Is Ecovacs’ new robot the GOAT of robot lawn mowers?

This week, Ecovacs showed off some of its latest robotic helpers at the Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona. While many of these products were launched last month at CES, it was a chance to get a closer look at its new lineup in action – among the grassy courtyards of the modern art museum.

Ecovacs is staying true to its slogan – “Created for ease” – with its focus on hands-free cleaning and “TruEdge” coverage across its latest range of GOAT robot mowers, Deebot vacuums and a new window-cleaning robot. And while these were definitely the hero products of the showcase, there were a couple of extra surprises too.

Could the new GOAT be the end of manual grass trimming? 

New to Ecovac’s GOAT range of robot lawn mowers is the GOAT A1600 LiDAR Pro, which launches today (12 February) at the RRP of £1,299. Without a doubt, the most exciting thing about the A1600 is the new “TruEdge trimmer”: an AI-enhanced string trimmer located on the side of the mower, designed to do away with manual grass trimming to cut right to the edge of your lawn.

In addition to the mower’s front LiDAR sensor, the mower also has a 360-degree HoloScope LiDAR system – in the form of a small black dome mounted on the top of the mower – promising improved object avoidance and simpler setup by removing the need to set boundaries or manually map out your garden.

That’s not all, though. There’s also a new 32V battery, which delivers more mowing power (80% more, according to Ecovacs, as well as better efficiency – whether that’s compared to previous models or competitor mowers, I’m not entirely sure) and dual blade discs that can achieve a cutting rate of 400m² per hour.

Ecovacs also introduced two new GOAT robot mowers in the O series range: the O1200 LiDAR Pro and the O600 RTK, also launching on 12 February at £949 and £649 respectively.

The former comes with the new TruEdge trimmer and 360-degree HoloScope LiDAR system, while the latter uses a different means of getting around: AIVI (artificial intelligence and visual interpretation) to recognise and avoid obstacles, and RTK (real-time kinematic) navigation, combining satellite and base station GPS for automatic mapping and boundary detection.

Hands free cleaning for floors and windows 

Improved AI and edge coverage appears to be the focus of Ecovac’s latest cleaning robots, too. On the Deebot T90 Pro Omni robot floor cleaner (launching 9 March at £699), the company’s upgraded TruEdge 3.0 system promises “extreme edge cleaning” – via a mop roller that can extend outwards by up to 0.6in to get right up to walls and corners – while a “TruePass Adaptive 4-Wheel Drive Climbing System” allows it to navigate wall edges and climb steps up to 4cm high.

I was a bit sceptical about Ecovac’s “perpetual runtime” claim, given that the vacuum will inevitably have to return to its base for charging. This is achieved through the brand’s “PowerBoost” tech, which was introduced with the Deebot X11 OmniCyclone.

What this essentially translates to is regular charging boosts during the breaks in cleaning cycles (when the device returns to its base for mop washing), restoring 6% in just three minutes. According to Ecovacs, the Deebot T90 Pro Omni can clean up to 500m² in a “single, uninterrupted cycle”. 

The new robot also gets improved anti-tangle technology, to further reduce maintenance. And there’s also new automatic mop washing, which uses hot water up to 75°C to clean the mop while the device is in its base station. Unsurprisingly, Ecovacs has capitalised on AI advancements with the introduction of an AI agent and “home companion” to identify materials, room types and pet zones.

Also launching today is the Winbot W2S Omni (£529): a window cleaning robot, which – you guessed it – comes with TruEdge technology for precise cleaning as close as 1.1mm from corners and frames. The Winbot is anchored to its base by a cord, with various features to ensure it stays on your window, including 8,000Pa suction on its cleaning cloth plate. 

And now for something a little bit different…

Perhaps less relevant to the average UK user, but still worth a mention, is a new swimming pool cleaning robot, the Ultramarine P1, which launches at €549 on 19 March and is designed to clean the floor of your pool and filter out debris such as leaves and dirt from the water. Given the conveniently placed water feature at the Fundació Joan Miró, it was a bit of a shame not to see this in action, but the robot promises smart navigation around the base of your pool and “UltraPure Suction” with 4,800 GPH (gallons per hour) of power. 

Finally, the company introduced a new robot dog – LilMilo – which proved an instant hit, reacting to ear scratches, and giving digital puppy dog eyes to passing journalists. Given the troubling trend in people turning to AI for therapy and emotional connection, it’s a little bit disturbing to see LilMilo marketed as an AI pet companion alongside words like “bond”, “understands” and “feels”. But hey, it’s cute. 

But at least we won’t have to answer those questions in a review because, alas, LilMilo will not be launching in the UK or Europe.

Written By

Gareth Thomas

As Expert Reviews’ Home Editor, Gareth manages a vast range of content, including kitchen appliances, air treatment, ergonomic furniture and mattresses – the latter being a section of the website he’s worked within since joining in 2020. Following a Master’s Degree in Magazine Journalism, Gareth’s six years (and counting) on the team has made him an unlikely expert on filter coffee machines, office chairs and pillows. Gareth also works closely with Expert Reviews’ roster of freelancers in commissioning and editing reviews. 

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