iLife A10 Robot Vacuum Review: Still Needs Babysitting

“The iLife A10 is a robotic vacuum cleaner that needs to be monitored to get the job done.”

• Lidar enables effective cleaning

• Affordable price

• Comes with two side brushes

• Will trip over obstacles

• Problems deleting humps

The Wyze Robot Vacuum has certainly raised eyebrows lately, which shows us that a low-cost offering can deliver just as good cleaning as bots doubling their price. However, we cannot fail to mention another company that has its roots in the entry-level robot vacuum space, iLife. It has been making robotic vacuums for a while, but its newest model, the A10, may well be a direct rival of the Wyze Robot Vacuum due to its similar features and cost under $ 300.

Comfort thanks to lidar

For the money you make, it’s great that the iLife A10 has smarter navigation thanks to the built-in lidar that maps rooms. Formerly reserved for high-end robotic vacuums, lidar technology is slowly being rolled out into budget models – and we’re excited to have it here with the A10. This allows the bot to effectively clean rooms by moving in straight lines.

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You can even set up restricted zones through the iLife app, which is essentially a virtual wall to prevent the bot from passing by. Again, you get some extra features that we don’t normally find in robots in this price range. It’s compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, so you can start and stop cleaning using voice control.

Decent on hardwoods

One notable thing that stands out about the ILIFE A10 is that it has two side sweeping brushes, which is less the case in robotic vacuum cleaners these days as most of them only use a single brush. The two side brushes are useful for sweeping dirt and debris on hardwoods and tiles so that they can be swallowed up by the lower brush. Plus, it’s nice that they spin at a decent speed – so they don’t just throw debris all over the place.

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Lidar also helps navigate corners and makes sure the side brushes capture as much as possible. However, since these are standard bristle-style brushes, they can be easily frayed. Over time, this will make cleaning less effective. I prefer rubber brushes because in my experience they have been shown to be more durable.

When it comes to carpets, the iLife A10, with its 2000 Pa suction, handles superficial material properly by automatically switching to Boost mode. However, it does not achieve the same deep cleaning results as an ordinary handheld vacuum cleaner. All dirt is collected in its unique 600 ml cell waste bin, which protects the filter from clogging by dirt deposits. However, I’m not thrilled with the way the mechanism opens the trash can from above – which results in debris leaking out of the trash can when emptied.

It’s not as fast as other robotic vacuums when it comes to cleaning my entire home, nor does it achieve the same level of cleanliness, but for what it’s worth, the iLife A10 keeps your home clean and tidy. If you don’t intend to run the bot often, e.g. B. At least once a day, you should do it for a second pass. The 100-minute battery life is sufficient for smaller rooms, but automatically charges when the battery is almost empty – and then continues where it left off.

Necessary for babysitting

It’s not perfect for avoiding common household traps like tight spaces under furniture and the occasional cord. Therefore, expect to protect it from hardship often. In fact, it got stuck on a thicker surge arrester cable on the floor, which is strange as it is the thinner cables, like those on smartphones, that tend to trigger most of the bots.

Dividers also cause problems for the iLife A10. There’s a thicker divider piece at the entrance to my bathroom, and the A10 doesn’t try miserably to climb over that hump. His bikes seem ready for the job, but in this case he’s just having problems.

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What I really notice about the iLife A10 is the frequency with which it has to be saved. Whether it’s a sock brushing the bottom or tucked under my entertainment center in the living room, the A10 needs constant babysitting.

Our opinion

When time is money, it’s no surprise why robotic vacuums continue to come in handy at home. The $ 280 cost of the iLife A10 will easily turn heads, but just know that it takes time and patience to make sure this bot completes its cleaning. If you’re okay with this, it’s worth considering.

Is there a better alternative?

In this price range, the only other logical rival is the Wyze Robot Vacuum, which is cheaper at $ 250.

How long it will take?

With a glossy top and a mostly plastic construction, the ILIFE A10 feels at least well put together. However, I would recommend frequent maintenance, as tangles can quickly form on the brushes. There is a one year limited warranty against defects.

Should you buy it?

Yes. While it takes babysitting to avoid getting into trouble, given the low cost, that’s the only big tradeoff.

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