Yeedi M12 Ultra+ review: More power, same convenience

Price When Reviewed

$949

Best Prices Today: Yeedi M12 Ultra+

Yeedi has been evolving its lineup of robot vacuums over the years to meet the growing demand for hands-free cleaning solutions. The M12 Ultra+ is its new top-tier offering and pairs coveted features like self-emptying and self-cleaning capabilities, advanced mapping, and zero-tangle technology with market leading suction power.

The M12 Ultra+ builds on the design and feature set of the Yeedi M12 Pro+, with a few extras to justify justifying its premium designation.

Design and features

The M12 Ultra+ base station and robot are virtually identical in size to those of the M12 Pro+, measuring 19 x 16 x 18.9 inches (LxWxH) and 13.8 x 4.1 inches, respectively. They are aesthetically similar, as well, although the M12 Ultra+ sports a matte white finish versus the M12 Pro+’s black one.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuums.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

A side-by-side spec comparison shows little difference in most features. Both models employ a V-shaped brush roll with anti-static bristles, dual combs that prevent hair tangles, and an adaptive dual mop system that extends and retracts the right mop to clean within 1 mm of baseboards and corners.

The base stations for both models are equipped with 4-liter fresh-water and 3.5-liter dirty-water tanks and a 3.4-liter dust bag. Both units also clean the mop pads after each job with 70-degree C (158 degrees F) water.

Yeedi’s auto-lift mopping system, which automatically raises the mop pads off the floor when the robot detects carpet, is another feature the M12 Ultra+ and M12 Pro+ share.

What you’re paying a bit extra for, then, is an increase in suction power, which has been bumped from 11,000 Pa on the M12 Pro+ to 11,800 Pa for the M12 Ultra+. Additionally, the Ultra comes with four dust bags and two sets of mop pads, while the M12 Pro+ includes just one extra dustbag and no backup mop pads.

Setup

Once you unbox all the vacuum components, you must assemble the base station by snapping its ramp in place and lowering the two water tanks inside.

If you don’t already have it installed on your phone, you’ll also need to download the Yeedi app. The company has refined its setup process to be nearly seamless; all you have to do is scan the QR code under the robot’s lid and follow the prompts to connect to your wireless network.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Navigation

Like the M12 Pro+, the M12 Ultra+ uses LiDAR and 3D mapping to navigate your home, and structured light and AI to detect and avoid obstacles.

Before you clean, you must send the bot on a mapping run. After several minutes, it creates a map with color-coded room divisions. The map produced in my testing got the general layout of my home correct, but it erroneously subdivided a few rooms into smaller rooms. I was able to correct these using the maps editing tools and add proper room names, assign cleaning areas, and set no-go zones at the same time.

App control

The Yeedi app organizes cleaning controls across a series of tabs for whole-home, room, zone, and custom cleaning. The last of these lets you create scenarios to automate a sequence of events.

For example, you could create a scenario to be run after dinner that vacuums and mops the kitchen and dining room twice and the rest of the room once. You can customize suction and other parameters for each room in a given scenario.

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Michael Ansaldo/Foundry

Performance

In daily use, the M12 Ultra+ did a great job keeping my floors clear of dust, crumbs, and pet hair. The suction boost was most evident in our rice test, where it outperformed the M12 Pro+ by picking up the entire half cup I spread on carpet and all but a few grains from hard floor. This combination of powerful suction with a mopping system that effectively tackles light spills, including the teaspoon of jelly I spread on the floor, worked exceptionally well for daily maintenance.

The robot’s navigation and obstacle avoidance systems allowed it to dodge furniture and most household items, reducing the need for manual intervention. But its rotating mop heads had a penchant for ensnaring cables and shoelaces, so removing these items before cleaning is a necessity.

Noise levels are relatively low during cleaning, even when the suction is set to the highest mode. The loudest operation is the dust bin emptying itself, but it’s a negligible concern given it only lasts several seconds.

Specifications

• Robot dimensions: 13.8 x 4.1 inches (WxH)
• Base station dimensions: 19 x 16 x 18.9 inches (LxWxH)
• Clean water tank capacity: 4 liters
• Dirty water tank capacity: 3.5 liters
• Dust bas capacity: 3.4 liters
• Hot water mop head washing: 70 degrees C (150 degrees F)
• Auto-lift mop: Up to 0.35 inches
• Suction power: 11,800 Pa
• Navigation: LiDAR
• Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz

Should you buy the Yeedi M12 Ultra+?

Given my positive experience with the Yeedi M12 Pro+, I wasn’t surprised to like the M12 Ultra+ even more.

At $949, the Ultra only $50 more than the M12 Pro+, and that extra outlay is well worth it for the added suction power as it will deliver superior cleaning performance, especially on carpets and tougher messes. That makes it a smart investment for pet owners, busy households, or anyone looking for a hands-off, high-performing robot vacuum.