Proscenic M6 Pro robot vacuum review: This robot vacuum-mop hybrid is a mess — here’s why

As technology advances, Wi-Fi-connected robot vacuum-mop hybrids like the $299 Proscenic M6 Pro continue to drop in price. While devices that combine vacuuming and mopping are rarely exceptiona falling prices certainly make it easier to consider taking the plunge — especially when they’re loaded with useful features like no-go zones and area-specific cleaning.

The affordable Proscenic M6 Pro is just such a robot. This 2-in-1 robot vacuum offers a lot on paper: mapping capabilities, no-go zones, edge cleaning and plenty of other useful features — including the ability to vacuum and mop at the same time. But in our Proscenic M6 Pro review, we found a robot vacuum and mop that excels at cleaning bare floors, but needs help on rugs and in the app department.

Proscenic M6 Pro review: Price and availability

The Proscenic M6 Pro was released in December 2020 and is currently available on Amazon for $299. Though this Wi-Fi-connected hybrid vacuum and mop works with the ProscenicHome app, there’s a remote control included. In the box you’ll also find two reusable microfiber mopping pads and two dustbins: one for vacuuming and one for mopping and vacuuming.

Proscenic M6 Pro review: Design

The Proscenic M6 Pro reminds me of a cross between the Roborock S4 Max and the Neato D4. It’s got that classic robot vacuum look, which is to say it’s round with a LIDAR turret on top. The M6 Pro is dressed mostly in matte black, save the classy dark silver lid and shiny black turret cover. There’s one light-up rubberized button that serves two purposes depending on where you press. One way starts and stops cleaning, the other sends the bot to the dock. A silver Proscenic logo sits in the center. It’s the best indication that the M6 Pro works differently than other robot vacuums. On most bots, the raised disc indicates the front. It’s the opposite here..

The underside of the Proscenic M6 Pro houses two large rubberized wheels with deep wheel wells, an omnidirectional wheel in the front, a three-spoked side brush, and a single rubber and bristle brush roll. The brush roll housing is blue and strikingly similar to the Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge.

Like the Roborock S4 Max, the lid of the Proscenic M6 Pro lifts up to access the dustbin and the brush cleaning tool. It’s easy to access and, as long as it’s kept level during removal, will hold debris securely until you reach a garbage can. This was also true of the second dustbin that comes with the M6 Pro. Proscenic calls it a 2-in-1 dustbin as it houses the 180 ml water tank for mopping in addition to a smaller regular dustbin. The 2-in-1 bin is meant to be installed immediately before mopping and removed immediately afterwards. I noticed that drops of water instantly started falling after filling up the water tank.

The microfiber mopping pad attaches via Velcro to a plastic, half-moon-shaped plate that snaps into the underside of the Proscenic M6 Pro. Like most hybrid machines, the M6 Pro mops floors using water only.

The base and charging contacts on the Proscenic M6 Pro are very similar to the Neato D4. Two long metal contacts on the rear of the M6 Pro are designed to meet up with the compact charging base. Watching the M6 Pro dock is amusing. The front of the vacuum lines itself up, then it does a 180-degree turn to back itself into the charging dock. While I like the larger contact area, the dock itself isn’t as robust as Neato. When I manually placed the robot on the dock, I accidentally missed lining up the charging contacts correctly, resulting in a dead vacuum the next day.

Proscenic M6 Pro: Vacuuming performance

The Proscenic M6 Pro is a Wi-Fi-connected mapping robot that travels around the outer edges of a space before methodically cleaning in a serpentine pattern inside of the outline it just created. It doesn’t miss many spots when cleaning and it’s gentle. The bot winds its way around objects like chair legs very carefully. So carefully that it often doesn’t touch edges – like baseboards. Despite this, it uses its side brush to feed debris toward its single brush roll. 

When running a robot vacuum through lab tests, I start with the hardwood floor tests. Based on those results, I thought the Proscenic M6 Pro was going to give the current top best robot vacuum pick, the Roborock S4 Max, a run for its dustbin. Unfortunately, though it was a stellar performer on hardwood, the M6 Pro faltered on carpet, resulting in the vacuum earning an overall average score of 80.39.

*Same test performed in a larger 15’ x 15’ area

On the hardwood floor tests, the Proscenic was just short of perfect. It collected 100% of the Cheerios in our test area and 100% of the dog hair. The Roborock S4 Max also earned a perfect score when it came to dog hair, though that machine only collected 96.75% of the cereal on the same surface. 

Cleaning up kitty litter was the only hardwood test where the Proscenice M6 Pro was less than perfect, but still more efficient than similar robot vacuums. It picked up 97.3% of the litter, just a few granules below the RoborockS4 Max’s score of 97.75%.

*Same test performed in a larger 15’ x 15’ area

Sadly, the carpet lab tests proved to be the Proscenic M6 Pro’s downfall. Though it picked up 96.25% of the Cheerios on carpet, it collected just 50.8% of the litter and only 38% of the dog hair, far below other robot vacuums.

As the Proscenic M6 Pro cleaned around the house, I noticed that it rolled over and crushed a couple of helicopter tree seeds on the back door mat, but didn’t actually pick up all of the debris from its destruction. 

*Same test performed in a larger 15’ x 15’ area

Proscenic M6 Pro review: Mopping performance

Typically, a hybrid cleaning robot isn’t a miracle worker when it comes to mopping and is best suited for a quick clean-up before company comes over. Indeed, the Proscenic M6 Pro mostly follows this model. However, thanks to its 2-in-1 dustbin, the M6 Pro has the added bonus of being able to vacuum and mop at the same time. Don’t need an area vacuumed? Mopping alone is also an option, though enabling that mode in the app was a little tricky. 

On the main page for the M6 Pro, there’s an icon labeled “Adjust.” Tapping on that brings up three cleaning mode icons – Vacuum, Vacuum and Mop, and Mop – and two sliders to adjust “Wind” for the vacuum power and water for the mop. Despite having the 2-in-1 dustbin and the mopping plate installed, I got an error when I tried to enter mop only mode. I eventually figured out that tapping “More” from the main page brings up a bevy of other cleaning options, including the option to change into mop only mode. 

In addition to filling the water tank, Proscenic recommends wetting the microfiber pad before mopping. I ran it under water, squeezed out the excess, then attached it to the plate and snapped it onto the rear of the M6 Pro. Despite wringing out the excess water, I was amazed at how wet my floor was as the M6 Pro vacuumed and mopped its way across the kitchen floor. There are three water settings: Low, Medium, and High. The default setting is Medium, which is what I initially used. As the M6 Pro made its way in methodical rows, I changed the setting to Low, which reduced the amount of water on my floor by about half. I definitely appreciated the M6 Pro’s electronically-controlled water tank, which makes changing the amount of water used possible.

Proscenic states that the mop should not be used if no one is home. That is a warning worth heeding. Unlike more expensive hybrid robots, such as the Roborock S7, the M6 Pro doesn’t differentiate between bare floors and carpet. This robot will continue on its path no matter the terrain. While you could set up virtual walls and no-go zones within the app, it doesn’t seem like a risk worth taking — unless you really hate your rugs.

Proscenic M6 Pro review: Setup, app and mapping

The Proscenic M6 Pro comes with a remote control, but accessing all of its features can only be done using the ProscenicHome app (Android and iOS). Before connecting to anything, you have to create a login and password within the app. Then you can add a robot. Adding the Proscenic M6 Pro was relatively smooth. Like other Wi-Fi-connected bots, you enter your Wi-Fi password in the app, then connect to the network created by the robot itself in the phone’s settings. Going back into the app immediately afterwards completes the process. 

The app felt clunky, slow and a little unfinished. Before doing anything within the app, it has to connect to the robot. I was frequently greeted with an almost blank screen and the message “Getting info.” The last map used would appear after several seconds, along with square meters of the last area cleaned, the battery percentage, and the cleaning time. There isn’t an option for changing meters to feet.

The Proscenic M6 Pro supports saving up to five maps. It’s a fast mapper and created a mostly accurate map of my first floor after just one run, putting it on a par with the Roborock S4 Max. However, when you name a map and save it, the app removes the spaces, so “First Floor” becomes “FirstFloor.” It’s a minor quibble, but still.

The M6 Pro is capable of cleaning just one room, multiple room regions, or a specific area on demand or on a set schedule. You’re also able to set up no-go zones and virtual walls to keep the robot from traveling where it shouldn’t. Setting up specific area cleaning and no-go zones is straightforward, though you’ll want to test out the areas you’ve marked on the app just to be sure.

In theory, the Proscenic M6 Pro should automatically divide up your home into rooms. In practice, not quite. The M6 Pro correctly identified the bathroom. It also decided the back part of my kitchen was a room. But the rest of my first floor – living room, dining room, entryway, and main part of the kitchen were all one room. Though it’s possible to edit the map as the app includes options for dividing and merging spaces, it doesn’t work that well.

On the map of my first floor, I drew one horizontal line to divide my living room from my dining room. Then I discovered I could only draw horizontal or nearly horizontal lines to divide the space. While troubleshooting, I created a second map of my first floor and saved it. This time, I drew a vertical line bisecting my home and creating a division between the dining room and kitchen. Now, I could only draw more vertical lines on the map. Horizontal lines disappeared as soon as I drew them. 

In general, the ProscenicHome app needs help. It’s slow and unintuitive. Many of the M6 Pro’s features, such as edge, spot, area, and manual cleaning, are hidden behind a More button. The error messages are confusing at best. It feels unfinished. When I was looking for help with map divisions, I went to the FAQ in the settings section. It was empty. 

Proscenic M6 Pro review: Verdict

I had high hopes for the $299 Proscenic M6 Pro after it quickly mapped my home and delivered an outstanding performance on our hardwood floor lab tests. But this hybrid robot vacuum and mop faltered on carpet — in both lab tests and home use — and its app leaves a lot to be desired. There are better options available if you only want to vacuum, like the $239 Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge or the $349 Neato D4. But a robot vacuum that’s only good on one surface isn’t going to cut it.