Review of the Genio Windy W220 Duo window cleaning robot

The Genio Windy W220 Duo testing box is small in size and has a bright orange-violet color. On the front of the package there is a vector image of the model itself, the full name of the device, the manufacturer’s logo, as well as pictograms with captions describing the main characteristics of the device. Information about the contents of the device and manufacturer data are located on the side edges of the box.

Having opened the box, inside we found:

• robot body with installed wheels and a set of microfiber cleaning cloths
• set of additional napkins (4 pairs)
• pair of spare wheels
• remote control
• batteries for remote control
• water bottle
• adapter and power cord
• safety rope
• manual

The Genio Windy W220 Duo has an oval shape that tapers slightly in the middle. The upper part of the body is covered with matte graphite plastic, while the lower part is made of black material. Plastic is not prone to rapid contamination and does not leave fingerprints. Overall, the robot body looks quite durable.

On the top panel of the Genio Windy W220 Duo there is a small convex increase that hides the ventilation grilles on both sides. This element also serves as a convenient handle for gripping the robot. On the top panel there is a mechanical power button, an insert with the Genio logo and three indicators. At the bottom of the top panel there is a warning label regarding operating instructions.

The height of the case is only 6.2 cm. The length of the compact device weighing 1 kg is 29.6 cm and the width is 14.

The robot's pressing force on the glass is provided by a brushless motor hidden in the body with a suction force of 2800 Pa. Two removable plastic round wheels at the bottom of the case act as suction cups. The wheels are fixed to the body with a snap.

Soft microfiber terry cloths, also known as mops, are placed on the wheels. Tight elastic bands are sewn into the napkins, due to which they stay on wheels very tightly. The diameter of each cleaning surface is 14.5 cm.

Genio Windy W220 Duo comes with five pairs of wipers and an additional pair of wheels.

A cable with a plug for connecting an adapter with a power cord comes out of the top panel. An internal 600 mAh backup battery is designed to insure the robot from falling during a power failure, and the device always operates from the mains.

The length of the main cable is 415 cm, the adapter wire adds another 160.

Next to the cable in the housing there are holes for attaching a safety cable with a carabiner. Cable length — 380 cm.

On the bottom panel, between the wheel holders, there is a sticker with technical information. On the sides of it we see two beveled protrusions — these are holes for spraying liquid.

There is also a barcode sticker on one side. Built-in LEDs on the opposite side of the equipment have redundant indicators, which makes it possible to monitor the status of the device through both sides of the glass. Above the wheel holder, which is closed with a silicone plug, there is a hole for filling with water or detergent.

The hole diameter is small, but for ease of adding liquid, the kit includes a 100 ml plastic bottle with a cone-shaped nozzle.

To remotely control the robot, the kit includes a small remote control with a matte plastic coating that is pleasant to the touch. AAA batteries are included with the remote control.

The assembly of the device and the quality of all its elements are excellent. We did not find any defects or gaps during the visual inspection.

The instructions are presented in the form of a black and white A5 brochure printed on thick glossy paper. Detailed text with illustrations is located on 20 pages. Another 4 are reserved for the description of warranty obligations and the warranty card itself.

The manual contains all the necessary information about the device, its design, all the nuances of operation and features of use, as well as the rules of care. After the main block of information there is a table with recommendations for troubleshooting some problems and ways to solve them.

Genio Windy W220 Duo has two control methods: the power button on the case or the remote control. To start the motor, just hold down the power button for a few seconds, then place the robot on the glass and press the button again to start automatic cleaning. The robot independently scans the space and determines the optimal route.

There are three LED indicators on the case. During charging, when the robot is not running, the indicator on the far right will glow orange.

When the battery is fully charged, the color changes to green, indicating that the device is fully ready for use.

While the Genio Windy W220 Duo is operating, the blue indicator on the left is constantly lit. When the auto-spray function is activated, it begins to flash.

The red light (middle) stays on when the battery level is getting low, and flashes along with the green light when there is a problem or the robot loses power. The emergency notification is accompanied by a continuous loud sound signal.

Having completed the cycle, the robot stops at the starting point and emits a sound signal, suggesting that it be moved to a new surface to continue cleaning or turn off the motor while holding the body with your hand (otherwise it will simply fall).

Additional possibilities open up when using the remote control. The large button in the middle starts and stops auto cleaning. The arrows around allow you to direct the robot in the selected direction.

Above are three buttons:

• Automatic cleaning up and then down
• Automatic cleaning to the left and then down
• Automatic cleaning to the right and then down

The two bottom buttons are used to turn on automatic water supply and manual spraying.

To start working Genio Windy W220 Duo, you need to pour water or cleaning agent into a special compartment, attach wipes to the wheels, fix them to the body, and tie a safety rope to some heavy object in the room. Also make sure the battery is fully charged and the batteries in the remote control are good. Connect the device to the power supply, press the power button on the case and place it on the glass.

The operation of the device is based on the creation and maintenance of a vacuum by a motor, which allows the robot to stick to the glass surface. At the same time, it moves along the glass, alternately moving and wiping the surface with napkins that are mounted on wheels.

When using the Genio Windy W220 Duo, you have the option to start dry brushing or add spray — either automatically or manually. If the glass is very dirty, it is better to dry clean first, and then, on the next pass, spray with a new set of wipes. Otherwise, wet mops can move dirt, which can lead to scratches on the glass due to small particles.

If the degree of contamination is moderate, before starting cleaning it is worth slightly moistening both napkins along the edges, leaving the center dry. If there are still streaks on the glass after cleaning, you can try the following: Apply the cleaner to the center of the top cloth and to the outer edge of the bottom cloth. However, in most cases, stains can be easily removed with a simple dry soft cloth.

It is important to note that the number of streaks left depends on the initial state of contamination of the window and its size. The larger the window, the fewer streaks remain. There may be small unwashed areas of about 2 cm in the corners of the frame.

For the experiment, we cleaned one window dry, using the same napkin. As a result, there is not a single stain, the glass on both sides is clean and even creaks.

The bottom row of windows was dirtier, so the robot first went over them with a dry cloth, and then again, this time with spray.

He did not wipe away the stains at the top along the frame on the middle window. At the end of the cycle, we directed the robot with the remote control to the remaining contaminants and pressed the left and right arrows a couple of times. So small mistakes can be eliminated, and, what’s nice, not manually.

As a result: the robot copes well with light stains and washes more serious ones well, but for an ideal result you will need more than one run, and sometimes more than one pair of napkins, fortunately there are 10 of them in the set. If you skimp on napkins and let the robot walk on dirty glass only once or twice, stains are very likely.

The robot does not wash quickly, but thoroughly.

In one cycle, it passes the glass like a “snake” from the bottom edge to the top and back. A window of 55x110 cm takes 7 minutes on one side.

Automatic spraying moderately and evenly moistens the surface without drips. To fill the liquid compartment, 50 ml is enough, which is half of the included bottle. With this volume, the robot can clean approximately 5-6 standard windows on both sides. In addition to water, you can add a special detergent, previously diluted with water.

As you can see from the photo below, dirt from the glass mainly collects along the edges of the napkins.

On solid high windows the robot is as convenient as possible. On a balcony with a lot of solid glass, we often had to move the device from frame to frame, but these are trifles compared to washing the windows from the outside manually or the need to regularly call climbers.

Genio Windy W220 Duo can be used to clean glass, tiles and some types of flooring. On smooth tiles, the robot walks steadily, but on textured tiles it can get stuck, jerking in place or moving with difficulty. It performs well on laminate and, when sprayed with polishing fluid, can effectively polish the surface. However, it is important to make sure the floor is clean before you start cleaning.

The robot is not designed to clean surfaces without barriers. When working on frameless glass or mirrors, it may stop and fall down. It is also not suitable for cleaning horizontal surfaces without guards, although there is nowhere for it to fall from the floor.

We assumed that the Genio Windy W220 Duo would be able to wash the smooth matte facades of kitchen cabinets, limited by a wall on one side and a pencil case on the other. However, the robot stuck to the surface, but at the first movement it slowly slid down.

However, it is worth noting that the Genio Windy W220 Duo holds firmly on windows and never fell during testing. To separate the robot from the surface, some effort is required due to the strong fixation to the glass.

There are no special instructions in the instructions for caring for the device. It is recommended to periodically fully charge the battery at least once every two to three months. If the device is not used for a long period of time, it is recommended to unplug it and store it in a dark place at room temperature, but the reason for choosing a dark place is not explained.

The wipes used with the device can be washed by hand or in a washing machine at 40 degrees. It is also possible to dry the napkins in the machine.

To clean the case, it is recommended to use a damp, soft cloth, avoiding getting too much moisture on the connectors and ventilation holes.

The Genio Windy W220 Duo takes about 7 minutes to complete one cleaning session on 55x110 cm glass.

Energy consumption in automatic mode for 1 hour of operation was 0.049 kWh, with a maximum recorded power of 71 W. While holding on a vertical surface, the robot consumes from 38 to 40 W.

It took 3 hours and 50 minutes to fully charge the discharged battery, using 0.014 kWh of electricity. The maximum power during this period was 5.6 W.

The robot with a fully charged battery stayed on the window without connecting to a power source for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

The noise level emitted by the robot during cleaning is approximately 75-77 dBA, according to our measurements.

The Genio Windy W220 Duo window cleaning robot turned out to be a convenient assistant for keeping glass surfaces clean. It is most effective on large, smooth glass surfaces and on glossy tiles. The device also does a good job cleaning the floor. However, it should be noted that the robot is not suitable for cleaning frameless glass and mirrors, as it is unable to recognize their boundaries and may fall.

Genio Windy W220 Duo provides three operating modes, includes two sprayers and is equipped with a capacious battery that provides about an hour of operation in the event of a sudden power outage. The set includes four removable wheels and 10 soft hygroscopic microfiber cloths.

The Genio Windy W220 Duo is convenient and easy to use, ideal for regular, easy cleaning of glass surfaces. It prevents dirt from accumulating on windows and significantly reduces the need for basic cleaning. It also copes with serious stains, but several approaches will be required with the replacement of cleaning wipes. Although the robot leaves unwashed corners due to its shape, it effectively cleans along the frames. Overall, it greatly reduces the need to manually clean up after yourself.

Pros:

• Effective navigation system and simple controls.
• High performance.
• Capacious built-in battery.
• Two built-in sprayers.
• The set includes 4 wheels and 10 microfiber cloths.

Minuses:

• Not suitable for cleaning glass without a frame.