How to decide on a robot vacuum cleaner?

wei13 on 18/06/2014 - 09:14

Hi all,

I've recently been looking at robot vacuum cleaners, and being dazzled by their prices ranging from $100 to $1100.

Can anyone shed some light on what are the main things to look for in them? and what are the main differences between the more expensive and less expensive ones?

i don't have pets or thick carpets. Wondering if there's any good value robots that will serve me for many years. Are there any particular ones that people have tried and would recommend?

Not looking to spend too much on a robot for the time being; given that many of them seem to sit above the $500 level mark, i'll probably end up just using my faithful hurricane-sounding one for a while.

appreciate any thoughts

Home & Garden

Comments

  • racerm911 on 18/06/2014 - 09:39
    +2

    Hi Wei,

    I've been using a Roomba for the last few month and it really does an amazing job keeping the main areas of the house clean (or should I say, the areas that I let it clean). It has an amazing ability to get to areas such as tighter corners, in between chair legs and under tables and other hard to reach sections.

    I had hard tiled floors which would get quite dusty, and require either a vacuum or good sweep once a week. So I looked for a robot vacuum that had a timer, so I could set to vacuum daily to keep the place clean, so that would certainly be a feature I would look for.

    It also came with separate sensors so that you could stop it from going places you dont want it to.

    FYI - the model I have was the Roomba 530, which is an older model now. And I have moved to smaller place so would be willing to sell it for a decent price if you're interested.

  • noyesmaybeok on 18/06/2014 - 13:29
    +1

    We have http://robomaid.com.au

    It's good for every day grass, dirt etc. Still need to vacuum & mop, kitchen especially gets sauce and whatnot spilt.

  • Schezwon on 18/06/2014 - 13:56
    +1

    I have the Roomba 530 also, it is the best robot vacuum out so far and highly rated, but I find the suction power is still nowhere near my Dyson handstick vacuum. Works wonders on tiles and floorboards, struggles on my fluffy carpet. Nothing beats DIY, but good for lazy people like me.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/06/2014 - 17:10
    +1

    I just bought this robot from Aldi last week. Let it loose on my bedroom carpet which is thick and shaggy… and damn it picked up pet hair that I honestly didn't expect it to.

    It's my first robot vacuum though, so I can't offer any sort of comparative review of how it fairs against big brand robots, but I'm really pleased with this thing, even more so because of the price.

    I'd safely bet that all the robots would be sold out now at all Aldis (they sold out within the first half a day in my area… I queued up at the store 30mins before they opened to ensure I'd get one lol). But if anything, I guess this would be a good example for anyone that might think that the low price would naturally equal a rubbish product.

    Whichever one you end up choosing, make sure you google plenty for reviews before pulling the trigger. Helps a lot to hear other peoples experiences with specific models/brands.

    I'd LOVE to see what a Roomba, LG, Neato or Robomaid could do considering I'm already impressed with my el-cheapo robot. lol

    • [Deactivated] on 18/06/2014 - 18:19
      +2

      Definitely avoid the Roomba:
      Can lead to fights AND general stupidity

      • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2014 - 14:33
        +1

        I'm so ashamed to admit that I found that cat-shark riding the roomba really really amusing.

        Never seen it before, so thanks for the lolz. lol

        Love how the cat just goes with it even when it bumps into stuff. Cat is probably thinking "move, slave!"

        • [Deactivated] on 19/06/2014 - 15:25

          I'm not a cat or cat-shark expert, but I'm pretty sure that most regard humans as slaves too - just ones with the extra ability Roombas lack of being able to open tins/packets of cat/cat-shark food.

          I had seen both clips before, but I admit to watching the second clip all the way to the end - again - just to see the appearance - again - of that sweet, dopey dog. That's my excuse, anyway.

  • turando on 18/06/2014 - 23:38
    +1

    The best ones are LG and Neato. The Neato can be gotten really cheap from Amazon (saw a deal recently here for about $330 delivered). Compare that to David Jones which also sells it for 680. I've used a friend's neato and was impressed. A newer version which has a side brush is also out which I think would help with the sides issues.

    The LG is also a great one and is quieter than the neato.

    Whirlpool forums has humungous threads ont eh various models. Recommend reading.

  • wei13 on 23/06/2014 - 20:52
    +1

    thanks all for the helpful comments
    i went for a new au stock roomba
    will see how it goes

    • Schezwon on 27/06/2014 - 14:14

      Next year Dyson will be releasing a robot vacuum, but will be priced around $1500+ and no loss of suction.
      Did you know that most of the fine dust in your house are your skin flakes.

      • Baghern on 07/07/2014 - 10:25

        and flies eyes

  • OzMike on 14/07/2014 - 17:30

    I've also been interested in getting one. I've got a one level place. What sort of size house would one do and how many rooms?

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