Things To Think About Before You Buy Robot Vacuums

January 3rd, 2010 No Comments   Posted in Information

Now that you’ve decided to buy a robotic vacuum cleaner to help you save time and do some of the cleaning for you, there are plenty of things to consider. There are a variety of models available that run the gamut of pricing from under $50 to well over $1500. The features of each need to be taken under heavy consideration as well. Doing good research on what robot vacuums can do and what you need is a great starting point when you’re trying to decide.

First, you need to know what your needs are. Do you need just a simple unit to dust your hardwood floors? Or do you need something a little more complex (and pricey) that will do hard floors, transition to carpet, and have special features like scheduling, dirt sensors, and memory units? Price definitely factors in when taking different models under consideration and you should come up with a price range that is right for you and compare what features are available in that range from there.

Special features are all the rage and some of the ones available for robo vacuums are scheduling capabilities, remote controls, virtual walls to define where your vac will work, wall mounts, a self charging base, and specialized dirt detection sensors for optimal cleaning. The more of these you get, the more you will typically pay.

Different robot vacuums will vary in the time that they are able to clean a room or rooms on a fully charged battery. Some of the pricier models come with the ability to dock themselves for a recharge once they detect that their power is running low. This is a very convenient option and one many people are willing to pay a little extra for so that they can be just a little more “hands off” with their cleaning.

Something else to take into consideration is the type of flooring you’ll be cleaning. Robovacs work the best on hardwood floors, but many are more than capable when it comes to low-level carpeting and some can even handle the bushier stuff. This is another point of investigation for the informed consumer. How good are the sensors for the vacuum you want and what is it’s level of ability to transition between different surface types? Other types of sensors also include dirt and stair detection. You don’t want your robot vac missing spots in the room because it couldn’t detect that some parts of the floor were dirtier than others. You also don’t want your unit taking a tumble down the steps because it couldn’t tell they were there!

Another aspect of the robotic vacuum that is simple but very important is the dust bin. It’s important to get a unit with as big a dust bin as possible so you don’t have to empty it as often and you get more cleaning with less effort from you. You will have to empty the dustbin usually every time the robot works, but it’s much easier if you can empty it less per cleaning session. Maintenance on the robots are fairly easy, as all you have to do is empty the bin and check the brushes and filter regularly. But it is important to have replacement parts on hand and will save a lot of headache over the life of the unit if you don’t have to worry about where you are going to get parts so you can keep your robot vacuum up and running without a hitch.

Once you’ve gotten your first robotic vacuum, charge it up according to your instruction manual’s specifications. Then get your house ready to go by removing small objects and paper from the floor and removing any drapes, curtains, or cords that may be touching your carpet or floor so the vacuum doesn’t suck them up!

Enjoy your robot vacuum and take care of it and it will take care of you. You may even find that you want to get another one!

Benefits of Having a RoboVac

December 31st, 2009 No Comments   Posted in Information

There are many benefits to having a robot vacuum cleaner. Many people hate having to do the tedious chore of pushing a stand up vacuum around the house and it can be a real pain, figuratively and literally. Push vacuums are a necessary evil, but robot vacuums are an absolute godsend as a complement to your regular vacuuming. Here are some benefits to having a robot vacuum and what it will do for you.

1. You will save time.

You may have to tweak a little bit to see how your robovac moves around the rooms in your house, but once you have your system down it will save you a lot of time over the long haul. Imagine not having to worry about cleaning your floors because the robot does it for you. You will be able to get more cleaning done at one time. While the little robovac is vacuuming up for you, you can be doing other chores that require you to be there. At least until they develop robots to do those too! Less vacuuming means more time to go get groceries, visit friends, or enjoy your life.

2. You will be able to clean less.

Whether you clean a lot or a little, your robovac will be just what the doctor ordered. If you clean every weekend, it can act as a buffer to keep your floors cleaner throughout the week. If you are more of a monthly cleaning person, you can take the guesswork out of how dirty your place will be when you do finally get around to it. And if you never clean, let’s just say you definitely need one.

3. It’s affordable.

More money will get you more features, smoke and mirrors, bells and whistles of course. But with perfectly capable models starting at under $50 retail, there really isn’t any excuse about the price for not picking up a good robot vacuum cleaner.

4. They are low maintenance.

Robovacs can be set by you to clean designated areas in your home at designated times. Certain models can clean until they detect their battery is low and then return to their charging station until they are ready to start again. The dirt bins are typically easy to remove, empty, and replace. Once you have their routine in place, it’s as close to a set it and forget household chore as you can get.

With all these benefits and really no disadvantages to speak of, any homeowner, slob, or neat freak would be serving their best interests to pick up a robotic vacuum. And for the truly tech crowd, there are also models of robot floor washers as well. But that is another article. :D