Conga 3090, my experience after a week of use

After reggaeton and trap, it seems that it is the Conga that is being heard in more and more Spanish homes. But the Conga from Cecotec, not the one from Jalisco. I am talking about the robot vacuum cleaner that has become famous thanks to the word of mouth among consumers who seek technology and comfort for cleaning their homes, but without leaving a salary on it. I have been able to test the Conga S3090, the most advanced model in its family, for over a week in my own home. With dog visit included. And I have several things to tell about it.

Surely you have heard the virtues of the Conga from the mouth of your brother-in-law. And well, she may be right. But robot vacuum cleaners, including those from Cecotec, are far from being the panacea for home cleaning. This Conga 3090 vacuums and scrubs, standing out above other models. But he has trouble climbing onto rugs. It sucks powerfully, but mops without too much friction. In my experience, I have had to take advantage of its manual mode to help you review some of these areas, but considering its price of 320 euros , the overall assessment is positive.

Cecotec Conga Series 3090

If you come to this cleaning robot thing again, don't be fooled: you work for the robot. You will have to put the chairs on the table, remove obstacles and even move rugs if you want a great hurry. The Conga 3090 has laser vision to avoid falling down stairs and to recognize the environment. This way you know where to go and what parts of the house you have to clean. It's smart and clears corners well thanks to its bristle rotor . But there are several details that should be reviewed. Hold on and follow the conga of this review to find out everything the Conga S3090 does well and does badly.

A robot that also mops and scrubs ...

To date, I have tested robot vacuum cleaners that were in charge of sweeping and vacuuming. Each in its own way, with more or less rollers, with more or less bristles, and with more or less intelligence. But this time it is the first time I have seen a robot that, in addition to sweeping and vacuuming, is also capable of scrubbing. And this is one of the characteristics that differentiate it from the rest of the devices on the market.

To do this, it includes, in the initial package, a mop attached with velcro to a small water tank . It is a removable part that is only attached when we want to scrub with the Conga S3090, and that must be removed as soon as the robot parks in the charging station. However, and although it may seem tedious, its hitch system is so basic and comfortable that at no time has it seemed a problem. And the reservoir is easy to fill under the tap. It even allows you to add a few drops of scrubbing to make cleaning better or at least the robot leaves a trail of aroma throughout the house.

In my case, I have tested this on light colored laminated flooring. And the result is satisfactory. That is, everything is well soaked and scrubbed thanks to the back and forth movement with which the robot wiggles . But as long as there are no stains or substances stuck to the floor. The robot does not exert force or rub, so it better be clean first. If we have no other aspirations than to take a pass so that everything is sparkling, perfumed and dust-free, the Conga S3090 delivers without complaints. However, I had to take the mop to rub some stain that neither vacuuming nor scrubbing had left the floor. So get used to the idea that this scrubbing system is more like passing a wet mop, in order to remove dust and not so much to remove dirt.

... but it also sweeps, sucks and blows

As for the subject of aspiration, the power of the Conga has not been any problem for me. Both on the laminate flooring and on the carpets , the power has produced very good results. In fact, it is possible to activate carpet autodetection in the settings of the mobile application to switch to turbo vacuuming mode to be more effective on this surface without losing efficiency. In this way everything is clean adapting to each surface.

To collect dust, crumbs and other dirt from the floor, the Conga S3090 uses a rotor with four tufts of bristles. Thanks to this system, it reaches all corners and corners efficiently. It does not spread the dirt because the spin is not very fast, and yet it helps everything go to the center roller. It is made up of bristles and silicone, to ensure cleanliness on any surface. The suction power achieved by its motor is 2,000 Pa, so it is done with dust, animal hair, grit, threads and all kinds of crumbs without problems. From my experience it cleans and vacuums like the 1,000 euro robots that I have tried, which is quite a plus.

But there are also drawbacks. Its design places the ventilation outlet of the vacuum cleaner motor at the back of the robot . A powerful air vent capable of moving dust and crumbs. Nothing to object if afterwards it goes over all this. But, after several cleanings, I have found a good amount of dust grouped in some corner or nook where it has ended up being blown by this current of air. Crap that I had to pick up by hand or using the manual mode of the Conga S3090 to make sure that, with one of its twists and turns, I did not end up moving it.

Delicacy above all

Server, who sometimes likes to play with technology and prove that he is smarter than a machine programmed by people smarter than oneself, always wonders “let's see how smart this robot is”. And with the Conga S3090 I have conflicting thoughts. You can be really smart and practical when it comes to recognizing your surroundings, distributing your work, and maintaining your autonomy, and you can be really silly crawling under a chair. If you are hoping that a robot frees you from all your housework, I already tell you that we are still a few years away from it happening .

As points in favor I emphasize, above all, that it does not swallow or jam with cables . I have the computer cables cornered but without any type of protection or tie to hold them together. And there are also loose cables such as those of the spotlights or some strip with which the Conga S3090 vacuum cleaner has run into head-on. And nothing. No jams, no jerks. There may be some struggling when meeting them, but fear not, the battle does not end with a burned robot, or a bare wire. Quite an advantage, even if you have had to put all the chairs on the table for the robot to clean it up.

I also want to emphasize that it is an anti-shock robot vacuum cleaner . If the Dyson 360 Eye could seem smart to me, with a price of 1,000 euros and a bumper that did not leave marks when crossed with the furniture in the house, this Conga S3090 is even smarter. I suppose their laser recognition system helps to better measure distances and obstacles. But even so, the bumps and shocks are much softer, subtle and delicate. Wow, that is not a robot that moves by groping and bumping.

But beware, not everything is good nor is it the smartest robot in the world. If we remove all the objects in its path, it can still get stuck if it faces its worst nemesis: carpets .

Accessories that accompany the package

Carpets, your great enemy

It's funny how the power of the Conga S3090 can suck crumbs out of a carpet, but a design flaw prevents it from climbing on them . At least my living room rug, which is not even a centimeter high. And it is that, although the robot can rise slightly on its legs, it does not seem that it is designed for this effort. Something that not only prevents cleaning this surface, but also causes it to get stuck and completely lose its autonomy. Come on, I have had to reposition it more than once and twice, or carry it directly in my arms to the charging station. My kingdom for slightly bigger wheels for this robot.

Even more curious is that this happens, especially when the robot has the water tank attached for scrubbing. Which makes it a bit heavier, clumsier and less agile when it comes to overcoming different heights. So it is his main virtue and differentiator, which makes him fall squarely against him. A shame, because either we are at home to redirect it, or the work will remain undone.

Not everything is bad. Or not as bad as it might seem. And it is that the manual mode of this robot does allow you to line the carpets and load against them to make the jump. Or get on your ass, where your design seems to have no problem overcoming this hurdle. But of course, goodbye to autonomy.

App and remote control

The people of Cecotec have applications designed for each of their cleaning robots. And they are applications worthy of admiration. Both for the simplicity of their design, which make them accessible to all types of people, and for the number of cleaning modes and possibilities they contain. At least in the case of this Conga S3090 that I have had swarming around me these days.

Simply download the application and link the robot to your home WiFi network. From then on we only have to do a first review so that the laser technology recognizes and maps the whole place. That is to say, it creates a reliable virtual map of our home . With this saved, subsequent cleanings are quicker. Or, simply, they allow you to use other modes such as arias blocking or cleaning a specific area. You just have to display the modes, choose the one you want to carry out and mark on the part of the map if we want to center it there.

We can also choose between three modes of operation . One Eco in which the power is reduced to increase efficiency. Another normal mode that balances things between energy efficiency and power. And finally a turbo mode designed to achieve the best results.

The good thing about the application is that it has allowed me to create a weekly cleaning calendar , with the days and hours that I am interested in making a pass around the house. Although it has been the manual mode that I have used the most to make sure I win the battle against my carpet and the corners that the fan of the device blew the lint into.

Manual mode

I just miss notifications that let me know that the robot is stuck or needs help. They will not solve the problem, but they will save me from being a bad surprise when I enter the house.

Outstanding autonomy

This is a very relative issue. But from my experience I was pleasantly surprised with the Conga S3090. With a single charge I have been able to vacuum and sweep the entire available surface of my house . It is small, barely 50 square meters. But with the same load I have made an automatic pass and a manual pass where the robot has not been able to pass. And, if I have not used the turbo mode (maximum efficiency and minimum efficiency), I have more than enough charge to scrub everything. No stops to go back to the charging station to recharge the battery.

Of course this depends on the surface of the home, the chosen cleaning mode and the obstacles encountered along the way. But the Conga S3090 has no problem doing its job and staying at half throttle. And if it happens, you know where your charging station is so you can recover and clean up a bit later. All this automatically.

The 3,200 mAh battery offers, according to Cecotec, 110 minutes of autonomy. And the good thing is that it hardly takes a couple of hours to fully charge. So it is an efficient robot.

Side view

Conclusions

My experience with the Cecotec Conga S3090 is bittersweet . It is everything that is expected of a good current robot vacuum cleaner. Sweep and scrub with care and in corners. And it even mops and scrubs with good results if the floor is clean. All this with the same power, intelligence and efficiency as a 1,000 euro robot vacuum cleaner. But for 320 euros .

However, there are certain drawbacks that may clash with what you are looking for. Its design does not seem designed to deal with carpets . If they are small and are not attached to the ground, it moves them and becomes disoriented. If they are large, your small wheels may bind and get stuck. All this with a vent for ventilation that only draws lint to the corners, being able or not to collect them later if said area is within the robot's action plan. Which will take you to review the work manually, either with the robot itself or by hand.

In short, a great robot capable of the best for an almost ridiculous price compared to other manufacturers. But with strong negative points that lead us to look with great hope at the next model of the Cecotec Conga .