Robot vacuum cleaners Vs the old traditional Mop/Broom

[Mr.HappySilp]

So what do you guys think? Do you use robot vacuum cleaners or the traditional mop/broom? Or you use a mix?

So what prompt me to ask this question is I see more and more people(friends) using the robot vacuum cleanser which is great. It saves time, you can even set it to clean on certain day or time. However I always feel there are going to be a few spots the robots will miss and people will have to end up cleaning it anyways.

I was at a friend place a few weeks ago and I saw her robot doing its thing so I casually ask do you still mob/sweep the place. Her answer is no because that's what the robot vacuum does. Anyways I point out there might be some spot it can't to or doesn't know how to get to certain area to clean(IE stairs, under the dining table with chars around it or even just that dirty pile of clothes on the floor) so it will still require a human to do the work.

Fast forward yesterday went to best buy with a friend who is looking for a robot vacuum and the sales basically said it will clean everything so he never have to worry about it again.

Got me thinking are the robot vacuum cleaners really worth a few hundred dollars just to save 20 to 30mins of clean up? Are they really THAT useful as the ads put them be?

I mainly use a vacuum cleaner and a Swiffer and Swiffer Jet and that's good enough for me. I can get to any place and even clean counter top, shelf much easier. Honestly i don't think I will buy a robot vacuum cleaner in its current state since I still have to cleanings anyways.

What does fellow RS think?

[winson604]

I was in the same boat, moving soon and thought about going robot for floors + my dyson cordless for the other areas but then there are carpeted stairs where the robot can't do shit so I opted for a large dyson instead.

[Hondaracer]

I’ve heard mixed reviews on the effectiveness of the robots when you have a lot of furniture and chairs etc. even after it learns it still misses big areas because they can’t navigate properly.

Personally I was never a fan of Dyson products but then we got an employee discount on the V8 monster model or whatever it is and since getting it I’m sold on dyson (albeit at almost half the in-store price) lol

[Badhobz]

I bought two roombas from Costco. Returned both. They were noisy and ineffective. Most of the time they just go around the same areas and missing the corners. I found it faster just to hit it up with the dyson. Plus the capacity is small so you have to empty them quite often.

No good !!!

[punkwax]

Ya Roombas aren't very good from experience. Dyson Robot supposed to be far superior. $1300 though IIRC

[PeanutButter]

I have one, I don't really use it. I got caught up in the hype.. Paid $350 and now I barely use it.

It honestly is easier to just use a broom.

I use it occasionally when i'm at work, you can set it before you leave and come home to it. It does pick up a good amount of dust and dirt, but unless you have a minimalist room, it's hard for it to clean everything.

Say i'm having people over, I would much rather use an actual broom, as I know it'll be clean if I do it, if I let my roomba do it, there will be spots missed.

I live in a 800 sqft condo with hardwood and it just isn't worth it. I shouldn't have bought it.

[R. Mutt]

Fiancé and I argued over this for a few weeks and compromised on a dyson because she enjoys vacuuming and wants it done properly. She’s also of the belief that a robot simply can’t reach everywhere a human can. However for mopping/swiffing I got the iRobot Braava 380T.

We love it so far. Fill the magnetic detachable part with warm water, attach a wet swiffer pad and press the button. It has two modes Normal and quick clean. We always run the Normal mode on the laminate floor. We dont typically have any heavy stains or messes in our place but I spent some time looking at user reviews on YouTube and was surprised by the heavy stains, like muddy laminate and tiles, it was able to clean well. As a bonus it’s quiet while running and makes a little sound to let you know when it returns to its station at the end.

Way I see it is we could easily Swiff the same areas in half the time if not faster. When it boils down to it, the biggest pro is it means one less thing to do and a little extra time, and who couldn’t use more of that. There’s something very satisfying of setting it off before you leave and coming home to that fresh clean smell. If you are looking for a robot that can handle up to around 800ish sq ft I highly recommend the 380T

[GS8]

Used a Roomba for a month. Hated it. In fact, I felt sorry for it because it looked mentally challenged trying to clean my floors. Gave it away to a friend who wanted it and got a dyson canister instead. The Roomba works for my friend's needs because he barely cleans so when the floors get bad enough where shit sticks to your foot, he'll fire the Roomba up and let it go. It absolutely freaks out trying to go over floor rugs.

EDIT: I use Swiffer wet rags to clean the hardwood floors. Very easy. I actually don't know how strong (or weak) the cleaning solution in the rags are but it looks clean enough for me.

[Gnomes]

My living room have a lot of tables and chairs. And of course, it hits the legs hard. Lots of spots that is too narrow for roomba to reach. Apparently the older generations (not sure about newer ones), have difficulty detecting dark surfaces. It doesnt help that all my chairs/tables are dark.

[danned]

[ray666]

As a single person with no pets, I find that my roomba is pretty good for my one room, one den condo. I have it run two automatically two times a week and find that i usually cleans up missed spots the second time around. I also have a handheld for hard to reach spots.

Are roombas as good as regular vacuums? No. But I find it's a good compromise for not having to worry about vacuuming anymore

[welfare]

We have a dog, so the Roomba keeps the shedding at bay.
But yes, don't expected it to be comparable to sweeping

[IfUCare]

I have a robo vac, it does a loop around couple of times a week.
does it do a fantastic job?
not really.
Is my place way cleaner in between the cleaning?
yes. i still have to quickly clean up every week.
it's just a tad quicker and things are cleaner inbetween.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Don't think I will get one. Place is small enough to clean in 20mins. I do think is cool if you have a cat or dog and they start setting this round shape object moving. The reaction is so funny!

[Dragon-88]

My mom uses the Roomba both Vacuum and Floor washer. IMO they are gimmicks. They do what I would consider just top layer dirt and dust cleaning. I'm not sure how others live, but we tend to have food stains or something that when dried up it takes a bit of effort to scrub with a handheld mop, I doubt the robot cleaners would clean any better.

When I moved into my Condo, I ended up getting a Dyson Vac. The GF uses it all the time. It cleans so well, that daily when she see's specs from carpet or what not she has the urge to vacuum it. Doesnt bother me, keeps my place cleaner than any robot vacuum.

If anything counts get what ever the person is cleaning wants. They cant complain after that.. LOL

[unit]

i like mine. it vacuums under the bed and sofa, cleans the dust in areas i seldom go, and cleans up hair, dust, crumbs, and occasional dead bugs in corners and edges of the apartment. for the kitchen i obviously mop or get down and clean with a rag, but the rest of the place stays a lot cleaner with it on a regular basis.

[VR6GTI]

I have the roomba980 i think it works great especially for going underneath beds where regular vacuums cant go. Its not perfect by any means but having 2 young kids i throw their toys back into the toy box hit a button on my phone and it cleans up any mess they left behind. Sometimes i vacuum the floors 2-3x a week just because i dont have todo it.

[Indy]

Originally Posted by VR6GTI

I have the roomba980 i think it works great especially for going underneath beds where regular vacuums cant go. Its not perfect by any means but having 2 young kids i throw their toys back into the toy box hit a button on my phone and it cleans up any mess they left behind. Sometimes i vacuum the floors 2-3x a week just because i dont have todo it.

before I can get a roomba, somebody needs to build a robot that will either put my damn kid's toys back in the toy boxes, gently remind him(with a stick) he's cleaning up so he doesn't forget and starts playing with the toys again OR build a roomba that will just eat hot wheels cause I've been home aloned too many times at the bottom of my stairs lol

[twitchyzero]

good timing
was just looking at the deebot n79
if it saves me time doing chores for $250 then i'll try it

[asian_XL]

I have tiles at home...around 500sq ft. apartment, tried several robots and end up buying a dyson V8. definitely won't go back.

[MSREE]

My ex gave me a gift card in the spring, we broke up in the summer, I moved out. 6 Mos later I find the card in a trash pile in one of my moving boxes.
Used it at Best Buy, was enough to buy a Dyson

Dyson or busttt.
I prefer to mop with a vinegar solution then swiffer quickly when i have all the windows open. Ideally I like bleach solutions but my skin absorbs chemicals like a sponge and I'll puff up now if it's used around me

My aunt had a robot she was insanely proud of it. She was also OCD so it seemed pointless cuz she deep cleaned her whole house once a month and used her regular vac and steamer every weekend lol. If anything I'd prefer a steamer over a robot vac.

[bcrdukes]

Not a robot, but Bissell symphony.

Steam mop and vacuum at the same time.

Edit: Just realized there are different variations of the Bissell Symphony. I have the original one, but it seems as if Bissell is continued to improve it over the past few years. Mine is still running like new and I clean once a week. Ain't got no time for sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping separately!

If you search on Amazon.ca, they may have the original version for a pretty good deal once in a while (I got mine for < $180 CAD.)

[RaceMax]

I have a roomba too. It helps clean up with my pet's fur but I think it's batteries will need improvement.

[Mr.HappySilp]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Not a robot, but Bissell symphony.

Steam mop and vacuum at the same time.

Edit: Just realized there are different variations of the Bissell Symphony. I have the original one, but it seems as if Bissell is continued to improve it over the past few years. Mine is still running like new and I clean once a week. Ain't got no time for sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping separately!

If you search on Amazon.ca, they may have the original version for a pretty good deal once in a while (I got mine for < $180 CAD.)

is it really good? Seems it needs a plug to operate though.
https://www.amazon.ca/BISSELL-19401-...s=Bissell&th=1

[mikeriver433]

I have recently bought Roomba 960 after reading this guide. It's great and able to clean pet hair. I can say if you have the budget then go for this model. Don't buy basic model Roomba614 or Roomba 650.