I tested the world's smallest smart robot vacuum, and it left a big impression

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ is launching today for $500, and I've been testing it for about a week. For a limited time, users can get $100 off by using code 20K10HOT during checkout. 
• The K10+ is a tiny robot vacuum and mop that has some strong features, like a self-emptying dustbin and the ability to squeeze into narrow spaces that other robot vacuums can't reach.
  
• Its simplified design means it doesn't have AI object detection, only has 2,500Pa of suction power, and its mopping feature leaves something to be desired. 

When I unboxed SwitchBot's K10+ robot vacuum to begin testing it, I was struck by its small size. I was expecting small, but with a diameter of only 9.7 inches, the K10+ is smaller than a dinnerplate -- more the size of a round cake pan than a traditional robot vacuum.

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But don't let its size fool you. The SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+ may be tiny, but it has some huge features. This little robot expertly vacuums floors with an increased cleaning coverage, as it can easily fit through chair legs and between furniture, where other robot vacuums can't reach. 

Compact form factor aside, the SwitchBot K10+ has features you wouldn't expect from a 'mini' robot vacuum, like a self-emptying dustbin, which is a popular feature in high-end robot vacuums. The bag inside the base station where the dust is emptied can hold up to 70 days' worth of cleaning. That's four liters of dust, debris, hair, and other things you definitely don't want to touch. I don't even want to see how much dust 70 days' worth of vacuuming produces (but also, I kind of do). 

Since I already have several SwitchBot devices and had the app on my phone, setting up the robot vacuum was easy. The K10+ is not a replacement for the Roomba that cleans your whole house -- it's instead designed for small homes, like apartments or to be kept in confined areas. 

Because of this, I didn't set up the K10+ to clean my main floor or upstairs as I've done with other robot vacuums I've tested and instead decided to keep it in our TV room. Our family loves hanging out in the TV room and watching TV while eating popcorn or having impromptu pizza-and-a-movie nights -- this room is adjacent to the kids' playroom and sees a lot of traffic and crumbs. 

Also: Roomba Combo J7+ review: A 2-in-1 robot vacuum done (almost) right

This room is also carpeted, and even though the SwitchBot K10+ is technically a robot vacuum and mop, the mopping feature leaves much to be desired. While K10+ can mop, it does so with disposable mop pads and a removable mopping plate that goes over the brush roller. 

The mopping feature performs well enough for small areas, but it's not one I'd rely on to mop an entire apartment. You'd have to constantly change the mopping pad during cleaning and would quickly go through the pack of wet cloths included in the box, though I can't see why another brand of cleaning cloths wouldn't work. 

Also: The 18 best early Black Friday robot vacuum deals

For this reason, I'd use the K10+ more as a robot vacuum than a mop, but it's nice knowing the feature is there if needed -- just don't expect it to scrub out stains from your floors. 

In line with its compact size, the K10+'s suction power is only 2500Pa, which is significantly less than the market leader's 8000Pa, but it's also significantly smaller. The suction power on the K10+ is akin to that of the Roborock Q5+, which also has a self-emptying dustbin. 

Even though it's not built to be the most powerful vacuum on the market, the SwitchBot K10+ has proven itself quite effective at tackling crumbs and dust in my TV room's medium-pile carpet. The K10+ runs each night after the kids clean up their toys and scurry off to bed, leaving behind them evidence of a good time: a layer of colored paper shreds, stickers, snack crumbs, and other debris on the carpet.

Also: Is this the future of robot vacuums?

Each night, I return to the TV room to a satisfyingly clean carpet, complete with beautiful carpet lines.

ZDNET's buying advice

The SwitchBot K10+ is now available for sale for the price of $500, but an on-page coupon on Amazon or the code 20K10HOT on the SwitchBot site brings that down to $400 as an introductory offer. For that price, you get a tiny robot vacuum and mop with LiDAR mapping, no-go zones, a self-emptying dustbin, two dust collection bags, a removable mop plate, and a pack of mopping cloths. 

Also: This robot litter box changed my life, and it's on sale now

Because of its limited features, I'd recommend the SwitchBot Mini K10+ for someone looking for a robot vacuum to keep their small home's floors free from dust and debris. Though this can mop in a pinch, I wouldn't rely on the mopping feature to clean an entire apartment. 

For now, the SwitchBot K10+ has been the perfect addition to my carpeted TV room, and if it's proven itself more than capable of handling three kids' worth of crumbs and debris, I'm sure it can handle almost any task it's given.

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