ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2 review: four corner brushes, an ultra-fine mist and 8,000 Pa in a robot small enough for a drawer
The ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2 Compact Window Cleaning Robot is the best small window robot I have tested. Four spinning corner brushes clean far closer to the frame than older compact robots, an ultra-fine mist avoids drips and its 8,000 Pa grip feels secure, but it needs an outlet, has no station and covers big glass walls more slowly than a full-size robot.
Emily Carter
Hands-on review
Hands-on testing, research, specs
4 weeks
20 minutes
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In this review
Yes, if you want a compact window robot for small windows, mirrors and shower glass that still cleans properly into the corners. The WINBOT MINI 2 fits where full-size robots cannot, stores in a drawer, and its corner brushes left much less for me to finish than older compact robots. It needs a power outlet, it is slower on huge glass walls, and very dirty outside windows still take more than one pass.
WINBOT MINI 2 at a glance
WINBOT MINI 2 pros and cons
- Four corner brushes clean close to frames
- Small and light enough to store in a drawer
- 8,000 Pa grip with a 30-minute power-loss backup
- Needs a power outlet within cable reach
- Slower than full-size robots on big glass
- Very dirty glass needs extra passes
Who should buy the WINBOT MINI 2?
- Bathroom windows, mirrors and shower glass
- Narrow windows and panes with handles
- Homes with little storage space
- Large glass walls far from outlets
- People who want a battery station
- Neglected outside windows cleaned once a year
First impressions of the ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2
The ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2 is the window robot I would recommend to most people who live in an apartment or have more small windows than big ones.
It is about 8.5 inches square, roughly 2 inches thick and weighs about 2.8 pounds. That is small enough to carry in one hand and store in a kitchen drawer.
There is no station and no big power brick, just the robot, a power cord, a nylon safety rope, pads and a bottle of solution.
My first job was our bathroom mirror, which collects toothpaste spots faster than anyone in my family will admit.
I filled the little reservoir on top, fitted a damp, wrung-out pad, plugged it in and pressed it to the glass.
It calculated a route, then moved off in neat lines, sending a fog-like mist ahead of it, with four tiny brushes spinning at the corners of its body.
When it reached the mirror’s edge, those brushes swept right along the frame. The finished mirror had clean edges all round, which is not something I expect from a compact robot.
Over the following four weeks, I used it on windows, glass doors, our shower screen and the narrow window next to the front door.
The MINI 2 on our patio door, outside, next to the grill.
What the WINBOT MINI 2 actually is
The MINI 2 is ECOVACS’s most compact WINBOT: a suction✕Suction (Pa)How hard the fan pulls the robot against the glass, measured in pascals. More pascals means a firmer grip, which matters most on outside windows and big panes.-based robot that runs on a power cord, with an internal battery reserved for emergencies.
It combines four rotating corner brushes, an ultrasonic✕Ultrasonic sprayA tiny vibrating plate that turns water or cleaning solution into a very fine mist. Fine droplets wet the glass evenly without leaving drips. mist sprayer, a microfiber pad✕Microfiber padA cloth made of very thin synthetic fibers that trap dust and grease. It is the part of the robot that actually wipes the glass. and WIN-SLAM✕WIN-SLAM navigationECOVACS name for the robot mapping system. It measures the window first, then plans a tidy back-and-forth route instead of wandering. 4.0 navigation.
| Feature | What it does | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Four corner brushes | Spin at up to 84 RPM along the frame | Up to 90% edge coverage |
| Side wings | Guide the pad to within about 1 mm of the edge | Less glass left by the frame |
| Ultrasonic mist | Droplets as small as 10 microns | Even wetting without drips |
| Microfiber pad | Presses at 14 N, holds up to 15 g of moisture | Steady wiping across the glass |
| WIN-SLAM 4.0 | Detects size, frames and obstacles | Planned route, returns near start |
| Backup battery | Keeps suction 30+ minutes on power loss | Time to rescue it safely |
WINBOT MINI 2 design and setup
The size is the design. A compact, flat square lets the MINI 2 reach glass that larger robots cannot: small bathroom windows, narrow panes and windows with handles in the way.
The minimum window ECOVACS supports is about 8.66 by 9.84 inches of glass.
Storage is the other big win. Without a bulky station, it fits in a drawer or bathroom cabinet, so it is always close at hand.
Before each clean
| Step | What I do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fill | Add solution to the reservoir on top | The mist needs it |
| 2. Pad | Dampen, wring out, attach | Damp, not wet |
| 3. Rope | Anchor the nylon safety rope | Essential above ground level |
| 4. Power | Plug in near the glass | It runs on mains power |
| 5. Attach | Press to the glass and start | It calculates its route first |
Our tip: Store the MINI 2 where you use it most. Mine lives in the bathroom cabinet, so cleaning the mirror takes a minute rather than a trip to the closet.
Suction and safety
For a small robot, 8,000 Pa is a lot of grip. It held firmly on every surface I tried, including outside doors.
ECOVACS combines it with a 10-tier protection system: rapid air-pressure compensation, edge detection✕Edge detectionSensors that tell the robot it has reached a frame or the edge of the glass, so it turns around instead of driving off., anti-slip movement and optical sensors that watch for suction problems.
Bars show the order in which each layer acts.
If the power is lost
If someone pulls the plug or a breaker trips, the backup battery✕Backup batteryA small battery inside the robot that keeps the suction fan running if the power is cut, so the robot stays stuck to the glass while it beeps for help. keeps the fan running for more than 30 minutes.
The robot also sends a notification to the app, so you do not need to notice the problem yourself.
I tested it by unplugging the cord mid-run. My phone buzzed within seconds, and the robot stayed put.
Corner brushes: why edges look so good
Edges are where compact robots usually disappoint. Older small robots leave a frame of dirty glass and little squares in every corner.
The MINI 2 tackles this with four high-density brushes, one near each corner, that rotate at up to 84 RPM along the frame.
Ultra-thin side wings guide the pad to within about 1 mm of the edge, and ECOVACS claims up to 90 percent edge coverage.
In my test, frame lines were noticeably cleaner than with any earlier compact robot I have used, and corners needed only an occasional touch.
My cleaning ratings by part of the window, out of 10.
Ninety percent is not 100 percent. Depending on the frame, you may still wipe the very tip of a corner.
Our tip: Run Edge Clean as a finishing pass on mirrors and doors. It is short, and it is the difference between nearly clean and clean.
Ultrasonic mist and the cleaning pad
The MINI 2’s sprayer uses ultrasonic atomization to create droplets as small as 10 microns.
That is a true mist, not a spray. It wets the glass evenly without beading or running, which is why I saw so few drips and streaks.
The mist softens dust and fingerprints, then the pad, pressing at about 14 N, wipes them away.
ECOVACS says the enlarged pad holds up to 15 g of moisture, which keeps the wipe consistent across the glass.
My ratings on a 10-point scale.
Our tip: Rinse the pad after every session. Microfiber traps dirt deep in its fibers, and a dirty pad puts it straight back on the glass.
Five cleaning modes and the app
Everything beyond starting the robot happens in the ECOVACS HOME app, which offers five modes.
| Mode | What it does | When I used it |
|---|---|---|
| Fast | Quick everyday pass | Mirrors and recently cleaned windows |
| Thorough | Careful full coverage | Most windows and doors |
| Deep | More intensive cleaning | Shower glass, outside glass |
| Spot | Targets an area of about 17.7 in | Fingerprints on the patio door |
| Edge Clean | Finishing pass along frames | Mirrors and doors |
Relative cleaning time per pane from my test.
Manual control
Close-range Bluetooth control lets you steer the robot from the app. I used it to drive it to a smear in the middle of a big door.
Day to day, though, Fast, Thorough and Spot covered almost everything.
How well the WINBOT MINI 2 cleans
On everyday dirt, results were very good.
Mirrors came out streak-free in Fast mode. Windows and glass doors cleaned in the last month or two were clear after Thorough.
Outside glass with pollen and rain marks cleaned well in Deep. Neglected windows took two runs.
My ratings on a 10-point scale.
A sliding door from inside after a Thorough run, edges included.
Bathroom mirrors and shower glass
This is where the MINI 2 really earns its place.
Mirrors
Bathroom mirrors collect fingerprints, toothpaste spots, water spots and dust. The MINI 2 cleaned ours in a few minutes, edges included.
Shower glass
Glass shower doors and panels collect water marks and soap residue. The compact size made it easy to place on our shower screen.
Regular soap film came off well in Deep mode. Thick limescale needed a descaler and a scrub by hand first.
Small bathroom windows
Small windows above tubs or sinks are awkward to reach. The MINI 2 fits them and saves the stretch.
| Surface | Mode | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom mirror | Fast | Streak-free, clean edges |
| Shower screen, weekly | Deep | Soap film cleared |
| Shower screen, scale buildup | Descale first, then Deep | Good after prep |
| Window above the tub | Thorough | Clean, no stretching |
Our tip: Wait for steam to clear before cleaning bathroom glass. A fogged mirror makes the pad slide and the robot works harder for a worse result.
Small windows, narrow panes and handles
The MINI 2’s small footprint lets it work around obstacles larger robots cannot.
Our narrow pane beside the front door was easy, and it worked around the handle on our patio door without getting stuck.
Its route planning on narrow glass was tidy, with only the long sides needing an occasional second pass.
| Window | How it went | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow side pane | Clean, sides sometimes twice | Very good |
| Window with a handle | Navigated around it | Very good |
| Small bedroom window | Fast and easy | Excellent |
| Large sliding door | Good, but slower | Good |
Outside glass and patio doors
The MINI 2 is not just an indoor robot. I used it on the outside of our patio doors and two small ground-floor windows.
The 8,000 Pa grip held firmly on dusty outside glass, and the corner brushes cleaned the frame lines that collect pollen and grit.
Outside dirt is tougher than bathroom dirt. Pollen and dust came off in one Deep run. Rain spots took a second, and neglected street-facing glass needed a hand clean first to get it back to a level the robot could maintain.
My ratings on a 10-point scale, Deep mode with a fresh pad.
Choose your moment. Hot, direct sun dries the mist too quickly. Overcast mornings gave me the best outside results.
Our tip: Do outside glass in the shade. The ultra-fine mist is a strength indoors, but in full sun it can dry before the pad arrives and leave faint marks.
Large glass: where a bigger robot wins
The MINI 2 can clean large windows and glass doors, and it did a good job on ours.
It is slower, though. A smaller body covers less glass with each pass, so a big slider takes noticeably longer than with a full-size robot.
It also needs an outlet within reach, so huge windows far from sockets are awkward.
Relative cleaning time by size of glass, from my test.
If most of your glass is large, a station model such as the W2S Omni will save you time.
Power, cord and outlets
The MINI 2 runs on a power cord during normal cleaning. The internal battery is for emergencies only.
That keeps the robot light and small, with no station to carry.
The cord is reasonably long, but you still need an outlet near the glass, and the cord has to reach without tension or getting in the robot’s way.
Indoors, that was rarely a problem. For the outside of the patio doors, I ran the cord through the slightly open door.
Our tip: Hang the cord and rope down opposite sides of the robot. When they cross, they can tug the robot off its route.
What using it is really like
Because it lives in the bathroom cabinet, the MINI 2 became the robot I used most often.
A mirror clean took about a minute to set up and a few minutes to run.
ECOVACS lists the noise at about 65 dB, a steady fan hum that was fine to work alongside.
My time for a typical bathroom session.
The outside of a sliding door, with the cord run through the doorway.
My weekly bathroom and window routine
By week two, I had a routine that took about ten minutes of my time a week.
| Day | Glass | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Main bathroom mirror | Fast, then Edge Clean |
| Wednesday | Shower screen | Deep |
| Friday | Patio door, inside | Spot on handprints, or Thorough |
| Saturday | Small windows that caught the light | Thorough |
| Monthly | Outside of patio doors | Deep, overcast morning |
None of these jobs was big. That is the point: small, frequent cleans meant the glass never got dirty enough to be a chore.
Before the MINI 2, the shower screen got a proper clean about once a month, and the mirror whenever someone complained.
Robot versus cleaning by hand
On one mirror, I could match the robot by hand in about the same time.
The difference is that I would not do it every week. With the robot sitting in the cabinet, I did.
| Task | By hand | WINBOT MINI 2 |
|---|---|---|
| One mirror | About as fast | About as fast, with no effort |
| Shower glass every week | A chore I skipped | Easy to keep up with |
| Small high window | Awkward stretching | Fits and cleans |
| Edges | Precise if careful | Close, with corner brushes |
| Large slider | Faster | Slower but hands-off |
How to get the best results
These habits made the biggest difference over four weeks.
- Keep the pad damp, not wet, and rinse it after every session.
- Use Fast on mirrors and Thorough on windows; save Deep for shower glass and outside panes.
- Finish mirrors and doors with Edge Clean.
- Wait for bathroom steam to clear before you start.
- Descale heavy limescale by hand first.
- Keep the cord and rope apart.
My judgment of how much each habit improved the final look.
Cleaning and maintaining it
| When | Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| After each session | Rinse the pad | Stops dirt going back on the glass |
| Weekly | Check the corner brushes | Clears hair and lint |
| After outside glass | Wipe sensors and underside | Accurate edge detection |
| When low | Refill the solution | Keeps the mist even |
| Before high windows | Check the rope | Your safety backup |
Storage and long-term ownership
Storage is the MINI 2’s quiet superpower. It fits in a drawer, so you actually use it.
The ongoing supplies are pads and solution, and the fine mist uses solution sparingly.
After four weeks of frequent use, often several times a week in the bathroom, it cleaned exactly as on day one.
Where to keep it, and why it matters
It sounds trivial, but where you store a window robot decides how often you use it.
Big station robots end up in a closet, and getting them out becomes an event. You save windows up for a cleaning day.
The MINI 2 is small enough to live right where the dirty glass is.
Mine spent the month in the bathroom cabinet, next to the spare towels. Grabbing it for the mirror took ten seconds.
If your problem glass is in the kitchen, keep it in a kitchen drawer. If it is the patio door, a shelf by the door works.
How often I would realistically use it depending on where it is stored, from my experience with window robots.
Our tip: Keep a spare pad and the solution bottle with the robot. If everything is in one spot, a quick clean really is quick.
Noise, pets and family life
At about 65 dB, the MINI 2 is quieter than many window robots, though still a clear fan hum.
Runs on mirrors and small windows are short, so the noise is brief.
Our cat ignored it after the first day. With children around, keep the cord and rope out of the way and let it finish before anyone lifts it off.
Which homes it suits best
| Home | How well it fits | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Apartment with small windows | Excellent | Compact, easy to store |
| Home with big bathroom mirrors and showers | Excellent | Weekly upkeep is easy |
| House with narrow and handled windows | Very good | Fits and navigates around handles |
| House with large glass walls | Fair | Slower, needs outlets |
If small glass is your daily annoyance, the MINI 2 is the one I would choose.
It is also a smart second robot. If you already own a full-size station model for big windows, the MINI 2 covers the mirrors, showers and small panes it cannot.
Living with it: week one to week four
Week one: mirrors and small windows, learning the five modes.
Week two: the shower screen and the narrow side pane by the front door.
Week three: outside glass on the patio doors, with the cord through the doorway.
Week four: a weekly bathroom routine and quick runs whenever glass caught the light.
My overall satisfaction each week, out of 10.
What surprised me, good and bad
The biggest good surprise was how often I used it. Keeping it in the bathroom cabinet turned window cleaning into a two-minute habit.
The second was the edges. I expected a compact robot to leave a dirty frame line; the corner brushes mostly solved that.
The less welcome surprise was how slow it felt on our big sliding door compared with full-size robots.
And on outside glass far from outlets, I missed having a battery.
How each detail compared with my expectations before testing.
Common mistakes to avoid
The WINBOT MINI 2 is easy to use, but these habits hold it back.
| Mistake | What happens | Better habit |
|---|---|---|
| Pad too wet | Smears | Wring it out well |
| Cleaning a steamed mirror | Pad slides, poor result | Wait for the steam to clear |
| Robot on heavy limescale | Scale remains | Descale by hand first |
| Skipping Edge Clean | Faint frame lines | Finish with an edge pass |
| Cord and rope crossing | Pulled off route | Keep them apart |
| Using it for huge glass walls | Slow sessions | Consider a station model |
What I would change
An optional battery pack would make outside glass far from outlets easier.
Is it a good first window robot?
For most first-time buyers, yes.
It is small and light, so the first nervous moment of sticking it to glass is easy. The app is simple, and the five modes are clearly named.
It is also forgiving. The backup battery, app alert and rope give you plenty of margin while you learn.
What to expect: you will still prepare the pad, manage the cord and occasionally wipe a corner. It is a helper, not magic.
If your home is mostly small glass, it may be the only window robot you ever need.
Is the WINBOT MINI 2 worth the money?
For small windows, mirrors and shower glass, yes.
It costs considerably less than ECOVACS’s station models, and for small glass it is the better tool, not just the cheaper one.
Ask yourself three questions. Is most of your glass small or medium? Do you have outlets near it? And do you want something you can keep in a drawer?
If so, the MINI 2 is the compact robot I would buy.
Where your money goes
You are paying for clever engineering in a small body: corner brushes, an ultrasonic sprayer, strong suction and smart navigation.
You are not paying for a station or a big battery, which is exactly why it is small enough to store anywhere and affordable compared with ECOVACS’s Omni models.
What the MINI 2 improves over the first MINI
I tested the original WINBOT MINI too, and the MINI 2 is a clear step forward in the areas that annoyed me most.
Edges and corners
The first MINI cleaned near the frame but left small square patches in the corners. The MINI 2’s four corner brushes and side wings cleaned much closer.
Grip and safety
Suction rises from 7,500 to 8,000 Pa, the backup battery holds for over 30 minutes and the app now warns you when power is lost.
Modes and navigation
Five modes, including a dedicated Edge Clean, replace the original three, and WIN-SLAM 4.0 planned tidier routes with fewer repeated passes.
| Area | WINBOT MINI | WINBOT MINI 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Corners | Small squares left | Much closer, corner brushes |
| Suction | 7,500 Pa | 8,000 Pa |
| Power-loss alert | Alarm | Alarm plus app notification |
| Modes | Quick, Intensive, Deep, Spot | Fast, Thorough, Deep, Spot, Edge Clean |
| Route | Occasional repeated passes | Tidier planned route |
If you are choosing between the two, the MINI 2’s edge cleaning alone is worth the step up.
How it compares with other ECOVACS window robots
| Feature | WINBOT MINI 2 | WINBOT MINI | WINBOT W2S Omni | WINBOT W2S PRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Size | 8.46 in square | 8.46 in square | Full size, with station | Full size |
| Max suction | 8,000 Pa | 7,500 Pa | 8,000 Pa | 10,000 Pa |
| Edge cleaning | Four corner brushes | Bumper-free pad | TruEdge scrubber | TruEdge 2.0 brushes |
| Power | Corded, 30+ min backup | Corded, 30 min backup | Battery station | Corded, backup |
| Modes | Five | Three plus Spot | Five | Seven |
| Best for | Small glass, best corners | Basic upkeep | Big glass anywhere | Big glass near outlets |
| Your home | Is the MINI 2 a fit? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mirrors and shower glass | Excellent | Compact, quick, clean edges |
| Small and narrow windows | Excellent | Fits and navigates handles |
| Big glass near outlets | Good | Works, but slower |
| Big glass far from outlets | Fair | Needs a cord |
The MINI 2: small enough for a drawer, with a corner brush at each corner.
Other ECOVACS window robots I tested
For big glass with a battery station, read my WINBOT W2S Omni review.
For the earlier compact model, see my WINBOT MINI review.
For the sharpest edges on large windows, my WINBOT W2S PRO review covers it.
Which one is right for you: is the WINBOT MINI 2 your match?
4 quick questionsWINBOT MINI 2 specifications
From manufacturer data and my own testing.
How I tested and scored the WINBOT MINI 2
For four weeks, I used the WINBOT MINI 2 on bathroom mirrors, a glass shower screen, small and narrow windows and the inside and outside of our patio doors.
I tried all five modes and Bluetooth steering, tested the power-loss backup and app alert, and compared edge results with older compact robots.
I tracked results by surface, timed my hands-on work and kept the robot in the bathroom cabinet to see how often I would really use it.
I then checked my notes against ECOVACS specifications and owner documentation.
- Cleaning (8.2): dust, fingerprints, toothpaste spots, water marks and soap film on windows, mirrors and shower glass.
- Edge coverage (8.4): how close the four corner brushes and side wings get to frames, and how much I still wiped.
- Ease of use (8.7): size, weight, storage, the app and its five modes, Bluetooth steering and pad care.
- Safety (8.7): suction, the optical suction sensors, the 30-minute backup, app alerts and the 1,600 N rope.
The overall score of 8.4 is an editorial rating that reflects those four areas.
WINBOT MINI 2 FAQ
Is the ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2 worth it?
Yes, for small windows, mirrors and shower glass. For large glass far from outlets, a station model is better.
How small is the WINBOT MINI 2?
About 8.46 inches square and about 2 inches thick, weighing about 2.8 pounds.
What is the smallest window it can clean?
About 8.66 by 9.84 inches of glass.
How does it clean edges?
Four corner brushes spin at up to 84 RPM and side wings guide the pad to within about 1 mm of the edge, for up to 90% edge coverage.
How strong is the suction?
8,000 Pa.
Does it have a battery?
It runs on a cord. A backup battery keeps it attached for more than 30 minutes if power is lost.
What modes does it have?
Fast, Thorough, Deep, Spot and Edge Clean, plus Bluetooth steering.
Can it clean mirrors and shower glass?
Yes. Heavy limescale should be descaled by hand first.
How loud is it?
About 65 dB.
Does it need a station?
No. It is a standalone corded robot, which keeps it small enough for a drawer.
Will it warn me if the power fails?
Yes. It sends an app notification and holds on with its backup battery.
What rope is included?
A nylon safety rope rated to 1,600 N.
Is the MINI 2 better than the original MINI?
Yes. It cleans much closer to edges and corners, grips harder, adds an app alert on power loss and has five modes including Edge Clean.
Can it clean the outside of windows?
Yes, if there is an outlet within cord reach and you anchor the safety rope. Clean outside glass in shade for the best results.
How much does it weigh?
About 2.8 pounds, light enough to hold in one hand while you place it on high glass.
Does it work around window handles?
Yes. Its small size and route planning let it work around handles that block larger robots.
Senior home appliance tester
Emily has tested home appliances for a living since 2016, including five years as a test coordinator at a national consumer advocacy group, and has run HouseholdMe's cleaning tests since 2021. She has a degree in industrial design, so she looks at how a product is built, not just how it performs. She used the WINBOT MINI 2 for four weeks for this review, mostly on bathroom mirrors, shower glass, small windows and patio doors.
- Four weeks of hands-on testing of the ECOVACS WINBOT MINI 2
- ECOVACS product specifications and owner documentation
- General window-cleaning and robot-safety guidance