REVIEW – Ultenic is a relatively new company, launching its first cordless (Models U10 and U11) and robotic vacuums (Model D5 and T10) in 2021. Their new flagship, MC1, has earned a place in my “orderly enthusiast” home, especially for mopping hardwood floors. Please join me for a closer look.
What is it?
The Ultenic MC1 is a battery-powered, rechargeable, autonomous, combination robotic vacuum and mop equipped with rotating heads and a base station for automatic recharging, refilling, dust extraction, and drying.
What’s in the box?
- Ultenic MC1 Vacuum/Mop
- Charging station
- Mop heads (4)
- Mop bracket (2)
- Side Brush (2)
- HEPA filter (2)
- Cleaning brush
- Dust Bag (1)
- Cleaning brush
- User manual
Hardware specs
- Model: MC1
- LIDAR navigation with floor mapping
- App control and scheduling with Go/No-no Zones
- Google Home and Alexa-compatible voice control
- Top accessible water and dust bag in recharging base
- 5000Pa suction
- Intelligent carpet sensor
- Self-emptying
- Self-washing mop
- Hot air Self-drying mop
- Dual spinning mop heads
- Charging time: ≥ 5 hours
- Robot power rating: 50 watts
- Rated voltage: 14.4V
- Battery capacity: 5200mAh
- Wi-Fi frequency: 2.412 to 2.472gHz
- Maximum radio power output: 18.00dbm
- Dimensions: 13.94″L x 13.94″W x 3.88″H
- Weight: 30.9 pounds
- Noise level: 62dB
- Battery life: 2 years
Design and features
I’ve been a massive fan of robotic vacuums going back to the Dyson 360 Eye in 2016, and I usually have more than one on duty. The first consumer robotic vacuum, The Electrolux Trilobite, was released in 1996. Twenty-eight years later, there are hundreds of models with so many different price points and features that they likely would have boggled the imagination of science fiction author Robert Heinlein, who conceptualized them in his 1956 story, “A Door Into Summer.”
Several years ago, I ruptured a disk in my back severely and lost sensation in my left leg, requiring immediate spinal surgery. I was out of commission for months and still don’t have complete use from the knee down. During recovery and physical therapy, housework came to an abrupt halt. I’m a bit of a neat freak, and had it not been for my robotic vacuums, my OCD nerves would have been making my eyes twitch. I have not been without one since.
The MC1 arrived in a beefy box with good packaging. It’s a hefty beastie at about 31 pounds.
Lots of accessories are in the box.
The Ultenic MC1’s base station tray is detachable (an underrated feature) and requires cleaning every few days.
The base needs plenty of clearance, so choose its resting location carefully. Ultenic recommends two feet to the left and right and five in front. It wasn’t clear that the base was receiving power. An indicator light would be helpful.
Charging the Ultenic MC1 vacuum takes less than five hours. Spring-loaded electrical connections on the base engage with plates on the back of the vacuum. Charging is automatic, with the MC1 returning to the base whenever the batteries are low. Operating time is about 90 minutes.
Power is via an IBM-Style cord on the back. I appreciate the inclusion of excess cord storage.
The bottom of the vacuum has knobby tires, plates for the rotating mop heads, the cleaning bar, edge sensors, and the access door.
An omnidirectional wheel in front allows the robot to scoot in any direction.
The tires have plenty of traction and can climb obstacles of up to 0.7 inches.
Spring-loaded tabs on the main brush enclosure provide service, replacement, and cleaning access.
The central vacuum brush should last about a year.
The mop heads attach to rotating plates using hook-and-loop fasteners.
Atop the MC1 is the infrared laser LIDAR turret, enabling the vacuum to navigate efficiently and ensuring that every room the vacuum can reach gets cleaned. It works well and generates maps of rooms through the app.
The dustbin, HEPA filter, and screen are accessible under the hood.
There’s also a factory reset button under there.
The three buttons on the vacuum/mop are for “Area Cleaning,” “Power,” and “Recharge” (sends the robot from wherever it is back to the base for more juice).
Bump and infrared sensors around the perimeter assist the MC1 in navigation.
Ultenic’s logo is on the front of the base station.
From left to right, the base station’s “Play/Pause,” “Recall” (summons the robot back to the base), “Clean Mop Cloth,” and “Automatic Dust Collection” buttons on the front.
A hinged cover opens to access the waste water tank, dust bag, and freshwater tank.
The water tanks hold a little less than a gallon (two liters) each.
It’s a nice-looking setup.
The manual has a QR code for Ultenic’s app. It installs easily with a confirmation code sent to email.
Adding the MC1 was effortless.
Pressing the “Power” and “Charge” buttons activates the Wi-Fi hotspot.
The app does a commendable job of mapping. Once created, rooms are configurable as zones, but there isn’t differentiation between rooms that require vacuuming and mopping.
The app has an impressive array of configurations and settings, including scheduling.
There’s even a remote control for piloting the robot around “RC car style.”
I let the Ultenic MC1 off the leash and watched it cavort around my kitchen, sunroom, living room, office, hallway, and bedrooms, and I was delighted with the shiny floors it left behind. I was even more impressed that the “Carpet Avoidance” feature flawlessly detected every rug and stayed on the hardwood.
The magnetic spindles on the mops even managed to pick up some metal bits! Well done, Ultenic!
The MC1 makes frequent return trips to the base station to empty and clean the mop heads, and when cleaning is complete, warm air dries them. It’s clear by looking at the color of the water in the waste tank that the MC1 wasn’t kidding around.
I’m not implying that the Ultenic MC1 vac only mops. During the next foray around my domicile, I set the MC1 to mop and vacuum everything. The vacuum aperture is about six inches wide and receives assistance from a sweeping brush.
I was happy with the results, but it’s susceptible to snagging on loose cords. I have a BedJet that’s not practical to move, and MC1 got stuck on the cords multiple times, even losing the mop heads in the process. On subsequent trips, enabling a “No-Go” area under the bed alleviated the issue.
When I left the mop heads in place, I didn’t observe any dampness on the carpets, but a mechanism to lift them when transitioning to carpeted surfaces would be ideal.
The MC1 has automatic dust collection. Dirt accumulates, and a powerful vacuum transfers it to a removable, replaceable bag in the base. It works well, but when it happens, it’s loud. Think full-sized vacuum. It’s not a big deal, provided your schedule isn’t at 3:00 AM.
What I like
- The carpet avoidance feature works exceptionally well
- Excellent mopping
- Automatic mop cleaning and drying
- The detachable base makes cleaning easier
- Washable mop heads
- Mop drying in the base.
What I’d change
- Quickly becomes entangled in cords.
- I would love to see a bagless version of the base station.
- A mechanism to raise the mop when navigating carpets would be welcomed.
- Add a power light on the base station (testing, testing, 1,2,3. Is this thing on?)
- Update software to switch zones between vacuuming and mopping.
Final thoughts
We’re not to the Rosie, Robbie, Gort, or Artoo stage with robotic assistants, but seeing how far they’ve progressed is thrilling. The Ultenic MC1 robot vacuum does a great job. It won’t clean floors as thoroughly as manually vacuuming or swabbing the decks. Still, daily cleaning is outstanding, especially with its carpet detection and mopping capabilities on my hardwood floors. Thank you, Ultenic!
Price: $679 on Ultenic’s website, $899.99 on Amazon
Where to buy: Ultenic and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ultenic.
