Keeping floors clean during autumn can feel like a big task. The weather has taken a wet and windy turn, leaves cover the gardens and dirt and dust seems to be a constant feature in homes. Shorter evenings also mean your after-work time feels that bit more precious, so you want to be as efficient as possible with the household chores. This is where the robot vacuum can really shine! Most robot vacuum cleaners can clean hard wood, laminate and carpets. They can navigate around furniture, avoid obstacles and empty themselves. Some even have mopping capabilities.
But are they right for every home? Let's explore the benefits, drawbacks, and how they compare with traditional stick vacuum cleaners.
The biggest appeal of a robot vacuum is that it saves you time. It lets you prioritise other tasks and get on with your day. Many robot vacuum cleaners can be controlled via a mobile app. So, you can do a daily schedule which keeps your floors clean with minimal effort. You can pick the shedule that suots you so it can be cleaning while you are at work, sleeping or spending time with your family. A robot vacuum can significantly reduce the amount of visible dust, crumbs, pet hair, and dirt that accumulates between deeper cleaning sessions.
Perfect For:
- Children (especially weaning!)
- Pets with long hair
- Busy work schedules
- Open-plan living spaces
Robot vacuums vary in price point and features. Understanding the range of smart features will make it easier to shop for a robot vacuum that suits your home and lifestyle.
Smart Mapping
Smart mapping allows your robot vacuum to create a detailed mapped layout of your home. It uses sensors, cameras or LiDAR navigation systems. You will need to install your vacuums homebase and connect to Wi-Fi. Once your device is connected, you can start the smart mapping. You will only need to do this once. Your vacuum saves the floormap and will not need to be rerun, unless you have extreme changes to your floorplans. The floorplan is usually available to view in the manufacturer's app. You will be able to follow the robot vacuums progress and create no-go zones and boundries.
Obstacle Avoidance
While smart mapping can handle the route your robot vacuum will take, obstancle avoidance is a great feature for avoiding issues during a cleaning cycle. Our homes rarely stay the same every day, whether it's a cat or dog roaming around, toys left on the floor or a forgotten basket of laundry. Obstacles will appear on a daily basis. The obstancle avoidance feature reduces the risk of your robot vacuum becoming stuck and can minimise the preparation required before it starts the cleaning cycle. While we would recommend lifting chairs and big obstacles for a better clean, these random things that get in the way of your vacuum can be avoidd. Without you having to get involved mid-cycle. This is particularly important for anyone who wants to run cleaning cycles during the night or while they are out at work.
Self-emptying Base
This is one of the most sought-after features. After completing it's cleaning cycling, the robot vacuum returns to it's charging station and automatically transfers dirt into a dust bag or container stored within the unit. Depemnding on the size of the mapped area, the robot vacuum may do this mid cycle. This is a necessity for anyone who wants fully-automatic cleaning. It is also a good feature for allergy sufferers as it removed the need to handle dirt and dust.
App Control
Most robot vacuums have a dedicated smartphone app that allows you to control and schedule the cleaning cycles. Most will allow you to start and stop cleaning, monitor progress, view cleaning history, set restricted areas and schedule regular sessions. The app will also allow you to override the scheduling, so you always have full control and flexibility.
Many customers query whether they should invest in a robot vacuum or a handheld vacuum. The answer depends on your home layout and your style of cleaning. Budget is also something to consider. Robot vacuums are convienient for daily maintainance cleaning, especially for open plan living spcaes. Handheld vacuums are great for deeper cleaning, stairs and homes with multiple floors. In our experience, the robot vacuum is often used in tandem with a cylinder or handheld vacuum in a home. This means you can tackle stairs, do quick spot cleans while having a daily maintenance clean running.
Most homes will opt for a robot vacuum paired with a cylinder or handheld vacuum cleaner. However, if you are restricted on space or budget then we have a few points to consider before you decide which vacuum type to prioritise.
Choose a robot vacuum if:
- You want automated scheduled cleaning
- You have mostly hard floors
- You have pets that regulaurly shed
- You want to reduce cleaning effort
- You value smart-home functionality
Choose a handheld vacuum if:
- You need regular deep-cleaning or spot cleaning
- You regularly clean the stairs
- You prefer manual control
- You frequently clean furniture or vehicles
