Should you buy a robot vacuum cleaner?

Although robot vacuum cleaners aren’t yet advanced enough to vacuum your home from top to bottom without any assistance, they are a little more than a simple novelty. These small, disc shaped appliances have been designed to move around the floor removing dust and debris as they go, leaving your rooms cleaner and more hygienic than they were before.

Particularly ideal for open plan spaces (as these little home appliances can’t get into nooks and crannies), robot vacuum cleaners are perfect for occasional use when you’re simply looking for a bit of hassle-free surface cleaning.

Robot vacuum cleaner
iRobot i7156 Roomba i7
(Available from amazon.co.uk)

Robot vacuum cleaner pros

With a robot vacuum cleaner you can say goodbye to the struggles that come with trying to hoover under the bed or dining table, as they can quite easily head under there and remove any hiding dust and debris.

Many models can be programmed to vacuum at a particular time or on a specific day too, so you don’t even have to think about vacuuming the floors, it’ll just do them for you (providing that you haven’t accidentally shut it in a cupboard).

A robot vacuum cleaner can also be ideal for those spring cleaning days, as your futuristic appliance can be cleaning the floors while you’re scrubbing the bathroom, giving you one less chore to complete.

Robot vacuum cleaner cons

One inconvenience you might find with a robot vacuum cleaner is that your floors will need to be completely clear before you can set it loose. This is because, as with normal vacuum cleaners, they can suck up small objects which could cause them to jam.

There’s also the issue that the devices can get stuck as they make their way around the house, especially if they get themselves into a nook that they just can’t get themselves out of.

Robot vacuum cleaners cannot clean the stairs for you, which could be seen as a negative, and they might upset any pets that you have who could start using your robot vacuum cleaner as a toy!

Things to consider when buying a robot vacuum cleaner

When shopping for a robot vacuum cleaner there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you might want to take a look at the battery life and how long the device takes to charge.

Some models have been designed to make their way back to their charging base should they start to run out of battery, so this might be a feature you want to look out for.

Capacity is another big consideration, as the higher the capacity the less often you’ll have to empty it. A number of high-end robot vacuum cleaners boast their own separate dust containers which make them a joy to clean out, whereas others feature in-built compartments which can be more fiddly to maintain.

Most robot vacuum cleaners will come with a replaceable dust filter which will require frequent cleaning too, so it’s worth ensuring that this will be easy to do.

With many home appliances it’s safe to assume that the more you spend the better your model will be, but that’s not the case with robot vacuum cleaners. In fact, when it comes to two of the best-rated models, one is double the price of the other, so taking reviews into consideration is definitely advisable.

Decided that you should buy a robot vacuum cleaner for your home? Shop around for your perfect match today!

See Also
Rechargeable handheld vacuum
Handheld Vacuum Cleaners
Cordless vacuum cleaner
Things to consider when buying a cordless vacuum