Home - Organizer

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with grinder and milk frother review: retro, chic, and full of beans

4:30 pm | December 20, 2023

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: One-minute review

Smeg is known for making a host of brilliant home appliances, including some of the best blenders and best juicers, but it’s not exactly synonymous with high-quality coffee machines in the way the likes of Breville, De’Longhi and Gaggia are. So I was pleasantly surprised to find the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with grinder and milk frother to be such a great all-rounder, and easily a contender for a place on our list of the best espresso machines; although considering how much we liked the Smeg ECF01 in our review, I perhaps shouldn’t have been.

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 costs $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00. It comes with a built-in grinder and milk frother, and it’s a fantastic coffee maker for those who value both design and performance. Clad in a vibrant retro casing, this chic machine is a bold statement for any kitchen countertop – too bold for some, perhaps, in some of its more vibrant colorways – but nonetheless a thing of beauty.

The design is well thought out, from its detachable bean hopper to the round bevel on the top of the machine to house the tamper. Plus, some of its beginner-friendly inclusions, like the pressurized filters, make it an excellent choice if you’re upgrading from a bean-to-cup or pod machine to an espresso machine.

My biggest (and only) criticism? It’s messy to use, and not suitable if you’re someone who needs to quickly grab a coffee and bolt out of the front door in the morning. The grounds tend to spill over slightly, and moving the portafilter from the grounds deposit chute to the brew head involves pulling it out of a grip, which can lead to further spillage. Add to that the necessity to clean the steam wand and drip tray after use, and you’ve got a fairly fiddly process on your hands.

Still, if you love your coffee, but not quite enough to splurge on a barista-grade machine, the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is an excellent choice for most caffeination stations.

The top of the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03, housing the bean hopper and tamp — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Price

List price: $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is available for $899.95 / £849.95 / AU$1,299.00, and can be bought from Amazon as well as from regional third-party retailers such as John Lewis in the UK.

As well as the main machine, the EGF03 comes with a detachable bean hopper, a portafilter and basket, and a tamper. It’s available in a host of bright and fun colors: cream, pastel blue, pastel green, red, white and black.

It’s on the expensive side, especially compared to other espresso machines, but what you’re really paying that extra for with the EGF03 is its all-inclusive tool set and gorgeous design. That’s no bad thing, although it doesn’t soften the blow of the price too much.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Specs

Close-up of the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 console — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Design

Retro 50s chic
Built-in frother and detachable hopper
2.5-quart / 2.4L water tank

If you haven’t already gathered, I’m a fan of Smeg’s iconic design, but in particular, I really appreciate the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 for its smooth blend of Italian coffee house and retro chic.

My review unit was in the red colorway, making for a striking centerpiece that demands respect, but the more muted color options are very approachable, and would blend seamlessly into most kitchens regardless of the retro design.

It’s fairly large at 17 x 17 x 13 inches / 44.3 x 44.3 x 34cm (h x w x d), occupying a fair amount of kitchen counter real estate – as I’ve mentioned, this machine isn’t exactly one for the faint of heart, but rather those endeavoring to leap boldly forth into espresso making. It’s pretty hefty at 27.3lbs / 12.4kg too, so you’ll want somewhere to keep it on the counter – you won’t want to be moving it around too much.

The Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 with the portafilter in-situ — (Image credit: Future)

The main body of the unit is a sophisticated die-cast aluminum with stainless steel accents, and rounded in that classic 50s retro aesthetic we know and love from Smeg. The face of the machine features a pressure gauge and its four light-up main controls: buttons for grinding one or two servings of espresso, and buttons for brewing single or double espresso.

Just below this console is where the magic happens. From left to right, there’s a handy slot to slot the portafilter into ready for fresh grounds, a 58mm professional stainless steel filter holder, and a stainless steel steam wand. Just below is the removable drip tray, behind which is a neat little compartment providing storage for its four filters, a cleaning disc, and a cleaning brush for flicking away granules.

Image 1 of 3

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 portafilter filled with coffee grounds — (Image credit: Future)

Image 2 of 3

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 bean hopper — (Image credit: Future)

Image 3 of 3

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 — (Image credit: Future)

On top of the machine is a stainless steel surface to which you can attach the plastic bean hopper. There’s a raised circle that snugly houses the tamp, too, which is always a thoughtful inclusion.

The right-hand side features a petite stainless steel lever switch with three settings to control the steam wand: hot water, mild steam, and strong steam. On the left-hand side is a discrete on / off button (if you leave the machine on it’ll automatically switch to eco-mode after 10 minutes by default, and you can adjust this time).

Both the bean hopper and water tank offer copious space, meaning the Smeg espresso coffee machine EGF03 needs refilling a lot less often than other coffee machines I’ve tested.

Design: 5 / 5

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 making an espresso shot — (Image credit: Future)

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Performance

Easy to get great results
Grinder works well
Takes a lot of cleaning

After a slightly fiddly setup process, the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is wonderfully easy to use, offering solutions for experienced espresso makers and beginners alike.

This all-in-one machine offers consistent results from bean to cup, but there’s still plenty of room for experimentation and customization.

Let’s start from the top – grinding your beans. There are 15 grind settings, which can be selected by turning the detachable bean hopper, and the grounds are ejected above the portafilter holder in the main console. Annoyingly, these aren’t deposited directly in the middle of the portafilter – a design oversight that will likely only bother the most perfectionist home baristas, but which is nonetheless worth mentioning. This machine utilizes steel conical burr grinders, which offer impressively consistent results by crushing the beans rather than slicing them, which improves the quality.

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 grinding coffee beans — (Image credit: Future)

Next up, it’s time to brew your espresso. Thanks to its dual thermoblock heating system the machine heats up nice and quickly, and you can adjust the temperature settings of the machine to your liking, as well as the infusion profile.

As with many manual and semi-automatic espresso machines, it takes a while to figure out how to reach the desired pressure (which on this Smeg machine sees the pressure gauge needle reach around the halfway point) depending on both the bean grind setting and how hard you tamp, but once you figure it out the results are wonderfully consistent. Or, for an easier route to quality coffee, you can try the pressurized filters – these are very beginner-friendly, enabling you to achieve wonderful crema with minimal effort. I found that I needed to have very fine, fairly gently tamped grounds with my coffee beans of choice to really make the machine sing and produce that all-important crema.

Frothy milk being poured into espresso made by the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 — (Image credit: Future)

Lastly, let’s talk about the steam wand. There are two settings, but I didn’t often find myself using the less frothy option, and I imagine the average user would be in the same camp. As with many aspects of the art of coffee making, there’s a learning curve when it comes to milk frothing, but Smeg’s steam wand is pretty intuitive. It makes one heck of a screeching sound if you don’t hit the spot just right, though, which I sometimes find unavoidable with my limited milk-frothing skills.

Overall the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 performs incredibly well; my main criticism is the amount of cleaning it requires. While a degree of cleaning is required with any espresso machine, it can end up eating a lot of time out of your morning routine.

Performance: 5 / 5

Should I buy the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03?

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 placed on a kitchen counter — (Image credit: Future)

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03: Also consider

If the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 is not for you, here a couple of options to consider.

How I tested the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03

I used the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 for a month
I used it to make espresso and froth milk almost every day
I tested its variety of settings and features

I used the Smeg Espresso Coffee Machine EGF03 over the course of the month, making at least one or two coffees every day and frothing milk at least once daily.

Comparing it to other coffee machines I’ve tested, as well as my experiences with other appliances I’ve used, I assessed the ease of use, flavor, and maintenance needs of the machine. I used both its pressurized and unpressurized filters, and tried grinding the beans to different coarseness levels.

I’ve been reviewing home appliances for two years, but I’ve been testing and using tech regularly for most of my adult life. I’m a huge coffee nerd (and my partner is an even bigger one!) so I’m pretty comfortable judging flavor profiles and technical aspects of coffee machines.

We pride ourselves on our independence and our rigorous review-testing process, offering up long-term attention to the products we review and making sure our reviews are updated and maintained - regardless of when a device was released, if you can still buy it, it's on our radar.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Dreo ChefMaker air fryer review: the best air fryer, but also more than an air fryer

11:00 am |

Author: admin | Category: Air Fryers Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Comments: Off

Dreo ChefMaker: One-minute review

Outside of soups, casseroles, stews, and fondues, there’s nothing you can’t cook in the Dreo ChefMaker. And I’m not just talking about air-frying a steak here; I’m talking about a properly and perfectly cooked steak that’s worth serving in a steakhouse.

That’s because while the ChefMaker is one of the best air fryers on the market, it’s so much more than that. Much more. It has two other cooking modes, namely the Chef mode and the Probe mode, both of which deliver restaurant-worthy results. And Chef mode is supported by an app that comes with a plethora of clever Chef-curated recipes that are so delicious you'll feel like you’ve got Thomas Keller whipping up dinners in your own kitchen.

This is perhaps my favorite kitchen appliance by far. Since using the ChefMaker I've enjoyed one of the best and cooked-to-perfection medium-rare steaks I’ve ever had, home-cooked or otherwise. That’s saying something because (1) I’ve only cooked steak three times in my life, and (2) I didn’t have to do anything here but prep the steak, insert the included probe and put it in the basket, and press a couple of buttons. The ChefMaker's air fryer function delivers super crispy yet super-moist results – the best results I’ve gotten from any air fryer.

Dreo ChefMaker during testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

It’s also a near-perfect product. It’s sleek and beautiful; it’s well-built and doesn’t take up too much space; and its touch controls are so responsive that they feel luxe. It’s also effortless to use, thanks in large part to its very useful app.

I say near-perfect because there is the smaller matter of the price, which isn't small. All those features do come at a premium – not so high that the ChefMaker would be a luxury purchase, but definitely more than what a lot of people would expect to pay for an air fryer. However, I would say that it’s worth every penny and then some. If you’re thinking of buying an air fryer, you won’t regret getting this one.

Dreo Chefmaker: price and availability

How much does it cost? $359 / £279 (about AU$540)
When is it available? Available now
Where can you get it? Available in the US and the UK

The Dreo ChefMaker is much more expensive than regular air fryers of the same size and capacity, and it’s also pricier than most double-basket models. In fact, at $359 / £279 (about AU$540), it’ll cost you as much as some large-capacity air fryer ovens. Now you may think that’s too much for a combination cooker with a 6-quart / 5.7-liter basket capacity, but honestly, given its versatility and what it can do, I’m mildly surprised that it doesn’t cost more.

Unfortunately for Australian customers, however, it doesn’t look like it’s available there at the time of writing. It is, however, readily available in the US and the UK.

Value: 4 / 5

Dreo ChefMaker: Specifications

Dreo ChefMaker: Design

Easy to set up and use
Beautiful and fairly compact design
Touch controls are a pleasure to use

Setting up the Dreo ChefMaker is just as easy as setting up a regular air fryer. You simply place the cooking tray at the bottom of the basket or the grilling rack at the top, slot in the basket, plug it in, and turn it out. The one thing to consider here is that the cord isn’t very long, so you will have to find a spot in your kitchen that’s close enough to the outlet, or have an extension cord handy.

I’ve always found the design of most air fryers unappealing, even the ones from Ninja, but I adore the design of the ChefMaker. Trapezoidal in shape with a gentle tapering in the front, it’s got elegant rounded edges, a beautiful black-on-dark silver finish, and a long oval handle with a hollow middle.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

At the top is a shallow square water tank for water, which the ChefMaker uses for cooking – it utilizes its water spray system for better results, and to ensure that the food doesn’t dry up – with a square lid that’s easy to pop off and replace. And at the front, just above the basket, is where you’ll find the control panel, which has touch buttons and a big 4.3-inch display with a fairly extensive menu, so you can easily navigate through and choose your cooking mode or function, adjust temperature, change cooking time, and more.

The touch buttons are incredibly responsive and work perfectly with just a light tap, and the display is bright enough so that everything is visible, even when it’s in a brightly-lit area. Thank goodness for its backlighting.

The ChefMaker is taller than many air fryers of the same capacity, and slightly heavier as well. But it really doesn’t take up too much space, and is light enough to take with you if you want to use it offsite.

Just like regular air fryers, it has its hot air vent in the back. One thing I’ve noticed about this vent is that it blows a hot more hot air than other air fryers I’ve tested – so much so that it’s triggered my smoke and carbon monoxide detector that’s above the hallway next to my kitchen a few times. So be sure you’re leaving enough space for it to 'breathe.'

As far as cleaning, the trays and the basket are all dish-washer safe – though they are fairly-easy to hand wash, especially the basket since it is non-stick. The inside of the appliance can be cleaned the usual way.

Design: 5 / 5

Dreo ChefMaker: Performance

Air fryer produces crisp and moist results
Chef mode makes the best dishes
Vent produces a lot of hot air

If I could only keep one tabletop cooking appliance in my kitchen, I would probably go with the Dreo ChefMaker. It’s not ideal for making stews, soups and other dishes drenched in sauce or gravy – if you make a lot of those, you should probably go with one of the best multicookers – but while I do enjoy a good stew, those are easy to make using my good old stove, whereas the ChefMaker actually allows me to not just quickly whip up meals when I’m pressed for time, but also make dishes that I don’t usually make, like a good steak or a tender brisket.

Image 1 of 2

Foods made in the Dreo ChefMaker during testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Image 2 of 2

It’s not just versatility and effortless cooking that the ChefMaker offers. All the dishes I’ve made in it, from the air fryer recipes I found online to the ones on the Dreo app, are cooked to perfection. I’m particularly impressed that its air fryer function delivers better results than other regular air fryers I’ve tested, producing gorgeously and evenly cooked results that are super crispy on the outside and mind-bogglingly moist on the inside.

My favorite chicken wings recipe, Vietnamese chicken wings, came out even better when I made them with the ChefMaker, as did my favorite pork belly recipe. And I didn’t even need to fill up the water tank, or adjust the temperature or cooking time from the recipes, to get those results.

The water tank does play a massive role when using the cooker’s Chef and Probe modes, however. The ChefMaker uses water atomization via its water spray system, and super convection heating, with the occasional assistance of the included dual-sensing probe, to cook dishes, and the combination works wonderfully.

Image 1 of 3

Image 2 of 3

Image 3 of 3

I tried several of the Chef mode recipes on the Dreo app, including the Perfect Steak and the Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedge recipes, and they were not only easy to make but also came out incredible, with the steak nicely seared but beautifully pink in the middle and very tender, and the potatoes coming out with a nice crisp.

The best part about making the steak was it took the guesswork and a chunk of the work out of the whole thing – just what a steak-cooking novice like me needs. I’ve only really made steak three times in my life, so while two out of those three came out great, I’m not exactly a steak master. With the help of the ChefMaker, however, my fourth steak came out steakhouse-worthy.

Fair warning, though: the Dreo ChefMaker seems to produce a lot more heat than regular air fryers, even when it’s on air fryer mode. Even when there’s a lot of space behind its rear vent, it still manages to set off my smoke and carbon monoxide detector which is a few feet away in the hallway next to my kitchen. This never happened with the similar-capacity air fryers I’ve tested. I did, however, find that turning on my range hood helps minimize that issue.

This also was not a deal-breaker for me, especially since my kitchen isn't the biggest, and the bigger air fryer ovens I've tested have done the same thing.

Performance: / 5

Should I buy the Dreo ChefMaker?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Dreo ChefMaker: Also consider

How I tested the Dreo ChefMaker

I tested the Dreo ChefMaker for a couple of months
I used it as my main air fryer almost every day, cooking different recipes
I also tested its other cooking modes, especially Chef mode

I utilized the Dreo ChefMaker as my main air fryer and cooker almost every day for about two months, making sure to use different recipes I found on the Dreo app and from social media as well as my favorite recipes. I also made sure to test all three cooking modes available, documenting my process and the results.

As a regular air fryer user, TechRadar's Interim Homes Editor and someone who loves to cook, I've used and tested more than my share of cooking appliances, from air fryers to multicookers and the occasional baking implement.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni robot vacuum and mop review: more than a gimmick

9:00 pm | December 19, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Comments: Off

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: One-minute review

The Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni robot vacuum’s claim to fame is its hot water mop pad washing. While it seems like a minor thing to hang your hat on, it does actually work (with some slightly gross side effects). But, it does much more than add this feature.

In fact, its performance is on par with many of the best robot vacuums whether it’s vacuuming or mopping. I appreciate the intuitive nature of the app and the solid mapping of this robot vacuum as well.

It does have some issues that are specific to it. For instance, you’re going to pay for that hot water mop pad washing. And, it creates a lot of dirty water that needs to be emptied regularly.

But, it still has its place, making cleaning generally much more convenient. I’ll let you decide whether it’s the best vacuum for you, but it’s not a hard one to recommend, especially if you use it in an area with mostly hard flooring.

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: price and availability

List price: $1,099.99 / £951.65 / AU$1,799
Available in the US, UK, and Australia

While Ecovacs vacuums often get a nice sale, the going price of the DEEBOT T20 Omni is not cheap. At $1,099.99 / £951.65 / AU$1,799, it vies for flagship status alongside models like the iRobot Roomba Combo J7 Plus, a very highly rated and expensive model that also adds in mopping.

At the very least, this Ecovacs vacuum is widely available unlike the US-only Yeedi Cube. However, the Yeedi Cube offers vacuuming and mopping for a relatively cheaper price of $699 (about £559 / about AU$1,054), not to mention that it’s regularly on sale as well.

Considering how expensive the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni is, it’s surprising that it doesn’t come with any cleaning solution. If you want to buy that as well, you’ll have to spend an extra $27.99 / £23.99 / AU$28.

Value: 4 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Specifications

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni during testing — (Image credit: Future / James Holland)

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Design and features

Two side brushes and a single brush roll
Large base station with big clean and dirty water tanks
Has unique hot water mop pad washing as well as auto-empty

The Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni comes in a white and silver colorway with an all-white self-emptying charging station. The robot vacuum itself is of the circular variety that somewhat differentiates itself visually from other models by the fact that there’s a removable top plate which hides the dustbin – most robot vacuums have the dustbin accessible in the back of the unit.

It also has two side brushes to sweep debris in front of it compared to the single side brush many come with. While there’s just a single brushroll underneath, there’s up to 6000Pa of suction, which is more than enough, as we’ll discuss in the next section.

More uniquely, most robot vacuums that can mop use a single pad that’s dragged along the floor. Instead of going that route, Ecovacs has included two circular pads for mopping duties that actually rotate and apply downward pressure when in use. Plus, they can raise off the floor when needed, such as when in vacuum only mode or it goes over carpeting.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

A big part of the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni’s design (and price) is that self-emptying charging station. It’s pretty large, about 22 and a half inches tall (57cm) and 17 inches wide (43cm) – certainly not ideal for smaller spaces. However, it’s big for a reason. It contains four liter clean and dirty water tanks for not only mopping but for cleaning the mop pads as this particular station uses hot water to remove oil and stains.

This feature is apparently unique to the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni. The charging station will also dry the mop pads as well as automatically empty the contents from the robot vacuum’s dustbin so you don’t have to clean it out between cleaning sessions.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Performance

Excellent vacuuming and mopping
Not so good with edges
Hot water mop pad washing creates a lot of dirty water quickly

While the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni is not unique in the fact that it both vacuums and mops, it’s a bit rarer in that it does both well. I’ve seen robot vacuums that have added mopping as a bit of an afterthought, and so end up leaving streaks and uneven results. That’s not the case here as the Ecovacs easily vacuums up dirt, debris, and lots of pet hair and does in an orderly pattern so it gets every inch.

Since the mopping pads apply downward pressure and spin, they actually scrub the floors. I ran it once after a dog had stepped in some poop and tracked it through the foyer. While major remnants had been cleaned up, the floor was still far from clean. After a pass from the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni, there was no sign of any mess.

While this robot vacuum does a good job of vacuuming and mopping, it does have the issue that all robot vacuums seem to have to a certain degree, it doesn’t do so well getting edges and corners. In fact, there’s a mode to improve that in the app but the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni will only do it once every seven days and only in auto or housekeeping mode.

When it comes to object avoidance, the execution is a little above average. It can avoid larger obstacles and doesn’t get stuck on any venting, but still gets tangled on cables and cords. While that’s worth noting, it’s also an issue that robot vacuums inherently have, just like the mediocre edge cleaning.

Back on the positive side, the hot water mop pad washing is a nice addition. It does mean that cleaning four rooms takes a couple hours to do as the robot vacuum regularly returns to the charging station to not only replenish on clean water, but to clean the pads properly. Having emptied the dirty water tank multiple times since I’ve started testing it, I can say that whatever is being washed out of the pads makes me wonder how clean the floors are when using other mopping robot vacuums that don’t have their mopping pads regularly washed.

Here, the base station does it for you. The only downside to it is that you have to empty the dirty water tank every few uses as it fills rather quickly.

Performance: 4 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: App

Great job mapping
Lots of adjustments on tap
Voice assistant support

When first using the Ecovacs app, you have to scan the QR code on the robot vacuum for setup. It’s a fairly intuitive process, much like using the app in general, and is followed by the robot vacuum scanning your space to create a map.

Possibly one of my favorite parts of the app is the fact that once the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni has mapped out the space, the app has intelligently and automatically segmented it into rooms, requiring minimal effort on your end (it did combine two rooms due to an open-floor layout). On top of that, you can view the map in 2D or 3D.

Beyond its mapping capabilities, adjusting cleaning strength, combination of vacuuming and/or mopping, and which areas to clean is straightforward. And, if you do any menu diving, you can adjust how wet the mop pads get, the interval at which the robot vacuum returns to the station to clean the mop pads, and a whole lot more. There really isn’t anything missing.

If there’s one quibble, it’s the fact that despite this robot vacuum’s support for Alexa and Google voice assistant, only settings for its own voice assistant, Yiko, is easy to find within the app. So, integration with Alexa is a bit less intuitive (you have to go through the Alexa app to set up). At least, Yiko is very responsive whenever I ask it to clean a particular room or go back to the charging station.

App: 4.5 / 5

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Battery life

Has 190 minutes of battery life
Regularly recharges

While the battery life is rated at 190 minutes, you’ll probably never see the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni run for that long. Whenever I ask it to clean everything, it will go for maybe ten or fifteen minutes and then return to the base station to empty the contents, clean the mop pads, and charge back up.

Even if you manage to have it run for that long, 190 minutes is very good for robot vacuums. Many very good models last between 100 - 120 minutes. Still, the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni whenever it needs to so you don’t have to worry about running it, charging it, and then running it again.

Battery: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni: Also consider

Not sold on the prowess of the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni? Below are a couple of alternatives that you can consider.

How I tested the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni

Tested for a couple weeks
Tested both mopping and vacuum capabilities
Used on several types of flooring

To test the Ecovacs DEEBOT T20 Omni, I used it for a couple weeks to vacuum and mop the hardwood floors in my house. I also tested all the features listed in the app, from mapping to different levels of cleaning.

I took note of how well the vacuum cleaned the edges of a room as well as around obstacles, not to mention running it over different surfaces including two different types of hard flooring and carpeting.

I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from air fryers and vacuum cleaners to laptops and audio equipment, and so have been able to use my expertise towards giving an honest and fair opinion, not to mention a critical eye, to any product I test. I also make sure that when I reviewed, I hold up a product to what it's supposed to do and whether it's worth the price.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ espresso machine review: take your espresso making craft to the next level

8:36 pm | December 18, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Coffee Machines Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances | Tags: US | Comments: Off

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: One-minute review

Confession: ever since testing the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+’s predecessor, the Diletta Bello, earlier this year, it’s been a struggle having to go back to my old French press and my cheap milk frother.

It's not that a French press doesn't have its advantages – it lets you brew rich, full-bodied coffee and has the lowest carbon footprint of all coffee makers – but as one of the best espresso machines on the market, the Bello has truly made a convert out of me, compelling me to appreciate the beauty of an even slower coffee morning routine.

There’s a touch of romanticism that comes with the craft of espresso- and latte-making, from the tamping of the grounds in the portafilter to the turn of the lever to produce that robust double shot of espresso to the surprisingly tricky way you have to steam your milk so that it produces the perfect foam. All of that takes time, patience, and an unhurried pace, and starting my day with that felt like an addictingly cozy break from my usual mad dash of life.

Naturally, when, after months of pining for the Bello, Seattle Coffee Gear asked me to test the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+, I had to jump at the chance. After all, it’s basically the Bello on steroids – at least in terms of features. It comes with a PID controller that moonlights as a shot timer, and programmable pre-infusion, both of which are supposed to, as Seattle Coffee Gear claims, “give home baristas the tools they need for improved shot quality.” It also comes with an eco mode for faster heat-up times and an even bigger-capacity drip tray.

Of course, more features typically mean a higher price tag, and that’s also the case here, contributing to the Bello+'s lofty price point. This makes it harder to recommend to a lot of people, even the most passionate coffee enthusiasts. That’s especially because I don’t find the extra features particularly necessary for most people – not when the slightly more affordable Bello is already near-perfect without them.

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ during testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Price

List price: $1,899 (about £1,500, AU$2,800)
Unavailable outside the US

To be more specific, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is $200 more than the Bello. Taking this manual espresso machine home means shelling out $1,899 (about £1,500, AU$2,800) of your hard-earned money, and while those with deep pockets might not bat an eye at that, most people will balk at having to spend that much just for a daily cup of coffee, no matter how smooth it is.

One thing to learn here though, if you’re an espresso machine novice, is that most top-quality espresso machines are going to be expensive. A handful of manual espresso machines from the likes of Breville and Delonghi are more than $1,000 / £1,000, and you’ll find a handful from other brands that are even pricier than the Bello+.

That doesn’t change the fact that the Bello+ is a luxury purchase, even for those who take their caffeine fix very seriously. And I’m just not completely convinced that it’s worth paying that extra $200 for all those additional features – at least not for most people who would want to jump on the manual espresso machine bandwagon.

Value: 3.5 / 5

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Specs

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Design

Additional features missing from the Bello
Gorgeous, retro design and solid stainless steel build
Manual controls when brewing and steaming

Those extra features on the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ could be worth it for a handful of espresso enthusiasts, however. The PID controller does come in handy as it lets you do things like change your desired steam boiler temperature – note that the ideal brewing temp for espresso is around 194-205 degrees F (90-96 degrees C) – and adjust the pre-infusion time to up to 10 seconds (pre-infusion, to the uninitiated, is the process of soaking the tamped grounds in the portafilter before brewing to evenly extract coffee from the puck.)

I’ll discuss those two features in detail later, but for now, just know that the PID controller is definitely useful if you really want to hone in on your daily dose/s of caffeine. It also lets you set things like turn on/off Standby Mode, set the Eco Mode Timer, change the Probe Sensor Height, and more. The PID display also moonlights as a shot timer, allowing you to monitor your brewing progress.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

These are not available on the Diletta Bello, allowing it a more analog approach to espresso making, but the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ still offers the same manual controls for extraction, milk steaming, and hot water dispensing. There are now buttons for these. Both the steam wand and the hot water wand, located on either side of the group or brew head, work by turning their respective knobs. And for the group head start (and stop) brewing espresso, you have to lift (and lower) the brew lever yourself – not to mention monitor its progress.

Since I have experience with manual espresso machines, I prefer to simply look at the liquid pouring out and lower the lever when it “blonds” (turns light brown). However, you can use the Shot Timer on the PID display as well – although you still have to know how many seconds is ideal for your preferred brew, which takes some experimentation.

The Bello+ comes in three colorways, including black and white, with its case, frame, and boiler made of stainless steel. It’s just as robust and as beautiful as the Bello, with the same elegant retro look that makes it a classy addition to any kitchen, no matter your aesthetic. It also has a pressure gauge, which helps guide you when the machine is ready to brew, as well as a cup warmer on top next to the water tank opening so you can warm your cup up.

Unlike the Bello, however, the Bello+ comes with a larger drip tray so you don’t have to empty and clean it as often. During testing, I’ve only had to do so every 6-7 days, which means I don’t have to spend time I don’t have on weekdays to clean it out.

If you’re new to the world of manual espresso machines, the Bello+ can be intimidating. However, while it may take a bit of practice to get that perfect brew, it really won’t take you long to get comfortable with the controls. Plus, Diletta provides a quick start guide with the machine, which is all you need. Honestly, it’s all very simple, and pretty soon, it’ll start being fun to operate.

Design: 4.5 / 5

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Performance

Slow to reach thermal stability
Eco mode isn’t all the faster for heating up
Smooth results with pronounced crema, produces rich froth

If you’re not used to manual espresso machines and used to rushing through your morning coffee brewing, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ may be a bit of an adjustment for you. After you turn on the machine, you have to wait at least 13 minutes and 30 seconds for it to reach your set temperature and the boiler pressure gauge reads between 1 and 1.5 bars. That’s not counting the actual extraction process – not to mention the milk steaming if you want a latte or a cappuccino.

To put that in perspective, regular drip coffee machines take an average of about 5-10 minutes to finish brewing while it takes me about 6 minutes to brew my coffee in my French press. If your mornings are almost always a rush, I recommend turning this machine on first thing before showering, making your breakfast, or feeding your pets.

There’s a minor disadvantage, here, unfortunately. I’m not sure if it’s just my review unit – since Seattle Coffee Gear only has a handful of units available for media reviewers, my unit is not new out of the box, and it’s possible that I got a slightly imperfect unit – but I have found that there were a handful of times, even when my machine had reached the set temperature and the gauge needle was between 1 and 1.5 bars, when water still wasn’t hot enough for proper infusion. I often found that I had to give it a bit more time to warm up, and when I didn’t, my resulting espresso was not only relatively cool in temperature but also not as smooth or rich as it should be. It didn’t happen every single time, but it happened often enough.

The great news is that when the temperature is right, it produces rich and incredibly smooth espresso with a nice crema on top. Even non-coffee aficionados will notice the difference between coffee made from this and coffee made in a French press or with a drip coffee machine.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

The steam wand also worked as expected, and it’s effective enough to produce thick foam even from oat milk, which is notoriously hard to froth. As is the case with the hot water wand, which is useful for making tea and such.

Eco mode is a fantastic feature as it lowers the machine’s power consumption when it’s still turned on but not in use but offers faster heat up times when you need another shot of espresso. While this is useful for energy-saving purposes, it still takes time to heat up – just a few minutes faster than when you’re turning the machine on for the first time. If you need a caffeine fix every couple of hours or so, it may be wise to turn this feature off.

The 3L water tank will last you quite a while – it usually takes me around a week to refill it, and that includes me running the group head to rinse grounds that are stuck to it. Although, if you do drink a lot more than one or two double shots of espresso a day, you naturally will go through the reserve faster.

Overall, the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is an impressive espresso machine that delivers delicious espresso shots or coffee drinks. And it's a fantastic appliance to have if you want a slower and more relaxing morning routine.

Performance: 4 / 5

Should I buy the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+: Also consider

If the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ is not for you, here a couple of options to consider.

How I tested the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+

Tested daily for a month
Used both bottomless and double portafilters
Experimented with its basic and premium features

Testing the Seattle Coffee Gear Diletta Bello+ for a little over a month, I used the machine every day to make one or two coffee drinks a day. Lattes are my favorite coffee drinks, so I made a lot of those, with oat milk as my choice of cream.

I made espresso shots using both the bottomless and the double sprout portafilter Seattle Coffee Gear provided, and utilized the steam want often. I also made sure to test the machine's other features to see how useful they are to the espresso extraction process.

As an avid coffee drinker (and a bit of a coffee snob), I've owned, tested, and reviewed my share of coffee machines, from the drip types to the bean-to-cup models. I'm also the Interim Homes Editor here at TechRadar.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2023

Philips Hue Festavia string lights review: brilliantly bright but lacking identity

12:18 am | December 16, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: Philips Hue | Comments: Off

Philips Hue Festavia: Two-minute review

If bold but minimalistic lights are your go-to at Christmas, or you just like the idea of syncing your Christmas tree with the rest of your smart lighting, then the Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights might be for you. Philips Hue’s lights are among the best smart lights, so it’s no surprise that the brand has ventured into string lights. While these smart lights were initially released in December 2022, there were a lot of issues with stock, and the lights were for indoor use only; you can use 2023’s edition outdoors, as well as in your home.

Available in different lengths directly from Philips Hue as well as third-party retailers like Amazon (pricing detailed in the next section), these lights are marketed predominantly as tree decorations, but are weatherproofed and therefore also suitable for outdoor use. They offer much the same features and functionality as Philips Hue’s wider smart lighting line, as well as the robust design and build quality we’ve come to expect from the brand.

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights next to a felt polar bear. — Christmas has come b-early! (Image credit: Future)

However, if you want a little more from these lights – specifically features and functions you’d commonly expect from standard tree lights, you’ll likely find yourself disappointed.

The string lights are split into two halves, A and B. Both halves start in the middle of your tree, with the former working upwards and the latter downwards. It’s worth noting that because of this, if you’re using the lights to decorate something other than a tree, the power supply is situated in the middle of the light strip.

I opted against using Hue’s lights for my tree after careful consideration; they were ever so slightly shorter than what I needed for full coverage. The split strings can make them a little difficult to use for anything beyond tree decoration, but in my home, I used them to line two living room walls, which ended up giving a lovely effect. Each individual light is round, roughly 1.11 inches / 3cm long, and spaced 2.95 inches / 7.5cm apart.

Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights — With the lights fully dimmed, the Festavia lights shine brightly (Image credit: Future)

Although Hue’s bulbs are remarkably bright, when I quickly trialed tree placement following Philips Hue’s detailed instructions on my 7.2ft / 2.2m tree, I realized the particular shape of my tree and its size wouldn’t do the lights justice in photos. That’s largely to do with the tree I bought this year, but I also prefer densely lit trees; the spacing of these lights makes them ill-suited for those who dislike darker voids on their tree. This is worth noting, as Philips Hue suggests that the 500-bulb version I tested offers coverage for trees over 7ft / 2.1m tall but, as mentioned, they proved unsuitable.

The black cord used to connect the lights also seems like a poorly thought-out choice when many string lights are green to match the tree or come in a choice of colors. Add to that the thickness of the wires, and it can be quite apparent when the lights are hung up.

I did appreciate the Festavia string light’s brightness, which was just right for that gentle, homely feeling I want from festive lighting. If you did want to use them for anything else throughout the rest of the year, though, the max brightness might be a little low compared to Philips Hue’s strip lights.

As with all Philips Hue smart lights, the Festavia string lights can be controlled using Philips Hue’s app via either a Philips Hue Bridge or Bluetooth connection. It’s superbly easy to set up, and from the app you’ll have access to almost all of the usual features and options, including the 16 million color options and six special effects: Candle, Fireplace, Glisten, Sparkle, Prism, and Opal. Personally, I favored Glisten (a bolder flickering off-white), Sparkle (gentler flickering off-white), and Prism (rainbow gradient), as both Candle and Fireplace were too fiery, and Opal was a bit twee with its pastel palette.

Plus, you can sync the Philips Hue Festavia string lights with your other bulbs, or with your entertainment, provided you’ve got a Hue Play HDMI Sync box for your TV or a Spotify account for music.

Otherwise, these lights feel distinctly unchristmassy; it’s almost as if Philips Hue can’t decide if they’re regular string lights or festive ones. Yes, the profiles are great – but why are there only one or two settings versus the six or seven often included in dumb lights? Why can’t you adjust the colors, the speed, or design your own patterns?

For such a pricey product I felt rather let down by the Festavia lights’ lack of identity, but I’m nonetheless impressed as ever by Hue’s light quality and general features. With just some small software tweaks – and the option of different cable colors – these could easily be the smart lights of the future, and even worth their lofty price tag; but right now I’d say they’re only really worth it for the devout Philips Hue fan, given that other smart and colorful string lights exist at a much more affordable price, such as those from Twinkly and Nanoleaf.

Philips Hue Festavia: Price and availability

How much is it? $219.99-$359.99 / £109.99-£199.99 / AU$199.95-$589.95
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Directly from Philips Hue and at Amazon

The Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights cost a pretty penny, there's no two ways about it. The three different string lengths have varied availability from region to region:

When compared to more affordable options like the Nanoleaf holiday smart string lights, which are a lot more festive-first, this makes the Philips Hue Festavia extortionately priced.

Value: 3 / 5

Philips Hue Festavia: Specs

Philips Hue Festavia lights set up next to a polar bear plushie — (Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Philips Hue Festavia?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Philips Hue Festavia: Also consider

If the Philips Hue Festavia aren't for you, here are a couple of excellent alternatives

How I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights

I used the Philips Hue Festavia lights to decorate my living room
I also briefly trialed them on my Christmas tree
I paired the Festavia lights with the Philips Hue app

I set the Philips Hue Festavia string lights up in my home, opting to use them to line my living room walls following a quick trial on my Christmas tree. I compared them to two sets of non-smart string lights to assess the brightness, color payoff, spacing and wire quality.

After decorating, I connected the Philips Hue Festavia to the Hue companion app, a setup I’m familiar with from testing smart lights over the past two years, and went to work testing out Philips Hue’s standard features on the lights. Additionally, I tried some of the Festavia-specific effects and the standard effects.

I’ve been testing smart home devices for two years, using my expertise and experience in tech testing and everyday use to assess the key strengths and weaknesses of products.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Govee Christmas String Lights review: stylish smart holiday lights for economizing Yule-lovers

8:00 am | December 15, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Tags: Christmas Eve | Comments: Off

Govee Christmas String Lights: Two-minute review

The Govee Christmas String Lights seem like a dream come true if you’ve grown tired of dealing with the nightmare that is the annual putting up (not to mention taking down and putting away) of the dreaded Christmas string lights.

For many of us, the holiday season is the joyous time of the year, even for those who don’t celebrate Christmas. But the tradition of putting up the tree – and all your holiday decorations, if you’re the type to go all out – is not all merry and bright. At least when you get to the part where you’re putting up those lights. Dealing with tangled string lights, bulbs burning out, and constant snagging may ruin the vibe and put a momentary damper on your holiday decorating merriment.

Govee Christmas String Lights on a small tree during testing — (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

Not having to stress out about all that is the goal, and the Govee Christmas String Lights may just be an ideal solution. Govee opted for a twisted rope design with embedded light beads here – there are five individual wires or conductors, each of which is encased in a clear cable jacket, that are then twisted together in a rope-like manner, resulting in a string that’s about 4mm thick. In addition, instead of the traditional LED bulbs and sockets that jut out from the string, Govee opted for tiny light beads – embedded throughout the length of the string are 100 square lamp beads (200 if you get the 20m version), resulting in an elegant and unique look that I found attractive.

More importantly, it means that you no longer have to deal with the bulb sockets snagging or getting caught on the string or each other. In fact, the whole thing is less likely to snag and much easier to untangle – though you still have to deal with the string occasionally twisting in some parts. Taking the string lights down and putting them away is also a breeze. The lights even come with a plastic reel so you can just neatly coil them up and store them.

Image 1 of 2

Image 2 of 2

A couple of important things to point out here is that because this Govee string light doesn’t have that traditional design, it comes with minor disadvantages. Since the light beads aren’t jutting out, they won’t give you a randomized light placement effect. When wrapped around a tree, these lights naturally follow the spiral arrangement of the string. I don’t mind it much personally. However, I know that a lot of people prefer the former so it’s worth pointing out.

Another disadvantage is that because of the clear cable jackets used, these string lights won’t blend in, especially if you have a green tree. That means that they will be very noticeable and may affect the overall look you’re trying to achieve.

Most traditional string lights give you 250 light bulbs for a 20m version that’s best suited for 6-foot Christmas trees. So you might be disappointed that you’re not getting as many light bulbs on the Govee Christmas String Lights, but I honestly do not think you’ll notice the difference. Plus, I found the light beads to be incredibly bright and vibrant, with the clear cable jackets also helping reflect their light, even if it’s only less than a centimeter on either side of each light bead.

There is a control box with a power button that doubles as a reset button when you hold it down for 5 seconds and a mounting tape in the box if you’re seeking a more permanent setup. These lights may be designed specifically for holiday decorating, they’re great for year-round use as well if you want to light up your porch, your bedroom, or your garden, for example. It’s an addition that can come in handy from time to time, but seeing as these are smart lights, there’s almost no need for it.

That is, apart from its built-in mic. This mic allows for the lights to react to ambient audio, which is fantastic for syncing them to whatever music or movie is playing through your speakers. It’s a fun feature that I use quite often.

Of course, the easy setup is not the only reason to get these lights. Just like the rest of the lights in Govee’s catalog, the Govee Christmas String Lights have the same functionalities as the best smart lights on the market including app and voice control, scheduling, and a slew of customization options. That adds to their ease of use even more. Think about it: no more having to bend down and unplug or manually switch off your Christmas lights when it’s time for bed; you can simply set it to turn on and off at specific times of the day or when your smart speaker detects a person’s presence in the room. Or just ask Alexa to do it.

What's more, Govee has mastered the smart home functions of its lights so whether you're using voice commands or the app to control these lights, you can rest assured that it'll respond accurately within a fraction of a second.

Before you can take full advantage of their smart functions, you do have to connect it to the Govee app as well as your Alexa app. While that is one more step, doing so is easy as pie since the Govee app makes it so. Because the app immediately detects the lights as soon as you plug it in, all you need to do is follow the steps on the app. Once it’s connected to the app, the Alexa app will automatically detect the string lights as well and ask you whether or not you’d like to add it to your device list.

Not to play favorites here, but the Govee app is probably my favorite smart light app of all. It’s so easy to use while offering a slew of features, from the music sync I mentioned above and the long list of light scenes to letting you create your very own light scenes and color schemes. It’ll also let you set brightness, set up timers, and use the Music DreamView feature to sync the Govee Christmas String Lights’ lighting effects with all your other Govee smart lights for an even more immersive experience.

Because these are, first and foremost, Christmas lights, these have Christmas-themed light scenes that aren’t available on other Govee smart light sets. Among those scenes are Christmas Tree, Sled, Christmas Gift, Candy Cane, Christmas Eve, Santa Claus, and Christmas Gift. If none of these appeal to you or are a good match for your holiday decorations, however, I recommend taking the time to design your own via the app’s DIY module.

Combining these customizations with its other smart home conveniences makes the Govee Christmas String Lights an incredibly versatile smart home device that takes your holiday decorating to a whole new level. Thanks to them, it’s finally time to retire your old, and at times infuriating, Christmas string lights and make your holiday decorating an even more enjoyable experience.

Govee Christmas String Lights: Price and availability

How much is it? From $59.99 / £59.99 (about AU$90)
When is it available? Available now
Where is it available? Available in the US and the UK

The Govee Christmas String Lights are more expensive than traditional string lights, many of which you can find for under $20 / £20 / AU$35. However, next to other Christmas lights with smart home functionality, they’re the slightly more affordable option. Coming in two lengths, they will set you back $59.99 / £59.99 (about AU$90) for the 33 ft (10m) option that’s best for Christmas trees 4 feet (1.2 meters) and shorter, and $89.99 / £89.99 (about AU$135) for the longer 66 ft (20m) that’s ideal for trees 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8m).

In comparison, the 66-ft (20m) Nanoleaf Matter Smart Holiday String Lights retail for $119.99 / £119.99 (about AU$180) while the Philips Hue Festavia String Lights of the same length cost a hefty $219.99 / £109.99 (about AU$330).

The Govee Christmas String Lights are now available in the US and the UK. However, they’re not available in Australia at the time of writing.

Value: 4.5 / 5

Govee Christmas String Lights: Specs

Should I buy the Govee Christmas String Lights?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Govee Christmas String Lights: Also consider

How I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights

I tested the Govee Christmas String Lights for a week
I used it on my little Christmas tree at home
I tested its performance and features using Alexa and the Govee app

While I don't have space in my apartment for even a four-foot Christmas tree, I did put up the Govee Christmas String Lights on the 1.5-foot tree that Govee had provided with the lights where it stayed during my week-long testing. During this period, I used the lights day and night to add a little holiday flair to my otherwise Christmas decoration-bare home.

My testing included testing its smart home features, its response to voice commands and app control, and its ability to display the many light scenes available on the app. I also experimented with creating my own light effects and color schemes, making note of how accurately the lights would display them.

A big smart home fan, I've been a smart home user for a few years, with Philips Hue light bulbs being my very first smart home device. I've also been testing smart home devices, from smart lights and smart speakers to smart appliances like robot vacuums and heaters, since owning my first light bulbs.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights review: driving home (automation) for Christmas

6:44 pm | December 14, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Smart Home Smart Lights | Comments: Off

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: One-minute review

LED Christmas lights have been around for a while now, filling our homes with potentially headache-inducing flashing festive patterns. Now, thanks to the wonders of home automation you can induce those headaches remotely, and in 16 million colors.

Joking aside, these smart Christmas tree lights are very good, which should come as no surprise given that Nanoleaf makes some of the best smart lights. While the Philips Hue Festavia lights come in three different lengths (depending on what region you’re in) the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights come in one size only: 66ft / 20m, with 250 bulbs split into two 33ft / 10m strips for easy tree decoration. However, they’re a lot cheaper – Hue’s alternative of the same size come in at $219.99 / £199.99 / AU$359.95 whereas Nanoleaf’s are $119 / £119. There’s no availability in Australia as of writing.

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights — (Image credit: Future)

The lights are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, but have a similar design flaw to the Festavia lights from Hue – the black wire. It’s such a silly oversight given that most people are decorating green trees, and it makes them a lot less discreet. Another similarity I’d rather not see is how sparse these lights are – they’re spaced 3.15 inches / 8 cm apart, so you won’t find it easy to achieve a densely lit tree with these lights.

The lights are controlled with Nanoleaf’s companion app, and I found the initial setup straightforward. After a while though, the application started to alert me that there was a firmware upgrade which then disappeared by the time I got to the screen used to update it.

When it did eventually find a more recent firmware and updated itself, the lights then became unavailable in Apple HomeKit. The situation was not resolved until I uninstalled the Nanoleaf app, removed the device from Homekit, and then reinstalled everything. I experienced similar black holes of wasted time troubleshooting software issues with the Nanoleaf 4D TV-syncing strip lights , but it’s worth noting that this may be attributable to the amount of change in my Home automation setup, and that both products were very new at the time of testing. However, these repeated issues do not inspire confidence in the quality of the software. I wasn’t able to test the selection of themes via HomeKit because the themes were simply not there.

Nanoleaf app print screens showing the Palette List and Color Picker — (Image credit: Future)

On the whole, though, the app is nicely laid out and uncluttered. The phone application comes with nine preconfigured scenes for you to select from, or you can create your own. Each scene consists of a palette of up to seven colors, and one of nine ‘motions’ (sequences).

The scenes are very effective, and serve as a showcase for what’s possible with a little experimentation – and I found myself experimenting a lot. It’s commendable that Nanoleaf allows you to create your own scenes, although after experimenting with half a dozen of my own I couldn’t find a way to delete the ones that were rubbish. Also, some of the names of the scenes and palettes are the same, meaning it’s easy to get confused.

It’s also possible to forgo the cycling patterns and have the lights react to sound via the microphone in the base unit, and you can also use a button on the wire to shuffle through the preconfigured scenes, which is a nice touch.

The ‘Crackling Fireplace’ theme certainly made me feel like breaking out the chestnuts – which is impressive, given that even if you had the most powerful microscope in the world, you would not be able to find my Christmas spirit.

‘Jingle Bell Rock’ is also wonderful for its simple color choice, and is one of the two stock example schemes featuring sound-activated ‘motions’. The ‘Reindeer Gamer’ scheme is a nod to Nanaoleaf’s gamer roots, which worked well to entice me.

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights wrapped around a racing chair — (Image credit: NAnoleaf)

I also found the set of nine Motions interesting and unusual; the ‘Organic’ light pattern, in particular, is very interesting, and I could imagine it being even more entertaining after a Christmas tipple.

It’s worth mentioning the ease with which you can pack these lights away, and when you come to do this you’ll realize why splitting the lights into two lengths is the way to go. They bundle up very neatly, avoiding the yearly ‘tangled mass of wires in a biscuit tin in the attic’ scenario – it would be even easier if Nanoleaf implemented a feature that lit only the last bulb on each string, which would make taking it off of the tree so much easier.

Darth Vadar figurine holding the Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights — **“I find your lack of Christmas spirit disturbing.”** (Image credit: Future)

The sound-activated motions kind of work, but are limited by the microphone in the base unit. The base unit will probably end up on the floor, so it will respond to footsteps rather than any music playing through your speakers, which is a bit annoying.

Placing the base unit next to a subwoofer works pretty well; however, there is a slight delay, and it doesn’t always do what you think it would do, but it’s good enough – and Killing in the Name by Rage Against the Machine was probably not the best choice of track to test the feature with, in fairness. There’s plenty of scope for creating a fantastic light show with this feature if you set the lights up around grandma’s chair for when she falls asleep snoring after the Christmas meal.

Nanoleaf smart holiday string lights around a computer — (Image credit: Future)

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: Price and availability

List price: $119 / £119

The Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights are available for $119 / £119 directly from the Nanoleaf website, and at the time of writing, they were discounted slightly. You can also buy them from Amazon.

This makes the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights significantly cheaper than their biggest competition, the Philips Hue Festavia, which come in at nearly double the price. Given that this product is arguably better for most users, I’d say that’s a huge win. As of writing, there’s no availability in Australia, but hopefully, that’ll be rectified in time for Christmas next year!

Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights: Specs

Should I buy the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Nanoleaf Smart Holiday String Lights

I installed the Nanoleaf application and added the lights to Apple HomeKit
I tested each of the nine preset scenes and created several custom palettes
I tested the features where practical

I wrapped the lights around several objects in my house (I don’t have a Christmas tree), and tried to imagine what would be important to a person whose interest in Christmas was greater than zero.

I unpacked and packed the lights away several times to test the likelihood of the lights and packaging lasting for several years – this is something that’s particularly important for devices that only get used once a year, and these are not cheap lights, although they’re versatile enough that they could be put to a more general use throughout the year. The lights passed this test.

I did not count all 16 million colors, but I can say that they’re bright and colorful. I was disappointed that I could not voice-activate the schemes through Apple HomeKit, but not disappointed enough to go to the trouble of making it work through an Apple shortcut or something. I can’t think of a scenario where voice activation would be of any benefit anyway, other than scaring the jingle bells out of Santa as he emerges from the fireplace.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed December 2023

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review: dynamic suction comes to an already-excellent vacuum

6:19 am | December 13, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Small Appliances Vacuums | Comments: Off

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI: Two-minute review

If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it, and that’s exactly what Samsung has done with its Bespoke Jet AI cordless vacuum cleaner. It’s a slightly improved version of Samsung’s previous Bespoke Jet cordless vacuum cleaner model, and I say “slightly improved” because everything I praised about the previous model is here, with just one main addition – AI smarts (aka some seriously good sensors) to help optimize suction power for each inch of floor space. Other than that, you can’t tell the two generations apart.

And that’s not a bad thing because the design remains modern and clean, plus Samsung’s Integrated Clean Station is still excellent at automatically emptying the cordless vacuum’s bin canister while also charging it up. You still get a plethora of additional tools to make vacuuming less of a chore, including a mop attachment, and they can all be set up on the Accessory Cradle that will need some extra space to store.

This time round, though, there’s no second charging dock for a spare battery on the Cradle, so you don’t need the spare power point. Instead, Samsung has used a bigger battery on its 280AW Bespoke Jet AI that promises a runtime of up to 100 minutes.

The two motorized cleaning heads for carpets and hard floors now come with LED lights, which don’t do as good a job of highlighting dust as Dyson’s Fluffy Optic does, but they’re still handy when you’re trying to clean under furniture or in dark spaces.

In my Samsung Bespoke Jet review, I said that it was “capable of putting [a Dyson] to shame in terms of functionality and power” and the Bespoke Jet AI carries on that tradition but with dynamic suction now available that wasn’t there before. That is what Samsung is pushing as the “AI” part of the product. While the sensors do an excellent job of managing suction power, there are several mid-tier vacuum cleaners that also offer the same thing at a lower price.

If you’re already part of Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem, the vacuum can be paired with the app so you can set up auto-emptying durations, view cleaning records and run diagnostics. But you really don’t need this either.

This is not to say that the Bespoke Jet AI isn’t good, far from it – it’s a powerful vacuum with more suction power than a Dyson, but you are paying extra for the dynamic suction and I still think the older Bespoke Jet does remarkably well without that. This makes it a little hard to justify the higher price tag over the predecessor, which still retains its spot in our best cordless vacuum cleaner round-up.

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI in handheld mode used to clean a shelf — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review: price, models and availability

Announced June 2023, available since July 2023
Some markets get two models
Prices start at $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,499

The Samsung Bespoke Jet AI has been available to purchase since July 2023, and most markets have just one model with a maximum suction power of 280AW and a battery life of up to 100 minutes. And this costs $1,099 / £999 / AU$1,599. This is the model that was sent to me for review.

Australia, however, gets two models – the 280AW one with all the bells and whistles, plus a slightly cheaper 250AW suction model with a maximum runtime of 60 minutes that costs AU$1,499.

The Bespoke Jet AI can be purchased directly from Samsung or from authorized retailers, but keep an eye out for discounts during major sales, as this cordless vacuum cleaner is definitely worth considering when it’s available for a cheaper price.

However, in comparison to the older Samsung Bespoke Jet cordless vacuum, this is a minor upgrade – dynamic suction is new here – and based on that I find it a little hard to justify the higher cost.

• Value score: 4 / 5

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI docked in its Clean Station with the Accessory Cradle on the floor next to it — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI: specs

The below specifications are for the Australian model of the 280AW Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless vacuum cleaner.

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review: Design

No obvious change in design from the older Bespoke Jet
Washable bin canister and filter
Accessory Cradle no longer has a second battery charging port

In terms of overall design, the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI is practically identical to the previous model, with only minor changes here and there that make a lot of sense. Firstly, the AI model now has a retractable wand that’s great if you’re a tall person.

The second tweak is to the Accessory Cradle that now has no second charging dock for the spare battery that ships with the older Bespoke Jet. That’s because the 280W AI model that’s available globally gets a bigger battery that lasts up to 100 minutes, which is quite generous compared to the 60 minutes maximum runtime you get from competing Dyson models.

Despite the bigger battery, the Bespoke Jet AI is lighter than the Dyson V15 Detect or the Dyson Gen5detect, weighing in at just 2.9kg (6.4 lbs) compared to 3.1kg (6.9 lbs) and 3.9kg (8.6 lbs) respectively for the two Dysons. In comparison, the older Bespoke Jet weighs in at 2.7kg (6 lbs).

Image 1 of 3

Samsung branding on the Bespoke Jet AI filter casing — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 3

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI's Accessory Cradle with tools — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 3 of 3

The display on the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless vacuum cleaner — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

You’d think that would make the Bespoke Jet AI a lot easier to maneuver but the Active Dual Brush doesn’t swivel very well when trying to change angles – a problem I had with the original model’s Jet Dual Brush as well and thought it was an isolated issue – clearly not. However, the Slim LED Brush and the Spraying Spinner Sweeper are easier to handle, although the speed at which the mop plates rotate can make the latter a little difficult to handle.

Both the Actual Dual Brush and the Slim LED can light up a floor or carpet as you clean and, while the white light isn’t good at highlighting dust as Dyson’s Fluffy Optic’s green light is, it’s handy when you’re trying to clean in dark corners or under furniture.

The bin canister on the handstick remains at 0.5L capacity compared to 0.77L in the Dyson V15 and Gen5detect models, but then you can quickly clean it out by just placing it on the Clean Station, which triggers an automatic empty.

I am still a massive fan of Samsung’s Clean Station, which continues to take a 2L dust bag that’s easy to replace. Strangely, if you don’t have a new dust bag to put in immediately, the panel enclosing the space won’t close – go figure.

While most of the physical aspects remain unchanged, I found that the White Greige Bespoke Jet AI I was sent for this review had a more plasticky feel compared to the older Bespoke Jet I tested in 2022. Overall construction feels lackluster for a vacuum cleaner with a premium price tag.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI's Dual Active Brush on a dirty tile floor — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI review: Performance

More suction than a Dyson – up to 280 air watts
A good mop
Excellent battery life

When it comes to vacuuming performance, I can’t fault the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI. With a maximum of 280 air watts of suction power, this cordless vacuum cleaner outdoes the latest from Dyson by some margin, and that also means it’s a better sucker (apologies for the pun) than its predecessor too. Whether it’s hard floors or the dirtiest of high-pile carpets, the Bespoke Jet AI does a very impressive job of cleaning up a lot of dust, dirt, hair, fur and fiber.

I put grains and cereals in its path, plus talcum powder too. It had a little trouble with larger pieces of dry food and debris only because there’s not enough clearance between the brush casing and the roller in both the LED-lit attachments, but otherwise it does a remarkable job – just like its predecessor. The only difference here is I never once had to boost suction myself.

The new dynamic suction here is fantastic. Initially I found it very annoying because the suction, and thus the noise levels, would change every few seconds, indicating that the handstick was optimizing performance for potentially every inch of floor space. That also made me realize that it was working hard to make sure I got the best clean possible.

So while I still think the "AI" part is market-speak, the sensors and algorithms that Samsung has used to automatically adjust suction and brush RPM are definitely top class.

Image 1 of 2

Hand holding the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless vacuum as it begins its initial setup — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 2

Inside the Integrated Clean Station of the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

When it comes to mopping, the Bespoke Jet AI is good, but I think the wet roller attachment for the Dyson V15s Detect Submarine does a better job of cleaning up both wet and dry spills. And it does so a lot quicker than its Samsung counterpart.

I do like the fact that the Spray Spinning Sweeper allows me to spray some water over caked-in stains before mopping them, but it takes a bit of back and forth over the stain for it to disappear. However, given there’s no way for dirty mop water to spill in the Bespoke Jet AI (as there is with the Submarine), this could be the better option for people who just need a basic mop of hard floors.

I wonder if Samsung’s AI smarts can be harnessed better to improve mopping – I think that would make the price of the Bespoke Jet AI well worth every penny even at full price.

Image 1 of 3

An empty dust bag inside the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI's Integrated Clean Station — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 2 of 3

The bin canister of the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI cordless vacuum cleaner — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Image 3 of 3

The fine-dust filter inside the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Another aspect of a cordless vacuum cleaner’s performance is battery life and I’m glad to say that this lasts a while. Samsung promises a runtime of up to 100 minutes, which is really quite generous. I never once found the battery level dip below 50% after a full vacuum+mop session in my test space, which, to be honest, wasn’t too large – a 40sqm (430 sq ft) one-bedroom apartment. But even after two vacuum runs and a mop, I never got close to running out of battery.

And I have to talk about Samsung’s Integrated Clean Station here as well. Sure, it’s the charging dock, but it’s also got very powerful suction that pulls out every bit of dirt, dust and hair from within the handstick’s bin canister.

One of my pet peeves with Dyson’s bins are the tangled hairs around the inner metal grille filter and I have often had to stick my fingers in to get them out. That is not an issue here at all – no matter how much hair or fur you’ve cleaned up, the Clean Station’s suction removes it all. If there’s a lot and they don't all come out in go, you just press the button on the Clean Station for the auto-empty again and, voila! At most, there will be a thin layer of fine dust around the inner plastic of the bin, which can be taken apart completely and washed – filter included.

Long story short, I’m quite impressed with the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI’s performance.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Samsung Bespoke Jet AI display and control buttons — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

Should I buy the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI?

Buy it if...

Don’t buy it if...

Also consider

If you’d like alternatives to the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI, take a look at the below alternatives, or peruse our round-up of the best cordless vacuum cleaners for more options.

How I tested the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI

Used a couple of times a week for four weeks
Scattered dry materials to test various suction modes
Used the mopping head after each vacuum run

The Samsung Bespoke Jet AI's Dual Active Brush lighting up a small bit of a rug — (Image credit: Sharmishta Sarkar / TechRadar)

I was sent the Samsung Bespoke Jet AI for testing over a four-week period and, during that, I used it a couple of times a week in my own inner-city apartment. It has a mix of carpet and hard floors, so I was able to test out all the motorized cleaning tools.

During my testing, I scattered grains like rice and cereal in the vacuum's path, plus tested its prowess by scattering fine talcum powder on a medium-pile carpet. I also dropped sauces and condiments on the kitchen floor, allowing them to dry to test the mopping capabilities.

During my time with the Bespoke Jet AI, the 2L dust bag didn’t fill up fully, but I did replace it to see how easy it is to do.

Read more about how we test

[First reviewed December 2023]

Proscenic Floobot X1 robot vacuum cleaner review

3:00 pm | December 12, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Robot Vacuums Smart Home | Comments: Off

Proscenic Floobot X1: Two-minute review

The Proscenic Floobot X1 robot vacuum combines a stylish design with plenty of useful features, such as the ability to detect whether it’s on carpet or hard flooring and apply its cleaning tools accordingly, automatic room mapping, consistent mopping action and a self-emptying dustbox.

The latter’s UV light helps eradicate germs, as well as allowing the user to avoid getting their hands dirty. There are solid scheduling options, app-based tools for marking off areas to avoid, and a LiDAR camera and sensors that assist with object avoidance.

The 15cm-tall puck design is modest enough for the Proscenic Floobot X1 to slip under furniture to access and clean awkward spaces, but the rotating brush that flicks dust to dislodge it along the edges of a room doesn’t always result in the debris then being vacuumed up.

The best aspects are the remote control, and the smooth furrows the Floobot X1 ploughs when cleaning fairly large rooms, but some of the extras, such as the app scheduling and supposedly smart room coverage, are less convincing.

Object avoidance is generally good, with no issues encountered near stairs, but low-lying items such as stray laces and a tray containing pet food were not detected at all. The consumables cost for replacement dustbags is pricey, and the app had some setup gotchas.

However, we were generally impressed with the features for the money and would be happy to marshall this robot vacuum around an open-plan home, though we would not consider it among the best vacuums around.

Proscenic Floobot X1: Price and availability

List price: $499 / £399
When is it available: Available now
Where is it available: Available in the US and the UK

It’s definitely worth shopping around to get the best deal on a Proscenic Floobot X1. While the UK Proscenic website lists the Floobot X1 at £499, matching the $499 asking price on the US Proscenic website, you can save a lot by buying through Amazon. Here, the RRP is shown as £349 but Amazon UK will sell you the X1 for a great value £299 and Amazon US asks $399.

Value score: 4 / 5

Proscenic Floobot X1: Specifications

Proscenic Floobot X1: Design

Smart charging station that supports self-emptying function
Straightforward remote control, on device on/off button and Proscenic app
Detailed scheduling and power options for mopping and cleaning

The Proscenic Floobot X1 arrives in a compact box that promises ‘smarter mapping, simpler mopping’. The bundled remote control delivers on this, with dedicated buttons for auto cleaning and mopping. You can operate the Floobot X1 in several ways: via the Proscenic app over Wi-Fi, via Bluetooth, using the remote control, or directly using the power buttons on the robovac itself.

Note that there are three Proscenic apps – you want the one that’s simply called ‘Proscenic’ which lists Floobot X1 in its device list. The app connects the Floobot X1 to your home Wi-Fi network as long as you have a 2.4GHz network, and then to your smartphone via Bluetooth.

The package includes a charging station-cum-dustbin with a straightforward clip-together base plus spare consumables and brushes. Setup is via the app, which also has a link to a visual ‘quick start guide’ though the branding here on and the Proscenic website designates the X1 as a Floobot.

Once you’ve clicked the two pieces of the charging dock base together and placed the charging dock on top you’re ready to plug in, and line up the Floobot X1 robot vacuum for its first charge. A quick glance at the schematic in the comprehensive User’s Manual reveals that the charging contacts are on either side of the dust box, and that the Floobot X1 should therefore be placed on the charging mat with the Proscenic branding facing the docking station. The correct positioning is confirmed when the vacuum’s indicator lights turn blue, which is followed by a brief musical and spoken greeting. The Floobot X1’s lights then turn green and flash to show that it’s charging. Once charged, the light turns a solid green.

Suction-wise, there are four settings which can be instantly adjusted via the detailed Proscenic app: the maximum vacuuming power is 3000pa. A Pascal rating of 2,500 to 3000 is fairly standard for vacuum cleaner suction. while the sonic mop has three soak settings and can scrub up to 3000 times a minute. A single LiDAR camera governs the X1’s journey across your floors and helps it avoid unexpected items in its path. The lack of top-mounted cameras facilitates a low-profile design, but more cameras would surely have led to a more efficient route-map.

The Floobot X1 comes with a dust bag already installed inside the charging station, with a second included in the box. When full, the Robot Vacuum will automatically wend its way to the docking station and position itself ready to empty the content of its dust box into the station’s 2.5-litre dustbin. Proscenic touts the usefulness of the self-emptying Floobot X1, which should be able to vacuum or mop up a month’s worth of dust and debris before the dustbag needs to be replaced. As well as minimising the amount of dust you need to deal with while engaged in the often unedifying process of emptying the dust bag into a larger dustbin, a UV light on the charging station deftly disinfects, neutralising pathogens and bacteria. These consumables cost just under £15 for six from Amazon or direct from Proscenic but can also be bought singly or in packs of three.

Another consumable cost is the mopping pads, two of which are provided in the box. You need to rinse and dry these pads between mopping sessions or when they become noticeably grubby, and once they’re worn out new ones cost £12 for four or £21 for a new consumables kit including a HEPA filter and new brushes. Proscenic also recommends that you tape off sharp edges that could damage the Floobot X1 – our stone hearth, for example – so factor in some preparation time for this, or price in some child-friendly plastic bumpers. You’ll also need to move anything that the X1 is likely to attempt to steer under, such as low-legged armchairs that don’t provide enough clearance for the Floobot X1 robo-puck.

Design score: 4.5 / 5

Proscenic Floobot X1: Performance

Automatic carpet/hard floor detection
Average 45-minute runtime
Not very smart at navigation

In auto mode the Proscenic Floobot X1 trundles up and down in rows, eventually creating a map of where it’s been and any partial roomscapes its single LiDAR camera spies along the way [it spotted the beginning of our lean-to conservatory, for example, although the hard stop of the metal threshold prevented it from investigating further.

Having first vacuumed the area we wanted cleaning, I put the Floobot X1 into mopping mode. This involved attaching its Velcro mopping pad and filling its water tank. Mopping was efficient and gave the floor a noticeable sheen. Slick stripes showed which bits had been mopped without being wet enough to slip up on.

Charging takes several hours, with the progress indicated by two flashing green icons on the top of the Floobot X1; the white Wi-Fi indicator icon nestles between these. To connect your robovac to the home Wi-Fi network you need to open the Proscenic app (iOS or Android), select your model from the prefilled options, then press and hold the two green icons on the vacuum for several seconds. The Wi-Fi icon should light up and the voice assistant announce that the Wi-Fi connection has been reset. At this point you need to select the correct network from those that appear in the app and enter your Wi-Fi password.

Once the vac is charged, you press the left button underneath the rocker pad on the remote control to initiate smart cleaning. With no indication of how much charge the Floobot X1 had before it claimed to be ready for use, it was hard to judge whether it was close to a full battery. In any case, we were surprised to find it managed only a five-minute burst of activity on our short-pile carpet before needing to orientate itself and head back to the charging pod. The charging dock dustbin has a generous 2.5l capacity, into which the Floobot X1 can discharge its collected contents for as much as a month before it needs to be emptied. Subsequent assays lasted up to 50 minutes after just 30 minutes to recharge, so we put that brief initial run down to a glitch.

Having not previously provided any details of the room shape or obstacles, on resuming cleaning duties we noted that the Floobot X1 began vacuuming sections of carpet it hadn’t previously tackled, living up to its ‘smart’ label. The LiDAR function thus plays its part in ensuring the room is covered in a methodical fashion, without too much overlap or gaps in coverage.

The first few times we tried the Proscenic Floobot X1 it seemed to go over the same couple of metres of carpet in a fairly erratic manner (our bumpy, ill-fitting carpet can’t have helped its navigation), abruptly changing direction 10cm or more from the edges. Subsequent forays were more successful, with the robovac deftly navigating along the skirting boards and around radiator pipes, chair legs and so on. We expected the metal door threshold to fox it, but it cleaned along its length and jauntily set off to the next room with challenges such as the stair edge to avoid tipping over. The long length of the open-plan landing suited the X1 better, efficiently vacuuming adjacent strips of carpet. I also noted that it began to consistently sweep along the carpet edges. Presumably having gained confidence about the room dimensions from its LiDAR camera it then judged it safer to nudge closer to its boundaries.

During this session the Proscenic Floobot X1 began to judder and shake, and I assumed it was getting full. A few minutes later, however, a compact fur ball of hair and grot was emitted from the underside of the robovac, after which it resumed its smooth traverse of our obviously filthy carpets. This sensible approach to expelling chunks of detritus then leaves more space for smaller debris.

Challenged with a carpet laden with crumbs, oats and sundry grot, the Floobot X1 performed well, first brushing aside many of these larger items before flicking them into its dust chamber. The four-way control pad on the handheld controller can be used to pause and turn the X1 on the spot. I found this handy when I wanted to get it to brush the edges of a kitchen cabinet where a strip of dirt had accrued. It’s also a good alternative to the spot-cleaning function, which successfully and efficiently brushed aside peanuts, biscuit crumbs and oats before sweeping them into its internal dustbin, but also distributed some of them over a broad area. In total, the Proscenic Floobot X1 dispensed with 87% of the oat mix we challenged it to vacuum up, but left to run on auto came back later and collected all but 3% of the remainder as it worked successive furrows across the room.

Progress around a narrower, more cluttered room was a little erratic, but the floor ended up much cleaner, and the Floobot X1 dealt with every obstacle, from trailing cables to rogue slippers and tricky desk undersides.

Having left the Floobot X1 to charge overnight, vacuuming time was approximately 45 minutes, with three minutes of residual power used to seek out and return to the docking station. In this instance the robovac had traversed from its original location out onto the landing and ended up vacuuming half of the neighbouring bedroom, which meant that it ran out of power before locating the charging station. A point to note is that when it comes time for the Floobot X1 to return to base to recharge or empty its internal bin, it will get hopelessly lost if you’ve switched off the charging dock at the wall for any reason – it needs this beacon to find its way back.

The Proscenic Floobot X1 will undoubtedly leave your home cleaner, neatly mopped and scrubbed. It operates reasonably quietly with an average decibel rating of 54dB (46dB in mopping mode) except when rumbling and shaking before expelling a pellet of debris, or for the few seconds when it returns to base and very loudly dumps performs its self-emptying routine. A brief 86dB interruption more than compensates for trudging round your house vacuuming by hand, of course.

This robot vacuum seemingly works better in more open-plan spaces where it can execute neat rows of cleaning and exhibits less blind man’s buff behaviour while navigating awkward corners. There is little time advantage to the promised smart functions once the Floobot X1 has mapped out your rooms but the option section off or prioritise rooms is useful. Edges are generally tackled fairly well, but we recommend using the remote control to get up close to areas that need a dedicated scrub. This wouldn’t be our first choice of robot vacuum for mopping remotely but it works well for scheduled vacuuming if you’ve first decluttered (and remembered to move the tray containing the cat’s food and bowls – yes, you can imagine what happened there!).

Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Proscenic Floobot X1: App

Needs dual-band or 2.4GHz router
Cannot initiate mopping remotely if Floobot X1 is docked
Strong scheduling, partitioning and power setting options

We had a few issues getting the Floobot X1 to maintain a Wi-Fi connection. When trying this in the older of the two houses in which we tested the vacuum we assumed it may have been down to an older Wi-Fi router, but at home we have a four-month-old Community Fibre gigabit broadband router and needed a few attempts to set it up, and after a few days between vacuuming bouts we also needed to reconnect to the home network.

Arguably, if you’re at home anyway and have already let the Floobot X1 go through the process of mapping out the rooms on that floor you could just as well use the remote control to start it.

The app can be used to schedule particular days, times and rooms once you’ve partitioned off areas. Mopping as well as vacuuming can be scheduled, but it’s worth noting that the Floobot X1 sees the landing pad it sits on while docked as a carpet, and will not commence mopping from there. Instead, you get an in-app message stating that it needs to be moved off the carpet in order to mop. You therefore need to charge it ahead of time, then fit the mopping pad and place the vacuum on the bare floor if you want to schedule a mopping session while you’re out.

Using the app you can define rooms and areas to be cleaned or avoided, partition areas, and set the power level, or the amount of water the mop should use. The app will also show up errors such as the Floobot X1 being offline, or detecting a carpet when the mop mode has been selected. There’s a handy ‘find’ option too, should your robot vacuum have got lost or stuck under the couch. It’s also helpful that the app shows the charging status, but we were less impressed at having to manually reconnect to the network a day after last using the Floobot X1, leading us to revert to the remote control for most uses.

App score: 3.5 / 5

Should I buy the Proscenic Floobot X1?

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Proscenic Floobot X1: Also consider

If a robot vacuum isn't for you, why not consider these other vacuum options?

First reviewed December 2023

Enabot Ebo X review: an adorable, albeit frustrating companion bot and security camera

8:49 pm | December 11, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets Home Home Security Smart Home | Comments: Off

One-minute review

If you’re in the market for an amped-up indoor camera, this is just the gadget for you. The Enabot Ebo X is one of the most advanced home security devices on the market – if you’re willing to blow the budget.

It’s far more than just a security device though. This feature-packed robot companion will look out for your entire household, navigating from room to room to monitor your home, pets, and family members. Compared to a standard, fixed security camera, bots like the Enabot Ebo X offer unparalleled flexibility.

Of course, you could go down the route of just buying an armory of security cameras for whole-home monitoring – but this will still come at a cost, especially when you factor in that these products more commonly leverage subscription fees for storage and advanced features.

The Ebo X is larger than its Enabot Ebo SE and Air siblings, measuring 6.6 x 6.6 x 6.9 inches / 16.8 x 16.8 x 17.6cm, and designed to be less a plaything for pets and children, and more a companion and security device for the whole family.

And I think it would be great at it, too, if only the application and user guidance weren’t so poor, and if Enabot had just spent a bit more time making the software work for the bot. Unfortunately, the Ebo X is plagued with poor user experiences: whether it’s the poorly optimized in-built Alexa feature, the lack of personality, the low-effort app, or the lack of sufficient user guidance, the Ebo X can feel like a bit more hassle than it’s worth at times.

However, there’s still hope here. I loved the design and hardware used for the Ebo X (barring the Harman AudioEDX speakers), and software is a whole lot easier to fix than hardware. If Enabot can revisit the Ebo X software instead of moving straight ahead to their next exciting home companion bot, it’s got a real fighting chance of taking on Amazon’s Astro.

Enabot Ebo X unboxed, with the robot, plug, instruction manual and base all on display — (Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: price and availability

List price: $999 / £999 GBP / AU$1,699

The Enabot Ebo X is a pricey gadget that’ll set you back $999 / £999 / AU$1,699, but it does have a distinctly premium look and feel that go some way towards justifying the price. It’s currently available exclusively through the Enabot website, but given that some of Enabot’s other products are available from third-party retailers, it’s likely the Ebo X will make an appearance at more stores soon.

Plus, when compared to its biggest competition, the yet-to-be-released Amazon Astro, which is set to cost $1,449.99 when it goes on sale to the general public (availability and pricing for the UK and Australia are still to be confirmed), the Ebo X is fairly reasonably priced, as eye-wateringly expensive home robot companions go. However, as I write this review, there are a fair few software issues and intelligence flaws that really bring down the value of the product in my opinion, so I’d say it’s missing the mark price-wise right now.

The Enabot Ebo X comes in a neat foam crate, which opens to reveal the bot itself, the dock, the power supply, and an instruction manual.

Value: 4/5

Enabot Ebo X in the floor, turned on and with its camera out — (Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: design

Gorgeous, futuristic spherical design
Cute LED expressions
Two impressive self-stabilizing wheels

The adorably rotund, spherical Enabot Ebo X is beautifully designed and robust, with Enabot opting for a futuristic yet approachable look reminiscent of both Wall-E’s Eve and Big Hero 6’s Baymax.

It’s essentially a sphere 6.6 inches / 16.8cm in diameter, with two self-stabilizing wheels on the bottom and a camera on top. It’s fairly large compared to many of the home robot companions currently available, but still a little smaller than Amazon’s upcoming Astro. It’s pretty robust, too, and can comfortably take a knock or two if the V-Slam navigation is on the fritz for some reason.

The top half of the bot is black, and when it’s powered on it illuminates with an adorable pair of customizable LED eyes, the color of which can be changed in the app. There’s also an LED strip running around the seam dividing the top and bottom sections, which serves as an indicator for the status of your robot companion, and on its sides are the Harman AudioEFX speakers. On the rear, you’ll find another speaker and a microSD slot.

On top of the bot is its 8MP, 4K UHD pop-out camera, which is stabilized and can be angled for optimal visibility. There are also volume controls on the camera compartment’s lid, which don’t illuminate and so are very easy to miss. The camera can be stowed by pressing it down into the bot, and there’s also a privacy button, which mutes the microphone and turns the display red when pressed.

The Ebo X is self-stabilizing, whizzing around on its two wheels, and it can even rotate (albeit slowly) on the spot, and turn tight corners when navigating. It can also adjust its viewing angle, tilting backward and forwards to afford itself better visibility, which is very useful given the robot’s height.

The base is pretty simple and understated, and very compact, adding only a couple of inches/centimeters to the overall bulk of the robot when docked. On its underside is a sticky, anti-slip pad, which is a nice touch to keep the Ebo X secure.

Design: 4.5/5

Enabot Ebo X camera view — (Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: performance

Great-quality footage, but odd perspective
Audio is nothing to write home about
Struggles to traverse rugs and some room thresholds
Commands and features are spotty at best

Having the Enabot Ebo X whizzing around my home during testing was a real delight at first, but once the novelty had passed there were some software major flaws that I really hope are purely a result of the product still being fairly new.

First off, the 4K UHD 8MP camera quality is pretty impressive, especially its infrared night mode. The ability to control the camera angle with such granularity is excellent, but the low vantage point does take a little getting used to – thankfully, it has great vertical adjustment. Still, if you want to check up on pets that can access higher spots around the home you’d be better off positioning a stationary camera to cover those areas.

The two-way audio is nice and clear too, but the Harman AudioEFX sound quality is distinctly ‘meh’, and I’d only really recommend using the Ebo X for audio if you’re in a pinch or really want a speaker that follows you, especially if you’re an audiophile. There’s very little richness to the sound, with next to no bass, and songs sound very muddy, especially if the Ebo X is on carpet. It’s fairly loud, but not pleasant at higher volumes. Vocals sound robotic (and yes, I’m allowing for the fact that this thing is actually a robot), and there’s very little definition in musical dynamics too – so given my love of ballads and rock music, the audio component here is a definite miss.

There are multiple privacy features allowing you full control over your Ebo X. As mentioned, you can press down the top compartment to fully stow the camera, but you can also angle the camera to face downwards, use the red button on top of the robot to mute the microphone, and toggle the robot’s sleep mode within the app. I really liked the variety here, which gives users a lot more freedom to customize how they and their homes are monitored.

Given the Ebo X’s expressive LED face design, I was really excited to see what kind of personality the bot had been programmed with. However, I was a bit disappointed with what I found.

It will randomly come out with some cute catchphrases, especially when it says things like “I must be [sic] very happy if I could live here.” If you pick it up, it’ll say “Woah, it feels like I’m flying”, and it’ll also occasionally verbally update you on its status. But other than that, the bot is pretty bland.

Enabot's other robots didn’t come with Alexa built in, and thus had a much more distinct identity. There are remnants of this in the Ebo X – a completely different voice pipes up to exclaim “Ebo!” when it’s powering off, for example – and it makes some really cute sounds when you command it to move in certain directions. While Alexa’s on-board presence is much appreciated in terms of the intelligence it brings to the Ebo X, overall it just takes some of the fun out of the design and concept of the bot.

Also missing compared to the previous generations are the tricks and commands available in the Ebo SE and Air, which make this bot feel a bit too utilitarian.

Enabot Ebo X bugging and spinning — At least it looks cute when it bugs out and spins in panicked circles. (Image credit: Future)

You’ll need to connect the Ebo X to Alexa to unlock much of its functionality (we’ll get into that shortly), and even then the list of abilities is fairly watered down. At the time of writing, you can command the robot to stand up, sit down, follow, recharge, freeze, and capture an image of a smiling face, but it can be fairly slow to register commands, sometimes taking 5-10 seconds to execute. It’ll respond to either “Ebo Ebo” or “Alexa” – I prefer the former to avoid confusion with my other Alexa home speakers.

Most of these commands work fine, but there are some that just lead to frustration. For instance, when I used the ‘follow’ command the bot repeatedly lost me, ambling around my room aimlessly until I reigned it back in, and if I sat down while this mode was active it kept wheeling about, banging into my chair and sofa. This bot just has no chill, clearly. Asking the Ebo X to play music is also very much a case of trial and error, and only works with Amazon Music unless you connect to the device via Bluetooth or the Alexa app to play from other music streaming services.

Two features Enabot has been keen to highlight in its marketing are fall-down and crying detection, which are useful for monitoring more vulnerable members of a household. These work pretty impressively, though as you’ll discover below in the app section of this review, they’re a minefield to set up. Still, if you can muddle through the poor user experience, these features are well worth the hassle.

Navigation-wise, the bot is, generally speaking, fairly accomplished, but nowhere near what most homes will need. It managed (just) to mount my low-pile carpet when automatically navigating, but it just can’t handle my slightly rounded threshold, meaning it regularly got stuck in the hallway of my apartment until I came to its rescue and encouraged it to charge full speed over the boundary. When the bot has a low battery, it’ll navigate its way back to the charger, although if you’ve not mapped your home this can take an absolute age. It’s pretty good at not ramming into things, though (at least when you’re not using the ‘follow’ command), so at least you won’t need to worry about cleaning robo-skull fragments off your floor any time soon.

Performance: 3.5/5

Enabot Ebo X app printscreens — (Image credit: Future)

Enabot Ebo X review: app and features

User experience and setup aren’t great
Customization features
In-app Alexa controls are limited

The app is, arguably, the worst thing about the Enabot Ebo X from start to finish, which is a real shame as I think it massively tainted my experience during my testing.

My main criticism is the utter lack of guidance. The setup is pretty clunky, and the QR code in the included physical instructions didn’t even work. Once you’re in, you get a quick glimpse of the voice commands you can use through Alexa – make sure to screenshot these, because you won’t find them anywhere in the app otherwise.

On the app’s main hub page you can see a live feed from the Ebo X, from which you can toggle its sleep mode, or tap into the window to control the bot manually. There’s very low latency in these live controls, and the feed is clear and crisp. From here, you can take snapshots or videos of Ebo X’s surroundings, which will be saved to the onboard SD card, as well as to your phone if you’ve granted it permission to do so. You can also command the bot to return to its charging station, follow you, and patrol your home.

From the Security section on the main hub screen you can set up automations and map your home. Under the ‘My Task’ tab there are a number of suggested automations, or you can start from scratch by pressing the ‘+’ button in the upper-right hand corner. This is, at best, a tedious trial-and-error exercise in IFTTT-esque formatting, with highly limited and oddly organized triggers and results. There’s very little guidance on how to best use these tasks, and in fact I had to default to the reviewer’s guide sent to me by Enabot to set up the fall-detection automation.

The mapping is similarly baffling, though more so because the bot just goes about it in a really bizarre way compared to other robot devices I’ve tested, like some of the best robot vacuums. I had to repeat the process several times to get a map somewhat resembling my home. Once completed, you can set up zones to keep Ebo X out of private spaces or isolate specific areas for observation.

Also accessible from the home screen is the Ebo Album, which stores videos and cameras captured by the bot and stored on its SD card, as well as a puzzlingly barren Alexa section, and a Joint Login section where you can add users to the app and set up facial recognition for you, your Enabot co-owners and other household members not registered on the app.

In addition to the hub page there’s also a separate tab for the robot’s settings, where you can switch up the lights, brightness, volume and other Ebo X preferences.

Under the final tab are the app settings, where you can find help and tips for controlling the Ebo X – if you can make head or tail of them. Once again, details are sparse, and you’ll likely end up going your own way to figure out whatever it is you need to know.

To connect the robot to Alexa you need the Alexa app, and you need to set up an Enabot account and then enable the Enabot skill in the Alexa app; this is a pretty clunky process, and I’m confused as to why there’s not more information on how to optimize Alexa’s presence in the bot on the app.

App: 3/5

Should I buy?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

How I tested the Enabot Ebo X

I used the Enabot Ebo X as my main home security device for three weeks
I tested all of its voice commands and app controls
I set up automations and trained its mapping feature for my home
I tested the speakers with a variety of songs (Fleetwood Mac, Radiohead, Muse, Dua Lipa) as well as the onboard microphone.

For my three-week testing period, I used the Enabot Ebo X as my primary home security device, mapping my home and setting up various automations to see how well it performed.

Using the app, I explored all of Ebo X’s settings, changing its colors and configurations as well as testing how easy it was to customize the bot. I used its live feed mode, and experimented with its two-way audio and live recording, assessing the quality of the camera and footage captured. To test the speakers I listened to a variety of music of different genres, and compared the sound quality to various speakers around my home. Lastly, I tested the object recognition and navigation of the bot to see how well its AI and camera worked in tandem.

I’ve been testing smart home devices for two years, and referenced my previous experience both with robotics and smart cameras to assess the quality and value of the Ebo X.

« Previous Page — Next Page »