Robot vacuum cleaner revew: Samsung Navibot corner clean VR10F71

Is there anything that Samsung does not make? From smartphones to notebooks to tablets to refrigerators and even robotic vacuum cleaners, Samsung seems to have everything covered.

The Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 is its latest robotic vacuum cleaner and it boasts of a couple of important improvements that Samsung say make it its most effective home helper yet.

On the surface, the Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 does not look all that different to its predecessors - it is round and features a LCD readout and honey-comb design motif on its top panel. However, this latest model features automatic pop-out brushes, which extends its cleaning reach, allowing it to reach deeper into corners. 

In addition, its collision-detection system is one of the most advanced, and Samsung calls it the Vision Mapping Plus system. In total, the Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 has a whopping ten front-facing sensors, three cliff sensors, two bumper sensors, and a camera that shoots up to 15 times a second to help map out its environment. These inputs are then fed to dual CPUs, which then calculate the best way to clean the house.

In practice, we found that the navigation abilities of Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 to be a mixed bag. While it moved about in a logical manner, going as close to obstacles and corners as possible to clean with its popout brushes to the extent of even bumping and moving them slightly, it did get stuck in numerous places.

Light rugs are a problem for the Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 and so are low-lying obstructions. The former often got tangled in the device's brush rollers and sweeping brushes, while the latter caused problems as it was too low for the sensors to pick up and the Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 would often ride over it and get stuck.

Additionally, it could not accurately discern its own height and got sometimes stuck underneath tables and sofas too. The workaround for this is to use the supplied virtual wall marker to mark out areas that could be problematic for the Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 to navigate.

However, it redeems itself in other ways. For example, it boasts a selection of cleaning modes including the usual "Auto" and "Spot" modes as well as a special "Turbo" mode that is automatically activated when the device senses a lot of dust or if it senses it is on thick carpets.

The Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71 was also the quietest robotic vacuum cleaner in this shootout, measuring just 67 decibels whereas its competitors were mostly in the high 70s.

Cleaning up and maintenance is the same straightforward affair as its competitors. A simple button releases the dustbin from the rear of the device, which can then be easily emptied; and regular maintenance is required to keep the brush roller free from debris that might otherwise accumulate and reduce its suction performance.

AT A GLANCE

Navigation: Sensors, Camera
Size: 35 x 8cm
Weight: 3.6kg
Price: $1,199

Reviews

Read our reviews of the following robotic vacuum cleaners here:

» Aztech VC2000
» Iclebo Arte
» iRobot Roomba 880
» LG Hom-Bot Square
» Neato XV Signature Pro
» Samsung Navibot Corner Clean VR10F71

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