Review cover Trifo Max Pet (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

An Alexa-enabled robot that will look after your house AND clean it up?! Is the Trifo Max Pet the sci-fi robotic companion we’ve been waiting for?

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With automation rolling out in virtually every sector, there is a generalized fear that robots will take our jobs and turn us into our lazy counterparts depicted in Wall-E. But if there's anything I wouldn't mind having a robot do in my place, it would be ensuring my place is safe and tidy. The Trifo Max Pet promises to do just that and since we’ve reviewed video surveillance cameras before, I was intrigued as to what a surveillance robot that doubles as a cleaner would deliver; and operating it felt even more like a game than I would have ever imagined. How so? Well, read on to find out!

First, we’ll go through the contents. Out of the box, you’ll find the following:

  • Max Pet robot vacuum
  • Charging station
  • Power adapter
  • User manual
  • Pet hair extractor (Max Pet only)

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For a $400 product, the Max Pet feels like a premium product made of a tough plastic shell and a glossy finish. You’ll also notice a front bumper going 180° around the device but I wish it was also present at the back portion as well since that part will inevitably hit stuff. I also wish the bumper had a rubberized finish as in its current state, it has the same finish as the device’s body and can get scratched or damaged easier.

Design-wise, the Max Pet looks like most Roomba, save for a transparent slot for the camera. It’s also rather bulky and hefty with a dimension of 360x84 mm and weighing 3.3kg. I would personally prefer something lighter and smaller but that might also mean that it would be less powerful.

There are two buttons on top, one to power on and one for homing the device. Lifting the lid you’ll see a USB charging port (no USB cable is included though), a Wi-Fi indicator, a reset button and an easily removable bin. On the front bumper is a large sensor area and there’s also a smaller one at the back between the two speaker outlets.

Flipping the device upside down, you will see the device’s wheels, the side brush and the main brush. The latter can also be swapped for a mop.

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So far, the Max Pet sounds like a vacuum cleaner, because it works as one. To use it as such, you can just press the power button and it will clean around while avoiding obstacles thanks to its sensors. But to make the most out of it, you will need the companion Trifo Home app.

With it, you will pair the Max Pet to your home Wi-Fi and it will also let you use the surveillance camera feature which allows you to stream and record both audio and video in near real-time (near since I noticed a slight delay during streams). You’ll also have the option to store screenshots in addition to videos. Moreover, the Max Pet can send alert notifications of a possible break-in if it detects a person from its camera.

However, for a $400 device, the camera quality isn’t reflective of the cost. Sure, you can see details of the surroundings as Max moves around but images are rather grainy even for a 720p camera. For surveillance purposes, you would want better quality and for that price, you should expect better quality too.

On the plus side, I was relieved to find out that your phone doesn’t need to be on the same network as the device to be used as a surveillance robot. So you can have it paired to your home Wi-Fi and use it to check around your home and stream to your phone on mobile data (or another Wi-Fi network). 

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While doing the rounds, it will also clean around and it’s a handy way of surveilling your place while keeping it clean. Another handy feature is the ability to schedule cleaning times in the Trifo Home app, so you know that your place is kept clean automatically. The device can surprisingly maneuver around obstacles, although some bumps seem inevitable. You can also check the device’s path in the app with the real-time map it builds as it cleans and the Max Pet apparently also learns the best paths over time. Once it’s cleaned or is running out of battery (it has a 120-minute runtime), Max will automatically head to the charging dock (which it seeks with the sensors).

If it missed a spot, you can turn to manual control with the app and this is where it starts to feel game-y. That’s because you have an on-screen, virtual controller that’s not unlike playing games on a phone. You can turn on the camera and you’ll be able to direct the Max Pet’s movements to specific areas of the house. It quickly and unexpectedly became a fun activity for me to do as it feels like controlling an RC car/drone while also having it do something more constructive in the process. 

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Manual mode also lets you adjust the suction power or switch on Spiral Cleaning to clean a specific spot. The Max Pet model is said to have a 4000 Pa of suction power, or 33% more than the regular Max model, making it suitable to clean hardwood floor, carpet and tile. The Pet model also comes with a Pet Hair Extractor which is a main brush and pet hair extractor combo to grab up pet hair without getting tangled up. 

Max’s cleaning is spick and span; that is where it can reach. Given its size, some corners might be hard to reach and when there are areas without enough room for it to move across (like with some chairs), it will miss those areas altogether unless you are physically present to clear the way. The side brush is there to address this issue but it still won’t get to some hard to reach areas.

With the app, you can also get Max to respond to basic voice commands since it is Alexa-enabled. Its commands are limited to  “Alexa, turn on Max” and “Alexa, turn off Max” and while these are limited, they are welcome additions.

While performing its duties, Trifo Max adds some personality to itself as it talks to you. It says when you hit the pause button, tells you when it’s heading back to the docking station and informs you when it’s updating its firmware. It feels sci-fi and futuristic and even treads in the uncanny valley as the voice doesn’t feel robotic, somewhat akin to the Google Assistant or Siri. This personality aspect does help give it a more friendly, robotic vibe that makes it feel more like a companion than a lifeless camera or vacuum; but, it still feels uncanny in some way. 

Overall, the Trifo Max Pet handles the chores it was designed to look after fairly well. It doesn’t have the best camera resolution and it can be tough for it to reach sharp corners, but it helps give some peace of mind while you are away. Moreover, the gamified, manual controls bring in some unexpected fun to looking after your place and cleaning it up.

UPDATE:

Following the publication of this review, Trifo reached out to mention that the price of the device is in fact $200 (their website lists it as $400 which was the MSRP but hasn't been updated). The Trifo Max Pet is available on the official Amazon store for $200.

This updated info did not alter the contents nor the score of this review in any way.

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Doubles as a surveillance and cleaning robot
  • Alexa-enabled
  • Sends break-in alerts
  • Fun manual operation
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Camera quality
  • Bulky
  • No bumper at the back
  • Pricey
7.5
out of 10

Overall

As a 2-in-1 device, the Trifo Max Pet provides some peace of mind as it neatly automates surveilling and cleaning your place and even adds a game-y touch to the process.
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