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Robot Vacuums

Do-nothing

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
May 29, 2019
276
311
Wondering if anyone has experience with robot vacuums. The wife is talking about looking at them as age has started to take its toll. We are not invalids by any means but a little automation would be welcome if they work. Any guidance and recommendations would be welcome. Thanks.
 
Family friends have one. Forget the brand. Swears by it. Apparently does a great job for them.
 
iRobot brand. Get the docking station that auto dumps the onboard dust bin for a period of time depending on how much debris on your floor. If you are into floor rugs it can cause mobility issues. Have wi-fi and let it create a map of your home/rooms. Auto senses and avoids stairs. Otherwise, works rather well. Pets may hate it.
 
I keep waiting on our new one to start working. Bargain bin bullshit so far
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Noisy, battery doesn’t last long enough, especially loves dog shit.
 
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Any cord, shoelace, turned up edge on a rug gets eaten. Bangs into everything. Has a knack for going into the only room I dont want it too and also hides (gets stuck) under the recliner.
I had it programmed to run daily, it quit doing that and now when it talks it is only in German and I don't know how to change it. I consider it feral.
Ran daily, unimpeded,on hard floors in an all but vacant home it will need emptied 3-4 times a week, and you will still need to mop.

Had custom vinyl graphic made, no longer available.
 
The iRobot works well. You still have to vacuum with a bigger unit to get the corners but much less often. Also an air compressor to blow out the dust and filters monthly is good to have.
 
My wife got one of the Eufy models and she loves it. She bought my father-in-law one for his birthday and he likes it as well. They do a good job. Can't get into corners very well and they will eat cords and shoe laces but the instructions tell you to pick up that stuff. The one she has doesn't bump into things much if it does it is a soft bump. I'm not real big on the bells and whistles but the autoempty feature would have been nice for my father-in-law. He is 94 and has issues bending over to pick up the vac.
 
The iRobot works well. You still have to vacuum with a bigger unit to get the corners but much less often. Also an air compressor to blow out the dust and filters monthly is good to have.

Ditto. And you'll need to pull the edge brush and rollers if you have a dog.

Did a good bit of research and the iRobot had the best marks overall...also the most expensive. We've had a i7 (I think) for a while. Does as good as any of the expensive uprights the wife had over the years. Our dog sheds, but not excessively and not fur like some breeds (and he doesn't crap inside). Have to change the bag about four times each year. It's not particularly quiet, but not close to the noise of a traditional vac.

We have a Braava Jet mop as well. It cleans well, but leaves light streaks on the light colored tile. The streaks are visible only at a certain angle in the right light. Nothing I've tried works. We run it daily in the kitchen and twice weekly elsewhere. I still mop weekly just to satisfy my need to see a streak-free floor. Thinking of giving it to the son and DIL, Thay have a darker tile throughout their house. The mop is very quiet.
 
We have had several over the years. They work well if you create an area that they can navigate. I have one in my reloading / gun room and it is great. Activate, close door and in half an hour the floor is clean from the corb cob media that splashes from the bin and anything else I tracked in. I check the bin as I dump it for any spring ther went supersonic from the bench.

We use it in other rooms at times, great under beds and such, but as mentioned the room has to be cleaned of choking hazards. We still vacuum most of the house the regular way.
 
I've got one of those automated lawnmowers.
Expensive, monthly payments of 75 bucks.
Mows, edges and clears the walks/driveways of cuttings.
Name is Mike, shows up twice a month.

What? My knees aren't what they used to be.
Worth every penny. :D
 
Wondering if anyone has experience with robot vacuums. The wife is talking about looking at them as age has started to take its toll. We are not invalids by any means but a little automation would be welcome if they work. Any guidance and recommendations would be welcome. Thanks.

Your Hide name pretty much sums up robot vacuums. :)
 
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Thanks guys--Keep'em coming. Maaser, you got me. What can I say...had to come up with something!😎
 
View attachment 7913731

Any cord, shoelace, turned up edge on a rug gets eaten. Bangs into everything. Has a knack for going into the only room I dont want it too and also hides (gets stuck) under the recliner.
I had it programmed to run daily, it quit doing that and now when it talks it is only in German and I don't know how to change it. I consider it feral.
Ran daily, unimpeded,on hard floors in an all but vacant home it will need emptied 3-4 times a week, and you will still need to mop.

Had custom vinyl graphic made, no longer available.
skeet_telephone.gif
 
iRobot brand. Get the docking station that auto dumps the onboard dust bin for a period of time depending on how much debris on your floor. If you are into floor rugs it can cause mobility issues. Have wi-fi and let it create a map of your home/rooms. Auto senses and avoids stairs. Otherwise, works rather well. Pets may hate it.
So does it map your floorplan and share it with the "authorities?" You know... just in case there's an "emergency" and they need to breach your residence in the dark of night.

Asking for a friend.

Mike
 
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Reactions: Ronin_64
iRobot. Buy the more expensive one out there. You get what you pay for. The wife loves ours. However for deep cleaning, you still need to clean the floors, the old fashion way.
 
download - 2022-07-17T121659.271.jpeg


Got one for the wife since then she never complains about doing the vacuum.
 
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Reactions: Maggot
I have two Golden Retreivers. They produce so much hair that the robot cannot keep up. Takes 10 minutes to fill.
 
Roombia i6, works like a champ on our hardwoods and area rugs. As others said, check the rollers and side brush if you have pets or females in the house for that matter. My wife and girls shed bout as bad as the dogs.
 
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Reactions: Maggot
So does it map your floorplan and share it with the "authorities?" You know... just in case there's an "emergency" and they need to breach your residence in the dark of night.

Asking for a friend.

Mike
Roomba actually got caught selling people's floor plans that their vacuums mapped out. Not sure who they were selling that info to.
 
Roomba actually got caught selling people's floor plans that their vacuums mapped out. Not sure who they were selling that info to.
Interesting. So what you're saying is, this needs to be 'connected to the interwebz' in order to work "for optimal performance and training issues?"

I was interested in getting one for here, until you said this.
 
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Interesting. So what you're saying is, this needs to be 'connected to the interwebz' in order to work "for optimal performance and training issues?"

I was interested in getting one for here, until you said this.

Are you kidding me? You living under a rock? Almost EVERYTHING nowadays is a smart device that connects to the internet. Even smart washing machines that have sensors to sense what's being removed from clothes and then put on the net. Big brother is everywhere now and most people don't even seem to care anymore that internet anonymity is almost gone.
 
Are you kidding me? You living under a rock? Almost EVERYTHING nowadays is a smart device that connects to the internet. Even smart washing machines that have sensors to sense what's being removed from clothes and then put on the net. Big brother is everywhere now and most people don't even seem to care anymore that internet anonymity is almost gone.
Alexa = NSA/CIA/HS/FBI

I have a smart phone, mostly because of texting. That's more than enough surveillance.
 
Are you kidding me? You living under a rock? Almost EVERYTHING nowadays is a smart device that connects to the internet. Even smart washing machines that have sensors to sense what's being removed from clothes and then put on the net. Big brother is everywhere now and most people don't even seem to care anymore that internet anonymity is almost gone.
And starlink is helping to make sure there's no escaping the internet.
 
Interesting. So what you're saying is, this needs to be 'connected to the interwebz' in order to work "for optimal performance and training issues?"

I was interested in getting one for here, until you said this.
I'm not sure if they have to have an internet connection or not. They may just not tell you they have wifi. Like someone else mentioned, fridges, freezers, tv's, stoves (insert other smart appliances here) you got a smart meter on your house ? They snitch on you too.

I've read the smart meters have the ability to communicate with your appliances to read how much power each one uses to determine what the most used appliances are.
 
I'm not sure if they have to have an internet connection or not. They may just not tell you they have wifi. Like someone else mentioned, fridges, freezers, tv's, stoves (insert other smart appliances here) you got a smart meter on your house ? They snitch on you too.

I've read the smart meters have the ability to communicate with your appliances to read how much power each one uses to determine what the most used appliances are.

I believe all of the newer models (maybe not low end) are connected. The map is stored on the cloud. Occasionally, after it finishes you'll get a text asking how it did.
 
I believe all of the newer models (maybe not low end) are connected. The map is stored on the cloud. Occasionally, after it finishes you'll get a text asking how it did.
Well ain't that cool.
 
I believe all of the newer models (maybe not low end) are connected. The map is stored on the cloud. Occasionally, after it finishes you'll get a text asking how it did.

Would be hilarious as fuck watching someone who ate too many edibles and is freaking out and then gets a text from their vacuum cleaner. Only thing that would make that funnier is if they were also watching Maximum Overdrive when they got the text. :ROFLMAO:
 
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Got this one for my son and DIL- they love it- still works very well after 2 years.

 
I believe all of the newer models (maybe not low end) are connected. The map is stored on the cloud. Occasionally, after it finishes you'll get a text asking how it did.

My wife bought one that she can control via her cell phone. Turn it on, turn it off, empty the tray, tell it to only do certain rooms or just 1 room. It's amazing.
 
My wife bought one that she can control via her cell phone. Turn it on, turn it off, empty the tray, tell it to only do certain rooms or just 1 room. It's amazing.


I think that's the only way to operate ours. To do the entire house it has to recharge several times so we have it do different areas at different times. It auto empties each time it docks. Dog barks every time it starts and the granddaughter has a melt down if she sees or hears it.
 
Well ain't that cool.

Fuck that. Set up your home network so you can put it on a subnet that doesn't have internet access. If you want to access it remotely, set up proper firewall rules and access via VPN. It's easier than it sounds.
 
I don’t understand how people have dogs that shit in the house

My service dog will use "Puppy Pads" regularly I have in a extra bathroom when I can't get her out. Godsend, and frankly just rolling up the pads is easier that cleaning grass in 105 degree heat. Much more reliable than my mother in the end stages of dementia.
 
I purchased Brenda Lea one when they first came out quite some time ago. Been so long, I honestly don’t remember the brand.

At first it was the best thing since sliced bread. Then the thing died a much too early death. (It was a bit pricy back then.) Considering the cost and the lack of service life, Brenda said, No More!
 
iRobot brand. Get the docking station that auto dumps the onboard dust bin for a period of time depending on how much debris on your floor. If you are into floor rugs it can cause mobility issues. Have wi-fi and let it create a map of your home/rooms. Auto senses and avoids stairs. Otherwise, works rather well. Pets may hate it.

Ours is named Caprica6. Apparently it needed a name.

This has been our experience as well. We have all hardwood or tile floors, so it's not as challenged but it does a decent job. It maps out your floor plan and then will do whatever you program or tell it to do. If the kitchen just needs a quick touch up, launch it there only. If you want the whole floor, let it get to it. We had it map the downstairs as well and when that area needs it, you just have to carry it downstairs.

It doesn't suck like a shop vac or that chunky one at prom but it does it enough to keep us happy day to day.