As TechRadar’s Homes Editor for floorcare I’ve seen my fair share of unusual contraptions among the ranks of the best robot vacuums – but I’ve never seen anything quite like the xLean TR1. This is a robot vacuum that can also be used as a manual stick vacuum – and it can mop and vacuum in both modes.
The shapeshifting design isn’t the only interesting thing about this gadget though: it’s also kitted out with a ‘self-evolving intelligence system’ that means it learns your own cleaning techniques while it’s being used in manual mode, and can then replicate them in robot mode.
I had a chance to check it out at CES 2026, and it’s certainly an intriguing prospect (it’s currently still in development, and not yet available to buy). When it’s time to switch from robot to manual mode, the LiDAR puck on the top of the robovac will retract, leaving a hole that becomes a port into which a wand and handle slots. What was the robot vacuum then becomes the floorhead of the manual vacuum.
There are a small handful of robovac models, such as the Eufy E20, that have manual and robot components that share a dock, with the idea that if you have a robot vacuum, you’ll then also need something handheld to clean stairs, furniture and the like. That’s not the idea here, though, because in manual mode the cleaner is too bulky and heavy for use off the ground.
In fact, this looks like it’s geared towards use on hard floors only. The mopping part is more sophisticated than you’d find on your average hybrid robot vacuum – it’s more similar to the setup I’d expect from one of the best wet-and-dry manual vacuums. There are two roller mops rotating in opposite directions, with each being continually fed with clean water while the dirty stuff is siphoned off. The dock can clean both the robot and itself.
Learning opportunities
The option to use the xLean TR1 as a manual vacuum adds versatility for on-the-spot cleaning – with the added benefit of all the mechanics being included in the ‘floorhead’ section, which makes it feel lighter and easier to maneuver than if the weight and bulk were in the handle. However, it also plays an important role in feeding into the independent learning.
xLean says it uses something called ‘Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF)’ to evolve while it’s being used in manual mode – picking up tips for things like obstacle avoidance, and how to free itself if it gets stuck. It also has a mildly terrifying-sounding ‘Hunting Mode’, where it’ll scout your floor for hidden or neglected messes that need tackling. The ultimate aim is to deliver ‘human-like’ cleaning.
xLean launched in 2022, and has been developing this one product since then. So it isn’t one of the big names in robot vacuums quite yet, but the specs included on the robot vacuum look solid – there’s carpet detection, the ability to recognize 400+ objects, and 17,000Pa of suction.
As mentioned, this model is not yet available to buy, but I’ll be watching with interest to see if it does eventually make it to market.
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