Are you considering purchasing a robotic vacuum, but after a quick Google search have become overwhelmed with the magnitude of options? It can be daunting, not knowing what features are a necessity and what are merely a gimmick. As always, don’t worry! Dreame is here to help you out, and objectively assist you in building your knowledge in the robot vacuum domain (although, subjectively, we think we’re pretty great!).
After reading this article, you’ll have a better idea of what features your investment should come with, why they’re important, and what the benefits are in your everyday life. Before we dive in, you need to uncover your cleaning goals, and the reason behind your desire to purchase a robot vacuum. In your head, or on a piece of paper, answer these quick questions below.
- What do you hope to get out of purchasing a robot vacuum? More time in the day? Less cleaning? A cleaner home?
- Do you want a vacuum that only cleans dry messes (dust, spilled crumbs) or both dry messes and wet messes (liquid spills, soggy food)?
- What is your budget? What is this based on? Are you willing to pay more for product longevity and modern features?
- How big is your home? How many floors is it? How often do you want it to be cleaned?
- Do you have pets or young children? (you will need a higher suction robot vacuum if so, and one with auto-object detection… more on this later)
Okay, now that you’ve gotten a better idea on your cleaning needs and budget, let’s dive into some important factors and features you should consider!
Type of Floors
This is an important discussion point. Robot vacuums can deep clean an array of floor types - carpet, tile, laminate, hardwood, etc. So, if your house or apartment is predominantly made up of carpet and rugs, then a vacuum only robot will do the trick! However, if your intention is to leverage the robotic vacuum on multiple floor surfaces, then you should consider purchasing a vacuum and mop robot in one.
The robot should have the ability to detect the surface it’s cleaning and switch it’s mode and suction automatically. This results in a deeper clean, and all types of dirt and messes being picked up. You’d be amazed at how much time this can save you and the impact it can have on your home cleanliness. Although it may seem like a bigger investment initially, you’ll realise it’s true value in just a few days!
Floor Plan Programming & Object Detection
It’s important to note here that whichever cleaning tool you decide to go with, you should double check if the robot has auto-object-detection. This is critical because you don’t want your robot running into objects you may leave lying around! The way the robotic vacuum detects this is by thousands of laser sensors and high-tech abilities.
Whilst on the topic, the robot should also include floor mapping, and be able to store multiple store plans. This prevents the high-tech tool from getting stuck under certain pieces of furniture, or falling off major cliffs (a.k.a a set of stairs). The incorporation of both features means you can schedule your session, or turn it on from anywhere (both options available with the accompanying mobile app) and the robot is smart enough to clean every nook and cranny without you having to worry about something breaking!
Battery Life
It’s common sense, but for the sake of being thorough with our research and analysis, I'm going to say it anyway - the larger the space you want cleaned, the longer the battery life of the robot cleaner needs to be. Only you can determine how long the battery life should be, but a pro tip here is to purchase a robot cleaner that auto-chargers at their dock so whenever you set it on it’s cleaning journey it’s ready to give 100% battery and effort. Also, consider making a purchase that includes the ‘continuous cleaning’ feature, which means the robot will automatically charge itself when it runs low on battery and continue where it left off once it’s charged.
Bonus tip: check to see whether the robot vacuum is ‘self cleaning’. I can hear you say, “What does this mean?” Once the robot vacuum is back on it’s dock, the dirty water or dust bag is cleaned and stored in the dock. This reduces the frequency of manual input from you, and depending on how often you use the robotic cleaner, can result in you not having to be involved in cleaning your home for months!
Pets and Shedded Hair
Who doesn’t love a fluffy doggy or cute kitten? We all do, but the truth of the matter is that your floors are going to need waay more cleaning if you have a pet at home. This is because of the amount of hair they shed, that results in dust bunnies and poorer air quality if not controlled with regular cleaning. If you have pets, you should consider a high-suction vacuum cleaning that has multiple layers of brushes and from end to end, not only just across the middle. This results in a deeper clean, less frequent cleans, and better air quality (especially important for youngsters, vulnerable people living in your home, and persons with allergies).
Warranty
This is simple - make sure your purchase comes with free warranty! Like any technology-based product, make sure you’re covered just in case.
I hope this article has given you better clarity on the type of robot cleaner that is best suited to your needs, and broken down key features. Now, with your needs in mind and knowledge enhanced, you’re ready to tackle the world of robotic cleaners!
If you have any questions, or would like any further explanation, please feel welcome to email us at customercare@dreame.com.au.