Roborock, Dreame, Ecovacs – when you think of robotic vacuum cleaners, most of us are sure to think of these brands. But it’s also worth taking a look at the back rows. After all, the market for smart household helpers also has a few surprises in store – such as the manufacturer 3i. In the 3i G10 test, we took a look at a robot vacuum aimed at purists. It does without both a suction and cleaning station. This is now almost exotic on the robot vacuum market. With 18,000 Pascal suction power and other modern features, it has nothing in common with poorly equipped low-budget robots. Is this a purchase tip for all those who have no space or use for the often expansive stations? We’ll tell you!
Technical data
| Model | 3i G10+ |
| Dimensions | 35.6 cm x 35.6 cm x 10.9 cm |
| navigation | LiDAR |
| Obstacle detection | Camera + IR sensor + LED light |
| Water tank volume | 247 ml |
| Dust container | – 1,000 ml – Compression volume for up to 60 days of cleaning |
| Suction power | 18,000 Pascal |
| Mop function | – Extendable wiping surface – Can be raised 10 mm |
| Battery life | max. 4h |
| Voice assistants | – Amazon Alexa – Google Assistant |
| price | € 349.99 * |
Scope of delivery
- Robot vacuum cleaner
- charging station
- Operating instructions
3i G10+ test: design and workmanship
At first glance, the 3i G10+ impresses with its attractive and modern look. This is mainly due to the fact that, despite its impressive features, the smart household helper still comes in a fairly slim housing. In terms of shape, the manufacturer relies on the usual round design. Over the years, this has become a guarantee for the best possible corner cleaning. With a diameter of 35 cm, it is similar in size to conventional robot hoovers.
If you want something smaller, you should take a closer look at the SwitchBot K10+ (Review | € 347.99 *). If you have flat furniture and want a flat robot vacuum that can clean underneath it, you will be annoyed by the rather protruding height of 11 cm. This is not in keeping with the times. After all, current flagships such as a MOVA V50 Ultra (Review | € 1,199.00 *) or a Dreame X50 Ultra (Review | € 1,303.96 *) rely on retractable LiDAR towers.
However, a retractable LiDAR sensor would not reduce the height of the 3i G10+. After all, it’s not just the sensor for navigation that is located on the top. It also houses the removable dust container, which, according to the manufacturer, only needs to be emptied every 60 days or so. In front of the container, which can be easily removed using the practical handle, is a rudimentary control unit with a total of three buttons (On/Off, WiFi, Home).
The navigation technology, which the manufacturer calls ApexVision, is located at the front. At the back, we have access to the 247 ml fresh water tank. This is used for the mopping function of the smart household helper. The main brush is located on the underside of the robot hoover. This uses a combination of rubber blades and bristles. To ensure that no hair gets tangled up here, it is combed out again directly using a type of comb.
The side brush is also located here. This can be extended, which should ensure effective cleaning along skirting boards and in corners. The mop, which is also located on the underside, can also be extended. The robot hoover itself comes in combination with a very compact base station. This is where the battery of the smart household helper is charged. And that’s all. The G10+ can be conveniently hidden under a sideboard, for example.
3i G10+ test: Compression as a replacement for the suction station
It is now almost commonplace for a robot vacuum to come with an additional cleaning or at least suction station. This is even the case with mid-range appliances. As a result, you can hardly find any reasonably powerful robotic vacuum cleaners on the market today that do not come with a large-format station.
So if you don’t have the space for such a station, you will have to resort to a rather weak device. Manufacturer 3i takes a different approach instead. The dust container is designed to compress the dust in a special way. Thanks to particularly strong compression, you should only have to empty the dirt container every 60 days or so. There are certainly big differences here from household to household. Pet households, for example, are likely to have to empty the dust bin much more quickly than their pet-free counterparts.
Apart from this, the 60 days cannot keep up with the standard of just under three months that is now common in the flagship class, but it should be sufficient for many. To prevent unpleasant odors, 3i promises maximum hygiene with the help of UV light. This should certainly be a space-saving alternative to the suction station for many people.
3i G10+ test: Commissioning
The manufacturer takes you by the hand when setting up the 3i G10+. Setting up the robot hoover is child’s play, even for beginners. Once you have found a suitable location for the charging station, you can continue in the app. First scan the QR code on the robot to link it to the app and integrate it into your network. Once this is done, the next step is to set it up. You start the mapping via the software.
Here, the Robo creates a floor plan of your home as part of its maiden voyage. Once this is done, you can adjust the map again if necessary. Once the map has been created, the G10+ is fully operational. You can make cleaning settings and other changes to the robot hoover in the app. The app itself offers a great overview. It’s also easy to find your way around if the 3i is your first robot hoover.
Otherwise, the app offers various customization options that allow you to adapt the cleaning of the G10+ to your wishes. However, you never lose the overview. If you don’t want to delve too deeply into the topic, you can also start a cleaning with various presets in a flash via the “Quick command” tab. An AI-based cleaning mode is also possible. Here, the Robo determines the parameters independently. Overall, the app makes a good impression. However, it cannot keep up with the big brands such as Dreame or Roborock.
3i G10+ test: Navigation and obstacle detection
The 3i G10+ relies on the reliable LiDAR standard for mapping and orientation in your home. This allows it to find its way around even in complete darkness. While the map of your home is initially only displayed in the form of a rudimentary floor plan, more and more details such as furniture are added during the first cleaning processes. In this way, the robot gets to know your home better and better, which ultimately has an effect on the way it drives.
Over time, the smart household helper drives through your home with increasing confidence. It works room by room according to a standard pattern. First it cleans the edges of the room and then it cleans the inside in parallel lines. It is noticeable that it stops several times in particularly dirty areas. This is probably where the AI evaluation of the camera unit pays off. It not only recognizes the floor condition, but can also detect dirt.
The obstacle detection works somewhat less convincingly. Although the G10+ didn’t make any serious mistakes in the test, I think it could be a little more careful. It recognized chair and table legs as well as fairly flat obstacles in most cases. However, it often touches them before driving around them. This is annoying with my dog’s water bowl, for example, as it spilled over during the cleaning process.
Errors also regularly occurred with extremely flat objects such as cables. In this price range, you can’t expect obstacle detection at the level of a Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra (Review | € 1,299.00 *), but I was hoping for a little more in view of the advertised quality of obstacle detection and avoidance. Perhaps future software updates can help here again.
Incidentally, the G10+ relies on a combination of IR sensor and camera for its obstacle detection. You can even use the latter as a mobile surveillance camera or to take snapshots of your pets. The robot’s off-road capability is quite good. It can overcome doorsteps or other obstacles up to 2 cm high, which should be particularly pleasing for residents of old apartments.
3i G10+ test: suction power
The 3i G10+’s data sheet is excellent in terms of suction power. The smart household helper offers a full 18,000 pascals. The results are correspondingly good. The Robo produced great results on hard floors, even on a low suction setting. From the usual sand from the toy box to the hair of my dog and cats, the vacuum cleaner tackled all types of dirt effortlessly.
However, I was not completely convinced by the corner cleaning. The extendable side brush unfortunately left a little dirt behind. The performance is also good on carpets. In the standard configuration, the Robo increases the suction power fully automatically when moving over the carpet. In the end, the cleaning result was quite impressive.
However, a few pet hairs proved stubborn and could not be removed. The anti-tangling technology worked okay, but a few hairs did get wrapped around the main brush. A solid rubber brush would probably have been the better choice here. Apart from that, the suction power of the G10+ is really good.
3i G10+ test: Mopping performance
The 3i G10+ uses a classic mopping plate on the underside of the robot. If you take a look at the mopping performance of the smart household helper, you can understand why the manufacturer hardly advertises this function on its own product page. As there is hardly any contact pressure and no vibrations, as is the case with the Roborock Saros 10 (Review | € 1,399.00 *), the mopping function is not really effective.
Nevertheless, the manufacturer promises a rimless wiping performance. The wiping surface is supposed to be able to run along skirting boards. However, I couldn’t really see that the rounded overhang of the mopping surface was moved in and out in a targeted manner. Instead, the Robo moved it in and out again and again. Even in cases where no edge area was being cleaned at all. As a result, the Robo sometimes got stuck on furniture and other obstacles. What did work quite well, however, was the automatic lifting of the mopping surface.
Nevertheless, we would recommend that you set the app so that the smart household helper vacuums all surfaces first and only then mops them. This not only prevents the mopping surface from occasionally touching your carpets. It also prevents the problem of the mopping surface spreading dirt rather than removing it. As you don’t get a cleaning station here, the mop will inevitably soak up dirt over time and spread it further across the floor as you mop.
Conclusion
The 3i G10+ is aimed at anyone looking for a powerful robot vacuum without a bulky station. With up to 18,000 Pascal suction power, solid navigation and simple set-up, it is particularly impressive on hard floors. The compact design is ideal for smaller apartments or minimalist households. The obstacle detection and weak mopping function are compromises – you can’t expect real cleaning power here. On the other hand, the G10+ scores with its space-saving design, good app operation and sophisticated dust compression.
VORTEILE
- Very strong suction power (up to 18,000 Pa)
- Compact design without bulky station
- Good navigation thanks to LiDAR
- Simple setup and user-friendly app
- Dust compression with UV light against odors
- Automatic lifting of the mop plate
NACHTEILE
- Wiping function not very effective
- Obstacle detection could be expanded
- High height – does not fit under all furniture
- Not a real replacement for a cleaning station when a lot of mopping is required
- App not quite at the level of major manufacturers
Fazit
Not a high-end Robo, but a powerful, smart vacuum cleaner for anyone who has neither space nor use for a cleaning station.
