INTRODUCTION

   Free time is i believe one of the things we all strive to have as much as possible and even though for regular everyday working people that may not be the easiest thing thanks to technology, we now have the ability to increase it. Just think about it, we can now control pretty much every home appliance remotely which means you can turn on heating on your home while you're still on the road back from work, check the status of the food in your oven (and turn it on/off or even increase/decrease temperatures) while away from home, see what's missing from your refrigerator without even having to look inside, start/stop your washing machine, open the blinds/curtains and of course start cleaning your house by using your robot vacuum. So even though i may not completely agree with everything technology has to offer this is without doubt a good thing. Zigma is a robot vacuum manufacturer that just recently appeared on my radar and since their products actually have good ratings i decided to check one of their bestselling models, the Spark 980.

   To break the shallow understanding of AI products in the market, introduce AI technology into the field of smart homes, and let users really enjoy the convenience brought by AI was why Zigma was born. Zigma refuses OEM production, fully integrates the upstream and downstream of the industrial chain, and firmly grasps the initiative. We are not only a manufacturer, technical service provider, but also a brand and channel provider of smart homes.

   The Spark 980 is the 2nd best model in the Zigma lineup currently and so just like most mid to high end models it also uses LDS (laser distance sensor - Lidar v4.0) navigation for 360 degree scanning and multi-floor real time mapping. It also packs a strong motor rated for up to 4000Pa of suction power (2500Pa effective), dual side brushes, HEPA filters, electronic water bin (360ml) with y-type mopping (for optimal results), 600ml dust container, 360 degree sensors (anti-fall, anti-collision and edge-cleaning sensors), WiFi 2.4GHz connectivity, convenient remote control, 3200mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack (can power the Spark 980 for up to 140 minutes) and support for smart home integration via voice commands (Siri, Alexa & Google Home). Just like most manufacturers Zigma also has its very own Android/iOS app which allows you to fully control the Spark 980 (includes several functions/commands such as auto-clean, spot & edge clean, manual control, clean zones, no-go zones and virtual wall). This features list may certainly not be quite unique but let's see just how Zigma has implemented it in their Spark 980 Robot Vacuum.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Zigma uses a regular cardboard box the front of which is taken by a product drawing and their logo.

The bundle contents are listed on the left side in 11 languages.

Several certifications and warning drawings are placed on the right side.

The product features are printed at the rear of the box.

As usual the robot vacuum is wrapped inside a plastic bag and placed between foam spacers.

Along with the Spark 980 Robot Vacuum inside the box you'll also find the water bin (pre-mounted), dust bin (2 pieces which you will need to attach together), 4 side brushes, 2 mop cloths (one pre-mounted), 2 HEPA filters (one pre-mounted), cutting/cleaning tool, remote control, charging base with power adapter, warranty and support paper, user manual and a quick start guide.

THE SPARK 980

Measuring 330mm in diameter and just 95mm in height the Spark 980 is almost identical to most LDS robot vacuum models out there.

Typically, both the LDS sensor and the on/off and charging buttons are placed on top.

The Spark 980 comes with its water tank installed.

An on/off switch is located on the right side and in case you want to charge the robot somewhere away from its base it also has a charging port.

Zigma has used a large surface electronically adjusted water tank which should produce optimal results.

The dust bin on the other hand is somewhat standard (i was a bit surprised to see that it came in two pieces which i need to attach together).

Turning the Spark 980 over we see two rubber coated wheels, 3 sensors (anti-fall and edge cleaning), main rolling brush, center wheel and the dual side brushes.

Once again, the main brush is of good quality and performed without issues the entire 3 weeks of testing.

Side brush quality could be a bit better (too hard) but that should actually improve performance.

The charging base is rather standard in shape and size so nothing new here.

Packing a remote control is never a bad idea since it's not easy for some people to use the available smartphone app.

ZIGMA APP

One thing that did surprise me a bit was that the Zigma App creates a detailed 3D map that assigns a different color to each room (also allows you to name each room).

Of course, from the main screen you can also adjust suction power and mopping water flow.

Needless to say, you can choose specific areas and rooms for the robot to clean and also create no-go zones and virtual walls.

Everything else is located inside the settings page (this review was done with the latest firmware version).

TEST RESULTS

Robot Vacuums may be home appliances but they are very advanced ones so I thought about running some tests like I do with most electronic devices. So here you can see the maximum cleaned area during all tests (single pass, start to finish), total battery life (in quiet - standard/balanced - strong/max modes) and noise levels (again in quiet - standard/balanced - strong/max – max+) suction modes.

CONCLUSION

   The Spark 980 robot vacuum cleaner by Zigma may not stand out in terms of available features (or even build quality really) but it did perform extremely well during the 3-week period i used it for. As a matter of fact, in terms of suction power it did better than expected and surpassed most other models that have arrived in the lab to date (mopping on the other hand was just ok). Battery life is also very good and at its lowest setting i was able to significantly surpass the advertised number of 120 minutes (still, if this was recorded at standard suction power it’s almost right on the spot - Zigma has since upped the number to 140). Unlike other vacuums it was also able to enter certain areas without getting stuck (instead of forcing itself underneath cabinets it just turned around) and even though this applies to my office and house i imagine others may have similar areas. That being said its Android/iOS app may not offer the same number of available features and settings like some others do but it’s more than enough while the bundled remote control is certain to come handy to elder people (or people who just don’t like using their smartphones).

   Currently Zigma has a sale for their Spark 980 Robot Vacuum Cleaner so you can get your very own for just USD239.99/299.99Euros (Wallmart/Zigma.co) a price tag which is more or less balanced for what this model offers. Unfortunately, availability in stores is limited at best so your best choice is getting it directly from Zigma (that shouldn’t be an issue however, they seem to have warehouses in many places). Well, there’s not much else i can say about the Spark 980 that’s not already mentioned in this review and since it does deliver as advertised (and then some) it deserves the Golden Award.

PROS

- Good Build Quality
- Size / Height
- Suction Power (4000Pa / 2500Pa)
- Electronic Water Tank
- Left & Right Cleaning Brushes
- Bundled Remote Control
- Zigma App
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- General Availability
- Charging Base Size (Vacuum Is Exposed)