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Robot Revolution
Robotic vacuums may seem like they’re an effortless solution to dirty floors, and they’re great for slipping easily under heavy furniture, but they have a few drawbacks. Most notably, they don’t have as much suction as standard vacuums and their collection bins are small. But if you use them on a daily basis, they’ll take care of surface dirt. You’ll need to break out a traditional vacuum from time to time, but you won’t need to do it nearly as often. Because of these advantages, top sellers, such as the iRobot Roomba (available on Amazon) and the eufy BoostIQ RoboVac (also on Amazon), are finding their way into homes everywhere.
Keep It Clean
While Brandi Cooper from Fort Bragg, California, loves her Roomba, she wishes she had known what it would take to keep it clean. “I wish I had read the instructions thoroughly. You have to clean all the parts very well periodically, or it stops charging,” Cooper said.
Beware of the Cheap Ones
Looking for a bargain on a robotic vacuum? Taylor Spayde from Brandon, Florida, wants to warn others that inexpensive robot vacuums might not be all they’re cracked up to be. “The cheap ones don’t work. I bought a reasonably priced one, and it was horrid. Didn’t go well on rugs, died fast, and didn’t do a great job with hair,” Spayde said. She’s not giving up, though; she’s looking to buy a higher quality robotic vacuum in the future.
Tough to Get Fur Out of Roller
One of the top reasons for investing in a robotic vacuum is to pick up pet fur, but as Ann Engle from McPherson, Kansas, points out, getting that fur out of the vacuum can be a chore. “What I notice about the Roomba my son has, is that the dog hair really builds up fast and is hard to remove from the roller,” Engel said.
Should Have Bought One Sooner
Not everyone has a complaint about their robot vacuum—some people are totally thrilled. A huge Roomba fan, Tracy Weinhold of Russell, Kansas, wishes she had bought one sooner. “The amount of hair and dust it picks up is a lifesaver with pets. I love my Roomba!” Weinhold said.
They’re Great!
Kathleen Fujioka Richmond from Pearl City, Hawaii, is also sold on her Roomba vacuum. “It’s totally awesome,” she tells us. While Richmond depends on her Roomba for light daily vacuuming, she uses her standard Shark vacuum for monthly deep cleanings.
Pets Will Pounce
Jackie Gregory from Fort Wayne, Indiana, bought her robotic vacuum so she could come home to clean floors, but she soon learned that she can use it only when she’s at home because she needs to monitor her pets. “My fur babies attack it, so I can’t run it when I’m not home. They hate it!” Gregory said.
Related: We Tested the Top Handheld Vacuums, See Our Favorite for Quickly Cleaning Small Messes
Doesn’t Hold Much
If your floors are strewn with a lot of debris or fur, beware of the small size of the collection bin. Shannon Hall from Americus, Kansas, who shares her home with a German shepherd, complains, “I wish I had known that I would spend more time cleaning the brushes on it and dumping the tiny dirt collector than I would have actually spent just vacuuming the floors myself. German shepherd hair is gnarly!”
It’s a Blessing!
You don’t have to live in the United States to want to take advantage of automated cleaning. While she’s only had her Roomba for a month, Catrinel Pauna from Romania told us, “I wish I had known how good they were and bought one years ago.” Pauna added, “I don’t know how I lived without it for so long. A blessing!”
Check for Accidents
If your pets have an occasional accident in your home, Jeremy Schmidt of McPherson, Kansas, suggests scheduling your robotic vacuum to run when “there is no chance that it could run into a fresh pile from your furry friend.” Schmidt told us that it can be difficult to clean animal poop from some of the small parts inside the vacuum. As well, Schmidt warns that robotic vacuums will “choke on socks and underwear.”
Odd Vacuum Pattern
Although robotic vacuums can be a great convenience, they’re not going to completely replace vacuum-wielding humans anytime soon. According to Melinda Black Smith of Wichita, Kansas, some robotic vacuums don’t seem to know where they’re going. “I wish I had known that they (though not some newer ones) vacuum in a random pattern. Who vacuums like that?” Smith said.
