HIXZAP X1 vs X1 PRO

HIXZAP X1 vs HIXZAP X1 PRO at a glance

Head to head

The best result in each row is marked, based on my testing and the manufacturer specs. Where the robots tie, both are marked.

The tally is a guide, not my verdict. How high your glass is matters more than any single row.

What the PRO changes

Both robots are dual-pad robots✕Dual-pad robotA window robot with two round microfiber pads that spin against the glass. The spinning both scrubs and moves the robot.. Two round pads spin against the glass, scrub as they go and walk the robot along its path.

Both spray an ultrasonic mist✕Ultrasonic mistA spray made by vibrating water into tiny droplets, so the glass wets evenly instead of in drips. and hold 85 ml in a visible tank, which is larger than many compact robots, which typically hold about 50 to 60 ml.

The X1 PRO changes the safety and control side. It raises suction to 7,200 Pa✕Pa, or pascalsThe unit for suction. A higher number means the robot presses itself to the glass harder., adds a 25-minute backup battery, monitors suction live with audible alerts, offers light and strong spray and comes with 20 pads.

Tank size

HIXZAP figure against typical values from my tank comparison.

Our tip: If you only clean ground-floor glass that you can reach, the X1 can be enough, so decide how high your windows are before upgrading.

Design and setup

The two robots look nearly identical, with two round pads side by side and a visible tank on top. The X1 PRO adds a remote, works on glass from 3 mm thick and needs panes of at least about 12 by 12 inches.

Both took about 2 minutes to set up: fill the tank, fit and center both pads, tie the rope, plug in and start.

Centering the pads mattered on both. Off-center pads pulled the robot into a crooked line.

The X1 uses the same dual-pad design as the PRO.

Our tip: Center both pads every time on either robot, because an off-center pad pulls it into a crooked line.

Grip and safety

This is the main reason to buy the PRO. I scored it 8.3 for safety against 7.6 for the X1.

The X1 has an air-pressure anti-drop sensor and a safety rope. HIXZAP does not specify a backup battery, and I treated it as a robot to stay close to.

The X1 PRO has three layers: live suction monitoring with audible alerts, a 25-minute backup battery and the safety cable. When I cut the power mid-clean, it stopped moving, kept its fan running, beeped and stayed on the glass. Ten minutes later, it was still attached and alerting.

My safety scores

Scores out of 10.

How well they clean

With the same pads and tank, the two cleaned in a similar way, and the PRO was a little better throughout.

On dust and pollen, the X1 PRO scored 8.8 and the X1 8.6. On fingerprints, 8.6 against 8.2, and on rain spots 7.2 against 7.0. Kitchen grease film scored 8.2 on both.

On months of outside grime, the X1 scored 5.6 and the X1 PRO 6.0 in one pass. With strong spray, fresh pads and two passes, the PRO reached 7.2 on years of grime.

Cleaning scores

My overall cleaning scores out of 10.

Our tip: Plan two passes with fresh pads for neglected outside glass on either robot, because one pass left a haze.

Outside glass

Outside, the PRO’s spray control made the difference. With strong spray and fresh pads, it scored 8.8 on pollen and dust, 7.4 on rain spots and 7.2 on years of grime after two passes.

The X1 scored 8.6 on outside pollen and dust, 6.8 on rain spots and 5.4 on road film.

Bird droppings needed hand cleaning first on both, and hot sun left faint marks, so I cleaned outside glass in the shade.

Outside rain spots

My scores out of 10.

Strong spray helped the X1 PRO on dusty outside glass.

Edges and corners

Round pads cannot reach into a square corner, and this is where both robots fall short. They leave curved patches.

The X1 scored 4.0 in the corners and 7.0 along frames, with 8.8 in the center. The PRO scored 4.2 in the corners, 7.2 along frames and 9.0 in the center.

On mirrors, it was the same story: 8.8 and 9.0 in the center, but only 4.2 and 4.0 in the corners. The X1’s edge detection stops spraying at frames, which kept the edges dry.

Corners

My scores out of 10.

Our tip: Wipe the four corners by hand while the glass is still damp, because it took about 15 seconds a window and finished the job.

Spray and water

The X1 sprays twice per movement with a bidirectional ultrasonic spray. The PRO has two ultrasonic nozzles, one per direction, with a light or strong setting on the remote.

On the PRO, light spray on inside glass scored 8.8, but strong spray inside was streaky. Outside, strong spray on dusty glass scored 8.6 and light spray only 7.0.

Water mattered on both. On the X1, filtered water with a drop of non-foaming cleaner scored 8.8, filtered water 8.4 and hard tap water 6.8. The PRO followed the same pattern, 8.8, 8.6 and 6.8.

What is in the tank (X1 PRO)

My scores out of 10.

The U.S. Geological Survey classes water above 120 mg/L of calcium carbonate as hard. Those minerals dry into spots on the glass and slowly clog the nozzles.

Our tip: Add only a few drops of non-foaming cleaner to the tank, because more than that left residue on both robots.

Controls, paths and modes

Neither robot has an app or Wi-Fi. The X1 offers three cleaning paths: vertical, horizontal and spot.

The X1 PRO’s remote controls spray strength, full clean on an S-shaped path from top to bottom, spot clean and manual steering. When it finishes, it stops and beeps.

I liked the PRO’s remote more than I expected. Changing spray strength between an inside and outside pass took one button.

X1 PRO: path timing

Relative timings from my sessions.

Pads, swirls and rotation

On both robots, pad freshness decided the finish. A fresh pair left clear glass. After two windows I saw slight swirls, and after four, visible ones.

The PRO’s 20 pads made rotating every two windows easy. The X1 comes with a generous set too, and on a whole-floor day I used five pairs out of six I laid out.

Both sets of pads went in the washing machine on a gentle cycle, without fabric softener.

Pad wear on the glass

Same on both robots.

Our tip: Rotate pads every two windows on either robot, because a tired pair left swirl marks you can see in the sun.

Mirrors, kitchens and shower glass

Indoors, both robots did well on kitchens. Grease film scored 8.2 on the X1 and 8.2 to 8.4 on the PRO, and the spinning pads scrubbed it off better than a damp flat pad would.

Mirrors were a mixed bag. The centers scored 8.8 on the X1 and 9.0 on the PRO, but the corners only about 4, so every mirror needed a quick wipe at the end.

Shower glass scored 6.6 on the X1 and 6.8 on the PRO. Limescale needed a descaler first, and I let the steam clear before starting.

Our tip: Let bathroom steam clear before cleaning shower glass or mirrors, because damp glass made both robots slide and smear.

Cord, rope and anchors

Both robots are corded, so every window starts with an outlet within reach. Both carry a safety line to anchor.

Indoors, I tied it to something heavy. On the balcony, I tied the PRO’s cable to a fixed railing post, not to furniture that could slide.

I kept the power cord and safety line on opposite sides of each window. When they twisted together, they pulled the robot off its path.

Which windows and glass suit each

The X1 suited first-time buyers doing regular upkeep on standard windows and doors, especially on the ground floor.

The X1 PRO suited second- and third-floor windows, large sliding doors and balcony glass, where its grip and backup mattered. A balcony, both sides, took about 30 minutes, and every pane came out clear with a corner wipe.

Neither suits glass under about 12 by 12 inches, people who want crisp corners or windows far from an outlet.

Noise, pets and family life

Both robots make a busy whir from the fan and spinning pads, clearly audible in the same room and fading one room away. They are noisier and less refined than premium robots.

My cat was interested in the PRO’s spinning pads for a day, then lost interest.

Both have a power cord and a safety line on the floor, so I ran them along the wall.

A whole-floor cleaning day with each

With the X1, a whole floor took about 25 minutes of my own time across six windows. I used five pairs of pads, topped up the tank once and gave the deck door two passes outside.

With the X1 PRO, a whole-house day took about 40 minutes of my time. I used light spray indoors, strong spray outdoors, swapped pads every two windows and soaked a stack of pads the night before.

The living room slider was clear in one light pass, and the deck door needed two strong passes to remove rain spots.

Cleaning and maintaining them

Upkeep is the same on both. Wipe the corners after each window, rinse pads after each session, about 3 minutes, and wipe the edge sensors weekly in heavy use.

I checked the nozzles monthly and descaled limescale on shower glass by hand first, because neither robot removes it.

Neither comes with a storage case. A lidded tub kept the robot, pads, cord and rope together.

Our tip: Keep the power cord and safety rope on opposite sides of the window, because twisted lines pulled both robots off course.

Mistakes to avoid

Both robots share the same traps.

My four weeks, week by week

Week one: inside glass. The X1 scored 7.2 and the PRO 7.4 while I learned the remote.

Week two: the PRO reached 8.2 on upstairs outside windows with its cable anchored and backup tested. The X1 scored 7.4.

Week three: full cleaning days. The PRO scored 7.8 as I settled a pad rotation, and the X1 dipped to 7.0.

Week four: routine use. The PRO finished at 8.2 on quick weekly door runs, and the X1 at 7.8.

Week four satisfaction

My weekly scores out of 10.

Real-life scenarios

These are the moments during testing where one robot clearly pulled ahead.

For ground-floor upkeep, the X1 does a fair job.

Robot or cleaning by hand?

For regular upkeep, either robot saved me real effort. By hand, a room of windows took about 20 minutes, and with either robot my own time was about 2 minutes of setup and 3 minutes of rinsing.

The PRO’s bigger win was upstairs outside glass, cleaned from inside the room with the cable anchored instead of a ladder. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported more than 164,000 emergency room-treated injuries a year related to ladders.

Neither is a restorer. On months of grime both scored 5.6 to 6.0 in one pass, so clean neglected glass by hand once and let the robot keep it that way.

Hands-on time per session

My own timings.

My scorecard

These are my own scores out of 10, from my single reviews of each robot after four weeks of daily use.

Overall scores

My overall editorial scores out of 10.

The X1 PRO wins every category. The biggest gap is safety, where its grip, backup battery and live alerts made it the robot I trusted on high glass.

Which one should you buy?

Start with how high your glass is.

If you clean upstairs, outside or balcony glass, buy the X1 PRO. Its safety features are worth it. If you only clean ground-floor windows and doors you can reach, the X1 does a fair job.

For everything I found, see my HIXZAP X1 review and HIXZAP X1 PRO review, or my HIXZAP vs ECOVACS Winbot comparison.

Living with them long term

Both need corner wipes, pad rotation, filtered water and a monthly nozzle check.

What I would change: better corners and a storage case on both, and a stated backup battery on the X1.

For high glass, the X1 PRO is the one to get.

HIXZAP X1 vs HIXZAP X1 PRO specifications

From manufacturer specifications and my own testing.

How I tested and compared them

I used each robot as my main window cleaner for four weeks, on inside windows, glass doors, mirrors, a balcony and upstairs outside glass. A second HouseholdMe tester shared the robots, and we wrote the notes together.

I scored both on similar glass, tested filtered, tap and filtered-plus-cleaner water, cut the X1 PRO’s power mid-run and timed every setup, session and cleanup.

I then checked my notes against HIXZAP’s specifications and owner documentation.

• Cleaning: dust, fingerprints, rain spots and months of outside grime.
• Edges: frames, inside corners and frameless edges.
• Safety: suction hold, power-loss behavior and the safety rope.
• Ownership: setup, pads, refills, storage and noise.