Robot vacuums are available in various designs, but after testing numerous models, I’ve come to favor those that truly enhance cleaning efficiency over those packed with flashy extras. Increasingly, brands are equipping their devices with functionalities that are either irrelevant to cleaning or just tangentially related. While such features might seem entertaining at first, the novelty quickly wears off.
There’s little justification for spending $1,600 on a new robot vacuum with minimal upgrades like pet photography or the ability to navigate over thresholds. For me, the most thrilling aspect of a robot vacuum lies in improvements like reengineered roller brushes, more powerful suction, and enhanced capabilities that lead to cleaner floors.
This is why I wish more manufacturers would concentrate on enhancing vacuuming and mopping performance instead of cluttering their robots with gimmicky features.
The primary reason I own a robot vacuum is to reclaim my time. With two pets in my household, vacuuming can be a relentless task. However, with the right robot vacuum, I can cross it off my “To-Do List,” keeping my handheld vacuum tucked away safely.
Sadly, not all robot vacuums deliver on this promise. Many lack the suction strength or effective roller brushes needed to thoroughly extract pet hair and debris from carpets. Furthermore, these devices often struggle with edges and tight spaces, meaning I still find myself vacuuming baseboards more often than I would like.
Fortunately, this is changing, especially with top-tier products. More companies are now incorporating adjustable side brushes in their designs. These brushes extend outwards to effectively capture hair near baseboards, significantly improving performance over older models. Furthermore, suction power has seen substantial upgrades, as evidenced by the Roborock Qrevo Curv, boasting an impressive 18,500Pa and excelling across various floor types.
Its cleaning capabilities are so outstanding that I seldom feel the need to bring out a traditional vacuum, showcasing its efficiency and flexibility. While many robots perform adequately, few pick up every speck of dirt, particularly with my two messy dogs. However, with the Curv in my corner, it feels like a significant breakthrough.
Such improvements fuel my excitement for the next wave of smart cleaning robots. I believe in having a robot vacuum play a permanent role in my home, fulfilling all my floor cleaning needs. If manufacturers continue to enhance their performance, I am eager to see what the future holds.
While it’s intriguing that some robot vacuums can double as security monitors or take pet photos, I find myself not using those features regularly. When searching for a new robot vacuum, my primary focus is not on these extras but rather on its cleaning efficiency, coverage, and self-maintenance capabilities.
Performance in mopping and vacuuming vastly outweighs the importance of voice commands or pet snapshots. I would much prefer a model that offers enhanced suction, excels at cleaning hard surfaces, or has a larger dustbin. It would also be beneficial for robot vacuums to transition to reusable dustbins instead of disposable ones, promoting cost savings and environmental consciousness.
People invest in robot vacuums mainly to reduce their cleaning workload, and the performance improvements between generations are what truly matter. While I recognize that some consumers might appreciate these additional features, my preference remains for machines that prioritize cleaning effectiveness; remarkable advancements in this area are far more enticing than quirky functionalities that I might use only a few times.
