Window cleaning robots compared: which Winbot wins?
28/5/2025
Translation: Elicia Payne
Ecovacs has just launched three new window cleaning robots at once – priced between 250 and 500 francs or euros. Find out here what the differences are and which one’s best for you.
Mini, W2 Pro or W2 Pro Omni – the manufacturer Ecovacs has launched three new window cleaning robots in recent months. Although the Winbot models work according to the same basic principle, there are important differences to consider before getting one.
What are the differences between the three models?
The Winbot Mini is the smallest model. The square robot weighs 1.35 kilogrammes and each side is 21.5 centimetres long. You connect the robot to the socket with a 4.7 metre cable. There’s also a battery in case of emergencies, to prevent the cleaner from dropping off the window if there’s a power cut. To start, all you need to do is pour in the cleaning fluid and the robot’s ready to be put on the window.
The robot sprays the liquid onto the window, though not always precisely if there’s a draught. A software called Win-Slam 3.0 is used for route planning. Ecovacs supplies a separate rope which you can attach if you’re particularly concerned it’ll fall. In terms of price, the model’s significantly cheaper than the two other Winbots.
With a side length of 26 centimetres and a weight of 1.85 kilogrammes, the Winbot W2 Pro is significantly larger than the Winbot Mini. The cleaning area’s correspondingly larger.
The W2 Pro sprays liquid very accurately onto the window with a three-nozzle system. The route planning technology is called Win-Slam 4.0 and should navigate better than the Mini. The W2 Pro comes in a practical case. And the slightly longer 5.5-metre power cable is reinforced so that it also provides fall protection.
Basically, the W2 Pro is simply the larger, more advanced, but also more expensive brother of the Winbot Mini.
At 1.75 kilogrammes, the Winbot W2 Pro Omni weighs slightly less than the W2 Pro. Otherwise, it’s technically and visually identical to the larger model.
However, the one feature that sets the Omni apart from the other two models is the base station. This has a built-in battery and supplies the robot with power – via a 5.5-metre long cable. W2 Pro and Mini have to be connected to a nearby power socket. A practical feature is that the base station sticks to the floor which prevents it from toppling over. Plus, you can store the robot in the station.
Which robot cleans the best?
To be honest, I didn’t notice any differences when I compared them. In my opinion, all three models clean similarly well – or rather equally mediocre. As I explained in my full review of the Winbot Mini, robots like these don’t clean windows any better than you do. But they do it for you.
Here you can see the result – it’s satisfying but not outstanding:
You still have to scrub stubborn stains by hand. And you can’t expect perfect results in the corners and edges either. I’m ok with it because it still saves me a chore.
Since you have to move the robot for each pane, it’s a more worthwhile purchase if you have a small number of large windows. A robot can also be an advantage for windows you can’t open fully. If you can get close enough from the inside to press the Winbot onto the glass and start it, it’ll clean the window automatically.
When cleaning with the Winbot Mini, there are two drawbacks. If there’s wind or draughts, the cleaning fluid won’t be distributed evenly on the pane. And the fact it’s the smallest robot means it takes a little longer than its larger siblings.
How long does it take to clean a window?
The W2 Pro and W2 Pro Omni take exactly seven minutes to clean a 2.2-metre high and 1.9metre wide window in quick clean mode. The Mini takes a little longer at 8 minutes and 45 seconds.
The two more expensive models are not only faster, but also quieter. The difference between the W2 Pro and the quietest Omni is just one decibel. However, the Mini is almost eight decibels louder than the Omni. That’s a clearly audible difference.
Is the robot without a power cable worth it?
The Winbot W2 Pro Omni comes with a base station that has an integrated battery. This model doesn’t need a power socket nearby, which is unlike the other two models you always have to plug into the power supply. Depending on the construction of the building, the no-cable model can be an advantage.
The predecessor model of the W2 Pro Omni, the W2 Omni (without Pro), already had such a base station. I tested it last year and found one major weakness: it couldn’t clean the windows and charge the battery at the same time. Instead, you had to wait until the charge was complete. Ecovacs has since changed that. IYou can choose to run the W2 Pro Omni on battery power only or connect it to the mains – so it charges and cleans at the same time.
By the way, one charge will get you around 60 to 70 minutes cleaning time.
Which window cleaner suits who?
Winbot Mini: The smallest model is significantly cheaper than the two larger ones, but apart from the few imprecise sprays of cleaning liquid, you don’t have to make any painful compromises. It cleans similarly well, just a little slower. Plus, the cable clutter is somewhat greater because the power cable and safety rope are separate. The Mini’s ideal if you only need to clean a few windows and no large areas. Its manoeuvrability makes it ideal for small windows.
Winbot W2 Pro: This model cleans faster than the small robot and the cleaning cloth’s larger, so you don’t have to change it as often. The device uses three nozzles to spray the cleaning fluid precisely onto the glass pane, even in windy conditions. What’s practical is that the reinforced power cable serves as an extra safety feature and can be attached to a piece of furniture with a carabiner, for example. For anyone who wants to clean a lot of large windows, the increased cost compared to the Mini is worth it.
Winbot W2 Pro Omni: If you don’t have a power connection near the windows, then the Omni’s the right choice. You can transport it quickly from window to window without any tangled cables. The base station sticks itself onto a smooth floor, so you don’t need a piece of furniture or railing to secure it. But that’s the only reason you’re paying the higher price tag.
Lorenz Keller
Senior Editor
Lorenz.Keller@digitecgalaxus.chGadgets are my passion - whether you need them for the home office, for the household, for sport and pleasure or for the smart home. Or, of course, for the big hobby next to the family, namely fishing.
44 comments
later