When investing in smart technology to make your home life easier and more manageable, it’s easy to spend a lot of money on something that does not work optimally, or suit your needs the way you imagined it would. A robotic vacuum cleaner is an amazing piece of equipment to invest in, but says Bianca Leonard, Marketing Manager at lifestyle technology company Solenco, not all robotic vacuum cleaners are created equal.
“There are many robotic vacuum cleaners on the market, and at varying price points ranging from anything between R2,500 to R20,000. This makes it even more important for customers to know what their needs are, so they can invest in a robotic vacuum cleaner that works optimally,” she says.
Things to consider is the size of your home, whether you have pets and children, your type of flooring, desired frequency of cleaning and ease-of-use. Brand reliability and after-sales service are important factors to consider as well.
Leonard says some of the most frequent customer frustrations include having to scrub areas that the robot couldn’t clean, intervening when a robot gets stuck, and constantly refilling and emptying water and trash compartments that are just too small.
Tips for avoiding buyer’s remorse when purchasing a robot vacuum:
Mops: If you live in a home with pets or children, the most effective robotic vacuums to tackle stains are those with reciprocating mops, which means the mops move back and forth repeatedly (mimicking scrubbing) to ensure stains are effectively removed. Fixed mop pads don’t effectively remove stains and require more intervention. Look for a vacuum that sprays water or cleaning solution onto the floor ahead of mopping so that it loosens the dirt or stain.
If you have multiple floor types, such as hard floors with rugs, look for a robotic vacuum that has at least a 7mm auto-lift mop feature, which will allow your robot to seamlessly transition between surfaces.
Navigation and battery life: It’s basically the difference between your robot vacuum constantly getting lost, stuck or failing off stairs, in comparison to a completely hands-off experience where a robot maps and learns the best route to clean your home’s unique layout. Look for a robot that has a multi-sensor navigation, for example Laser, Encoder, Gyro, E-compass, and Position Estimation, as opposed to just one or two sensors, that could lead to falling off stairs or getting stuck underneath furniture.
The robot’s mapping functionality is another factor to consider. Many entry-level robots don’t have the ability to map and store information for future use. This is especially important for open-plan or larger living spaces where a robot may reach the end of its battery life on a single clean without having cleaned the entire space. The ability for a robot vacuum to pick up from where it left off is a feature more prominent in the middle to premium market vacuums. Leonard also advises looking for a cleaner with 150-plus minutes of battery life for larger living spaces.
Refilling and refuelling of the dustbin and water tank: The dustbin and water tank capacity will immediately tell you how often you’ll need to refill water and empty the trash compartment if you don’t have an automatic cleaning and filling station for your vacuum. You should be looking for a water tank in the range of 300mls, as well as a dustbin that can compact the dust, debris and hair for more uninterrupted cleaning.
“Investing in a robotic vacuum cleaner is a very good idea for busy people, but you must identify what your needs are first. At Solenco we realise that technology is supposed to make your life easier, not more complicated. While technology continues to improve, we make sure our robotic vacuum cleaners, like the top-rated Hobot Legee range, stay abreast of our customers’ preferences and needs,” Leonard says.
DID YOU KNOW?
Solenco is a trusted leader in premium lifestyle technology that improves the air you breathe, saves you time, and enhances your space.
With more than a decade of sourcing and distribution experience, Solenco products are stocked by South Africa’s largest retailers such as @Home, Hirsch’s, Makro, Takealot; Builders Warehouse and YuppieChef.
Solenco is currently the largest importer of dehumidifiers in the domestic space and the exclusive distributor of leading global technology from brands such as Meaco, Hizero, Mill and Hobot.
A number of Solenco’s products have been given the seal of approval by the Allergy Foundation of South Africa (AFSA).
Through its collaboration with Eden Projects, Solenco is committed to a greener, more sustainable future. With every order placed on Solenco’s website, three trees will be planted.
INFO SUPPLIED.
