I too bought a robotic vacuum out of curiosity (high end iRobot) and found the algorithm to be completely inadequate both in it's mapping and it's ability to adequately cover the area that it was supposed to clean. Additionally it left random patterns in the carpet that could only be described as a drunk toddler vacuuming... in other words, it didn't look clean. It took more than 3 days to map the three rooms that it was supposed to clean, getting stuck away from it's base unable to return because it's charge ran out. It would also get stuck under my bed. I'm not certain how it's possible that it could have done a worse job. I waited for years to enter the robot vacuum market and can state unequivocally that waiting 9 generations wasn't enough of a wait.
I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
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Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#22Future generations will look to us in amusement that in 2020 only thing robots could do people’s home was vacuuming.
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#23I Bought 2.5-ish Roombas, maybe paid MSRP for one, and bought (and repaired) a couple of refurb units off Woot a decade or so ago.
It was an interesting exercise, and if our pet-load was a little lighter (I'd hate to see it get caught in Macaw Poop) I'd consider doing it again.
But.
They do wear and there was maintenance, and the batteries did lose capacity, and I eventually wandered away from them because there was a lot of labor in a labor saving device.
Maybe a mop for the trailer?
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#24I'm still in the cynic camp for a few reasons. 1. My flat is small. I can do a decent vac in about 15 minutes. 30 minutes if I do under the bed. 2. When I do the "big vac", I have to move 6 dining room chairs. Then shift the table a few inches. Zoom. Shift if back. Same goes for some other legged furniture. 3. I also do the windowsills. No bot can do this. 4. Don't you end up with little arched dust patterns in every…
The value proposition is that they can do 90% of the job with 10% of the effort. It takes me 1-2 minutes to pick up stray socks and usb cords and start the vacuum right before I walk out the door for work. The things it doesn't do can be dealt with with a broom and duster, and that ends up being very infrequent.
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#25Nobody seems to mention: How do you empty the dust compartment without stirring up the dust?
My vacuum (Robzone) collects it in plastic box that is to be opened and cleaned out into trashbin with attached brush, the dust inevitably gets airborne.
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#26Nobody seems to mention: How do you empty the dust compartment without stirring up the dust? My vacuum (Robzone) collects it in plastic box that is to be opened and cleaned out into trashbin with attached brush, the dust inevitably gets airborne.
do it outside or spray water into it
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#27In case folks are interested in digging deeper, there is libre robot vacuum firmware:
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#28Yep.
Another one is watching 3D printer’s. There’s something soothing with just starting at the print head while the plastic oozes out and creates something tangible. It’s Star Trek’s replicator v0.00001. After a while, you realise you’ve been staring at it for 45 minutes.
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#29Nobody seems to mention: How do you empty the dust compartment without stirring up the dust? My vacuum (Robzone) collects it in plastic box that is to be opened and cleaned out into trashbin with attached brush, the dust inevitably gets airborne.
do it outside or spray water into it
This. I use a bag free (manual) vacuum and I even though I can manage it without water and not create too much airborne dust, if you just spray water it slightly it will stick to eachother and become big balls.
Re: I am mesmerized by our new robotic vacuum (2019)
#30Nobody seems to mention: How do you empty the dust compartment without stirring up the dust? My vacuum (Robzone) collects it in plastic box that is to be opened and cleaned out into trashbin with attached brush, the dust inevitably gets airborne.
do it outside or spray water into it
Doing it outside already.
There is also paper hepa filter on it that can't get wet. Even so, not sure if mucking with dirty water is worth it.