An Expensive Useless Toy: Seven Popular Misconceptions About Robot Vacuums

The segment of robotic vacuum cleaners is shrouded in a large number of myths that date back to the times when the market

there was only one essentially serious brand that was expensive (iRobot) and a bunch of Chinese misunderstandings that cost significantly less but did nothing.

Since then, a lot of water has flown under the bridge, andmany technologies have fallen in price, and robotic vacuum cleaners have stepped far ahead. There were models with a mobile application, the ability to control using a voice assistant, some robots learned how to wash floors (and some, alas, did not learn, despite the promises of manufacturers), leaders rushed far ahead, and outsiders still continue to spoil the reputation of the entire segment ...

Misconception 1: Robot vacuum cleaners are too expensive

A price tag of 20,000 hryvnia can stopanyone who is wondering about buying a robot vacuum cleaner for the first time. For most of us, this is too much for a device we've never used before, so we have no idea what features we need and which we can do without. And even half that amount is above the threshold that we can afford to spend for such a household “experiment.”

If we make it clear to our readersanalogy with smartphones, then advanced (that is, having advanced technical characteristics and endowed with innovative functions that move progress in general and give us new opportunities that did not exist before) flagship smartphone models now cost from 25 to 40 thousand hryvnia. Which, in general, does not mean that smartphones costing 10 or even 5 thousand hryvnia are impossible to use. They can cope perfectly with the tasks assigned to them and bring pleasure from use. It’s the same movie with robot vacuum cleaners. Some are created for the simplest tasks of regularly maintaining cleanliness in the house, others - for consumers with more complex needs: automatically cleaning a large area of ​​apartments, understanding that there are areas where they should not go, and also having additional functions: for example, automatic cleaning the container or cleaning one room specified in the application.

In fact

Older models of robot vacuum cleaners havea maximum range of technical capabilities, some of which were implemented for the first time. They give more freedom to their customers and are designed to perform more tasks. And, as a rule, they are designed for large apartments and houses with several floors. For most buyers living in 1-2-room apartments, simpler models of robotic vacuum cleaners are suitable. Their price starts from 5-6 thousand hryvnia. At the same time, they will clean the apartment automatically in the same way, they just do it not so quickly and use less technology in their work (simply due to the fact that some of them are important only when cleaning large areas).


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Even simple models of robotic vacuum cleaners are capable of working with various floor coverings, walking around objects and going under furniture.

Misconception 2: Robot vacuum cleaners are useless toys

The second misconception is indirectly related to the first. Buyers, willing to risk a small amount, laid out $ 100-200 for a device that can only drive dust around the apartment and disturb the cat. It is not capable of sucking up garbage normally, or mapping the room and cleaning everywhere, or independently crossing thresholds. We had a similar model on review a few years ago. Buyers of such devices are the main source of the misconception that the robot vacuum cleaner is useless, projecting its bad experience onto the entire category of devices.

In fact

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, it is fair tofocus primarily not on the price (although there is, of course, a minimum threshold below which there is no point in considering the device - on Aliexpress you can find a stand-alone electric broom for $20, but it’s really more of a toy), but on the capabilities that are necessary. It is worth remembering that an important component in modern robots is their operating algorithms, which cannot be touched with your hands, but into which many years of work have been invested. And the more capabilities a robot vacuum cleaner has, the more complex its algorithms and ability to take into account more different factors and data received from a larger number of sensors and, for example, a camera. In this paired review of the iRobot Roomba S9 and Braava jet m6, you can see what a good modern robot vacuum cleaner can do. And these are not children's electronic toys at all.


Modern robotic vacuum cleaners iRobot Roomba S9 and Braava jet m6 embody the concept of a smart home, being able to work in tandem in pairs for dry and wet cleaning of the house.

Misconception 3. Robot vacuum cleaners are all the same

This thesis has a right and wrong grain.In fact, the same components and sensors can actually be used in different robot vacuum cleaners (if we are talking about a comparable price category). The analogy with smartphones is also valid here - on the free market, the same components are available to all smartphone manufacturers (with rare exceptions). What matters is quality control at all stages of production and the manufacturer’s desire to save money (you can install fewer sensors or lower the requirements for rejecting components).

But components aren't everything.The key value of a robot vacuum cleaner, as we have already said, comes from the operating algorithms that are built into it. The quality of the algorithms, the provided operating scenarios, and the improvement of all indicators directly depend on how much the brand invests in development (for example, iRobot robotic vacuum cleaners of the Roomba series use proprietary Dirt Detect technology, which allows you to detect high concentrations of pollution using acoustic sensors and make several passes through pollution zone (we have a video where you can see how it works). Robot vacuum cleaners from this manufacturer are capable of analyzing up to 230,400 points in space while navigating. Thus, robots with the same characteristics, but from different brands, or from one, but with a difference in generations will react differently to obstacles and pollution and ultimately produce different results.

Other models of robotic vacuum cleaners draw a mappremises and further changes (rearranging furniture, for example) must be made in the application. Others are adaptable and constantly update the map. The best algorithms allow obstacles to be interpreted differently. For example, for some the curtain will be perceived as an insurmountable obstacle, others will understand that there is a curtain in front of them and will easily pass under it, slightly moving it during the cleaning process, as a person would do.

In fact

Robot vacuum cleaners with the samecharacteristics can react differently to obstacles and pollution, depending on how smart and technologically advanced their operating algorithms are that control the robot’s actions. Which, of course, affects the results and efficiency of cleaning, and, ultimately, the buyer’s impressions of the purchase.


The iRobot Roomba Series is capable of detecting areas of high contamination thanks to proprietary Dirt Detect technology.

Misconception 4. Robot vacuum cleaners are not capable of clean cleaning

Manufacturers of traditional vacuum cleaners haveconsumers evaluate the performance of their devices based on indicators such as suction power. With robot vacuum cleaners, things are a little different. We all remember about the race between gigahertz and megapixels, but what matters is not so much the number that is easy to show in advertising and compare with another, but rather the ability of the device to perform its functions. Remember how smartphones with one camera take better pictures than smartphones with two? It's about the same here. In relation to a robot vacuum cleaner, for example, the design of the brush matters. For example, iRobot robotic vacuum cleaners of the Roomba series have a double brush, working on the principle of a broom and dustpan - it collects debris from both sides, directing it towards each other and then sucking it into the container. It is worth paying attention to the materials of the brush. Rubber brushes are better for picking up pet hair and work better on carpets than traditional bristles. Another misconception concerns the corners of rooms - they say that round robots cannot handle them. But here the quality of cleaning is influenced by the design of external brushes and brooms and the work of algorithms that “see” how much garbage is still left and where. Finally, robot vacuum cleaners can clean on a schedule - even every other day, even every day, even three times a day.

In fact

Robot vacuum cleaners with the samecharacteristics can react differently to obstacles and pollution, depending on how smart and technologically advanced their operating algorithms are that control the robot’s actions. Which, of course, affects the results and efficiency of cleaning, and, ultimately, the buyer’s impressions of the purchase.

The iRobot Roomba series is equipped with a double brush that works like a broom and a scoop.

Misconception 5. Robot vacuum cleaners are difficult to operate

The complexity of the robot vacuum cleaner does not exceed anythe device you brought home, plugged in / charged and sent to do its job with the "on" button. If it seems to you that a robot vacuum cleaner is more complicated than this, then, probably, you have in your hands a too low-quality model, which simply does not cope with its main and only function, cries on the doorstep, is afraid of curtains, throws garbage further around the apartment, and only for this reason you think you are doing something wrong. This is not with you, this is with him.

In fact

As for the care of the robot vacuum cleaner, hereeverything is the same as with the usual one, except that you need to clean the container a little more often. The frequency depends on the cleaning frequency and the robot model. The top ones have a self-cleaning function, which means that you need to clean the tank in the base, which is even larger. But as a rule, this is once every one or several days. In addition, from time to time it is necessary to clean the wheels and brushes from coiled hair, change the HEPA filters according to the instruction manual (about once every six months).


Caring for a robot vacuum cleaner is no more difficult than a regular one: you need to clean the brushes from time to time and you can rinse the garbage container under running water.

Misconception 6: 2-in-1 robots are better than specialized robots

From the buyer's point of view, the desire to buyThe universal device is clear - more functions for less money. But this approach has disadvantages. Firstly, universal models, even with wet cleaning, can work according to dry cleaning algorithms. For example, use brushes and pull dirt inside. You can see what this entails in our video below. Secondly, and this may be more dramatic, if the robot does not have a specialization in the type of cleaning, it can use the same wet rag (and it is one for the entire process, that is, during cleaning it is not very clean in itself) carpet, and removing the consequences of such work will then be much more difficult than grit or sand.

In fact

Versatility of work in addition to saving onbuying is always a compromise. In fact, a specialized device will always outperform a universal one in terms of operating efficiency. For example, iRobot Braava series floor polishers not only wipe the floor with a damp cloth, but also spray water in front of them, making cleaning more thorough than their universal counterparts. At the same time, they are able to recognize the carpet and will never stain it in the house.


Braava iRobor robots make wet cleaning more efficient than their versatile cousins

Misconception 7. Mobile applications of all robotic vacuum cleaners are the same

A mobile application is a mandatory attribute of smartrobotic vacuum cleaners starting from the lower bar of the middle segment and up to space itself. The application simplifies interaction with the robot and allows you to automate its work. With its help, you can see the cleaning map: where exactly the robot went and if there are any white spots in its route, start cleaning remotely and according to the schedule, send the robot for spot cleaning, see the state of parts, check the last cleaning, etc. This is ideal. But in practice, as always, there are nuances that you should know before buying.

Is it possible to control the robot remotely... It sounds absurd, but not all manufacturerson the market allow control of the vacuum cleaner outside of a single Wi-Fi network. Some, the most "Chinese" models, in fact, cannot be launched, for example, using mobile communications or Wi-Fi elsewhere.

Does the app support your language... If everything is uncertain about the origin of the robot, you may end up with a Chinese app. Yes, it happens.

Is there support for voice assistants... In our country, voice control is not very popular yet, but if you are already addicted, then know that some robotic vacuum cleaners support it.

For example, before buying a robot vacuum cleaner forof a large apartment or house, ask - can he not just build a map of the premises, but name and recognize each of them separately, at the user's choice? To, for example, send a robot to clean a specific room.


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Does the robot know about the existence of a second floor in your house and the need to store its card separately? Does it allow the user to mark restricted areas in rooms on the map?


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How flexible can you manage the programcleaning your robot? Is it possible, for example, to choose a thorough cleaning mode when you are not at home, and, conversely, make the robot vacuum cleaner work silently, when it will not interfere with you and your household?


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And even for a function as simple as cleaning byschedule, it is worth clarifying whether it is possible to manage the cleaning schedule for each room separately, because in some rooms it makes sense to clean more often than in others.


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In fact

The presence of a mobile application becomesa mandatory feature of smart home technology. But the technical capabilities of applications from different manufacturers differ no less than their robot vacuum cleaners. Here are some questions to ask before purchasing: Will the app work outside of your home Wi-Fi network? Does it support your language? Can it work with independent maps of two floors in a house? Does it allow you to change the boundaries of rooms manually and create zones where the robot vacuum cleaner cannot move? And what options does the application have for advanced settings of the robot vacuum cleaner?


The iRobot mobile app lets you select individual rooms to clean

In the dry residue

Robot vacuum cleaners are certainly a new class of devices for most of us that can make our lives more comfortable. Editorialggexpects tens of thousands of families towill become owners of such home robotic gadgets. As is the case with any technical innovations, there are many myths and misconceptions built around robot vacuum cleaners. Now you know how true they are. We are sure this will help you make the right choice when purchasing.