Do you find yourself cleaning your floors far more often than you would like to? If so, then it may be time for a change, and this floor mopping robot may be just what you are looking for.
As you’ll discover in my ILIFE Shinebot W450 review, this robotic floor cleaner does a great job of keeping floors looking clean with the added bonus of your home smelling great. In fact, it is certainly deserving of its place among my best mopping robots.
But, it does have a few limitations that you should know about before you buy so keep on reading and let’s take a good look at the W450.
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At a Glance
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1-Minute ILIFE Shinebot W450 review
The Shinebot W450 from ILIFE is one of my favorite mopping robots on the market at the moment.
A stand-out feature is the dual water tanks that ensure only clean water is used for the mopping part. Dirty water is swiftly lifted back into the robot and stored in the 2nd tank.
The spinning scrubbing brush does a fantastic job of lifting dirt and grime off the floor as the trailing squeegee adds a nice finishing touch to ensure the floors are left dry, clean, and streak-free.
The robot can be controlled via an app, remote control, or manual control buttons with excellent cleaning level customizations.
While the VSLAM navigation does a great job of ensuring a thorough clean, I would have preferred smart mapping and a return to base feature. However, even without these, it is still an excellent robot that comes highly recommended.
- Spinning scrubbing brush.
- VSLAM navigation.
- Dual tanks for clean and dirty water storage.
- Fine-tune cleaning via the app.
- Great cleaning power.
- Good value.
- No intelligent mapping or return to base feature.
- Long recharge time (around 180 minutes).
- Can’t reach corners.
- The power cord is on the short side.
Last update on 2024-04-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Let’s take a closer look
Unboxing
In the box
- The Shinebot W450
- 1 bottle of Shinebot Cleaning Solution
- A Remote control (2 AAA batteries included, which is a nice touch)
- Power Adapter
- Charging Dock
- 1 spare Roller Brush
- A Cleaning tool
- User manual
How it works
The ILIFE Shinebot W450 is a mopping robot for cleaning all hard floors, including tiles, laminate, hardwood flooring, and more.
Navigation
On top of the robot is a panoview camera that is part of the onboard VSLAM navigation system. The floor washing robot will accurately picture its surroundings and use this to create smart cleaning routes. This ensures maximum coverage while not repeatedly cleaning the same area, limiting the water output, and improving cleaning efficiency.
Onboard sensors
To assist with the navigation, the Shinebot W450 also has onboard anti-collision & anti-dropping sensors. This means that the robot won’t be taking any suicidal leaps off the top step. It will also navigate itself around and avoid obstacles.
In my test, I used a few things that you may find, such as kids’ toys and even a potato, and apart from the odd kiss here and there, it was very good at avoiding. It will do well for items such as pet feeding bowls or tables, but I wouldn’t be confident in avoiding dog poop, so just be aware of that.
The cleaning
The robot has two independent water tanks, one 800ml for clean water and a second 900ml tank, so it properly collects and stores dirty water sucked up from the floor. Combined with the spinning cleaning brush, this is their tidalpower cleaning system for intense cleaning, and it really works.
The brush itself is pretty cool too. It has an orange stripe running through it which is a scrubbing brush that compliments the softer, mopping part.
This means you have a real floor cleaning robot that, unlike many of its competitors, isn’t just moving a damp cloth over your floors; it is a complete floor cleaning system.
You can also add the ILIFE floor cleaning solution to the water tank, something that wasn’t available in its predecessor, the Shinebot W400. So not only does this result in thorough cleaning, but also the slight perfume makes your house smell clean.
Cleaning modes
While the mainstay is the smart cleaning routes, in total, there are three cleaning modes to choose from:
- Path mode – Recommend to clean a large area. Again, the robot will use an innovative zigzag cleaning pattern and return to the starting point when complete.
- Area mode – Recommended for cleaning a specific area. The robot will clean in a zigzag path and return to the starting point when complete.
- Spot mode – Recommended for cleaning a localized area with heavy stains. The Shinebot will clean in a spiral path, returning to the start when complete from the middle out.
The ILIFE Home app
I love the convenient app control. With it, you can really customize your cleaning. First, of course, there are the basics you would expect, so choosing the cleaning mode, but it goes so much deeper than that.
You can download the ILIFE Home app from Google Play and Apple App Store. There are also easy-to-find QR codes in the manual (click here to download the manual in PDF).
With the smart app control, you have access to your own customizable cleaning plan. You can set the travel speed of the robot, control the water flow and the roller brush speed, and have repeating areas for both washing and drying.
What this means is the robot is excellent on any type of floor. Let me give you a couple of examples.
My kitchen is a tiled floor, so it can happily get as wet as it likes; in many ways, the wetter, the better. So for the kitchen, I have the robot set to 100% water flow, 100% brush speed, 50% travel speed, and clean the area with one dry afterward.
However, I use less water for my wooden floors, so they don’t get soaked. So I’ll set the water to 25%, I’ll slow the brush and the robot down, and I’ll wash twice, dry afterward three times.
Hopefully, you can now understand how the robot can be programmed to systematically clean rooms and ensure your floors shine.
One other big bonus of this is, I’m usually cleaning while working from home, so I can afford to do it slowly and even charge the robot in between. However, if you have a large area you need to be done fast, you can also do this. Just adjust the setting to clean once, which significantly improves the battery life.
Aside from the controls, you can also use the app to see a live report of your cleaning, monitor the battery, and see a complete cleaning history.
Battery
While I’m talking about the battery, you can expect to get around 90 minutes of mopping from the Shinebot W450 on a full charge. It takes a few hours, between 3-4 in my tests, to fully charge the robotic mop from empty.
Performance
Overall I am delighted with the performance of the W450, and I think it does a good job. The four-stage cleaning system cleans the floors by first spraying before scrubbing with the roller brush, sucking up the dirty water, and scraping with the squeegee leaving your floor dry in a few minutes.
The spinning roller brush is a massive upgrade on the traditional mopping robots that just wipe with a damp cloth.
Limitations
While everything sounds fantastic so far, there are a few limitations to know about. One is the lack of intelligent mapping.
While the navigation is good, it won’t remember the layout of your house, so you can’t set no-go zones. There are times the robot will randomly bounce around to work its way past chairs and table legs.
The other downside of the lack of smart mapping is that the robot cannot return to the charging base and automatically dock. It will always return to the starting point, but I worry that it drips and leaves little water spots. When I’m using it on my wooden floors, I don’t like to leave it sitting for too long, so I wouldn’t be happy to leave the robot cleaning if I were out of the house for an extended period.
One other thing the robot struggles with is getting into corners. This is a challenge pretty much all robots have due to their shape, so it’s not going to free you from mopping entirely just yet.
The one other thing I wanted to mention is the size. While the width is pretty standard, it is around 12cm tall, so if you want it to go under beds and furniture, be sure to confirm the clearance first.
Ease of set up and use
Charging the robot is easy. As with any vacuum robot, it’s as simple as plugging in the base, placing the robot on top, and letting it power up.
The roller brush comes pre-installed, so you just need to fill the water tank and dampen the brush before cleaning. A button on top will release the tank, lift the rubber stopper, add the water and cleaning solution, then replace the tank and go.
You can start it off with the power button or using the remote control. Personally, I’d recommend downloading the app.
Connecting the robot to the WiFi was pleasantly straightforward; sometimes, it can be a finickity task. Once you have downloaded the app, press and hold the connect button, then follow the on-screen instructions. You will need your WiFi router password, and it will only connect to a 2.4 GHz signal, although that is the most common, so that shouldn’t cause concern.
Another nice touch is the handle. As you will be manually lifting the robot in and out of the dock, the handle is a great help, comfortable to hold, and well balenced.
Reliability
I have been using the Shinebot W450 for a couple of months and have not encountered any issues. The robot uses a powerful Nidec brushless motor which is both efficient and reliable, so I do not foresee any problems.
If you do have a problem, all ILIFE robots are backed by a 12-month warranty, so you should be covered in the event you run into problems.
Ongoing Maintenance
There is an element of maintenance required between every clean with this robot mop. Still, I want to start this section by saying it may sound like a lot when you read it, but in practice, it’s actually not that much.
After every clean, you need to empty and rinse both the clean water tank and the dirty tank. When it is not being used, you should ensure it is stored empty, but the tanks are simple to detach for easy disposal.
You will have to clean the dirty water tank with the provided cleaning tools from time to time. It’s also good to visually inspect the camera and the wheels, looking for any stuck-on dirt.
Extra Purchases and ongoing costs
The manufacturers state that you must only use the ILIFE floor cleaning solution with the Shinebot W450. There is a bottle included in the box, and it will last for a long time. You only need a few drips for each full tank. You can expect a new bottle will cost somewhere between $5 – $8.
From time to time, you will also need to replace the roller brushes. There are 2 included, and you can buy additional ones in packs of 2.
ILIFE Shinebot W450 vs W455
There is no technical or difference in performance between the ILIFE Shinebot W450 and ILIFE Shinebot W455. They are basically the same robotic mop just a different color, with the w455 being silver and the w450 black and available in different regions of the world.
A couple of alternatives to consider
If you want to save some money, you may want to consider the previous model, the Shinebot W400s. It comes with a lot of the same features and is a bit cheaper. However, as an older model, some of the performance isn’t quite as good. You can read more in our comparison between the Shinebot W400 vs. the W450.
Suppose you would rather prioritize smart mapping and floor plans, a robot that can be more reliable when you are out and about. In that case, you may want to consider the iRobot Braava M6. If you own a Roomba vacuum, the imprint link is also a really nice touch. However, I feel the cleaning performance of the W450 to be superior.
FAQs
How does it avoid going on carpets?
It has a sensor that can detect the height change and won’t go up onto a carpet, instead turn away. This can be an issue if you have elevated thresholds between rooms. Sometimes it won’t pass between them.
How loud is the Shinebot W450?
The Shinebot will run at around 65db. So it’s not the quietest, but also not overpowering like a handheld vacuum.
Does it pick up dust and hair?
It is crucial to understand is is not a vacuum robot combo; it is purely a mop. So with that said, I wouldn’t expect it to pick up pet hairs. But, with the roller brush and the water suction, it will pick up some. It just shouldn’t be expected to,
Is the dirty water tank removable for cleaning?
Yes. The water tanks are easily detachable for simple cleaning.
Will the Shinebot W450 fall downstairs?
No. The ani-drop sensors will ensure the robot doesn’t suffer from accidental falls.
Why am I getting a message to check the dirty water tank?
This could be that the tank is not set correctly. First, check and ensure that the tank is installed correctly. If it is, try rinsing the dirty water tank well (including inlet) and clean the filter.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, the ILIFE Shinebot W450 is an excellent option for those looking to automate their mopping and make life easier.
It’s not a perfect hands-off cleaning tool. I have found myself in a pattern of cleaning room by room and having to manually place the robot between rooms. This works great for me as I can fine-tune the controls, and as I work from home anyway, it isn’t a bother. However, I can see how some people would rather have a robot that requires less supervision.
There is also an issue getting into corners. Due to the position of the roller brush, it can’t reach them, so it won’t totally replace your regular mop, but it will undoubtedly be a great help.
But, even with those minor flaws, the excellent performance combined with the smart app control that enables you to easily monitor your robot and fine-tune the cleaning controls mean it’s definitely one of my favorites in the price range.
Matt is the founder of the Little Robot Shop, who has spent much of the last decade hacking home cleaning with various robots and devices to make keeping his home clean as easy as possible. Not an easy task with two young children.
When not working on the Little Robot Shop website or YouTube channel, he works as technical support and product specialist for a fast-growing digital company. He does his best to get his younglings to code, which will be an essential skill in the future.