(Eureka)
Eureka is showing off a Frankenstein-type hybrid cleaning device at CES. The Dual Washing Bot can not only wash and dry your clothes in a single machine, it can also vacuum and mop your floors.
It actually isn't as crazy as it sounds. Essentially, a 2-in-1 robot floor cleaner slots underneath the front-load clothes portal, and makes use of the water line to dump dirty water and refill its tank with clean water after mopping. The robot can also empty its own dustbin into a bag that can hold up to 60 days' worth of debris.
Details on the hybrid appliance are scarce at the moment, but a Eureka rep tells PCMag that it’s based on a similar product from parent company Midea called the Washbot. First announced late last year, the Washbot will be available through an upcoming crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. To my eye, the pictures of the Midea and Eureka machines look identical, and Eureka could be using CES to build hype before the crowdfunding launch.
The Eureka machine promises hot water washing and gentle drying. The Midea page offers a few more details, including compatibility with any water line.
No matter the model, the washing machine basically acts as the base station for the vacuum. Automatic dustbin emptying and mop tank refilling are pretty standard amenities among high-end robot vacuum/mop hybrids these days, but most of our favorite models with these features have huge base stations to manage all of their self-maintenance functions.
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Eureka’s new mash-up makes sense for those with a limited amount of space. Making use of the washing machine’s water line so you don’t have to manage clean and dirty water containers is a nice bonus, though not necessarily novel. Some recent robot floor cleaners like the Switchbot S10 can attach to a water line on their own.
Keep in mind a model like this probably won't work well for you if your washing machine is in a basement or a laundry room that you close off or that is removed from the rest of your living space by a flight of stairs. Plus, these concepts might end up being just that: concepts.
Eureka also showed off the J20, a robot vacuum and mop hybrid first announced last fall. The J20 stands out because of its rolling mop, which Eureka says helps it more efficiently wipe up stains. The J20 also boasts an impressive 8,000Pa of suction. It will retail for $1,399 when it hits the market in April.
The company's lineup also includes the E10s robot vacuum, which uses a bagless approach to emptying its dustbin similar to our favorite Shark robot vacuums. The E10s is available now for $599.99.
For more robot vacuums that you can buy now, check out our list of favorites, and stay tuned for more wild gadgets from CES 2024.