Day 1 with the Yeedi Vac Station
The Yeedi Vac Station is a product that includes a robot vacuum with a docking station that stores a reported month’s worth of dirt and debris. It also sports a color scheme that reminds me of a Stormtrooper so that’s all I’m going to think about from here on out.
The Yeedi Vac Station comes with an app that really looks shockingly familiar (Roborock, Mi Home, couple of others seem to be using the same base app with their logo and some mods.) and it works with Google Home/Assistant and Alexa as well.
As I’m still working on some other reviews and my floors are far too clean for once in my life, the Yeedi is at the other Paul King’s house and currently mapping his floors. Much much larger house, lot longer mapping/mopping, same name so no confusion.
Initial setup of the Yeedi Vac Max
The Yeedi Vac Max, which is the vacuum that comes with the Yeedi Vac Station, has a different setup than I’m used to. This is the first robot vacuum I’ve run across that has an off switch, but the unit will still talk to you while it’s off, and it’s the first I’ve ever had with a camera pointing straight up that is used to read a QR code.
When you get it it should have about half a charge but it’s just not going to work. Oh, it’ll talk to you if it’s on the dock for a second but it’s going to talk a lot about what you need to do. There’s a power switch. Flip it. Everything will work. App-based setup, didn’t have any issues connecting to the WiFi but I don’t know if there would be 2/5ghz issues.
After setup, you can add it in Google Home by opening the Home app, adding a new item, works with Google, scrolling down to Yeedi, follow them prompts. You’ll need the username (email address,) and password you chose when setting up the Yeedi. About a minute later you should be able to say “ok google, start the vacuum” and go.
First Yeedi Vac Station run
I’ve tested a few robot vacuums in my time. Once the run started the mapping is almost exactly like any other robot vacuum I’ve run across. It takes a couple of runs to map your house, and it takes that first run for you to realize where all the cables that you’ve never had to hide are.
Something I noticed about the initial mapping are this unit taps things quite a bit. Please note I said taps, not bumps. Quite a few things I watched it tap as though to check whether they’re really there. It did score a bump or two, but that was rare in the about hour worth of cleaning/mopping/mapping we had before the battery was low enough to return.
Oh yeah, also noted that this had one issue with carpet – there’s a perfectly shaggy entry mat that seems to be able to convince the Yeedi Vac Max that it’s trapped while on either of the two lowest power modes. Switching to higher suction/power mode it was fine. Not sure if it’s a running issue or we’ll just have to define that area as high-power-only.
Observations
Multi-floor mapping does not seem to be in here yet.
When the mop reservoir is attached it will not go onto carpet.
Noise seems on par with other vacuums. Yeedi Vac Station emptying noise ever so slightly less than the other vacuum station review I’m working on, but not by a lot.
It’s really good under chairs.
Mopping does as well as any non-sonic mopping robot does – pad dragged across floor, wetted. It will maintain floor cleanliness, but if it’s dirty it’s dirty.
Make sure to put on max suction for initial cleans, but after that normal is probably ok.
Kim points out that if you’re going to have a white robot vacuum, a white base unit, you’re probably putting it against a white wall, so how much more could a white power cord have cost them?
Specs
- 3000Pa suction
- 200 minute max runtime
- Continual clean (if it stops, it will recharge and pick back up where it left off)
- 5200mAh battery
- Round
What’s next?
We’ll be running the vacuum for the next week at the other Paul King’s house and getting a rundown of how well it’s performing.
In the meantime you can grab one on Amazon, or research it more.
Updates: 24-day review, and final 67+ days review.
