Cheap robot vacuum cleaners- any good?

[stevensfo]

I am very allergic to dust and and am getting fed up with breaking my back hoovering our large bedroom, under the bed etc. Although most floors are parquet, there is a large rug under and around the bed which I should throw away but my wife insists on keeping. My wife also hoovers but she is allergic to nothing, so doesn't always appreciate my efforts. I'm at a loss as to where all this bloody dust comes from!

Our house is on three levels and so not really suited to one of those expensive, programmable A.I. super-duper thingies that scans the room, vacuums, mops and returns to its charger, all while planning the overthrow of mankind.

The two places that would benefit most are our large bedroom/ensuite upstairs and the living room -hall - kitchen area downstairs. Both areas can be closed off.

So I'm considering a cheap robot vacuum cleaner that we can just put wherever we want and leave vacuuming merrily away when we go out. Nothing elaborate required, though preferably as powerful as possible.

Anyone used one of these and has any advice? The prices seem to vary considerably.


Steve

[robbelg]

If the rug has tassels you'll have to get rid of it.

Rob

[servodude]

What's the worst that can happen? It sucks?

You might consider an air filter/purifier for the bedroom if dust/allergies are an issue
- allergens are not normally a problem if they're on the carpet (though... that said.. I don't know what you guys are getting up to)

-sd

[daveh]

I like mine. I had an old roomba and it was very good until it wasn't (started regularly jamming and calling for help), lasted 4-5 years and I still use it upstairs as it seems happier cleaning carpet rather than hard floors. I have a cheap deboot as a replacement that was a present. So far it seems OK.

My only problem with them is that they are getting too fancy with apps for your phone so you can run them remotely etc etc. I prefer my old simple one where you press a button and it heads of and cleans and then comes back to be fed from its charging station when its battery runs low.

If you get one you need to have a reasonably uncluttered house and you need to keep the floor tidy as it will eat things like tassels, clothing hanging off radiators and touching the floor etc. I also have something that is just the right height for one robot to get stuck under.

[UncleEbenezer]

I like mine. I had an old roomba and it was very good until it wasn't (started regularly jamming and calling for help), lasted 4-5 years and I still use it upstairs as it seems happier cleaning carpet rather than hard floors. I have a cheap deboot as a replacement that was a present. So far it seems OK.

My only problem with them is that they are getting too fancy with apps for your phone so you can run them remotely etc etc. I prefer my old simple one where you press a button and it heads of and cleans and then comes back to be fed from its charging station when its battery runs low.

If you get one you need to have a reasonably uncluttered house and you need to keep the floor tidy as it will eat things like tassels, clothing hanging of radiators and touching the floor etc. I also have something that is just the right height for one robot to get stuck under.

Agree with all that. I too have a roomba with no nonsense like smartphone app. Useful for the big areas of floor, but they have to be cleared first, and you may find you have places it gets stuck so needs to be kept out of (in my case, under the edges of a futon frame in the living room).

No idea if an app-free roomba or similar counts as cheap for the OP's purposes.

[Lootman]

allergens are not normally a problem if they're on the carpet (though... that said.. I don't know what you guys are getting up to)

Not normally perhaps but I became as sick as a dog after pulling up a carpet that the house's previous owner had clearly allowed her cat to pee and puke on.

And a friend of my wife is allergic to something in the long-pile carpets she seems to like, and regularly cleans them manually, or gets someone else to. I did it once for her and then flatly refused.

My Roomba effortlessly moves from wood floors to rugs without a hitch. It is life-changing, but if you have a really old house where everything is on a different level with steps etc., then it is a big of a hassle.

[DrFfybes]

Agree with all that. I too have a roomba with no nonsense like smartphone app. Useful for the big areas of floor, but they have to be cleared first,

Not sure about your house, but for me it takes longer to move everything around than doing the actual Sharking[1].

Paul

[1] We also have an old Miele, but MrsF put a 'Hoover' sticker on that after I kept correcting her

[stevensfo]

What's the worst that can happen? It sucks?

You might consider an air filter/purifier for the bedroom if dust/allergies are an issue
- allergens are not normally a problem if they're on the carpet (though... that said.. I don't know what you guys are getting up to)

-sd

Yes they are. Temperature and humidity changes. Dust/pollen is all the time being swept up and down. I often have hayfever during and after storms. I assume the higher pressure is pushing everything down and through windows.

Dust on the carpet under beds is a killer! I discovered this years ago. The bagless vacuum cleaners that we all use today are brilliant in showing exactly how much....and what...they suck up!

Steve

PS I've ordered a cheapy robo vac to test and will report back when it's been tested.

It's from the Trump Foundation and is programmed by a company called Skynet. What can possibly go wrong?

[stevensfo]

Pffft. Just wait until your robot Hoover becomes self aware....

https://youtube.com/shorts/CEloGdMOiIQ?feature=share

Why did this video suddenly become unavailable. It was great!

Reminded me of our old PE teacher!

Steve

[servodude]

What's the worst that can happen? It sucks?

You might consider an air filter/purifier for the bedroom if dust/allergies are an issue
- allergens are not normally a problem if they're on the carpet (though... that said.. I don't know what you guys are getting up to)

-sd

Yes they are. Temperature and humidity changes. Dust/pollen is all the time being swept up and down. I often have hayfever during and after storms. I assume the higher pressure is pushing everything down and through windows.

Dust on the carpet under beds is a killer! I discovered this years ago. The bagless vacuum cleaners that we all use today are brilliant in showing exactly how much....and what...they suck up!

Steve

PS I've ordered a cheapy robo vac to test and will report back when it's been tested.

It's from the Trump Foundation and is programmed by a company called Skynet. What can possibly go wrong?

Yeah sorry I was being flippant
Point was you're breathing them in the air not consuming them from the carpet - but yes they are a terrible reservoir for stuff that can subsequently be put back in the air.

One major impact of humidity on allergic reactions is how it causes your respiratory membranes to be more receptive - the increased moisture makes them swell, restricting the air flow more while also making them take up particles more readily (this was why masks could sometimes feel pretty horrid for some - and why drying washing indoors can feel suffocating).

One other worrying effect is how it can cause pollen to oversaturate and burst in to smaller particles that get pulled deeper in to lungs.

If you still find that after your hoovering regimen (whatever form that takes) that you're still suffering from allergies I do recommended trying a purifier (it will help with whatever isn't in the carpet as well)

-sd

[Loup321]

I have had Roombas for quite a few years now (since 2005?). I don't have the programable ones, but my last change was to one which returns to its docking station by itself. With the previous ones, I did need new batteries every couple of years (the unbranded versions of batteries lasted only one year), but with this one, it is constantly fully charged and I haven't replaced the battery yet. Probably a good thing, since I have no idea where the instruction manual is and the design has changed so I don't even know where the battery is.

I did have a cheaper robot vacuum cleaner from Maplin (before they closed down, so a while back). It was not possible to see in the photos online or in the description that it didn't have brushes. The suction was great, and it picked up lots of crumbs, but it would not pick up hair from carpets at all. Two of the household have very long hair, so I replaced that one after about a year even though it wasn't broken.

The don't do corners, but are fantastic at getting under beds and sofas (not our current sofa, with 3 cm clearance though).

[stevensfo]

What's the worst that can happen? It sucks?

You might consider an air filter/purifier for the bedroom if dust/allergies are an issue
- allergens are not normally a problem if they're on the carpet (though... that said.. I don't know what you guys are getting up to)

-sd

Yes they are. Temperature and humidity changes. Dust/pollen is all the time being swept up and down. I often have hayfever during and after storms. I assume the higher pressure is pushing everything down and through windows.

Dust on the carpet under beds is a killer! I discovered this years ago. The bagless vacuum cleaners that we all use today are brilliant in showing exactly how much....and what...they suck up!

Steve

PS I've ordered a cheapy robo vac to test and will report back when it's been tested.

It's from the Trump Foundation and is programmed by a company called Skynet. What can possibly go wrong?

Yeah sorry I was being flippant
Point was you're breathing them in the air not consuming them from the carpet - but yes they are a terrible reservoir for stuff that can subsequently be put back in the air.

One major impact of humidity on allergic reactions is how it causes your respiratory membranes to be more receptive - the increased moisture makes them swell, restricting the air flow more while also making them take up particles more readily (this was why masks could sometimes feel pretty horrid for some - and why drying washing indoors can feel suffocating).

One other worrying effect is how it can cause pollen to oversaturate and burst in to smaller particles that get pulled deeper in to lungs.

If you still find that after your hoovering regimen (whatever form that takes) that you're still suffering from allergies I do recommended trying a purifier (it will help with whatever isn't in the carpet as well)

-sd

To be honest, this summer has been much, much worse than average. Maybe it's a form of Long Covid? I had it on New Year's day and it wasn't much worse than a cold, but since then, I seem to have a blocked/runny nose all the time.

During the summer, we have a simple dehumidifier in the bedroom but I think I'll get a better model that filters the air as well.

I will also persuade my wife into throwing away the large rug we have under and around our bed.

Maybe a hammock?

Steve

[stevensfo]

Quick update. I'm like a small kid with a new toy. Brilliant. Yes, thanks for the warning about tassels on the edge of rugs. Lesson learned!

I tested it in our bedroom and it performed very well, even on the thick rug under our bed. My only criticism is the small size of the dust collector.

After plenty of reading around, I chose a cheap, but powerful robot that came with a remote control. Like many people, I'm getting mightily &^%#!! off with installing apps on my phone!! Apparently, some robots require an app to be be installed in order to work. Gimmee a break!

It will be interesting to see how my 'trouble and strife' reacts when she comes home next week. But I think that when I've shown her how to pause it and carry it to another room, she'll be pleasantly surprised.

Steve

PS I can't believe that nobody has yet made a robot that can climb/clean stairs as well.

[ReformedCharacter]

PS I can't believe that nobody has yet made a robot that can climb/clean stairs as well.

That's not a trivial task, especially if you want to avoid it falling downstairs and causing injury or damage

RC

[Lootman]

PS I can't believe that nobody has yet made a robot that can climb/clean stairs as well.

That's not a trivial task, especially if you want to avoid it falling downstairs and causing injury or damage

Just get a Roomba to have sex with a Slinky, and harvest their young.

[stevensfo]

PS I can't believe that nobody has yet made a robot that can climb/clean stairs as well.

That's not a trivial task, especially if you want to avoid it falling downstairs and causing injury or damage

Just get a Roomba to have sex with a Slinky, and harvest their young.

Sounds like another sequel for the Terminator movies! Imagine Slinkies with A.I.!

Though I'm not an engineer, I imagine that the problem with vacuum robots is their battery. Wheels, brushes and suction all have some momentum from revolving parts and simple motors to keep them turning. I'm sure that a change in shape would make it easier, but the poor robot would have to find a way to get to the next step. The battery problem could be solved by having another charging point upstairs.

Needless to say, the person who makes a robot that can climb stairs and vacuum the whole house is going be extremely rich.

Shame I didn't pay attention during Blue Peter in the 70s or I could probably make one from a yogurt carton and some sticky-backed plastic.


Steve

[NearlyThere]

After plenty of reading around, I chose a cheap, but powerful robot that came with a remote control.

Which one?

[stevensfo]

After plenty of reading around, I chose a cheap, but powerful robot that came with a remote control.

Which one?

EICOBOT R2010 3000 Pa suction.

I call him Robby. I'm on my own this week and have used it all around the house. Living room area and kitchen gets done every day, and starts just when I'm leaving. When I get home, it's already fully charged again, and I stick it in a few bedrooms.

I honestly don't know where all the bloody dust and hair is coming from, but the container is always full!

Pretty sure the mice are having parties!


Steve

[Hallucigenia]

To be honest, this summer has been much, much worse than average. Maybe it's a form of Long Covid? I had it on New Year's day and it wasn't much worse than a cold, but since then, I seem to have a blocked/runny nose all the time.

I've seen suggestions that it's partly something to do with an aftereffect of lockdown - people's immune systems were exposed to fewer allergens during lockdown, so their immune system got a bit "flabby", and is now having to work much harder when exposed to "normal" amounts of allergens. And also it's just generally been good weather for pollen generation with little rain to wash it out of the air.

PS I can't believe that nobody has yet made a robot that can climb/clean stairs as well.

They said the same about these guys :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BhKu3XXi7E&t=50s

[richfool]

Can I ask those with experience of these things: how much head room/clearance do they need? We have sideboards and bookcases with legs and clearances as little as 3cms and 5 cms.

The TV is on a sideboard type unit, across a corner of the room, with a floor standing woofer and lots of cable coiled on the floor (effectively hidden) behind the unit. Would it cope with that sort of thing, or just back-off away from it? What about electric cable across the floor?

Similarly do they cope with the multiple legs of a dining room table and chairs?

In the above, references to floor mean a carpetted floor.