MinSu MSTC09 – a simple robot vacuum

About a year or so ago, MinSu released a new robot vacuum into the market; the MSTC09. The model has since found residence in many homes and become a competitor to the established vacuum brands. What makes this vacuum that much popular with homeowners? For a comprehensive answer, stay with me in this MinSu MSTC09 review. I will look into the features and capabilities of this powerful yet affordable vacuum so you can decide whether it offers you what you need or not.

The Looks

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The Specs

Suction and Cleaning Power

The MinSu MSTC09 supposedly achieves 1800 Pa when set to its highest cleaning mode, and 1200 Pa when at its lowest speed. For a robot vacuum, this suction value is high enough to clean a wide range of surfaces in your home. However, I’ve tested robot vacuums that have that kind of cleaning power, and this is certainly not the case of this MinSu. The MSTC09 can also mop. Featuring a large pad for the task, the vacuum offers you the option to wet mop your home automatically. Two brushes on the sides further enhance the cleaning ability of this MinSu robot.

Input Power and Battery

The vacuum runs off a 2000 mA battery that takes between 4 and 5 hours to charge fully. A full battery allows you up to 150 minutes of cleaning time when used moderately, that’s, without engaging the high motor speed too often. That means you can expect to clean hundreds of square feet on a single charge. The unit only consumes 20 watts, which partly explains the long runtime besides the high mA value of the battery.

Dust Capacity

The dirt compartment of the MinSu MSTC09 offers a 13.5 oz (400 ml) capacity. While that cannot be said to be one of the highest, it’s decent enough considering that the robot also mops and needs room for the water tank. Talking of the mopping feature, the tank on the MSTC09 holds 6 oz (180 ml) of water. The low capacities may indicate the need to carry out water refills and dirt emptying too frequently. But then, robot vacuums are meant for light cleaning tasks, and you shouldn’t experience that inconvenience if you follow the “light tasks” rule.

Filtration System Efficiency

The main filter in this vacuum is not HEPA. However, it’s good enough to clear most airborne particles. That means you wouldn’t need to worry about allergens in the air when using the MSTC09. For those with allergy issues, the HEPA filtration provides for safe cleaning activities, so you should orient for other robots. In this case, you need only to ensure the filter is in good condition at all times, or the vacuum’s powerful suction would drop considerably and make vacuuming tasks less efficient.

Weight and Dimensions

The robot weighs 9.74 lbs with the battery inserted. It measures 12.20 inches wide and 2.17 inches high. The weight is ideal for a robot vacuum while the dimensions match the size of what can be called a compact unit. Given that the unit would need to squeeze into tight spots at times, the compactness of the MSTC09 offers many advantages.

Warranty

MinSu vacuums usually come backed by 12-month warranties and the MSTC09 is no exception. I would advise that you purchase your MinSu vacuum from reputable resellers. That would serve to ensure the availability and validity of this warranty.

Accessories

A new MinSu MSTC09 comes with the following:

• The main unit
• A charging base and adapter
• A battery pack
• A HEPA filter
• A cleaning brush
• Two mopping pads
• Two side brushes
• A water tank
• A remote control, and
• A user’s manual that’s written in the English language

Special Features

Robot vacuums are meant to clean automatically, with little or no human control. The level of autonomy varies from one vacuum to another and is one of the reasons why some brands are more popular than others. The MinSu MSTC09 comes with these features.

Intelligent Mapping

One of the most innovative features of this model is the ability to navigate your home intelligently. The robot uses a combination of sensors and sophisticated electronics to plan the route to follow. It helps to reduce errors while also improving the thoroughness of cleaning tasks. You won’t experience missed spots and other inconveniences, a problem with many robot vacuums. In that connection, it’s worth mentioning that the MSTC09 uses a back and forth movement to clean- a method that offers better results than the random method.

Different Cleaning Modes

With up to six different modes, you can set the robot to clean based on the type of surface, the kind of dirt, and other considerations to improve efficiency. It offers you more control of the robot’s capabilities while also allowing for automation. The six modes are: auto, edge, spot, s-shape, strengthen suction, and around column.

Three Cleaning Options

It sweeps, vacuums and even mops. The MSTC09 can be said to be an all-inclusive cleaning gadget for the average home- with the limitations of a robot vacuum in mind, of course. If your home doesn’t demand powerful vacuuming( there’s not much traffic), the three cleaning methods of this vacuum could be all that’s needed to ensure the floors stay clean always.

Self-Adjusting Wheels

Apart from being rubber and soft on your delicate floors, the wheels of this vacuum adjust to the surface being cleaned. That means you do not need to lift the unit manually whenever it has to move from one floor to another. That can be an advantage if you plan to be using the vacuum while attending to other tasks in the house and your home is multi-floored.

Cliff and Obstacle Detection

Robot vacuums usually feature these functionalities. However, some will have better technologies for this than others. The anti-drop feature on the MSTC09 comprises powerful sensors that detect when the unit suspends in the air to initiate an immediate retreat. The anti-collision function is also superb and MinSu MSTC09 won’t bump into furniture and other items when cleaning your home.

Low Noise Operation

If you prefer low-noise gadgets (you like quiet environments or you have a toddler whom you don’t want disturbed), this vacuum could be just the kind of cleaner you need. At 55 dB for the high-power mode, the device is well below what can be termed as noisy. You will set it to clean the rooms of your home, and it won’t disturb your peace.

Large Area Mopping Pad

As I said, the MinSu MSTC09 is designed to be a whole-home cleaning device. It comes with a decent size for the mopping pad, measuring 120 by 180 millimeters. With that kind of area, it wouldn’t take the robot much time to finish cleaning the room you set it to vacuum or mop.

Slim Body

This feature is one of my favorite on the MSTC09. Many robot vacuums struggle to go under the furniture and other items during cleaning tasks. Not so with this model from MinSu. It lies so low that the areas underneath furniture won’t go uncleaned. Besides that, the robot is compact enough to clean the tight spots in your home without difficulty.

24 hr Scheduling and Audio Alerts

The vacuum allows you to plan cleaning tasks ahead, which makes it a real robot cleaner. It means you do not need always to be around to initiate cleaning tasks, whether with the help of the remote function or the buttons on the unit. While many robot vacuums come with this feature, the one on the MSTC09 is easy to use. Should an error occur during cleaning tasks, , the robot sounds an alarm to alert you. There’s also the voice function for that.

Usability

The MSTC09 offers you two control methods: the onboard buttons with an LCD and the remote control option. The device allows you to plan cleaning tasks so they happen automatically, plus you can select the cleaning mode to use based on the surface and dirt amount. The robot uses one of the most efficient mapping and cleaning methods. It detects furniture and other obstacles in its way and avoids them. Stairs, too, by retreating as soon as the front wheels lose contact with the surface being cleaned. The mopping function only requires you to refill the water tank while the dirt compartment needs to be emptied regularly.

The Pron and Cons of the MinSu MSTC09 Robot Vacuum

Here is a summary of what I find good about this vacuum model and what I think could be improved.

The Pros

• Different cleaning modes to match different cleaning demands
• Good route mapping that provides for efficient vacuuming and mopping
• You can schedule cleaning activities in advance, and you never need to be near the robot for the cleaning to happen
• The versatility offered by the sweeping, mopping and vacuuming capabilities of the robot
• The robot adapts to different floors with its self-adjusting wheels, allowing you to use it on multiple surfaces without having to lift it manually
• It cleans a wide area at once and mopping tasks take a short time to complete
• The robot comes with a high-capacity battery that allows you to clean large areas before the unit returns to the dock for a recharge
• The MSTC09 finds the charging base automatically once the battery runs low and you do not need to do help it do that
• It’s compact enough to clean even the hard-to-reach places
• The price is quite affordable for a robot vacuum

The Cons:

• Sub-par suction
• The vacuum doesn’t come with virtual walls, and you cannot set no-go zones
• It doesn’t support voice control
• The vacuum features no “full bin” indicator, and you need to check that manually

Final Comments

MinSu has manufactured powerful and highly efficient robot vacuums in the past, but their latest model, the MinSu MSTC09 offers excellent features at a bargain price. Featuring the functionalities you would find on the pricey robots of the world’s major brands, I should say this vacuum is worth considering. The manufacturer combines quality and affordability to bring you a vacuum that you can rely on as well as one that doesn’t harm your finances. The robot has its shortcomings, of course. However, I find the downsides insignificant when it comes to what one would want in a robot vacuum.