powerful cleaning on a budget

Robot vacuum manufacturers are becoming more innovative. Some of the best robot vacuums we’ve reviewed have pioneering features like hot water mop washing and extending brushes to clean alongside baseboards. Unfortunately, these advanced features often translate into sky-high prices, frequently exceeding $1,500.

However, budget-friendly models exist, with solid options that excel at vacuuming but fall short in mopping. The Yeedi C12 Pro Plus is a particularly affordable robot vacuum and mop combo that excels at vacuuming and has a strong vibrating mop that applies pressure to remove tough stains. While it may not be as advanced as higher-end options, it delivers excellent cleaning results at a fraction of the price.

Unlike some products from lesser-known brands, Yeedi is part of Ecovacs, ensuring high-quality design and innovation from experienced engineers and a reliable company.

Price, availability, and specs

Excellent value for money

The Yeedi C12 is offered in three versions: the C12 (without the dock), the C12 Plus (with the bagless cyclonic dock), and the C12 Pro Plus (with the Ozmo Mega mopping system and a vibrating mop for optimal performance).

The three models traditionally sell for $300, $480, and $600. However, promotional offers make the C12 Pro Plus available for only $390, a particularly affordable deal given its features.

What’s good about the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus?

Great cleaning for a small price

The Yeedi C12 Pro Plus offers remarkable cleaning performance at an affordable price. One of its strongest selling points is its affordable price point, at just $600 without discounts. Despite being budget-friendly, it has powerful 8,000Pa suction power, allowing it to clean hard floors and carpets.

It also features a unique vibrating mop that is quite different from the standard ones found on other robots. Indeed, it applies a consistent 6N pressure and vibrates at 480 rpm to effectively remove tough stains, quite similar to the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra‘s mop. This makes the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus a unique contender, as most competitors at the same price point don’t have advanced mopping systems.

In addition, the water flow is adjustable directly in the app, just like higher-end models. Although the dock doesn’t wash the mop, it has a baseplate to prevent wetting the floor, and the box includes an extra mop, so you can use a clean one and throw the dirty one in the washer.

The Yeedi C12 Pro Plus also has a compact form factor, with a relatively thin dock featuring a bagless cyclonic dust bin. This design eliminates the need for replacement bags, making the overall maintenance easier, more environmentally friendly, and less costly.

What’s bad about the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus?

A few downsides, but nothing too bad

Despite its many advantages, the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus does have some drawbacks. For starters, it’s noisier than most robovacs, because of the vibrating mop. Although it cleans well, the vibration can be quite loud, which can be slightly annoying if you’re using it at night or while watching TV.

In addition, although the cyclone bagless approach saves money and helps reduce waste, I’m not convinced about its transparent design. This means you can see the dirt inside after it’s vacuumed, which isn’t appealing if you’ve placed the dock in a visible area.

Also, the mop is not liftable, as this feature is exclusive to higher-end models. This may be problematic if you have carpets at home, as the robot will automatically avoid carpets to prevent wetting them. Thankfully, you can remove the mopping module for the robot to exclusively vacuum hard floors and carpets. It can even automatically boost its suction power on carpets to clean them thoroughly.

Obstacle detection is another area where the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus could improve. It struggles to identify and avoid smaller objects like cables and wires, which can get caught in the roller. It manages well when it comes to other obstacles but requires you to check that smaller ones are out of its way.

The ZeroTangle feature, designed to prevent hair tangles in the roller brush, is also a bit of a mixed bag. While it’s generally effective, some hair still gets trapped in the bristled roller brush. Like any vacuum, though, it requires occasional maintenance, and potentially removing any trapped or tangled hair.

Lastly, the companion app has limited capabilities, offering basic controls and scheduling but lacking advanced features and customization options found in more expensive models. For instance, it doesn’t show obstacles on the map, a relatively basic feature competitors offer.

Should you buy it?

Yes, unless you’re looking for a fully autonomous robovac

The Yeedi C12 Pro Plus is a solid choice for those seeking an affordable and effective robot vacuum and mop combo. It offers excellent cleaning performance and value for its price, making it a great option if you’re budget-conscious.

However, if you require a fully autonomous robovac with advanced features and superior obstacle detection, you might want to consider investing in higher-end models (provided you have a higher budget). Overall, the Yeedi C12 Pro Plus strikes a good balance between affordability and functionality, making it a worthy consideration for your household.