Robot Vacuum Cleaners?

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Having done up my place and having and enjoying a reasonable state of the art selection of items that make life easier, I saw yesterday that Amazon "Prime Day" was offering a robot vacuum cleaner for 100 bucks off, 199 instead of 299 dollars.

For a minute I was sorely tempted but then said to myself, you only have a 640 square foot place and it's only you, and vacuuming takes almost no time at all. Could I become that lazy?

But, would be interested to hear from anyone who has one and what their experiences with them are, how effective are they?
  • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
    Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

    Having done up my place and having and enjoying a reasonable state of the art selection of items that make life easier, I saw yesterday that Amazon "Prime Day" was offering a robot vacuum cleaner for 100 bucks off, 199 instead of 299 dollars.

    For a minute I was sorely tempted but then said to myself, you only have a 640 square foot place and it's only you, and vacuuming takes almost no time at all. Could I become that lazy?

    But, would be interested to hear from anyone who has one and what their experiences with them are, how effective are they?
    They are good for picking up crumbs from bare floors.

    The motor is miniscule, generating very little power. it uses a battery, which doesn't allow much power. The container holding the dirt is also miniscule.

    I would never use it as a main vacuum cleaner, especially if you have carpet.

    They are popular as gifts and they are a novelty item. But they aren't really effective in picking up hair or dirt from carpet.

    The worst, cheapest upright vacuum cleaner with a revolving brush will do a better job of cleaning.
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  • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
    Friends had a i-robot (think that's the correct name). The wife use to use it all the time on their hardwood floors. I know she had the thing running every time I paid a visit. She like it but only used on the first level of her home.
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by DWolfe View Post

      Friends had a i-robot (think that's the correct name). The wife use to use it all the time on their hardwood floors. I know she had the thing running every time I paid a visit. She like it but only used on the first level of her home.
      Yes, we really want one that is able to climb and descend back down the stairs. The one I looked at did not map but went backwards and forwards in a straight line, obviously moving around obstacles.
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

        Yes, we really want one that is able to climb and descend back down the stairs. The one I looked at did not map but went backwards and forwards in a straight line, obviously moving around obstacles.
        The robot vacuum cleaners cannot go up stairs. They can go rapidly down stairs...once.

        If you have a pet, watching the robot vacuum cleaner smear the poop all over the floor is entertaining.
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        • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
          Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

          The robot vacuum cleaners cannot go up stairs. They can go rapidly down stairs...once.

          If you have a pet, watching the robot vacuum cleaner smear the poop all over the floor is entertaining.
          Enough of the dirty jokes, you muck spreader. I thought that's what dogs are for anyway.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    We had an expensive one 5-6 years ago...didn't work right much of the time. Needed emptied constantly and had battery issues more than once.


    It wasn't worth the trouble....you have 640 sq feet...that's a 5 minute vacuum job. Adding a robot vacuum...you'll have 638 sq ft.


    let us know how you like it....
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    • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
      Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

      We had an expensive one 5-6 years ago...didn't work right much of the time. Needed emptied constantly and had battery issues more than once.


      It wasn't worth the trouble....you have 640 sq feet...that's a 5 minute vacuum job. Adding a robot vacuum...you'll have 638 sq ft.


      let us know how you like it....
      I did not purchase, I have a cheap Walmart Black & Decker stick vacuum, it does the job.
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Our neighbors cat rides on their robo vac...


    I did not purchase

    Side trip to the animal shelter - adopt a long haired cat and you'll have the perfect excuse to buy a robo vacuum....
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  • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
    Hi Claude

    We have the Xiomi Robock S50. Bought it 2 years ago when the price was $288 at the time. The equivalent is now $560.

    We have 2 kids under 8 years old and a pug that sheds year round, this has honestly been a lifesaver. It takes about 1.5 hours to vacuum our 2,300 sq foot place. It uses lidar to map the area, gets just about everywhere except behind doors. We use it everyday, if ours broke I'd buy another of the same, even though its double rhe price now
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    • Profile picture of the author socialentry
      Originally Posted by Serene Carmen View Post

      We have the Xiomi Robock S50.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
      Originally Posted by Serene Carmen View Post

      Hi Claude

      We have the Xiomi Robock S50. Bought it 2 years ago when the price was $288 at the time. The equivalent is now $560.

      We have 2 kids under 8 years old and a pug that sheds year round, this has honestly been a lifesaver. It takes about 1.5 hours to vacuum our 2,300 sq foot place. It uses lidar to map the area, gets just about everywhere except behind doors. We use it everyday, if ours broke I'd buy another of the same, even though its double rhe price now
      I knew someone would say they loved their robot vacuum.

      I don't know about other products, but I know about vacuum cleaners. Every model made has one thing in common. No matter how it is made, it will have rave reviews from some, and be trashed by others.

      Every year there is a huge trade show in Las Vegas for the entire vacuum cleaner industry. Thousands of dealers arrive to talk to hundreds of manufacturers.

      And every year, there are several models of robot vacuum cleaners.

      Some dealers love them. Some customers love them.
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      • Profile picture of the author Dan Riffle
        Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

        I knew someone would say they loved their robot vacuum.

        I don't know about other products, but I know about vacuum cleaners. Every model made has one thing in common. No matter how it is made, it will have rave reviews from some, and be trashed by others.

        Every year there is a huge trade show in Las Vegas for the entire vacuum cleaner industry. Thousands of dealers arrive to talk to hundreds of manufacturers.

        And every year, there are several models of robot vacuum cleaners.

        Some dealers love them. Some customers love them.
        We have two. I don't "love them" but they're good as daily "set and forget" automation aids. Ours are set to sweep at 3am. They get the daily debris and the regular vac is for standard duty. Nice to have.
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        • Profile picture of the author Diego Aguirre
          I am all in about automation, so the idea of buying robots to do everything around the house is always on my mind...
          But honestly, I haven't bought one robot vacuum cleaner yet because I know my dogs would destroy the thing the very first day.
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          • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
            Lol this reminds me of the first day we got ours. Our pug barked at it for a few about half an hour, since then he's ignored it completely. It now vacuums around him (because he refuses to move) definitely depends on the dog. Ours is a lazy bugger!
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by Dan Riffle View Post

          We have two. I don't "love them" but they're good as daily "set and forget" automation aids. Ours are set to sweep at 3am. They get the daily debris and the regular vac is for standard duty. Nice to have.
          Can I borrow one? I've read on this thread that they are nice to have.
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          • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
            Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre View Post

            Can I borrow one? I've read on this thread that they are nice to have.
            Only because you heard you can sit on it and will carry you around the room. (as if)

            I have been reading about some models being able to clean carpets pretty well. And it should be said, that a battery powered device can provide 100 percent Torque to the motor for a while until it runs out of juice.

            Do you have any of the state of the art ones for sale in your store.
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            • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
              Originally Posted by lanfear63 View Post

              Only because you heard you can sit on it and will carry you around the room. (as if)

              I have been reading about some models being able to clean carpets pretty well. And it should be said, that a battery powered device can provide 100 percent Torque to the motor for a while until it runs out of juice.

              Do you have any of the state of the art ones for sale in your store.
              Yes, it provides 100% torque. 100% of the available torque. A battery powered motor (of the size in the robot vacuums) are very fast motors. They spin the brushes quickly. On bare floors, that's really all that's needed. On carpets, you also need a great deal of airflow to pull the dirt from the bottom of the carpet fibers. So far, the robot vacuums cannot provide that volume of air movement.

              In other words, if I let any robot vacuum cleaner go over a dirty carpet several times, and then went over the carpet just once with a strong full sized vacuum cleaner, you would see quite a lot that the robot vacuum missed.

              We don't sell them in our store. Partly because I don't want to service them.

              If someone has bare floors and a few rugs, they will do a decent job.

              Added later; The robot vacuum cleaner's suction is measured in Pa, or Pascal units. A vacuum cleaner's suction power can be measured in inches of water lift (how high up a 1 inch tube will the motor draw water?)

              A well made vacuum cleaner may pull 60 inches of water. The ones I sell typically will pull between 80-90 inches of water. A 1,500 Pa motor (used in higher end robot vacuum cleaners) will pull 6 inches of water. That's at full charge. Just not enough power to clean carpets except on the surface.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dan Tran
    It's not lazy! Enjoy the deal!
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    I can imagine a pudgy pug sitting in the vacuum's path with that 'whatcha gonna do about it' look. A smart vacuum would go around...
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    Sometimes I just want someone to hug me and say...
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    • Profile picture of the author Serene Carmen
      That's exactly him Kay! Once he's found his spot he's only moving if there's food involved
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