Window cleaning is definitely not a job that anyone would put on their favorite list. Especially when the windows are large, high, hard to reach, and despite all their efforts, streaks still remain. Over the years, I've tried more than one cleaning robot - and frankly, most of them "striped" more than they cleaned. They are not terrible for old dirt.
LIECTROUX S9
Assessment:
What did we like?
What didn't we like?
The Liectroux S9 aims to prove that such robots are a thing of the past. With two rotating rollers and a 6-way nozzle, it promises to clean the most serious dirt. It sounds nice, but we've all seen plenty of nice promises. Will this robot break that cycle? Let's see.
Unpacking and first impressions
When I open the box, everything looks neat and carefully laid out. The robot is protected by foam, and all the accessories are in a small separate box. Inside I find 3 extra cloths, a remote control (with batteries, which is a rarity), a needle for cleaning the nozzles, and clearly written instructions. I was surprised that the English is not at the level of "Google Translate", but neat, which contributes to the image of a quality product.
The robot itself looks solid. The plastic is sturdy, the assembly is good, there is a leather-like strap on top. As soon as you turn it over, two rollers catch your eye. They should rotate during cleaning, so in theory the entire cleaning should be much more efficient.
Management
There are two ways to control the S9 - with the included remote control or the Tuya app on your phone. At first glance, the remote control has countless functions, but in reality there are only a few: changing cleaning directions, stop/start and spraying. Control via the mobile app is identical.
But to be honest, after a few tries, I realized that it's best to just press the "Start" button on the robot itself. You turn it on, stick it to the window, press the same button, and the S9 does everything on its own with the most thorough Z and N levels (in other words, horizontal and vertical washing with spray).
Cleaning
Before cleaning, I wet and wring out the cloth, add water to the S9. I place the robot on the window, start it, and this is where the fun part begins.
I have to admit: after the first window I was surprised. Thanks to those rollers, the S9 cleans completely differently than other robots. It doesn't just sweep, it actually rubs away dirt. The first snow has already fallen, and the "collection" of bugs and bird season dirt that was still on the windows was simply destroyed.
And here's the most interesting thing - the robot cleaned the windows perfectly... even though none of the nozzles were working at the time. Basically, the wet cloth and rollers left the windows sparkling. From the outside, there's nothing visible that would cause the nozzles to not work, so I also tried the needle included in the kit, without any tangible result.
A week later, when trying to clean the windows again, the two front nozzles started working. While this is partly sufficient, it is a bit sad to know that they should work both front and back. One can only wonder why the cleaning result remains so excellent.
The best results are achieved by rinsing the cloth occasionally between cleanings, as it absorbs most of the dirt. Both rollers are very easy to remove and clean, but after cleaning 9 windows they still looked flawless.
What we didn't like?
Are there any drawbacks besides the non-working nozzles? Of course. Like most robots, this one doesn't reach corners (about 2x2 cm), because the S9 has sensors in the corners to ensure its operation. However, the part near the frame is cleaned quite well, where there is practically no uncleaned space.
If the windows are small enough (a balcony or a door in an apartment building), I would advise against using the nozzles. When moving in the Z direction, the Liectroux S9 constantly sprays directly into the window frame. As a result, one side always remains wet. If the nozzles worked on the back as well, I think this would happen to both sides of the window frame.
Also, sometimes it sprays more widely, hitting an area that has already been cleaned. As a result, sometimes a few uncleaned drops remain after cleaning is finished. Unfortunately, neither the angle nor the strength of the spray is adjustable, nor is there a notification about the liquid running out on the robot itself.
Verdict
I can't give the Liectroux S9 anything but positive - more than half of the nozzles on the model I received didn't work. After contacting the manufacturer, we were sent a new water pump. We will update this review once we receive it and if the results change.
Nevertheless, even with this drawback, the cleaning result surprised me a lot. The windows haven't been this shiny for a long time, and most importantly - it rarely requires repeated cleaning. If I had to choose from the models I tested, the S9 would be my top choice without much hesitation.
