Ultra-complete car washes are all the rage, allowing the robot vacuum to empty its dust bin and dirty water, and then return to clean with clean water. These are the best ways to automate floor cleaning today! However, these models are at the high end of the market, often with prohibitive prices, making them difficult for everyone to access. Fortunately, the entry-level/mid-range segment also continues to evolve, and we can now find highly effective yet affordable models, such as the Lefant M1 model, currently available for less than €250. I invite you to take a closer look. Unboxing the Lefant M1 robot vacuum cleaner The robot comes in a rather compact box, which is a nice change from the enormous boxes found at car washes :p Dressed all in blue, the packaging is extremely understated. Inside, there are many components, perfectly packaged and well-packaged: While some high-end manufacturers are sometimes stingy with accessories, Lefant provides two sets of rotating brushes, a replacement HEPA filter, and replacement mops. Only the central brush doesn't come with a replacement. But that should give you a few months of peace of mind without needing to buy replacement brushes.The Lefant M1 is a fairly classic-looking robot, round and glossy white, with a diameter of 32cm and a height of 9.4cm, allowing it to pass under most furniture.
On top is its Lidar navigation system: a laser scans the room 360° to create a precise map and detect the slightest obstacle. This now proven technology allows the robot to perfectly position itself in a home, even in complete darkness, unlike robots that use “simple” cameras to navigate.
On the top are three buttons, again very standard: the first allows you to clean a specific 1.5m area, the second starts cleaning, and the last returns the robot to its charging base.
At the front, the bumper is lined with sensors to avoid collisions, including an integrated 6D anti-collision infrared sensor for FreeMove 3.0 technology:
There's no sensor on the side for navigating along walls, however. There's just a vent and the power button:
The Lefant M1 has a dual-purpose bin at the back: this contains a 520ml dust bin, as well as a 160ml water tank, which can be used to moisten the mop.
This tank can be filled with water and a little detergent if desired. The dust bin is quite convenient to empty and clean, as it opens completely in two:
Underneath, we find the three-wheel system, two rotating brushes to bring dirt back to the center of the robot, and finally its central brush, 14cm long and made of nylon bristles.
The Lefant M1 comes with a mop holder:
This simply clips under the robot when you want to clean the floor. The water tank will moisten the mop according to the app settings.
Finally, there's the charging station, very classic, which offers a fairly compact format, easy to place anywhere:
Silicone pads underneath allow the station to stay in place when the robot is docked.
There's no cable winding system, so you'll have to be careful to store it properly so the robot doesn't get tangled in it.
That's it for the owner's tour. The Lefant M1 is a relatively standard device, offering comprehensive features, including a powerful radar system and even a wet mop system. Let's move on to how to use it.
Using the Lefant M1 Robot Vacuum
You'll of course need to plug the base into an electrical outlet, place the robot on it to charge, and remember to press the button on the side to turn it on. As is, the robot is ready to go and can operate without any app.
But the app allows you to go a little further with the settings, including scheduling and card management. So, install the Lefant mobile app, available on both Android and iOS:
Ask to add a new device and select the M1 model. Then simply follow the installation wizard, which guides you from A to Z through 4 steps, all illustrated with a video. It couldn't be clearer!
Enter the credentials for your Wi-Fi network (2.4Ghz compatible), let the app connect to the robot to send it the configuration information, and that's it!
You can give the robot a name. The installation is complete and only took 2 minutes. The first thing to do is, of course, to start an initial cleaning of the home so that the robot can discover it and create a map.
This will give you a complete map of the home, on which you can see the robot's path. The rooms are divided automatically when the robot detects a doorway. Unfortunately, it's not possible to manually redefine the rooms: here, for example, the room in purple includes the living room, the dining room, and the kitchen. This is a bit of a shame, but at the same time, it doesn't seem possible to tell it to clean a specific room. All the options in the app offer to clean the entire home. Otherwise, you have to draw an area on the screen to tell it to clean only that area. Perhaps this will be for a future update?
However, we can create zones prohibited for cleaning (in red). Here I banned the underside of the stove, and the corner of the dog so as not to disturb him.
Of course it is possible to create time schedules to trigger cleaning on the days and times you want.
A menu offers a few other options, to adjust the level of water use for washing (three levels, more or less humid, depending on the surface to be cleaned), the sound volume, etc. No choice of language here, the robot emits vocal information, all in English. But he has some funny little lines :)
To use, simply start cleaning, either from the robot button, from the application, or via time programming.
The robot first cleans the contours of the room, then the center in a zigzag pattern, avoiding any obstacles. Thanks to its Lidar system, it behaves intelligently, and not a random circuit like the really entry-level models. Its sensors also allow it to detect the slightest obstacle, which it deflects, without hitting it. A behavior that we appreciate compared to truly entry-level models which clear the slightest obstacle!
Its power of 4000 Pa makes it possible to vacuum up most dirt, leaving the floor perfectly cleaned, with very reasonable noise pollution, since it is measured at around 65dB.
However, it does not offer a carpet detector: they vacuum them like everything else on the floor, with a very satisfactory result, but will not activate a boost mode like some models for deep cleaning.
As we've seen, it's also capable of mopping the floor. As with most robots in this range, the result is equivalent to wiping with a damp cloth. The robot simply drags the mop behind it, moistening it to varying degrees thanks to its water tank. This will be effective for daily floor cleaning, but the Lefant M1 won't be able to remove dried-on or old stains.
Finally, it offers a good battery life of 200 minutes or 200m². My 80m² ground floor is cleaned in about 50 minutes. It will therefore be suitable for most interiors.
Conclusion
Lefant has been a well-known manufacturer for ten years in the field of home cleaning, particularly robot vacuums. This is not its first attempt. It offers models that are less expensive than the M1, but are also less sophisticated. The M1 is an excellent compromise, offering excellent value for money, especially at this time of year. Indeed, while the competition at €399 is fierce, its discounted price of €249 (by checking the discount coupon below the price on Amazon) makes it a great deal right now. If you're looking for a simple and efficient robot vacuum cleaner at a very affordable price, don't hesitate!
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