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If you wish you could delegate the tasks of vacuuming and mopping your home to someone or something else, we have good news.
A loafer Proscenic 850T robot vacuum cleaner is available on Amazon for £229. This is less than half the cost of comparable robot vacuum cleaners from Shark or iRoomba.
The compact yet powerful 850T can be controlled via a remote control, or you can connect it to your home Wi-Fi network for use via an app on your phone or via smart devices such as Amazon Alexa. Just say, “Alexa, turn on the Proscenic 850T vacuum cleaner and it will go on a mission to remove dirt.”
But can he keep a three-bedroom house to the brim with four kids and parents who enjoy muddy outdoor activities like biking and running?
If you are tired of the physical labor of pushing a manual vacuum cleaner, this could be your new favorite home appliance.
Switch on via the app or via Alexa and sit back as the powerful suction sucks up dirt, crumbs, hair and more. When it’s done, it automatically returns to its charging base.
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How we tested
We wanted to test whether a robot vacuum cleaner cleans just as well as a cordless or stick vacuum cleaner. To do this, we let it loose in every room of the house, testing how well it mapped each room and reached under every nook and cranny, then followed up with a manual vacuum cleaner to see if that picked up anything extra.
Writer Zoe Griffin tests the Proscenic 850T robot vacuum and mop on hardwood floors, vinyl tile and carpet
We tested it on hardwood floors in the hallway and living room, as well as vinyl in the kitchen and upstairs rugs. To test its ability to avoid stairs, we tested it on the landing and kept a close eye on it should we need to catch it in the event of a fall.
Setup
When you open the box you will see the main vacuum cleaner, a charging station, additional mopping attachments, a remote control and a leaflet on how to connect the vacuum cleaner to my home’s Wi-Fi network via the Proscenic Home app.
If you’re worried about WiFi networks and passwords, you’ll be happy to hear that you can easily operate the vacuum cleaner with the remote control.
The Proscenic 850T robot vacuum cleaner can be operated via remote control, via the Proscenic app or directly via Alexa devices (once linked via the app)
But if you want to set timers, schedule cleanings, map a room and other smart functions, it’s very easy to link the robot vacuum cleaner to the app via step-by-step instructions. It took me less than five minutes to achieve full connectivity through the app.
The next step is to connect it to Amazon devices such as Echo dot speakers or the Amazon Alexa app on a smartphone. To do this is a bit more complicated as you need to download the Alexa app and check the Alexa icon in the Proscenic app to link accounts.
For me, that wasn’t a seamless process, but it was worth doing, as my son was fascinated when I finally got it to work using just the power of my voice.
Design
The Proscenic 850T robot vacuum cleaner is aesthetically the entry-level price.
Two rotating brushes push debris under the vacuum’s path where it can be sucked up, and one tester found the suction power is impressive considering the price
Sleek and black, the round robot moves unobtrusively around a room, turning gently when it senses something in its path. I was fascinated by how it moved, rotating a small number of degrees to change paths as needed.
With a height of only seven centimeters, it fits easily under sofas, chairs, beds and other furniture and even finds its way out again.
How well does it clean?
This vacuum cleaner performs flawlessly in open spaces. After dropping some cake crumbs on the floor, I watched as the Proscenic 850T gobbled up everything in sight.
It’s incredible to see it slide under furniture, knowing that it’s usually very difficult to reach those places with my stick vacuum.
Vacuuming under sofas and chairs can be an energy-intensive process with a traditional vacuum cleaner, but the 850T robot vacuum cleaner makes light work of the task, with a height of only 7 cm
It handles her brilliantly, leaving the carpets in my daughters room cleaner than ever. Other vacuum cleaners have previously struggled to pick up the long hair the girls seem to be shedding.
It did its best to get into corners, but I must admit I got the job done with the attachments of my trusty upright vacuum cleaner.
It was also too narrow for my stairs. I said I was very impressed when I saw him on the landing as he got close to the edge of the stairs, but always felt he was headed for a fall and changed direction.
How well does it mop?
The Proscenic 850T has three adjustable mopping positions, equipped with an electronically controlled water pump, so that you can control the water level with the app.
According to the product description on Amazon, you can mop and vacuum at the same time. To test this, I dropped in some cereal and milk.
It soaks up the cereal better than wiping off the milk. I didn’t feel the milk clarified even on the highest setting.
If you’re looking for a mop and vacuum in one, you may get better functionality with the mop if you opt for a more expensive vacuum. But when it comes to vacuuming up dirt, crumbs and debris from a home with toddlers, babies and busy people, it more than does the job.
Functions
- Weight – 2kg
- Size – 32.51cm diameter x 7.3cm height
- Noise Level – 60Db
- Power – 28 watts
- Suction Power – 3000pA (and three intensity settings)
- Battery life – 120 minutes
- Warranty – Two years
- Best price – £180.74, Amazon.co.uk
Mail the best verdict
The Proscenic 850T robot vacuum cleaner offers fantastic suction power, rivaling devices that cost twice as much.
It’s easy to set up and fun to fire up and watch as it cleans a room. I’m pleasantly surprised that it offers features like Alexa voice commands for just £229.
While the mopping ability could be improved, it’s more than enough if you’re looking for an entry-level robot vacuum cleaner.
Advantages: Strong suction, intelligent maneuvering, quiet, long battery life, voice control via Alexa
cons: Not impressive mopping performance, can’t vacuum stairs, doesn’t fit into corners
Rating: 
