The robot vacuum market has been turned upside down in recent years with the arrival of Asian competitors, who are flooding the market with innovative and more affordable products. This is particularly the case of Roborock which has become one of the market leaders. Other more modest players are also trying to break through, with complete and affordable models, such as Ultenic, whose T10 robot vacuum and mop we had already tested.
Today we are testing an inexpensive model: the D5s Pro. This one is among the top 5 best-selling robot vacuum cleaners on Amazon and even ranks at the top of the vacuum cleaners. Given its low price, it’s no wonder people are snapping it up, but let’s see what it’s worth and if it had to make any concessions to successfully contain its price.
Ultenic D5s ProTechnical sheet
| Model | Ultenic D5s Pro |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 32.5cm x 7.3cm x 32.4cm |
| Maximum covered area for one cleaning cycle | 150 m2 |
| Obstacle detection | |
| Color | Black |
| Wash function | 1 |
Product sheet |
Test carried out with an Ultenic D5s Pro provided by the brand.
Ultenic D5s ProDesign and ergonomics: it fits everywhere
The Ultenic D5s Pro is quite compact. Measuring 32.5 x 32.4 x 7.3 cm, it slips very easily into most corners of your home. It is flat on topunlike many other models that feature a LIDAR dome, allowing it to fit under most of your furniture and sofas. The product is only available in a glossy black, which makes the dust very visible, the height for a vacuum cleaner.
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Under the robot, there are two side brushes, arranged symmetrically, a central brush in rubber and nylon threads, combining the two approaches to pick up dirt more efficiently. Finally, the D5s Pro also having a washing function, there is also a mop. The specificity of the Ultenic D5s Pro is that it is sold with two bins, a first classic dust bin, and a second which also includes a clean water tank and the tray for attaching the mop. It’s a rather surprising choice, since a single tank would have sufficed, but this approach makes it possible to remove the washing module and replace it with the simple dust container after a cycle, for example.
The robot is supplied with its charging base, very small and discreet, which only aims to recharge it. Ultenic has not provided a plastic receptacle to accommodate the robot and especially the wet mop. You must therefore remember to remove it as soon as the D5s Pro has finished, otherwise your floor will be damaged.
In addition to the two bins, the box contains a mop and a spare HEPA filter, two additional side brushes, a magnetic strip to delimit the areas prohibited from access and even a remote control allowing you to control the robot without your phone.
Ultenic D5s ProApplication and management: simple and simplistic
The robot is controlled using the Ultenic app, similar to most others on the market. To pair the D5s Pro, simply reset it and connect to the vacuum’s temporary Wi-Fi network to complete the process.
Once the robot is configured, its use is very simple. It does not have advanced navigation and therefore cannot accurately map your interior. It just creates a rough map of the places it cleans as it goes through the cycle, with no option to send it to a predefined room or location.
The app’s main page shows the last cleaning cycle and the map generated by the robot, as well as key information, such as elapsed time, area cleaned and percentage of battery remaining. It allows of course to start the cleaning and to select the suction power and humidification of the mop. Likewise, there is a mode to control the robot remotely to guide it to a place to clean, which can be practical and fun, although it is more convenient to move it yourself.
The robot is also supplied with a remote control, as is the custom of the brand. It even has a screen and allows you to control some robot functions such as suction power. You can also program a cleaning cycle, move it, bring it back to the base, etc. Of course, the application can also manage the schedule and schedule the cleaning at the times of your choice.
Ultenic D5s ProPerformance: Not the most efficient broom in the closet
Regarding navigation, the D5s Pro is not the most advanced product on the market. He tends to bump into furniture and walls to find his way around and even tries to climb on some chair legs. That said, it doesn’t fare too badly and remembers the cleaned areas by mapping them. He is thus able to return to his base independently, even if he sometimes goes back to the same place several times to find his way back. The magnetic strip provided makes it possible to delimit the space not to be cleaned, but proves to be complex on a daily basis: it is not possible to leave it on permanently and it seems too restrictive to have to replace it each time.
The Ultenic D5s Pro also required our attention during our test since it thought it was no longer in contact with the ground, even though it was in the middle of a cleaning session. Its sensors have played a trick on it and here we find a classic example of a cleaning cycle that does not go as planned. On the other hand, despite rather unpleasant beeps, the application does not send a notification to report the problem. It is therefore the surprise that awaits you when you return home.
The vacuum cleaner is quite smart, sincehe is able to recognize carpets and automatically adjust the suction power. On the other hand, he does not know how to distinguish the cables and will gladly try to swallow them. Similarly, it rushes into anything lying around and has no trouble dragging shoes and other objects through the house. He does pretty well with the curtains and hasn’t tried to swallow them up in his path.
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
Source: Hagop Kavafian for Frandroid
When it comes to cleaning efficiency, the D5s Pro does very well. Its suction capacity of 3,000 Pa allows it vacuum up dirt on both hard floors and carpets. Its two side brushes effectively clean angles and corners, while bringing dust back to the center of the robot as they pass. The rotating brush is handy for picking up dirt, but it also attracts hair that clings to it, but we’ll cover that in more detail in the next section.
Now let’s move on to the wet cleaning part consisting simply of a small tank of clear water which moistens a mop during the passage. This amounts to passing a damp cloth over the floor, without cleaning product, pressure or friction. It can therefore refresh your floors on a daily basis or clean it up before the arrival of your guests, but can in no way replace a real cleaning with a mop. In addition, keep in mind that the mop is not cleaned during the cycle, which means that dirt accumulates on it and is diffused from one room to another. This mode therefore remains anecdotal, even if it has the merit of existing, but does not exempt you from cleaning up. Moreover, you have to remember to remove and replace the mop after each cycle, otherwise it will smell bad and damage the floor.
Ultenic D5s ProConstant maintenance
The main disadvantage of a robot vacuum cleaner is the maintenance it may require. It is often necessary to make the effort to clear what is lying around on the ground to facilitate their navigation, but also to empty the dust container or wash the mop.
Unfortunately, the D5s Pro is no exception to this rule and you have to think about tidying up your interior before throwing it, otherwise it will struggle to find its way back. Likewise, it is necessary to manually empty the dust container as soon as it is full, since it does not have an emptying station. Finally, the use of mop mode is particularly restrictive since it requires filling the water tank, moistening the mop and replacing it. Once the cycle is finished, it should be removed and washed, if not during the cycle to avoid spreading dirt.
In addition to these daily chores, maintaining brushes can be a nightmare. If you have hair or pet hair lying around your home, it tends to wrap around the brush very easily, which is typical of nylon threads. Remember to do this regularly or risk blocking the mechanism of the brush and even having to cut hair and coiled hair.
To put it simply, therefore, maintenance of the D5s Pro is quite tedious and its use is more suitable for a small apartment, rather than a large area for which the dust and clean water containers will be too small anyway.
Ultenic D5s ProPrice and availability
The Ultenic D5s Pro is one of the best-selling robot vacuums on Amazon. And for good reason: displayed at 260 euros, it is often on sale at even lower prices. At the time of writing, it can even be found at 170 euros at Darty.
Where to buy
Ultenic D5s Pro at the best price?