Haier TH27U1 smart robot vacuum cleaner review: Cost-effective cleaning act

Roaming around like a headless chicken, refusing to fall off the edges, yet getting the job done. You may be reading this and scratching your head, wondering what I'm talking about.

If you’re new to the world of robot vacuum cleaners, look no further than the Haier TH27U1. Yes, it lacks many of the bells and whistles of its more expensive competitors, but it does a capable and effective clean-up job. Priced at ₹13,999, the Haier TH27U1 is a cost-effective entry into the world of robot vacuum cleaners.

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The design is plain and unassuming, yet neat and clean. It’s a tried and tested design that works for most smart robot vacuum cleaners, and Haier didn’t want to step outside the box. It’s available in a single silver color variant, which, surprisingly, doesn’t get dirty that easily.

You’d be surprised when I tell you there isn’t much inside the package besides the robot vacuum cleaner. There’s a dust collector, a water tank attachment, a charging dock (with a cable), and a remote, with two mopping cloths. That’s it.

Setting up the vacuum cleaner

With most products, the battery is at least 30-40 percent charged. That isn’t the case with the Haier TH27U1. To connect your smartphone to the robot vacuum cleaner, you need to visit the Play Store or the App Store and install the Haismart app.

An LED light on top of the robot vacuum cleaner indicates the charging status. There’s also a loud voice prompt to tell you when the vacuum cleaner is charging or when it is fully charged.

One more thing to note is that the cleaning attachment is connected to the robot vacuum cleaner when you first take it out of the box. Switching to the mop is easy.

Runs around like a nomad

The Haier TH27U1 comes with a powerful 2200 PA suction. This is great as it can suck up dust, pet hair, and even dirt from carpets, marble, tiles, and hardwood. The vacuum cleaner comes with a huge 600-ml dustbin and a 350-ml water tank. What that means is that the robot vacuum cleaner can clean up a lot of your dirt without needing to head back to the docking station and take a break. It’s a workhorse. The Haier TH27U1 makes cleaning look easy.

Operating the Haier TH27U1 through the Haismart app - it tells you the battery percentage, different modes, and so much more - is also comfortable. Open the app, tap on the vacuum cleaner, and you’ll be greeted with two big buttons: Recharge and Start Cleaning. In simpler terms, these are like an on/off button. Below is the slider for the strength of the suction (for the water tank). There are four work modes: Edge, Spot, Manual, and Timer.

But not everything is rosy with the Haier TH27U1. It is, after all, a budget robot vacuum cleaner, and it’s got to cut corners somewhere. Yes, depending on the size of the room/house you want it to clean, you might have to refill the tank every session. Sometimes even mid-session. That can be a pain for some users.

The other thing is that this robot vacuum cleaner runs around like a nomad. You’ll never know its next move. Yes, it’ll get your entire room clean (at least the areas it can fit in), but it’ll do so by running around aimlessly. The Haier TH27U1 lacks any kind of mapping technology, unlike its more expensive competitors. It does come with cliff detection. This means that it’ll prevent itself from falling (possibly to its death, depending on what floor you’re on). Personally, I couldn’t test this, or rather didn’t want to take the chance, but I’m glad to know the feature is baked in.

Last, but not least, there is one thing to keep an eye out for. Since this robot vacuum cleaner lacks any extra sophisticated sensors (unlike the new one from Xiaomi or any of the Roomba ones), it can pick up and suck in thick items like shoelaces. Also, do watch out for fluffy carpets.

Battery life

The Haier TH27U1 comes with a 2,600 mAh battery (on the lower side) and is a little disappointing. It’s advertised for three hours on a single charge, but I only got about 40 minutes before the robot had to trot back to the charging station. With eco mode, this can be extended to 90-100 minutes.

One nifty extra

In case the app (as simplistic as it may be) is hard to navigate, then fret not. Haier has a solution. Within the box is a remote control. Just bypass the app and use the remote. The remote, for what it's worth, is much simpler to navigate than the app. Many robot vacuum cleaners come without one, and I haven’t understood why to date.

Should you buy it?

As an entry-level robot vacuum cleaner, the Haier TH27U1 gets two thumbs up. It’s a cost-effective way to get into the world of vacuum cleaners and gauge if you want to invest in this segment.

The Haier TH27U1 retails for ₹13,999, and with great cleaning and mopping skills, one can’t complain. It’s a no-frills vacuum cleaner. Yes, it lacks mapping technology, and battery life is average, but at this price point, those aren’t entirely dealbreakers.

But there are a lot of robot vacuum cleaners in the ₹10,000-15,000 range and Haier needs to worry as the competition is fast catching up.

Sahil Bhalla is a Delhi-based writer. He posts @IMSahilBhalla

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