and marks better than a regular cloth.

— Extendable floor scrubber. One of the rotating mops shifts to the side and extends beyond the robot body. This allows the floor to be wiped closer to skirting boards, furniture legs and corners, where a standard fixed floor scrubber leaves a narrow dry strip.

— Vibration wiping. The washing platform rapidly moves the cloth back and forth, increasing friction against the surface. In terms of effectiveness, this option is between a passive cloth and rotating mops, effectively removing light stains and marks.

— Cloth wiping. A damp fabric attachment is fixed under the body and pulled across the floor as the robot moves. This simple solution is suitable for regular removal of fine dust and fresh marks, but barely scrubs off dried dirt.

A function that allows you to adjust the amount of liquid supplied to the robot vacuum cleaner’s pad, mops, or cleaning roller. A low level is suitable for laminate and parquet flooring, while a more intensive level is ideal for tiles and areas with noticeable dirt. Water flow adjustment helps prevent excessive floor wetting while improving wet cleaning efficiency.

Measured in Pa, this indicator describes the robot vacuum cleaner's suction pressure: the higher it is, the easier it is for the device to pick up heavy debris and clean carpet pile. Values around 2,000–4,000 Pa are usually sufficient for regular cleaning of smooth floors, while 6,000–10,000 Pa and above are better suited for collecting hair, sand, and dirt from carpets or floor joints.

The dustbin capacity indicates how much dry debris fits in the robot vacuum’s built-in container before it needs to be emptied. Models with a 200–300 ml capacity are suitable for a small apartment and frequent cleaning cycles, while a 400–600 ml capacity is more convenient for larger areas, pets, or lots of hair. For robots with a self-emptying station, the size of the internal container is less important, as debris is automatically transferred to the docking station’s collection bin.

The tank capacity determines the water supply for moistening the pad, rotating mops, or cleaning roller. Compact tanks of around 200 ml are suitable for regular wiping of small areas, while 300–500 ml tanks allow fewer interruptions for refilling during cleaning.

Fine filter captures fine dust, pollen, and other particles that have passed through the main dust container, preventing them from returning to the room air. The higher the class, the more effective the filtration.

— EPA 10. Retains at least 85% of particles of the most penetrating size and provides basic fine filtration of the outgoing air.

— EPA 11. Captures at least 95% of fine particles, making it better suited for regular cleaning of dusty rooms.

— EPA 12. Provides efficiency from 99.5% and noticeably reduces the amount of fine dust returned to the room.

— HEPA 13. Captures at least 99.95% of the most difficult-to-retain particles and is especially useful in homes with allergy sufferers, children, or pets.

— HEPA 14. Retains from 99.995% of such particles and provides the highest level of filtration among the listed classes.

Map building allows the robot vacuum to memorize the room layout, track covered areas, and plan a systematic cleaning route. The mapping method affects its accuracy, orientation speed, and the device's ability to detect obstacles.

— With sensors. The robot creates an approximate map using data from the gyroscope, motion sensors, wheels, and obstacle collisions. This system is more affordable, but less accurate at determining the exact location of walls and furniture, while accumulated errors may lead to repeated passes or missed areas.

— With a rangefinder. A laser rangefinder, or lidar, measures the distance to surrounding objects and creates an accurate map of the room even before completing a full sweep. It works reliably in low light, confidently detects walls and furniture, and also supports room division and no-go zones.

— With a camera. The camera analyzes the surroundings and navigates using visual objects, helping refine the robot's position and the room layout. Its advantage is the ability to distinguish individual objects, although performance depends more heavily on lighting.

— With a rangefinder and camera. The combined system uses lidar for accurate distance measurement and map building, and a camera to recognize small objects on the floor. Such a robot not only navigates rooms confidently in any lighting but also avoids cables, shoes, toys, and pet...bowls more effectively.

Cleaning area restriction lets you prevent the robot vacuum from entering certain rooms or selected floor areas. This is useful near pet bowls, fragile items, wires, children’s play areas, or surfaces that should not be wiped with a wet attachment. There are various methods.

— Laser sensor. A separate accessory that creates an invisible boundary — the robot detects it with its sensors and does not cross it. It can be moved between rooms, but the device takes up floor space and usually requires separate power.

— Magnetic tape. A strip is placed on the floor or under a thin covering, creating a physically defined no-go line. This is a simple and reliable method, but the tape may be noticeable in the interior and only restricts the area where it is laid.

— Mobile app. No-go zones and virtual walls are applied directly to the saved map of the room. This option does not require additional accessories, allows you to quickly change boundaries, and is usually the most convenient for regular use.

Battery capacity indicates the amount of charge available to the robot vacuum for navigation, motor operation, brushes, and the mopping system. A higher-capacity battery can potentially provide longer runtime, but it does not allow the exact cleaning time to be determined without considering the device's power consumption. Operating time is more strongly affected by the selected mode, suction power, floor type, use of mopping pads, and frequency of returns to the docking station.