Robot Vacuum S20+
2 independent reviewsRead the findings →A budget Xiaomi vacuum and mop with two spinning pads and a tiny charge-only base. It vacuums very well for the money, thin rugs included. You empty, refill and wash everything yourself.
See the alternatives below, or switch market.
Where it sits in Xiaomi’s range
- Robot Vacuum S20Cheaper, with a single drag cloth instead of spinning pads
- Robot Vacuum S10+Same size, but couldn't lift its mops
- Robot Vacuum S20+This model
- Robot Vacuum X20+Adds a dock that empties, washes and dries · £249.99
- Robot Vacuum S40 ProNewer charge-only model with more suction and extending arms
Feedback
What reviewers found
Two tests: Les Numériques in its lab and Frandroid at home. Both rate the vacuuming highly and like the compact base and easy app. On obstacles and mopping they disagree sharply. Frandroid found it dodged cables and toys well and cleared most stains, while Les Numériques saw it swallow a charging cable several times and leave most of its test stains after one pass. Both agree the upkeep is all manual.
Les Numériques, lab test, Sept 2024 · Frandroid, hands-on, Oct 2024
Hard floors
Reviewers rate it highlyLes Numériques measured it leaving nothing on hard floor in Turbo and very little on the standard setting, and Frandroid found everyday dust and dirt went efficiently on wood and tile.
Carpet and rugs
Mixed resultsStrong on thin carpet, weaker on thick. Les Numériques measured near-total pickup on thin carpet but noticeably less on thick carpet, and Frandroid found it fine for thin rugs but thought it underpowered for thick ones.
Pet hair
Not enough evidenceOnly Frandroid looked at hair: it found hair builds up round the brush roll, so pet owners need to check it often. No other review we use has tested pet hair.
Mopping
Mixed resultsFrandroid found it shifted most stains on wood and tile and suits daily cleaning. Les Numériques found only soda fully gone after one pass, with carbon and lipstick left, and it can't be set to make extra passes.
Navigation and obstacles
Mixed resultsBoth found it maps and moves methodically, and Les Numériques praised how it handles rugs. But Frandroid saw it dodge cables and toys well, while Les Numériques saw it swallow a charging cable several times in its obstacle test.
App and software
Mixed resultsLes Numériques found the app simple and effective, with per-room settings and rug handling. Frandroid found it basic and unfinished, and disliked that settings can't be changed mid-clean.
Noise
Reviewers rate it highlyFrandroid found it very quiet, quiet enough to run while you're home, and Les Numériques measured 54dB on standard power, though 68dB in Turbo.
Reliability and support
Not enough evidenceNone of the reviews we use has run it long-term or judged Xiaomi's support yet.
Value
Not enough evidenceOnly Frandroid judged value, rating it an excellent buy on a small budget. No other review we use has weighed its price.
Verdicts come from independent, hands-on, finished reviews. An area needs at least two of them before we say more than “Not enough evidence”. We don't score robots ourselves. How this works
Vacuums better than its price
Les Numériques measured 100% pickup on hard floor and thin carpet in Turbo, and 98 to 99% on the standard setting. Thick carpet was harder, at 75% on standard and 80% in Turbo, though still much better than the S10+. Frandroid found everyday dust and dirt went efficiently on wood and tile and thought it enough for thin rugs, though probably underpowered for thick ones. On hard floors and thin rugs, that's a strong result at this level.
Rugs are handled cleverly
Les Numériques was impressed that it spotted rugs as it approached, even ones not on the map, cleaned the rest of the room first and then did each rug once. It never got stuck on their thickest test rug. The pads lift only 7mm, so Xiaomi suggests avoiding carpet thicker than 5mm when mopping. Frandroid liked that you choose whether it lifts the pads, avoids the rug or mops it.
Testers split on cables
Frandroid says it spotted and avoided cables, toys and small objects well without leaving big uncleaned margins. Les Numériques found the opposite in its obstacle test: it swallowed the charging cable several times and brushed against a textile, though it was careful with pet bowls. It also made needless detours. Neither saw it get stuck for long. Pick up cables anyway; one careful test is a better guide than one good home.
Mopping is a light daily wipe
Frandroid found the pads shifted most stains on wood and tile and called it fine for daily cleaning. Les Numériques was harsher: after one pass only soda had fully gone, most of the oil went, and carbon and lipstick stayed. You also can't set it to make several passes. Expect fresh floors, not a fix for dried kitchen spills.
All the upkeep is yours
The base only charges, so Les Numériques expects you to empty the 450ml bin after most runs, fill the 290ml tank before mopping and wash the pads each time. Its filter clogged fast, holding 4g of 20g of test cocoa. Frandroid found the bin big enough that it didn't need emptying every time, but noted there's no warning when the water runs out, and hair builds up round the brush.
Les Numériques and Frandroid reviewed in French; their findings are summarised here in English. This page covers the S20+ only, not the S20 or X20+.
Our take
Should you buy the Robot Vacuum S20+?
Best for: Homes with mostly hard floors and a few rugs. Skip it if: You want a dock to empty the bin and wash the mop for you.
Buy the S20+ if you want strong everyday vacuuming, including on thin rugs, for little money, and you don't mind a few minutes of upkeep after each run. If you'd rather never touch the bin or the mop pads, spend more on the Xiaomi X20+. If you mostly want the cheapest capable vacuum and don't care about mopping, the Roborock Q7 M5 is worth a look.
The S20+ is the step up from Xiaomi's plain S20 and replaced the S10+. It maps your home with a spinning laser, vacuums, and mops with two spinning pads that lift 7mm when it spots a rug. The plus sign is a bit misleading: the base only charges it. There's no dock that empties the bin or washes the pads.
That small base is the point for some people. It barely sticks out beyond the robot, so the whole thing can hide under a cabinet. The cost is your time: you empty the bin, fill the water tank and wash the pads after mopping.
If you want the same kind of robot with a dock that does those chores, that's the X20+, which has its own page.
Before you buy
The questions people ask about this one
How often do I have to empty or refill anything?
Often. The base only charges, so you empty the bin, fill the water tank and wash the pads yourself. Les Numériques suggests emptying after most runs and refilling before each mop, and Frandroid found there's no alert when the tank is empty.
Will it avoid cables and pet mess?
The tests disagree. Frandroid found it avoided cables and toys well, but Les Numériques saw it swallow a charging cable several times in a controlled test. It has no camera, so it can't recognise pet mess. Tidy up first.
Does it fit under low furniture?
It's 9.7cm tall with the laser turret, per the specifications, so Les Numériques says it needs almost 10cm of clearance. The charging base is small enough that the whole robot can live under a cabinet, which Les Numériques sees as the main reason to choose it.
Can it cross rugs and raised thresholds between rooms?
Well for a budget robot. Les Numériques found it spotted rugs as it approached and never got stuck on their thickest one. The pads lift 7mm, so Xiaomi recommends carpet avoidance for rugs thicker than 5mm, per the specifications. Xiaomi doesn't state a climbing height.
Is it loud?
Not on the standard setting. Les Numériques measured 54dB on standard and 68dB in Turbo, so leave the room for Turbo runs. Frandroid found it very quiet in normal use, quiet enough to run while you're at home.
Alternatives
Other robot vacuums to compare.
Q7 M5 / M5+
Why consider it: Another low-cost mapping robot that vacuums and lifts pet hair far better than its price suggests.
The compromise: It bumps into clutter too, and its charge-only dock means you empty the bin yourself.
RV30 Max Plus
Why consider it: A low-cost robot with laser mapping and a compact dock that empties the bin.
The compromise: Fine grit and sticky spills beat it, and mopping is only a clip-on pad.
D10 Plus Gen 2
Why consider it: A cheap mapping robot that empties itself into a bag for up to three months and is very good on hard floors.
The compromise: It's weak on thick carpet and runs over cables and socks.
Robot Vacuum S20+ head to head
Head to head
Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20+ vs Robot Vacuum S20+
Our verdict: Les Numériques tested both, and the vacuuming results are close. The X20+ is the better buy if you want the bin emptied and the pads washed for you; the S20+ wins only if you need a tiny base that hides under furniture.
Specs
Full specifications
Each specification names its source. Manufacturer claims are not independent test results; unconfirmed figures are labelled.
Owner reviews
Do you own the Robot Vacuum S20+?
Tell people how it’s held up: cleaning, maintenance, faults and support. Owner accounts are shown separately from independent reviews.
Sources
Where this page’s findings come from
Editorial reviews
Sources
Videos
- RuggsTech: Xiaomi S20+ Robot Vacuum Review ↗
- Big Ted's Home & Garden: Xiaomi S20+ Robot Vacuum Cleaner: Unboxing, Assembly and Review ↗
- Search YouTube for Xiaomi Robot Vacuum S20+ ↗Search results may include company demonstrations or similar models. Check the source and model name; a demonstration is not an independent performance test.