AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum review

I hadn't tested a robot vacuum cleaner before giving the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum a run for its money, and this wasn't a problem - it was so easy to set, use and maintain. If you, like me, hadn't owned (or used) a robot vacuum before then this could be a good one for you so our review is well worth a read.

We've recently had our kitchen and dining area made open plan which made this the perfect playground for a robot vacuum to roam freely. The door to our front room was left open, too, so it could come and go as it pleased. Being completely level means that it is well suited for robot vacuum cleaners, with no split level to lift up-and over - this is upstairs in our house. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and the family bathroom, which is on another level and is somewhere the vacs don't go. With so much house to run, a young daughter to entertain and working during the week, having the opportunity to review a robot vacuum was a welcomed relief.

I was keen to find out just how automated the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum, since it has a big claim that 'you don't have to worry about a thing' which sounds good, doesn't it? We have a mixed bag of flooring throughout the home, too - porcelain tiles, solid wood flooring, coir matting and wool carpets and rugs - so I was looking forward to seeing how the robot took this on. Keep reading to find out how we got on then, take a look at our best robot vacuums buying guide to draw some comparisons.

AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum

Product specs:

• Cleaning time: 40 minutes
• Charging time: 2.5 hours
• Noise level: 75 dB(A)
• Dustbox size: 0.7 litres
• No. of settings: 3

Who will the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum suit?

Busy family homes which need daily cleaning. Whilst the children are at school and you're at work, the AEG RX9-2-4STN can be scheduled to vacuum around its designated area so it's one less chore for you to worry about. If you have pets then it would be worth upgrading to the AEG RX9.2.4ANIM which has an ultra-filtration system and quicker charging time.

A household it may not be well suited to, however, is a more cluttered home. There is nothing wrong with having a cluttered home but as with all robot vacuums their route will need to be clear. It could get quite annoying having to constantly move things out of the way of the vac so unless you're happy to do this each time you run a scheduled clean or want an impromptu clean then the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum may not be for you.

How easy is the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum to set up?

Setting up the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum was initially something which I was dreading. I'm really not very techy and don't have much patience so I thought this was going to be a challenge and a half, but I was relieved to discover that it is dead easy and all I needed to basically do was to download an app.

I was a little confused as to which app I needed to download. On the Google PlayStore the AEG RX app was the most logical to opt for so I was surprised to see the message; 'This app is no longer available. The AEG Wellbeing app has replaced the AEG RX app.Download and sign in with your existing Electrolux username to get started.' At least it was signposted. With the AEG Wellbeing app installed you'll just need to follow the step-by-step on-screen instructions which is very easy. You'll also need to pop the side brush on and set up the base station in a corner of the room which the vac can easily access.

There is some juice in the battery but as I found it didn't last very long so best to return it to base and give it a full charge for a couple of hours. You can use this time to get more familiar with the app. It is quite basic, the app, and it's not overly complicated to get your head around. You'll see that you can schedule tasks, view and edit maps (when the vac has completed its maiden voyage), set one-of-three modes and view various elements to your profile. I also connected the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum to Google Home so if I want to control it by voice rather than pushing buttons, I can.

What is the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum like to use?

Control lies with the app although at a very basic level there is the pause / play button which you can hit for stopping / starting a clean. There isn't a user manual per-se just a simple two-pager with graphics to show the need-to-know stuff such as emptying and cleaning the vac, so it's a good job it's easy to get going and use. Before any cleaning can happen the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum will need to map your house. It was a shot in the dark for figuring out how to do this since this was the first robot vacuum I've tested (owing to house renos) and the lack of written down guidance. Luckily, 'Flossy' knew what to do.

I first let Flossy the robot vacuum roam around our new wool carpet upstairs. This took a good hour-or-so and once a draft of the floorplan had been made, Flossy made her descent back to base but appeared to get a little lost along the way. I watched as she backtracked and went round-and-round in circles trying to figure out the route back. It did make me giggle somewhat, so that's something. She made it back eventually but this was a first impression and I wasn't all that impressed I have to say. The more times I sent the little robot out to clean though, the more confident Flossy was. Or so it appeared. The map of our floorplan looked pretty inaccurate after a few goes so I kept sending Flossy out to clean for the map to better represent the space. This is what the app suggested I do anyway.

After five attempts I deleted the map and sent Flossy out again. The results were very similar, if not the same. Perhaps it's me not seeing the floorplan as I should but it's not very defined, that's for sure. It's really rather odd why the mapping upstairs turned out so hazy because downstairs it was pretty spot on. By the third roam downstairs I added zones to the (now) saved map so I could tell the robot vacuum cleaner where to clean or avoid. I wanted all areas cleaned, but it was good to have the option. After setting zones you'll then have the option to select 'Adaptive' mode which is only for zone cleaning.

If you've connected the robot vacuum to Google Home then you can use this app to start / stop, instead of AEG Wellbeing. You'll just need to say: 'Hey Google. Start my vacuum cleaner' and you're away. I found this to be quite fun to start with but since I don't use the Google Home app for anything other than voice commands, the novelty soon wore off. The most useful features by far on the AEG Wellbeing app is the scheduled cleaning, because you don't even need to think about starting to vacuum since it's already been taken care of. I scheduled a clean for 19.30 every evening when I'd stationed Flossy downstairs. This meant that I'd had enough time to clear the way and pick up large chunks of food, before the chore begun. It was such a welcomed relief to have someone / something doing the vacuuming, and it did a pretty good job of it, too.

How good is the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum at cleaning?

Transitioning across the pine wooden floorboards, limestone tiles and rugs was a seamless journey for the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum although it did seem a bit scared to take on the rug in the front room at first. I had it set on the 'Smart' mode for all cleaning tasks which meant that it cleans quietly on hard surfaces, uses full power on carpets. I could hear the change in tempo which was both reassuring and satisfying. There was also a tempo change once cleaning had finished and Flossy was making the descent back to base, and as I swiped through the other different modes; Power and Quiet.

For the purpose of this review I scattered flour on our kitchen tiles. It was interesting to watch how the robot vacuum took this on, and it's journey was visibly obvious even if I wasn't watching it. Not only did it get somehow itself covered in flour but it also skirted around the mess, almost like it was trying to avoid it. The brush kicked up a load of the flour and as it was venturing across the floury territory it seemed to not suck it all up at once. Instead it went back over the flour which isn't the most time saving nor the most logistical way of cleaning, but it got there eventually although some flour remained between the tiles so you may need to call upon your best vacuum cleaner to get the last of the mess up.

Vacuuming the carpets really took it out of the robot vacuum, despite it being on 'Quiet' mode to conserve battery. We have approximately 375 sq.ft to the upstairs of our house and it took the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum at least one hour to clean it, and then a further 10 minutes to return to base. There were even occasions where the battery level was Medium, but it returned to base. Cleaning did resume when this happened but if you're needing a quick clean then this is a little frustrating. You'll equally need to allow time to tidy the way for the robot vac. It'll either suck up everything in its path (as it did with our near-floor-length curtains) or skirt around it. What it excelled on the carpets was the edge-to-edge cleaning, impressive suction and the ability to not fall down the split level landing.

Most of the bin was full of fluff from the carpets which is always a good sign. If you have notifications switched on in the app then you'll receive said notification that the bin is full (and it really is full). I was a little concerned that the first few cleans happened and I hadn't emptied the bin so I just did it but if you wait long enough, you do get told.

How the design of the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum helps to clean

The shape of the robot vacuum is triangular which (in theory) means that it can reach into the tight spots and get into tricky corners. That it can but it did take some manoeuvring. Being low level and a relatively small profile it was perfect for getting under furniture which would otherwise be awkward with a corded or cordless vacuum.

The bin is cleverly tucked under the hood of the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum which is really easy to release. It can hold a surprisingly large amount for such a little thing. To the front of the robot vac is what I'll refer to as the 'eye'. This is a lazer and camera which will scan the room for objects and furniture when mapping, and also for anything which jumps out infront of it such as my kid which had great fun following it around.

Is it easy to empty, maintain and store the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum?

Yes to all. The bin can be emptied by gentling pushing down the lid to release it; the filter can be removed for cleaning; brushbar can be released for rinsing and ridding of any debris and it lives on the base to charge.

One thing to keep on eye on is the power brush. These looks to be in a bit of a tangle and it is something which AEG advises to replace frequently to ensure top performance. A set of four can be bought direct from the brand for £29.99.

Should you buy the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum robot vacuum?

Aside from the slight mapping glitch and length of time is takes for the AEG RX9-2-4STN Bagless Robot Vacuum to return to base, there is nothing really negative I can say about this robot vacuum cleaner. It does everything it is supposed to, and everything that I was expecting after reading the specification.

It is one of the more expensive robot vacuum cleaners but isn't the most expensive. Overall, I would recommend parting with the £650 it costs if you need a reliable helping hand to vacuum your floors on a daily basis. You don't even need to be home for the chore to get done, that is enough of a reason for me.

About this reviewer - and our reviewer

Jennifer (Jen) Oksien is our Large Appliance editor who has reviewed too many home appliances and mattresses to count over the years. She was sent this product to review at home to find out how it performs in a family home with various floor-types with varying amounts (and types) of debris. Her three-bed house has hard wood flooring and limestone tiles downstairs, and a relatively new carpet running up the stairs, across the landing and into the three bedrooms making it the perfect space to review vacuum cleaners.

We are not given any compensation for our reviews, but we may be gifted the product meaning that we can test it over a greater length of time, and update if required.