X-Plorer Series 220/240+ AI: D-shape and obstacle detection for high-end Rowenta robot vacuum cleaners

No question of giving up. Struggling in the face of increasingly aggressive Chinese competition in the robot vacuum cleaner market – Xiaomi has just launched a model with a multifunction station for less than €500 – Rowenta is trying to put on a good show. The Seb group brand claims fifth place in the French market and is finally returning with new models, the first since the X-Plorer Series 130 AI launched at the end of 2022… a year and a half ago now. That’s an eternity when Roborock says it only needs 6 to 12 months to develop a robot, but Rowenta seems to have at least used this time to try new things. Its new 220 and 240 Series of X-Plorer robots in any case inaugurate a completely new design, in the manufacturer’s catalog at least.

D-frame and small obstacle detection

The X-Plorer Series 220 and 240 robots thus share the same D-shaped chassis. Widely used at Neato and now Vorwerk – the latter, as a reminder, bought the first before burying it – this format allows the integration of a large brush on the front of the robot, which should therefore be more effective in corners. We would have liked the brush to be even wider at Rowenta, or at least to go all the way to the edge on one side, but the firm adds a side bump to extend the sweeping range to the corner. We were also able to see that the robot, when it arrives in a corner, advances well to the opposite wall before backing up and turning for effective cleaning.

To locate walls, moreover, the X-Plorer robot from the 220 and 240 Series are equipped with a laser rangefinder which allows them to map the house more generally. A small obstacle detection system is also provided on the front of the two robots, but that of the 240 series is a little more advanced since artificial intelligence allows it to recognize certain obstacles to adapt the avoidance strategy. The X-Plorer Series 240 robot is also announced with a suction power of 8000 Pa compared to 5600 for the Series 220, which can be purchased with or without the automatic emptying station which automatically accompanies the more high-end model .

Washing still behind

In addition to vacuuming, Rowenta’s new robots can of course also wash the floor, but we must recognize that the firm is lagging behind competing high-end solutions. They incorporate a mop that they can certainly vibrate, but they cannot lift it or wash it. The user must also fill the water tank manually, and it is not very large: 220 ml. Rowenta told us that they were working on more advanced solutions, but the firm blames the cost of the components and has not achieved a sufficiently satisfactory quality/price ratio for the moment.

The new X-Plorer robots also start at €629 for the 220 Series without automatic draining and rise to €779 for the 220+ Series and €899 for the 240+ AI Series. The three models are currently being listed with resellers. If you are looking for a robot that is a little more affordable, Rowenta will launch an X-Plorer Series 65 in June starting at €279.99. This more conventional round format model is logically less well off, but it still offers a laser rangefinder on the front, a suction power of 2300 Pa, a mop and automatic draining as an option.