Are robot vacuums really worth it?

silveredstars on 20/11/2018 - 12:58

A friend and I will be moving into her newly-built home early next year, and we are in the process of making our purchases over the coming months to get it set up. One of the things we've considered is vacuums, and perhaps a robot vacuum.

About us and the house

  • Two late 20s women
  • Shiftworkers, one of us on night shift
  • No kids
  • No pets (currently; maybe a dog in the future)
  • Small single-storey house, no stairs etc
  • Tile in the living/kitchen/bathroom, carpet in bedrooms

My only experience with a robot vacuum is the comments through forums and seeing them on display at stores. Are they worth the expense? Do they require extra vacuuming? Any tips of brands/models/prices etc? With Black Friday coming up, would it be better to purchase on that sale, or wait for the Boxing Day sales, or something else?

Thanks in advance!

Home & Garden Robotic Vacuum Cleaner

Comments

  • trustnoone on 20/11/2018 - 13:05

    Not to sure, but my parents have one and they never use it, seemed like a waste to me, I think the biggest issue is that its sort of quicker and easier to take a few minutes to vaccum then it is to wait for the thing to go round, especially when you have a lot of nooks and crannies or uneven floors or multiple rooms.

    It does have a remote though, so I do like the idea of just sitting on the couch and zooming it around. I imagine if it worked perfectly and vaccumed itself properly, the idea would be great.

    Personally I use one of those hand dyson cordless, their fairly pricey though but works well for me but I have a small area to clean.

    • silveredstars on 20/11/2018 - 13:38
      +1

      I was under the impression you can program them to run at particular times, like when you're at work. That appeals to me a lot!

      • kmish on 20/11/2018 - 14:15
        +1

        This is correct. My parents have their's (Xiaomi) programmed to work during the weekdays, in the afternoon.

  • dcep on 20/11/2018 - 13:07
    +1

    yes if it's circa 320 bux or less, aka xiaomi robot vac gen1

  • Allwentmarching on 20/11/2018 - 13:09
    +2

    My in laws have a rhoomba as they have bad backs. For them its great - small house, carpet only. Been going well for years.
    I gather its not so good for steps, uneven floor etc which is why I dont have one - (plus kids dropping lego everywhere. )

  • 2jzzzz on 20/11/2018 - 13:10
    +2

    Yes, $300 for a Xiaomi. Had the Neato 5 years ago, died and replaced with Xiaomi first gen and run it 3 or 4 days a week. Love it, really good machine and hardly ever get the bulky vacuum out. I have a airy, fluffy golden and a spiky, short hair staffy. Copes really well with their hair, both short capet and tiles.

  • lupiter on 20/11/2018 - 13:16
    +2

    My mum had a cheap one she got off ebay and I think by the fourth or fifth one (returned because it broke in normal use) she gave up.

    It depends what you don't like about vacuuming. You still have to tidy or move things out of the way for it (like moving chairs out from under tables). It's not a set-and-forget solution. And it obviously won't clean your couch corners or door frames.

    Robots are cool, cleaning is not cool, as yet robots cannot solve all your cleaning problems. :(

    • silveredstars on 20/11/2018 - 13:40

      Thanks! I was curious to know what else it would need in addition to the robot and how much extra.

    • SlickMick on 21/11/2018 - 10:40

      I think the latest models must be better… I think set and forget is exactly the idea.
      My issue was how much dirt they can hold before needing emptying… if you're emptying it every day doesn't that defeat the purpose??

      I'm going to wait for a good price on the Roomba i7+. It uploads it's dirt to a base station and you just replace a bag apparently once per month (30 uploads).

      From what I hear they do a thorough job. I'm hear to confirm or correct what I've been reading :)

  • geek001 on 20/11/2018 - 13:22
    +2

    I have the xiaomi robot Gen1. My house gets a little dusty after about 2 days. It is better for the robot to spend 40 mins vacuuming my floor than 15 mins of me doing it myself. I think it is worth it. We used to have a cheapie unknown brand one before that, and it was crap. The robot will never make it back to the dock itself and didn't do a good job, the xiaomi one worked well.

  • mooney on 20/11/2018 - 13:25
    +2

    YES!!

    I will never ever go back to vacuuming again.

    I have Neato Botvac Connected- it does a proper job, no need for subsequent vacuuming (all my floors are wooden floorboards)

    Lots of workmates have Xiaomi Robot Gen 1 and not one has ever complained…

  • readeral on 20/11/2018 - 13:30
    +1

    Depends. Are you tidy? They're only worth it if you tidy your house.

    • silveredstars on 20/11/2018 - 13:40

      Haha well the intentions are good…!

  • [Deactivated] on 20/11/2018 - 13:38
    +1

    I've surrendered to SkyNet a long time ago.

    I no longer know how to vacuum. Soon I won't know how to wipe my own arse.

    In a few a years, I'll no longer know how to turn on any appliances.

    • kaitoivan on 03/12/2018 - 17:23

      Xiaomi has a toilet seat that can wash your arse, you should get one of those

      • [Deactivated] on 03/12/2018 - 17:50

        It's the reason i have lost the muscle memory of wiping.

  • Gandalf the Thrifty on 20/11/2018 - 14:14

    Soon I won't know how to wipe my own arse.

    Try this

    • [Deactivated] on 20/11/2018 - 17:09

      Hence why I don't know how to wipe. Last try, I got shit all over the place.

  • bobbified on 20/11/2018 - 14:40

    Personally, I find it a bit gimmicky and think that the tech isn't mature enough to invest just yet.

    • [Deactivated] on 20/11/2018 - 17:11
      +3

      It's drastically reduced the amount of dust in the house.

      I have a commercial application air filter. When the robovac was decommissioned, the particle count went through the roof. Could also notice dust buildup on flat surfaces after a few weeks.

      Now that the vac is working again, no issues. In conjunction with a suitably sized air filter, I can go months without wiping flat surfaces for dust.

    • SlickMick on 21/11/2018 - 10:43

      based on experience, or you just can't believe we're there and reckon there are an incredible number of liars out there??

      • bobbified on 22/11/2018 - 14:24

        you just can't believe we're there and reckon there are an incredible number of liars out there??

        I'm not doubting that it works, but it won't be for everyone.

        Admittedly, I haven't used one at my own place before.

        BUT, what I have noticed is that the people who have a robot vac also own a normal vacuum cleaner. There are areas that the robot cannot reach or get to.

        Living in an apartment means that I have very limited storage. We don't have backup fridges or backup microwaves, do I really want to pay hundreds to get "robot" vac, but still have to have another vac because the robotic one can't do a proper job?

        When they're designed well enough to do a proper job without the need to own a second vaccum cleaner, THEN I might think of getting one.

        • SlickMick on 22/11/2018 - 14:39

          I don't know how clean you expect your house to be, but I figure this every day > you once a week.
          With the latest models being able to be called for an instant cleanup of a specific spot, I can't see the need for an additional vacuum… except maybe for the car… though I did see one model that had a pull-out hand-held device.

          My mum had a slogan on her wall something like "Home should be clean enough to be healthy and dirty enough to be happy"… from what I've seen I'd be healthier and happier with a robot vac.

          • bobbified on 22/11/2018 - 15:15

            @SlickMick:

            I don't know how clean you expect your house to be

            I actually vacuum quite infrequently and I don't have much open floor space. There's cables, table legs, clothes and whatever on the floor (not as dirty as it sounds). It's just me, myself and I, so I get away with vacuuming once every couple of weeks. Having said that, it's the dust on everything that's not-on-the-floor that pisses me off. I have to wipe things down every 2-3 days.

            Unfortunately, apartment living means that before buying anything, I have to think about where I'm going to store it after use.

            • SlickMick on 22/11/2018 - 15:20

              @bobbified: That's the issue I need to overcome before a robot could do my whole house. I tend to use all available floor space - it would take a drone robot to be able to get into my study.

  • altomic on 20/11/2018 - 14:44
    +1

    I have a Neato XV-21.
    if I run it twice a week then it means I only have to vacuum the corners once a month.

    it picks up a lot of dust and hair.

    worth it.

  • FeRGan on 20/11/2018 - 15:29

    Too many nooks and crannies it can't reach, and the effort it takes to clear the floor for it to operate on could almost as easily been used to vacuum traditionally.

  • Caped Baldy on 20/11/2018 - 15:44
    +1

    If you do consider a pet in the future a robot vac may spread shit everywhere.

    • teardrops21 on 21/11/2018 - 09:42

      Train your pet to shit outside.

    • SlickMick on 21/11/2018 - 10:48
      +1

      who would let a pet use their house as a toilet?

      worse: how would let their pet use their in-law's bedroom carpet for a toilet? Answer: My son in law.

      • Nugs on 21/11/2018 - 11:30

        not so slick then?
        .

  • aparra on 20/11/2018 - 15:46

    Yes. I have a xiaomi S50 and it does an excellent job.

  • Riversdale28 on 20/11/2018 - 15:50
    +2

    Absolutely sensational. I waited for the OzBargain special and can't believe how good it is.
    With limited mobility, my floors have never been cleaner - and I don't have to lift a finger…
    well except to empty the dust/dirt. TIP: Best on uncluttered floors, no junk lying around.

    • John Kimble on 20/11/2018 - 21:01

      So not for young families

      • savage bargain on 21/11/2018 - 03:32
        +3

        We have kids 4 and under, and it's been fantastic for us. We have the Xiaomi S50 model. Have it by programmed daily to keep on top of the constant sand coming in shoes, use the mop function twice a week as well, and then once every few weeks use a handheld in the corners/areas it can't get to.

        We take about 1 minute quickly picking up or moving things that might trap it, but it's actually good with most things and has been able to get itself out of most situations if a toy or something has been left behind. We've also used it as a threat to get the 4 year old to put stuff away: "If you leave that there, Woodhouse will pick it up and you'll never see it again."

  • EightImmortals on 20/11/2018 - 17:40
    +1

    We got an Iroomba a couple of years back and it's great. Gets into places I can't with the big vac. I get spare brushes/filters etc cheap off ebay.

  • wizzy on 20/11/2018 - 20:13
    +1

    I love my roomba. I've had it for years and bought it cheaply from someone who was given one and didn't want it. I probably use it close to every day and it keeps the dust levels in my house right down. It helps that I have deliberately bought furniture on legs so that roomba can vacuum under everything - especially the bed. I love turning it on before I leave the house and returning to a freshly vacuumed house.

  • Drj55 on 21/11/2018 - 07:36

    How does it go if you have a mix of hard floors, carpet and a rug or two? Are they quiet enough to run at night if you sleep with your door open?

    • silveredstars on 21/11/2018 - 12:28

      I'd like to know the answer to the noise question too. :)

      Drj55 from other threads, I've read that if there is a significant difference in height between the rugs and the floor, that can cause it to get stuck, but I'll let an actual owner answer it properly.

    • wizzy on 21/11/2018 - 16:03
      +1

      My roomba is noisy and I could not sleep through the noise. It is fine with a mixture of hard wood floors, carpets and rugs. It changes between them without any problems.

    • EightImmortals on 22/11/2018 - 11:03
      +1

      Nope, way too noisy for night-time use.

  • lovepub on 21/11/2018 - 08:20
    +2

    +1 for a second gen xiaomi

    I recently bought one and they work great for our household with wood floor and carpet .

    Picks up heaps of dirt.

    But need keep floor cord free and stuff that will tangle and block

    Do the investment.

  • affable on 21/11/2018 - 09:30
    +1

    We had a Roomba about 10 years ago and ran it for about 5 years until its circuits got fried by lightning.
    The biggest expense was replacement batteries which only last 12-18 months when used in a reasonable sized house.
    If your place is free of dropped items, cord clutter etc they work very well. However you need to run them at least once or twice a week to stop the dirt building up and clean before it gets too trodden into carpet etc.

  • donbot on 22/11/2018 - 13:06

    If someone can please provide some insight, would be greatly appreciated?

    • How many m2 would be reasonable to expect a robo vac to clean? Eg. We're about 130m2 of floor space, and a mix of floorboards, tiles and carpet.
    • How do they cope with transitions from carpet to floorboards (the little grey strip that is a 'bump' in the road).
    • Can you program it so it stays within a certain zone? (eg. it stops at the carpet/floorboard edge?
    • How do they go with an indoor cat? I'm guessing he would take some getting used to it, but did you find the vac running stressed them out initially? He's well trained so the poop drag is non issue.
    • skid on 23/11/2018 - 08:52
      +2

      I have a Xiaomi Roborock S50 (gen 2) on mostly carpet. I run the robot on max suction in carpet mode. In other modes, the robot will ramp down the power used and noise depending on the surface being vacuumed.

      It will clean approx 105m2 per charge depending on the floor layout. It'll be able to clean a greater area if the layout is rectangular and less if the layout has bedrooms, kitchen, laundry etc. If the robot runs out of charge, it'll go back to dock, charge up for about 3 hours and clean the rest of the house.

      If the bump is higher than 2cm, the robot will treat it as a wall and turn back. I have placed carpet runners and mats as a step/ramp that the robot can climb to the places I want cleaned. For places like wet areas, I have raised barriers or closed doors. It won't drop down stairs either. You can buy magnetic strips to use as a barrier or use the app to set up virtual walls.

      Yes, the Xiaomi has zoned cleaning. You can set up to 5 consecutive zones to clean.

      The vacuum is loud on max suction and covers about a sqm per minute.

  • JackMayyam on 26/11/2018 - 17:45

    I think robot vacuums cannot replace the upright ones but it's a good quick fix. We have a chow, so you can just imagine how "furry" our floors can become. Since you don't have one, I believe cleaning should be easy for the robot. I got ours from last year's black friday too, and surprisingly, it's still alive. lol. I think this page updates on good deals, you might want to check. What we don't like about it though is that it's noisy, it's just too noisy when it starts cleaning.

  • dimitryp on 27/11/2018 - 12:55

    Short answer - yes.
    I have the Xiaomi gen1 robot vacuum (around $350) and its excellent.

    There's a few things to keep in mind though:
    You still need to "pre-clean" before you set it to work, which takes a bit of time, but not as much as doing manual vacuuming.
    Its best if you empty the floor of small random things (we have kids and there's bits of toys everywhere), plus lifting up chairs also helps. Also, if you have a big house then the dust bin is only big enough for 1 run, so need to empty it between every run, so scheduling doesnt work. If you have an apartment you might get 2 runs in before emptying the bin.

    Even with the above, it's still excellent! Good suction, gets into corners and under tables and beds and couches, shows you what its doing on an app. Good stuff!

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