ABIR's robot vacuum range has grown to five models, and if you've spent any time comparing the spec sheets, you've probably noticed that most of them look similar at a glance: strong suction numbers, smart navigation, vacuum-and-mop combos. The real differences show up in how each one behaves day to day, not in the headline numbers. This guide walks through what actually matters when choosing a robot vacuum, compares all five ABIR models side by side, and breaks down which one fits which kind of home.
How to Choose: What Actually Matters Before You Compare Specs
Before getting into suction figures and navigation systems, it's worth working out what you actually need from a robot vacuum. The right model depends far more on your home and habits than on which one has the highest number on the box.
1. How Big Is Your Home, and How Many Floors?
A small flat with one open-plan floor has very different requirements to a three-storey house. If you'll be carrying the robot between floors, multi-floor mapping matters less, since most robots can simply re-learn a new layout each time you move them. If you want it to remember several floors and resume cleaning intelligently on whichever level it's placed on, you'll want a model with dedicated multi-floor map storage. Larger homes also benefit from longer runtimes and bigger dustbins or water tanks, since you don't want the robot returning to base halfway through a clean.
2. Do You Have Pets or Allergies?
Pet hair tends to wrap around brush rolls and clog filters faster than ordinary dust, so models with stronger suction and easier-to-clean brush designs tend to hold up better in pet households. If allergies are a concern, HEPA filtration is the feature to look for, since it captures the fine particles that a standard filter lets back into the room. UV cleaning functions, where present, are aimed at sanitising surfaces rather than filtering air, so don't substitute one for the other if allergy control is your main goal.
3. Do You Want to Forget About It, or Stay Involved?
Some people want to set up their robot vacuum once and never think about it again. Others don't mind a bit of regular involvement, like emptying the dustbin every few days, in exchange for a lower price. This is one of the biggest practical differences between ABIR's models: only one of the five has an auto-empty station, and it carries a noticeably higher price as a result. If hands-off operation is the main thing you're paying for, it's worth being clear about that before comparing anything else.
4. What's Your Budget?
ABIR's range spans a meaningful price gap between the entry-level model and the most expensive one. It's tempting to assume the most expensive model is simply "the best," but in practice the extra cost buys specific features, not a universally better cleaning experience. A cheaper model with strong core suction can clean a small flat just as well as a flagship model, which is really earning its price through extra convenience and control features rather than raw cleaning power.
Quick Comparison
| Model | Suction | Navigation | Auto-Empty | Vacuum & Mop | Runtime | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G20S | 6000Pa | 2D Map Memory | No | Yes | ~120 min | Everyday cleaning on a budget |
| X6 / X6 PRO | 6000Pa | Camera + VSLAM + SLAM Triple Navigation | No | Yes | ~120 min | Smarter mapping at a similar price; PRO adds HEPA filtration and no-go lines |
| X8 | 6500Pa | Lidar Laser + SLAM, Multi-Floor | No | Yes, plus UV cleaning | ~120 min | Multi-floor homes — note: being succeeded by the X9 below |
| X9 | 6500Pa with Auto Carpet Boost | Lidar with Advanced Map Management | No | Yes, plus UV spot cleaning | ~120 min | Most advanced control — 15 cleaning modes, per-room customisation |
| K30 | 6500Pa with Smart Carpet Detection | Dual Laser with 3D Mapping | Yes, with UV disinfection | Yes | Up to 240 min | Hands-off cleaning — go weeks without emptying it yourself |
G20S — The Straightforward Option
The G20S is ABIR's entry point, and it's built around getting the fundamentals right rather than adding extra layers of control. It uses 2D map memory to learn your home's layout over repeated cleans, so it isn't navigating blind, but it also isn't building the kind of detailed, named-room maps you'll find on the more expensive models. 6000Pa suction handles everyday dust, crumbs and light pet hair without trouble, and because it vacuums and mops in the same pass, you're not running two separate cleaning cycles.
Where the G20S makes sense is in smaller to mid-sized homes where you don't need granular zone control or multi-floor memory — you just want the floors cleaned regularly without thinking about it too much. It's also a sensible choice if you're trying a robot vacuum for the first time and don't want to commit to a higher price point before knowing whether the format suits your home.
X6 and X6 PRO — Smarter Navigation, Similar Price
The X6 family sits at a similar price to the G20S but trades map-memory navigation for triple navigation — a combination of camera, VSLAM and SLAM systems working together. In practice, this tends to produce more consistent coverage and fewer missed patches, since the robot is actively reading the room rather than relying purely on a stored map.
The standard X6 keeps controls simple: an app-based virtual barrier lets you block off an area, and that's about as far as the customisation goes. The X6 PRO variant builds on the same hardware with a HEPA filter for finer dust and allergen capture, plus "no-go lines" that let you draw more precise boundaries than a single barrier, and the ability to tap a spot on the in-app map and send the robot directly there. If you're choosing between the two, the decision mostly comes down to whether HEPA filtration and finer zone control are worth the small price difference to you — the underlying navigation and suction are otherwise the same.
X8 — Multi-Floor Mapping (Being Replaced by the X9)
The X8 was ABIR's step up into lidar laser navigation, which is generally more precise than camera-based systems, particularly in larger or more cluttered homes. It introduced multi-floor mapping to the range, letting it store and recall layouts for different levels of a house, along with a UV cleaning function for additional sanitising as it works.
Worth flagging clearly: there are strong signs that ABIR is phasing out the X8 in favour of the newer X9, which uses the same lidar foundation but adds considerably more control on top. If you're deciding between these two specifically, we'd point most buyers toward the X9 instead, mainly for longer-term confidence around parts and ongoing support rather than any major difference in day-to-day cleaning.
X9 — The Most Capable Model
The X9 takes the X8's lidar navigation and builds a genuinely more flexible system around it. Map management is the standout feature here: it can save multiple floor maps, let you name individual rooms, and apply different suction power, water speed and cleaning frequency to each one. If you want the kitchen cleaned daily on a higher water setting and the bedroom cleaned twice a week on a lighter pass, the X9 is built to handle exactly that kind of per-room customisation.
Auto carpet boost is another practical addition — suction automatically increases when the robot detects carpet or rugs, then drops back down on hard floors, so you're not manually switching modes as it moves between rooms. With 15 distinct cleaning modes in total, covering everything from zigzag passes to UV spot cleaning a specific stain, the X9 is the model for people who want to actively configure how their home gets cleaned rather than just letting a robot run on autopilot.
K30 — Built for Hands-Off Cleaning
The K30 solves a different problem entirely: it's the only model in the range with an auto-empty station, meaning the robot returns to its dock after each cleaning run and empties its own dustbin automatically. Combined with a runtime of up to 240 minutes per charge, this is the model built for people who want to go as long as possible between any manual intervention at all.
Built-in UV lamps disinfect the auto-empty station between cycles, which matters more than it might first sound — a station that's regularly being filled with dust and debris can otherwise become a place where odours build up over time. Smart carpet detection rounds out the package, automatically boosting suction to 6500Pa when needed and easing off on hard floors. The trade-off is price: the K30 sits well above the rest of the range, and that premium is almost entirely down to the auto-empty mechanism rather than any dramatic leap in core cleaning performance.
Which One Should You Buy?
- Tightest budget: G20S — covers the fundamentals without paying for extras you might not use.
- Want smarter navigation without spending much more: X6 — triple navigation at close to entry-level pricing.
- Want HEPA filtration and precise zone control: X6 PRO — same hardware as the X6, with finer control and better filtration.
- Multi-floor home, want the most control over cleaning: X9 — per-room customisation and the most cleaning modes in the range.
- Want to empty the dustbin as rarely as possible: K30 — the only model with an auto-empty station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do robot vacuums actually work well on carpet?
Modern robot vacuums handle low and medium-pile carpet reasonably well, particularly models with carpet detection like the X9 and K30, which automatically increase suction when they sense a change in floor type. Very deep or shag-style carpet can still be a challenge for any robot vacuum, ABIR included, since the wheels and brush roll need enough clearance to move through the pile without getting bogged down.
How long does a robot vacuum run before it needs to recharge?
Most of ABIR's range runs for around 120 minutes per charge, which is generally enough to cover a small-to-mid-sized home in one pass. The K30 stands out here with up to 240 minutes, making it better suited to larger homes or households that want a single cleaning run to cover more square footage without a recharge stop in the middle.
Can a robot vacuum handle a multi-floor home?
Yes, but with a caveat: most robot vacuums, including all of ABIR's models, only clean the floor they're physically placed on — they can't climb stairs between levels. What multi-floor mapping actually does is let the robot remember separate layouts for each floor, so when you carry it upstairs and start a clean, it recognises that floor's map rather than treating it as a brand new space. If you only have one floor, this feature won't make much practical difference to you.
Is an auto-empty station worth paying extra for?
It depends entirely on how much you value not emptying a dustbin manually. The K30's auto-empty station is genuinely convenient if you want to go weeks without thinking about maintenance, but the other four models in the range clean just as effectively per session — you'll simply need to empty the bin yourself every few cleaning cycles, which for most households takes under a minute.
Do I need to buy replacement filters and brushes regularly?
Like any vacuum, filters and brush rolls wear down with use and benefit from periodic replacement, typically every few months depending on how often you run the robot and whether you have pets. This isn't unique to ABIR or to robot vacuums generally — it's standard maintenance for any vacuum cleaner, robotic or otherwise.
Will a robot vacuum work well if I have a lot of furniture or cables on the floor?
Loose cables are one of the more common snag points for any robot vacuum, since they can wrap around brush rolls or wheels. Models with app-based virtual barriers or no-go lines, like the X6 PRO and X9, let you mark these areas off in advance so the robot avoids them entirely, which is generally a more reliable solution than hoping the robot's obstacle detection catches every cable on its own.
Final Thoughts
There's no single "best" model in ABIR's robot vacuum range — there's a best model for your specific home, budget and tolerance for manual maintenance. If you're still unsure after reading through this, start by deciding whether auto-empty (the K30) or finer cleaning control (the X9) matters more to you, since those two features account for most of the price difference across the range. Everything else is a smaller trade-off between price and convenience.
Browse the full range in our Robot Vacuum Cleaners collection.
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