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Things To Think About Before You Buy Robot Vacuums
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!