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WINBOT NEO MINI Review: Small, Smart and Keen to Do the Jobs You Definitely Don’t

Zachary Skinner November 26, 2025

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Design and Size – A window robot that finally fits actual windows

The first thing you notice about the WINBOT NEO MINI is that it looks like someone has finally told the engineers that Australian homes have windows smaller than the ones on American skyscrapers. The previous models were fine if you lived inside a shopping centre. On a normal house they were about as useful as a fridge on a bicycle. This new one, however, has been shrunk to a size that actually makes sense.

ECOVACS claims it is 37 percent smaller and you can tell the moment you hold it. It feels compact, tidy and strangely enthusiastic, like a robot that has turned up early to work. The slimmer body lets it slide into spaces that would have stopped the older models dead in their tracks.

Here are the big improvements you notice straight away
• It small enough to fit on narrow window panes
• It no longer feels like you are attaching a paving slab to your glass
• It looks and feels properly engineered rather than overbuilt

The compact size is not just about convenience. It also means you can clean the annoying little windows that builders install for decoration rather than practicality. The ones above doors. The ones in stairwells. The ones with security bars where you need the flexibility of a circus performer to reach them. The MINI NEO fits where the bigger robots simply cant.

You also get a sense that this thing has been redesigned with actual homes in mind. ECOVACS has squeezed the internal components together, shaved millimetres off the body and dropped the weight. The result is a robot that
• Clings confidently without feeling like it is about to rip your window off
• Glides more freely around tight edges
• Can be used on both big glass doors and tiny bathroom windows without complaint

In short, the NEO MINI looks like the first window robot built for real world conditions. It is compact where it matters, light enough to handle without feeling fragile and finally shaped to deal with the odd assortment of windows Australians somehow end up living with.

Setup and Suction – Stick, whirr, and hang on like a gecko with a gym membership

Setting up the WINBOT NEO MINI is one of those rare tech experiences where nothing fights you. You take it out of the box, plug in the cord, soak the pad, stick the pad on and it is basically begging to get to work. No drama. No reading a manual the size of a phone book. It is so simple you start to wonder why other gadgets insist on being so difficult.

A few things make the setup feel almost suspiciously easy
• The cleaning pad attaches in seconds by Velcro
• You wet it under the tap and squeeze it out
• You slap the robot on the window, press the button and it clings instantly

That first moment when it sticks is oddly impressive. It grabs onto the glass with the determination of a gecko that has just discovered super glue and refuses to let go. Once attached, it does a little shuffle, figures out where it is and then sets off like a small square mountaineer who has trained for this exact moment.

The suction performance is where the MINI NEO feels genuinely confident. It holds on so firmly you start to believe it could survive a category five cyclone, which is reassuring considering it is often hanging several metres above the ground. ECOVACS has clearly dialled in the balance between grip and movement so it sticks tight without dragging itself around like a pensioner on roller skates.

During normal use you notice a few reassuring behaviours
• It constantly adjusts suction to stay planted
• It never looks like it is slipping or struggling
• It talks loudly when it wants to come off so you cannot accidentally yank it mid clean

It also comes with a safety rope, which feels a bit like training wheels. Realistically the suction is so strong you will probably never need it, but it is there for peace of mind. Clip it on, attach it to something solid and suddenly you have a tiny robot abseiling your windows like it is on a mission.

In everyday use the whole process becomes almost comically simple. Stick it on. Press the button. Walk away. The MINI hangs on with the confidence of something that absolutely refuses to fail, whirring its way across the glass while you stand inside wondering why you ever bothered cleaning windows by hand in the first place.

App and Cleaning Modes – Three ways to boss it around from the couch

If there is one thing the WINBOT NEO MINI excels at apart from making your windows look like they have been professionally polished, it is letting you control it without ever leaving the comfort of your lounge. This is a robot designed for people who believe chores should be done from a seated position while holding a cup of coffee and judging the weather.

The app is simple, quick to connect and seems genuinely eager to impress. No complicated menus. No confusing symbols. Just big obvious buttons that say things like Fast Clean or Thorough Clean, which is perfect for anyone who considers reading instructions a personal insult.

Here is what you get as soon as you open the app
• Three main modes that actually make sense
• A spot clean option for the one grubby patch that mocks you
• Proper directional control so you can drive it like a remote controlled fridge magnet

The Fast Clean mode is your go to option when the windows look fine until the sun hits them and suddenly they resemble a primary school science experiment. It zips across like it has somewhere to be and leaves the glass looking fresh without wasting time.

Thorough Clean is where the robot decides to show off. It slows down, covers every inch and behaves like a professional who charges by the hour. Perfect for the windows you have not touched since moving in.

Spot Clean might be the most satisfying feature of the lot. You steer it to one filthy area, press the button and watch it scrub away like it is personally offended by that smudge. There is something deeply entertaining about commanding a tiny robot to deal with a single fingerprint while you remain seated like royalty.

A few things make the app feel surprisingly polished
• Bluetooth range is solid and responsive
• Controls are instant with no annoying delay
• Everything is laid out so plainly that even your grandparents could operate it

The best part is how natural the whole system feels. You stick the robot on the window, sit back, open the app and suddenly you are in full control of a miniature cleaner that does not complain, take breaks or threaten to quit. It glides where you tell it to, follows instructions without arguing and finishes the job without passive aggressive comments.

In the end, the app turns window cleaning into something dangerously close to entertainment. You sit on the couch, press a few buttons and watch a dedicated little robot tackle the job you had no intention of doing yourself. It is power, convenience and laziness all wrapped into one delightful package.

Water Tank and Solution – Official ecox juice vs “I’ll just use tap water, thanks”

The WINBOT NEO MINI comes with its own little bottle of ECOVACS cleaning solution, presented as if it is some kind of premium elixir for your windows. It smells clean, it looks fancy and it is clearly designed to make you feel like you are doing something proper and sophisticated. Then reality kicks in and you remember you live in Australia, where most people will happily wipe down a barbecue with paper towel and determination. Which is why the first instinct is to fill the tank with plain old tap water and see what happens.

Here is the shocking part
• Tap water works perfectly
• The robot does not complain or explode
• The windows still come out sparkling

The official solution does give you a slightly nicer, more polished finish, but not in a dramatic enough way to make you buy bottles of the stuff like it is liquid gold. It sprays in a neat mist, spreads evenly and helps lift grime, but so does water from the kitchen sink. The MINI functions with either option and never acts like a diva about it.

The spray system itself deserves a bit of praise. Instead of firing random bursts of liquid like a toddler with a water gun, it produces a fine mist that lands gently on the glass and keeps the pad consistently damp. This stops any dragging or streaking and helps the robot glide smoothly like it is auditioning for a window cleaning ballet.

During use you notice a few things
• The tank is small but lasts longer than you expect
• The spray always points in the correct direction for the robot’s movement
• It never drenches the window like it is trying to recreate a rainstorm

If you do choose to use ECOVACS’ official solution, you get a slightly more refined clean and a nice scent that makes you feel like you have made an adult decision. If you do not, the robot still does the job flawlessly and you save yourself a trip to the shops.

In typical Australian fashion the question becomes simple. Will the official solution make your windows look a tiny bit better? Probably. Will tap water make them look virtually the same for free? Absolutely. The MINI does not care either way. It just gets on with the job, spraying, wiping and quietly judging your cleaning habits with every pass.

Cleaning Performance – Turns filthy glass into “who replaced my windows?”

The real magic trick of the WINBOT NEO MINI is what happens once it starts cleaning. You stand there expecting the usual streaks, smears and disappointment that come with most window gadgets, but instead the glass starts looking suspiciously perfect. Not just clean. Suspiciously clean. The sort of clean that makes you wonder if someone has quietly swapped your window for a new one while your back was turned.

The MINI tackles dirt with a level of commitment normally reserved for people scrubbing their rental before an inspection. It glides up and down like it is on autopilot, lifts grime you could not see and reveals just how filthy your windows actually were. If you want to feel slightly ashamed about your housekeeping, this robot is the way to do it.

You notice a few things straight away
• Light dust vanishes instantly
• Stubborn marks soften and wipe away with surprising ease
• Even dried fingerprints and old smudges disappear without a tantrum

The cleaning pad, once you wet it properly, grabs dirt like a magnet. Even the fake dirt in the reviewer’s paint test came off with barely a fuss. The MINI simply sails over it, mops it up and keeps going as if it is bored by how easy the job is. It is almost rude about it.

The spray system also helps more than you expect. It fires a neat mist onto the glass, front or back depending on direction, which means the pad never drags itself across dry patches like some miserable old mop. Everything stays wet, smooth and controlled, and the final result looks like you have hired a professional to clean the outside of your house.

A few extra highlights that make the performance stand out
• It maps the window automatically so it never misses sections
• It works right to the edges without leaving annoying borders
• It does not slow down or panic when it hits heavier grime

Perhaps the funniest part is watching it finish. It reaches the end, tells you and sits there proudly like it expects applause while waiting for you to come grab it. And honestly, it deserves it. The difference between before and after is so dramatic you will think you have walked into a display home.

In short, the WINBOT NEO MINI cleans with a level of competence that is almost insulting. It wipes away months of neglect and makes your windows look brand new, all while you stand inside doing absolutely nothing.

Water Tank and Solution – Official juice vs “I’ll just use tap water, thanks”

The WINBOT NEO MINI comes with its own little bottle of ECOVACS cleaning solution, presented as if it is some kind of premium elixir for your windows. It smells clean, it looks fancy and it is clearly designed to make you feel like you are doing something proper and sophisticated. Then reality kicks in and you remember you live in Australia, where most people will happily wipe down a barbecue with paper towel and determination. Which is why the first instinct is to fill the tank with plain old tap water and see what happens.

Here is the shocking part
• Tap water works fine
• The robot does not complain or explode
• The windows still come out sparkling

The official solution does give you a slightly nicer, more polished finish, but not in a dramatic enough way to make you buy bottles of the stuff like it is liquid gold. It sprays in a neat mist, spreads evenly and helps lift grime, but so does water from the kitchen sink. The MINI functions with either option and never acts like a diva about it.

The spray system itself deserves a bit of praise. Instead of firing random bursts of liquid like a toddler with a water gun, it produces a fine mist that lands gently on the glass and keeps the pad consistently damp. This stops any dragging or streaking and helps the robot glide smoothly like it is auditioning for a window cleaning ballet.

During use you notice a few things
• The tank is small but lasts longer than you expect
• The spray always points in the correct direction for the robot’s movement
• It never drenches the window like it is trying to recreate a rainstorm

If you do choose to use ECOVACS’ official solution, you get a slightly more refined clean and a nice scent that makes you feel like you have made an adult decision. If you do not, the robot still does the job flawlessly and you save yourself a trip to the shops.

In typical Australian fashion the question becomes simple. Will the official solution make your windows look a tiny bit better? Probably. Will tap water make them look virtually the same for free? Absolutely. The MINI does not care either way. It just gets on with the job, spraying, wiping and quietly judging your cleaning habits with every pass.

Cables, Ropes and Reach – Brilliant… as long as your power point is not in another postcode

For all its clever engineering and impressive window climbing, the WINBOT NEO MINI still has one gloriously old fashioned weakness. It needs to stay plugged in. Which is fine if your power point is somewhere sensible. If it is tucked behind a couch, buried under a bookshelf or placed by a builder who clearly moonlights as a comedian, things get challenging very quickly.

The cable is around three metres long, which sounds decent until you realise how far away the far corner of a window suddenly becomes once the robot starts wandering off like a curious toddler. Before you know it, you are stretching cords, shuffling furniture and praying the MINI NEO does not reach the end of its lifeline halfway through a clean.

A few things you notice right away
• The 3 metre cable is good, but not exactly generous
• Measuring your outlet distance saves you from future heart attacks
• The robot will keep climbing until it physically cannot go any further

Then comes the safety rope. It is a nylon and latex tether designed to prevent the MINI from performing a spectacular dive if something goes wrong. You clip it to something solid inside your home and suddenly the robot looks like it is preparing to scale a cliff face. Does it truly need this rope? Almost never. Does it make you feel better when the robot is outside on a second storey window? Completely.

As you keep using it, a few truths reveal themselves
• The suction is so strong the rope is mostly psychological comfort
• The cable rarely tangles unless you actively engineer chaos
• You develop the habit of checking cable slack like an overprotective parent

The entire system works beautifully as long as your power point is not located somewhere ridiculous. If your outlet is nearby, the MINI glides around freely and cleans without complaint. If the nearest socket is so far away it feels like it belongs to another suburb, you will need an extension lead or a deep sense of inner peace.

In the grand scheme of things, the cable is a small compromise for never climbing a ladder again. Yes, a cordless version would be nice. Yes, a built in battery would be glorious. But until that miracle arrives, the corded MINI does its job perfectly well, provided your power points are within a sane distance and your safety rope is clipped to something sturdier than a dining chair from Kmart.

Noise and Everyday Use – Background hum of something doing chores you absolutely will not

Once the WINBOT NEO MINI is up and running, it produces the kind of soft mechanical hum that immediately tells you two things. First, it is definitely working. Second, you are definitely not. It is the background soundtrack of a machine out there doing the chores you have been avoiding since the last time you felt productive, which was probably sometime in 2021.

The noise itself is not offensive. It is not the screech of a blender or the roar of a vacuum cleaner having an existential crisis. It is more like a polite whirr, the sort of sound you hear from a hardworking appliance that never complains. It sits comfortably in the background without demanding attention, and after a minute or two you forget it is even there.

A few things you notice during normal use
• The hum is steady and oddly soothing
• It never spikes or squeals like it is struggling
• You can still talk, watch TV or lie on the couch without interruption

Everyday operation becomes strangely addictive. You stick the robot to the window, press the button and watch it glide around with the determination of a tiny office worker who has been told there is pizza if they finish early. It moves with purpose, wipes with enthusiasm and never takes a break or asks for a pay rise.

The funniest part is how quickly you start relying on it. You walk past a dirty window and instead of sighing and pretending you did not see it, you grab the MINI, slap it on the glass and let it deal with the offending grime. It turns window cleaning from an annoying task into a mild spectator sport.

A few more everyday truths become obvious
• You start cleaning windows more often simply because it is easy
• You check on the robot occasionally like it is a pet doing a trick
• It finishes jobs faster than the guilt you feel for not helping

When it completes a clean it lets out a chirp to announce that it is done, like a small robot hoping for praise. You grab it, peel it off the window, and it sits there with its pad looking proud and slightly smug.

In day to day life the WINBOT NEO MINI is the kind of helper you wish you had years ago. Quiet enough not to bother you, capable enough to impress you and dependable enough to do the job without supervision. It becomes part of the household routine, humming away, cleaning the glass, and doing all the things you absolutely had no intention of doing yourself.

What Still Annoys Me – No battery, no carry case, and a mild case of “nearly perfect”

For all the clever engineering and window climbing heroics, the WINBOT NEO MINI still manages to miss a couple of painfully obvious features. Nothing catastrophic, nothing that ruins the experience, just those small irritations that remind you this brilliant little robot is still one step away from perfection.

First and most obvious, it still relies entirely on a power cable. In a world where lawn mowers, vacuums and even leaf blowers can run on batteries, this thing clings to your window like an Olympian but still needs to be fed electricity through a cord. A cordless version would instantly elevate the MINI into the realm of truly magical household devices.

A few reasons the lack of a battery feels like a missed opportunity
• You cannot use it on windows where the nearest outlet is miles away
• The cable limits placement even when the robot itself would fit perfectly
• A portable version would make outdoor windows laughably easy

Then there is the storage situation. Or rather, the complete lack of one. The MINI arrives in a box and then expects you to just find somewhere to keep it. No case, no pouch, no neat little bag to store the pad, the cable and the safety rope. It is not the end of the world, but it does feel like buying a fancy camera that comes with no bag and a note saying you will figure something out.

A few more gripes that appear during long term use
• The cable can sometimes feel like it has a mind of its own
• The safety rope, while useful, adds extra faffing around
• Replacement pads should be easier to get without hunting across the internet

None of these issues break the experience, but they do occasionally make you sigh at the ceiling like a disappointed parent. The hardware is fantastic. The size is perfect. The cleaning performance is almost unfairly good. Which is why the missing bits stand out even more. The MINI is so competent that you cannot help imagining how incredible it would be if it came with a built in battery and a proper storage case like its pricier siblings.

In the end, these annoyances fall into the category of small but noticeable. The MINI is a great robot, possibly the best window cleaner on the market for everyday homes. It is simply held back by a couple of design omissions that stop it from being the undisputed champion. Nearly perfect, brilliantly useful and just a few decisions short of legendary.

Final Verdict – The laziest, safest way to pretend you cleaned the windows yourself

At the end of the day, the WINBOT NEO MINI is one of those rare gadgets that actually makes your life easier instead of adding more chaos to it. It is small, clever and relentlessly determined, like a tiny square apprentice who never takes a break and never asks why the windows were allowed to get this disgusting in the first place. You press a single button and suddenly you look like the sort of person who stays on top of household chores, even though the robot is doing absolutely all of the work.

What makes the MINI special is how well it understands real homes. It fits the silly narrow panes that other window robots bounce off. It clings on with the enthusiasm of a caffeinated gecko. It glides across the glass like it has been training for this moment its entire life and leaves behind windows so clean you will find yourself staring through them in disbelief.

The lack of a battery is still frustrating and the absence of a storage case feels unnecessarily stingy, but none of that comes close to overshadowing the convenience it delivers. You no longer need to hang out a window, wrestle with a spray bottle or risk your life while attempting to reach that one annoying corner. You simply stick the MINI on the glass, walk away and let it earn its keep.

Living with the MINI becomes a habit frighteningly fast. You catch sight of a dirty window and instead of ignoring it for the next six months, you casually send the robot over like a tiny butler. People will compliment you on how spotless your windows look and you will smile politely, knowing the extent of your contribution was plugging in a cable.

In the end, the WINBOT NEO MINI is brilliant because it removes every painful part of window cleaning and replaces it with a quiet hum and a smug sense of accomplishment. It is safe, effective and absurdly easy to use. If you want sparkling windows without the effort, without the danger and without the slightest hint of sweat, this is absolutely the gadget for you.

Would I buy the WINBOT NEO MINI?

Yes. Absolutely. Without even pretending to hesitate. Because I hate cleaning windows.

It is one of those products that actually solves a problem instead of creating new ones. If you have narrow windows, awkward panes, exterior glass on a second floor or anything that normally requires balancing like a circus performer while clutching a spray bottle, this little robot instantly becomes worth its price. It is small enough to fit everywhere, smart enough to clean properly and dependable enough that you stop worrying about it the moment it sticks to the glass.

The lack of a battery annoys me, and the missing storage case feels like someone in the design department fell asleep at their desk, but none of that outweighs the sheer convenience of pressing one button and watching a robot do a job that most people avoid for months at a time.

In real daily life, it becomes addictive. It makes window cleaning effortless, safe and almost entertaining, which is not a sentence I ever expected to write. So yes, I would buy it, because it makes a chore disappear, keeps your windows embarrassingly clean and lets you take full credit for work you did not actually do.

ALDI Special Buys: WINBOT NEO MINI Lands Today

ECOVACS has brought the WINBOT NEO MINI to the ALDI Special Buys aisle today, giving Australians the chance to grab its newest compact window cleaning robot at a rare budget friendly price. This is the smallest and most accessible WINBOT the brand has ever released, designed for apartments, balcony doors and the narrow glass panels most people never manage to clean properly.

Despite its tiny footprint, the NEO MINI packs serious hardware with ultrasonic atomised spray, 7,500 Pa suction, intelligent edge detection and a full nine stage protection system. It delivers a streak free finish without ladders, risky stretches or awkward angles, and its built in backup battery keeps it attached during power interruptions for extra peace of mind.

The WINBOT NEO MINI is part of ALDI Special Buys from November 26 and is available for $299 while stock lasts.