Teendow G20 review: a petite powerhouse

The Teendow G20 robot vacuum cleaner is a nimble, smart device with the aim of keeping your floors spotless, so you don't have to. It doesn't just take care of vacuum cleaning, as a 2-in-1 mopping robot vacuum, it sweeps and mops simultaneously. You can control it via voice commands, an app, or its dedicated remote, acting as your personal cleaning butler. What makes the Teendow G20 stand out against competitors from better known brands is its size: this robot vacuum cleaner is tiny.

Conclusion

Pros

• Perfect for small living spaces as its petite size lets it be hidden away
• Multiple control options, including an app, integrations with home automation systems, and remote
• HEPA filtration system filters dust and fine particles
• Very competitive pricing

Cons

• No mapping and thus, no room or spot cleaning
• Obstacle detection does not compete with LiDAR or visual obstacle detection
• Mopping is pointless without a map or auto-lifting

A Quick Heads-up

Just to set the record straight, the cool peeps at Teendow were kind enough to send me their G20 robot vacuum cleaner for me to test out, absolutely free of charge. There's no behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing here – no clandestine cash or secret sweeteners were swapped. Teendow will be devouring this review the same time you are, without any previous sneak peeks or editorial control. Rest assured, every word and opinion you're about to read is straight from the horse's mouth – yours truly.

Having a closer look at the Teendow G20 specs

The Teendow G20 boasts a suction power of 1400 Pa. Dirt, dust, hair, and animal fur on hard floors and some low-pile carpets are all easily handled by this robotic maid, ensuring a clean sweep without getting tangled up. Beyond its suction capabilities, the G20 stands out with its impressive runtime. Capable of cleaning for up to 100 minutes, this robot vacuum cleaner will also recharge itself when its battery runs low. With four high-efficiency modes, it can tackle any cleaning scenario you throw at it.

Mastering the Teendow G20 setup

When it comes to setting up the Teendow G20, you're presented with two viable paths. One trail leads through the official Teendow app, while the other ventures into the Smart Life app. The latter is an option because, in essence, the G20 is a Tuya device. Tuya is a global IoT developer platform. It provides a comprehensive suite of platform services that allow manufacturers, OEMs, and retail chains to develop smart products. Tuya's platform is used by over 7,600 enterprises such as Schneider Electric, Lenovo, Philips, and obviously also Teendow.

Delving into the functionality aspect, the two apps are like identical twins. The Teendow app, in its current state, is essentially the Smart Life app dressed in a different outfit. However, if you're planning to invite the Teendow G20 to the Home Assistant party, the Smart Life app is your ticket in.

Before you dive into the pairing process, ensure your smartphone is tethered to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network, as that is what the G20 supports. Turn on the vacuum and then press and hold the charging button for about 5 seconds. Listen for the device to bleep twice, which follows a single bleep. At this point, either app will step up to the plate, automatically detect the G20, and guide you through the rest of the pairing procedure.

The entire setup process of the Teendow G20 is free of any frustrating missteps. Having experimented with a myriad of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi devices over the years, I can confidently say that the G20 provides one of the smoothest setups.

Delving into the Teendow G20's features (and lack thereof)

Let's talk about the uniqueness of the Teendow G20. This little guy stands out from the crowd of robot vacuum cleaners, not for what it has, but rather what it doesn't. We're talking about the conspicuous absence of a roller brush. Now, I'm no mind reader, but if I were to take a wild guess, I'd say there are some pretty good reasons why Teendow chose to skip the brush.

First off, the G20's petite size probably wouldn't accommodate a brush without a major design overhaul. Additionally, the G20's battery, clocking in at a modest 2600 mAh (roughly half the size of some of its bulkier rivals), likely couldn't handle the juice-drain of an additional motor without severely impacting its impressive 100-minute runtime.

The Energizer Bunny of robot vacuum cleaners: The Teendow G20 goes and goes

Diving right into the heart of the matter, the battery life of the Teendow G20 is quite impressive. The company's boast of a 100-minute runtime isn't just marketing fluff—it holds water. Of course, your mileage may vary based on the suction strength you pick, but in my experience, it's got more than enough juice to take care of a small flat in one pass.

And the best part? When the Teendow G20 runs out of steam, it doesn't just conk out in the middle of the room and call it a day. No, this little trooper automatically beelines it back to its base to juice up and get ready for another round. So, no frantic searches for a lifeless robot vacuum cleaner in the middle of your living room. It's this kind of reliability in the battery department that leaves me with no room for grumbles.

How the Teendow G20 navigates your home

The G20's navigation system is a combination of bumper and infrared sensors that helps it avoid going full kamikaze on your walls and furniture. Behind its 'Geordi La Forge visor' (a cheeky nod to Star Trek fans), you'll find an array of infrared diodes working hard to detect nearby objects. If it sounds familiar, that's because it's the same tech your smartphone uses to realize it's snuggled against your cheek during a call or tucked safely in your pocket. While this system does a decent job with walls and occasionally even curtains, it does have blind spots. Chair and table legs seem to be its kryptonite, often getting a surprise bump before the G20 realizes there's no way forward. Light curtains and loose cables can also be a routine-breaking obstacle. Once it has either wrapped around its brushes, there is no way for it to break free.

If you've read my previous review of the Xiaomi Mi Robot Vacuum Mop 1C, you'll know these little bots occasionally find themselves in tight spots. The G20 is no exception. Toilets seem to be its arch-nemesis, regularly leading to its capture. Moreover, toe kicks can pose a formidable challenge for this little guy.

Overall, the navigation is about what you would expect from such a device. LiDAR or visual navigation would have been a drain on the battery and would have led to an increase in the device's size. As long as you're not in your home when the G20 is running, its inefficiencies won't bother you.

The lost robot: Teendow G20's navigation woes

Picture this: Your guests have just left a party you hosted and everyone had a blast. As is so often the case, some clumsy guests have scattered crumbs and nibbles all over your freshly vacuumed floor. No worries, you've got the Teendow G20. Just direct it to the spill and… oh wait, you can't. Why? Well, because this humble robot vacuum cleaner doesn't have a built-in map. It scoots around your place like a blindfolded mole, having no clue where it is or where it's been.

Now, I hear some of you privacy aficionados saying, 'Well, a map-less vacuum sounds wonderful, it won't be collecting data about my home layout.' Sure, I get it, lack of data collection can be a silver lining for some. But for most users, this feature (or lack thereof) might be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Without a map, our little cleaning buddy lacks the ability to do spot cleaning efficiently. It takes the scenic route around your house, bumping into furniture and wasting valuable cleaning time. It can't specifically target dirty areas, and its cleaning cycles are about as efficient as a toddler trying to organize a bookshelf. So, while the Teendow G20 does a decent job at keeping your floors dust-free, its lack of navigational know-how might just be its Achilles' heel.

The four modes of the Teendow G20

First up is the auto mode, which, quite honestly, is a bit reminiscent of that old DVD screensaver animation (you know, the one that bounced around your TV screen). In this mode, the G20 takes a free-spirited approach as it bounces around your living space, changing its course whenever it encounters an obstacle like your favourite coffee table or that stubborn couch. It's like a pinball in a machine, only this one is out to banish dust bunnies.

Next on the roster is the spot mode. This one requires a bit of manual input as you need to physically place the G20 at the dirt hotspot. Once it's there, it gets to work in a hypnotizing spiral motion, working its way about a meter outward before spiralling back to its starting spot, just like a homing pigeon.

Thirdly, we have the edge cleaning mode. This is where the G20 becomes a boundary hunter, seeking the walls and corners of your room like a seasoned explorer. The idea here is to clean up the debris that inevitably gets pushed out to the edges.

Last, but certainly not least, is the zigzag mode. The G20 morphs into a model of efficiency, cleaning in a systematic zigzag pattern that covers the room in either a front-to-back or side-to-side manner. It's pretty much like mowing a lawn, but instead of grass, it’s tackling dust and dirt.

Let's talk about accessories of Teendow G20

Much like the Teendow G20 itself, the kit and caboodle that this robot vacuum cleaner carts around are pretty petite when stacked up against its competitors. But don't let size fool you – the dustbin is sized up to hold a decent 200 ml of dust and debris, while the water tank can carry a noteworthy 230 ml. Teendow has also thrown in a couple of water filters for good measure. However, let's not forget that the water flow here operates on gravity's whims rather than a pump. While this works fine for most parts, it may not always provide the most precise dosage.

Also up for grabs in the box is a HEPA filter, complete with a tiny brush for its upkeep. The filter, as per the official word, is a “triple HEPA” system and doesn't look much different from your standard vacuum cleaner filter. But due to its small size – about half the area of a 'normal' filter – it requires a bit more TLC and frequent cleaning.

The charging dock, with a modest output of 11.4 W, may not sound impressive. But given the battery size, a full charge won't take any longer than what you'd experience with rival products. The one grumble I'd have here is the dock's inability to tuck away extra cable lengths – a feature that has always been a personal favourite.

Thanks to the absence of a roller brush, the Teendow G20 makes room for two sidekicks – the side-brushes. These efficient guys sweep the larger debris into the vacuum's heart, where all the suction action happens. While they may not quite fill the shoes of a roller brush, they definitely help the G20 pull off a decent performance.

The cherry on the cake is the remote, which controls the entire orchestra of the G20's functions. It lets you dictate the suction power, water usage during mopping, cleaning mode, and even allows you to manually steer the device. As someone who relishes home automation, I find the thought of having a physical remote control for my robot vacuum cleaner rather endearing. It's a nod to inclusivity, allowing even those who aren't tech wizards to take control of the device.

Teendow G20's clean-up test on hard floors

I decided to take the Teendow G20 for a spin on a hard floor, using your everyday household messes like rice, sugar, and flour as my test subjects. Now, these are pretty typical debris you'd find on a kitchen floor, and I was pretty keen to see how our little mechanical buddy would handle them.

I was optimistic that the G20 would ace the rice and sugar test, seeing as these are more substantial particles. However, my gut feeling was that it would meet its match with the flour, which is much finer, and requires more suction power than the G20 has, to clean up.

Evaluating the Teendow G20's clean-up test on hard floors

The Teendow G20 did an impressive job at vacuum cleaning the rice and flour. The results were quite impressive, even more so than anticipated. The little cleaning whiz managed to scoop up most of the mess with ease.

However, the Teendow G20 did falter a bit when faced with flour. While it managed to vacuum up most of it, it did leave behind a noticeable 17% of the mess. For some, this might not be a deal-breaker, but for those of you who are meticulous about cleanliness, be warned, this could be disappointing.

The Teendow G20 is definitely more of a maintenance bot, diligently keeping your floors tidy, rather than a deep cleaner that gets into the nitty-gritty of things. So, before you dash off to hit that purchase button, hoping this little robot will be the solution to your dust allergies or asthma problems, let's have a reality check. The Teendow G20 is no substitute for a thorough, deep clean. It's more like the reliable sidekick, ready to pick up after your daily messes.

Where the Teendow G20 struggles

While the G20 left the main areas of my test space as clean as a whistle, it did show a propensity for shoving some debris into corners, and then conveniently forgetting about them. It’s almost as if it's saying, “out of sight, out of mind,” but this isn't a philosophy we want our robot vacuums adopting. This hiccup flags up what I've already mentioned, the G20 is more of a maintainer than a deep cleaner. It's the person who'll keep your house looking decent day-to-day, but you'll still need to roll up your sleeves for that occasional deep clean.

Now, before you start thinking the Teendow G20 is alone in this corner-dodging behaviour, let me assure you, it's not. Most robot vacuums are just as guilty of this corner-ignoring crime. However, the G20's competitors are less problematic in this area, thanks to their handy brush that broadens the “catchment area” for dirt, dust, and debris. A bit like having a wider net to catch fish, this brush allows them to scoop up debris from a larger area, making it easier to clean those pesky corners.

Teendow G20 performance on carpets

The absence of a brush, or beater bar, doesn't lend itself to the Teendow G20 performing well on carpets. The silver lining here is that it's also immune to getting ensnared in those shaggy rugs. If your home is mainly carpeted, this is not the robot vacuum cleaner you are looking for. The absence of an auto-lifting mop would mean you can't make any use of the mopping features either.

Now, don't get me wrong. This little bot isn't completely useless on carpets. It's more like a diligent but slightly misguided janitor. It'll still scoop up dust and debris (my bin was half-full post a carpet run), but there are other bots out there that'll do a more thorough job. The inclusion of a roller brush would allow the G20 to agitate the carpet fibres to dislodge dust, dirt, and other particles that are trapped. So, if you're carpet-centric, it might be worth exploring other avenues in the robot vacuum cleaner world.

The Teendow G20 is not quite the mopping pro

The Teendow G20 robot vacuum cleaner has a mop feature that, unfortunately, I found myself removing a few days into using it. The main reasons? Well, this little device lacks the ability to create no-go zones and doesn't have an automatic mop lifting feature. This means, it will bravely drag its mop over every carpet in its path, whether you want it to or not. Sure, automatic mop lifting might be a luxury reserved for the Ferraris of the robot vacuum world, but the absence of no-go zones is a real party pooper.

That being said, if you're living in a hard floor wonderland with no carpets to worry about, the G20 will do a solid job. Don't expect it to tackle hardened tomato sauce stains from last week's spaghetti nightmare. But if you've just knocked over your morning cuppa, this little bot might be your new best friend, ready to mop up your coffee-related mishaps.

Petite powerhouse: Teendow G20 conclusion

The Teendow G20 embraces its role as the compact contender in the robot vacuum market with grace. While not necessarily a heavy-hitter when it comes to cleaning performance, this petite powerhouse holds its own, particularly for those with hard floors to maintain. The G20 can be nabbed for a cool US$169.99 on Teendow's official website, a price point that's hard to overlook when eyeballing other contenders on the market.

The brains behind the G20's brawn is Tuya - a decision by Teendow that screams practicality. Instead of wasting time and resources crafting its own app, Teendow hitched a ride with Tuya, a well-established and user-friendly platform. The process of pairing your new G20 with the app is as smooth as butter on a hot biscuit.

However, the G20 and its app do stumble a bit when it comes to navigation and mapping capabilities. The absence of these features can be a bit of a letdown for users expecting a more advanced cleaning companion. But hey, when you're paying less than $200 for a robot that cleans your floors while you kick back and relax, maybe you can cut it some slack.