SwitchBot K11+ review

SwitchBot K11+ review: Introduction

• Type: Vacuum with basic mopping
• Docking: Auto-empty dock
• Navigation system: LiDAR with PSD Distance Sensor

A couple of years back, SwitchBot (of Bot finger and auto curtain opening fame) took the covers off of the SwitchBot K10+, a more compact robot vacuum cleaner than the usual bunch, aimed at smaller homes and designed to be easily hidden out of sight.

Fast forward a year and the K10+ was joined by the SwitchBot K10+ Pro: a twin packing some extra heat.

And now SwitchBot has made its mini arsenal a triple threat with the launch of the K11+, which keeps the same design principles as its older siblings, but doubles the suction, comes with a more compact dock and launches at a lower price.

It’s a big upgrade, with SwitchBot still banking on the K11’s small (well, little) differentiator, which appeals to people who don’t want a beefy robot vacuum cleaner and dock taking up space in their homes.

Costing $399 Stateside and £399 in the UK at the time of writing, with 25% off for the launch period, it actually comes in at a fair chunk of change less than the K10+ Pro’s £599 / $599 launch price.

But does it do the job as well as its bigger rivals? Read on for our comprehensive SwitchBot K11+ review to find out.

Design and components

At first glance, the K11+ looks almost identical to its predecessors, with the same palm-sized footprint and rounded chassis that keeps it from being an eyesore in smaller homes.

Measuring just 24.8cm across and 9.2cm high, it slips under most furniture, though it’s not quite as low as something like the Roborock Saros 10R, which comes in at less than 8cm in height.

In comparison, more ‘regular’ sized robot vacuum cleaners, such as the Roborock Q5 Pro or the the Ecovacs Deebot T20, come in at around the 365mm diameter mark. Here’s what it looks like alongside its bigger brother, the S20, which is part of the busy ‘regular’ sized market:

The real diddy upgrade (downgrade?) here, in terms of size at least, is the new dock.

At just 24 x 18 x 25cm, it’s easily the smallest robot dock I’ve seen, and its diminutive stature makes it easy to hide away if you want, under a TV stand, beside a plant, under the sink and so on. But you might not actually want to hide it as it looks pretty swanky with a new wooden effect lid added to the mix.

Despite the reduced form factor, it still houses a 4L antibacterial dust bag, which should be enough for around 90 days of cleaning before it needs changing. That’s the same capacity as the K10+ Pro, just in a much smaller casing.

Like the K10 duo, the lid of the station also boasts a slot to keep the mopping tank hidden away, as well as a space for the cleaning tool.

Back to the robot vacuum cleaner itself and the K11+ weighs just 2.3kg, making it easy to carry between floors.

SwitchBot has upgraded the main brush on the K11+ to a dual anti-tangle system, and there’s also a new V-shaped side brush that helps to prevent hair wrap. It’s the same approach used on the flagship S20, and it makes a noticeable difference, especially if you’ve got pets.

On top is the LiDAR tower but that’s not the only navigation tech on board. The K11+, again, borrows from the S20 and includes a PSD sensor on the side to help with obstacle avoidance… but more on that in a bit.

Inside the box you also get spare bags, filters, side brushes, and disposable mop wipes.

Features

Setup is familiar territory if you’ve used any SwitchBot gear before; you simply power on, pair in the app, and sync it with a SwitchBot Hub if you want to expose it to Matter.

The K11+ uses LiDAR plus a PSD distance sensor for improved obstacle detection and mapping, and in practice I found the initial map faster and more accurate than with the K10+ Pro.

You get all the expected features like room division, virtual walls, and no-go zones, and it can store up to five maps for multi-floor cleaning.

There’s no AI avoidance here though; the K11+ will happily barrel into a shoe or tangle itself in cables if you’re not careful. It also insisted on trying to fit under my AV unit despite the LiDAR tower preventing it.

On the smart home side, SwitchBot has gone all in with Matter. With the Hub 2 (or later) it’s exposed as a Matter-over-WiFi device, which currently means Apple Home users can schedule section cleans natively, while broader Matter control will expand as platform support improves.

Beyond that, it integrates neatly with the SwitchBot ecosystem and also plays nicely with Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, and even Home Assistant.

Performance

Suction is doubled from the K10+ Pro’s 3,000Pa to 6,000Pa, and you feel the difference immediately on rugs and carpets.

Hard floors were spotless after a single pass, and even on thicker rugs it gave results the K10+ Pro struggled to match. It’s not on a par with something like the Dreame X50 Ultra but it’s much smaller, and much, much cheaper.

If your house is predominantly carpets then it’s probably not for you but, in hard wood areas, it does a great job.

SwitchBot claims 100% floor coverage with better corner cleaning, and in testing I found it did indeed hug edges and get into tighter spaces better than the S20, despite being smaller.

In fact, when I tested it alongside the S20, the K11+ finished a room about 10% faster and did a better job of getting in small gaps.

Battery life is rated up to 150 minutes in quiet mode, scaling down as you increase suction. It’s enough for around 225 square meters, and it will return to the dock to recharge and then resume automatically if needed.

It’s not flawless though. With no AI vision, it can be clumsy; the LiDAR tower has a habit of bashing against furniture it can’t fit under, as mentioned, and it will still snag on stray cables and bash into small objects like shoes and kid’s toys.

Thanks to SilenTech, it drops to as low as 45dB in quiet mode, which makes it one of the least disruptive vacuums in its class.

Like the K10 and K10+ Pro before it, the K11+ offers only a token mopping feature. You attach a disposable wipe and it drags it across the floor. There’s no water tank, no scrubbing action, and no carpet detection.

It’ll wipe clean minor smears and spills, but don’t expect it to tackle dried stains or anything more demanding.

If mopping is your priority, SwitchBot’s S20 or another dual-function robot would be the better bet.

Final thoughts

The K11+ is the upgrade the mini series has been waiting for. SwitchBot has kept the design tiny and practical but made the dock even more compact, doubled suction power, improved corner cleaning, and integrated Matter support, all while undercutting the launch price of the K10+ Pro by a decent margin.

It’s still no replacement for a proper mopping robot, and it won’t dodge every obstacle like pricier AI-powered rivals, but for small homes or anyone who just wants a fuss-free, compact robot vacuum that actually cleans well, the K11+ is a winner.

How we test

When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.

Robot cleaners usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. And they are designed to offer a range of different cleaning options. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a robo cleaner for a week and deliver a verdict.

Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart cleaning machine compares to alternatives that you might also be considering.

Our reviews are comprehensive, objective and fair and, of course, we are never paid directly to review a device.

Read our guide on how we test robot vacuum cleaners to learn more.