Quick answer: The CleanBot R1 (£173) and the Ecovacs Winbot W2 Omni (typically £350–£500 in the UK) both clean windows automatically with strong suction, spray systems and multi-layer fall protection. The Winbot W2's headline advantage is its portable battery station, which lets it run without a wall socket. The R1's advantage is delivering 6,500Pa suction, 4 cleaning modes and an 8-layer safety system at less than half the price. If you clean windows far from power sockets, buy the Winbot; for everyone else, the R1 does the same core job for roughly £230 less.
Ecovacs makes an excellent robot — let's get that out of the way. The Winbot line is the category's most famous name, and tech reviewers consistently rate the W2 Omni among the best window robots money can buy.
The question isn't whether the Winbot is good. It's whether the specific things the extra £230+ buys are things your home needs. Here's the honest breakdown.
Head-to-head specification comparison
| CleanBot R1 | Ecovacs Winbot W2 Omni | |
|---|---|---|
| UK price | £173 (RRP £229.99) | Typically £350–£500 |
| Max suction | 6,500Pa | Up to 5,500Pa |
| Power | Mains cable + backup battery | Portable station with 5,200mAh battery (~130 min) |
| Cleaning modes | 4 (incl. deep-clean double pass) | Multiple, app-selectable |
| Path planning | N-path, Z-path, hybrid | AI path mapping (WIN-SLAM) |
| Safety | 8-layer system + tether + backup battery | 8 hardware fall-protection features + tether |
| Spray | Dual tanks, fine mist | Wide-angle spray nozzles |
| Warranty | 24 months | Typically 12 months |
| Best for | Value, whole-home glass on mains power | Glass far from any socket |
What the Winbot W2 genuinely does better
Cord-free operation is the Winbot W2's real differentiator. Its carry-station houses a 5,200mAh battery good for around 130 minutes of cleaning — enough for roughly 65m² of glass — so you can clean a garden-room or stairwell window with no socket in sight. It's also slightly quieter at its minimum (63dB vs the mid-70s that's typical for the category), and the Ecovacs app ecosystem is more polished.
If you have a large glazed area genuinely far from power — think detached garden offices, stair voids, big gable glazing — that station solves a real problem, and the Winbot earns its price.
What the CleanBot R1 does better
The CleanBot R1 wins on grip, warranty and price-per-clean. Its 6,500Pa suction is the stronger hold of the two on paper — grip strength is the number that matters most for confidence on vertical glass (here's the physics). It carries a 24-month warranty against the industry-standard 12. And at £173, it costs less than half the Winbot's typical UK street price while doing the same fundamental job: automatic, streak-free, tether-secured window cleaning.
Both robots need you to place them and move them between panes. Both mist, wipe and path-plan. Both have layered anti-fall systems. On the pane itself, the day-to-day experience is far more similar than the price gap suggests.
Try the value option risk-free: the CleanBot R1 is £173 with a 24-month warranty and free UK delivery over £75 — use code WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order.
The decision in one question
"Are the windows I most want cleaned near a power socket?"
- Yes (most UK homes): the Winbot's battery station — its main premium feature — sits unused. The R1 delivers the same automated clean for ~£230 less, with double the warranty. That difference funds a professional twice a year for your unreachable panes and a decade of replacement pads.
- No: pay the premium; the Winbot W2 Omni is the right tool and a genuinely good one.
Still weighing whether any robot earns its keep? The full cost maths — including who shouldn't buy one at all — is in Are robot window cleaners worth it?
FAQ
Is the CleanBot R1 as good as the Ecovacs Winbot?
On the glass, the cleaning experience is comparable: both use strong suction (R1: 6,500Pa; Winbot W2: up to 5,500Pa), fine-mist spray, planned cleaning paths and layered fall protection. The Winbot adds a portable battery station and a slicker app; the R1 costs less than half as much and has a 24-month warranty.
Why is the Ecovacs Winbot more expensive?
Mainly the portable power station (5,200mAh battery, ~130 minutes cord-free), quieter minimum operation, and the Ecovacs brand's flagship positioning. The core cleaning hardware — suction, spray, pads, sensors — is closer than the price gap implies.
Which robot window cleaner is best value in the UK in 2026?
For homes where windows are within cable reach of a socket, a high-suction mid-price model like the CleanBot R1 (£173, 6,500Pa, 24-month warranty) offers the strongest value. Battery-station flagships only pay off when sockets are genuinely unavailable.
Do both robots work on frameless glass and doors?
Yes — both use edge-detection sensors, so they handle framed windows, frameless balcony panels, patio and bifold doors, and large mirrors.
Same clean, half the price: CleanBot R1 — £173, 6,500Pa, 24-month warranty. Code WELCOME10 takes 10% off your first order.