Robot vacuum cleaners

[Guderian]

My cleaner comes twice a month, but in between visits I seem to get a lot of small stones and stale bread crumbs and other sharpish bots and pieces lying around the place. I'm not looking for a replacement for the cleaner, but thought that having a robot vacuum roam around the place once or twice a week and clean up the annoying small bits and pieces that seem to come from nowhere might be a good idea. Looking at Lazada, I see that the top models are up around the 30K or 40K Baht mark, more than I paid for my smartphone, so way to expensive for what I want. There are a few below 10K, but they lack features like auto-room mapping, and I expect they have other limitations too. Given that I'm just looking for something to do a quick sweep of crumbs and so on once a week or so, a cheaper one ought to be OK, but not if it's going to get stuck in a corner for an hour until the battery runs out, or go in circles in the middle of the room. Does anybody have a robot vacuum cleaner, especially one of the newer models and would you care to share your experiences and opinions?

[pgrahmm]

We have some of these around the house + a couple of yard versions outside....

 

They're pretty low tech, don't require much maintenance + never need a recharge....

 

AND - they seem to do the job just fine....

 

I've glanced at the robo ones when I seen them displayed, but, they seem smallish capacity & intake wise....

[WaveHunter]

You might just consider a traditional Asian style grass broom.  You see them used all over Thailand by Thais.

 

I had a robot to take care of minor day to day clean up as you described but a friend gave me one of these unique grass brooms and I love it!  When I moved I gave the robo away and kept the broom!

 

No need to clean out the vacuum all the time, nothing to recharge or plug in, and it actually does a better job than the vacuum did!  And believe it or not, I just enjoy using it...hard to describe why but once you use one you'll understand.

 

Because the whiskers are so fine and flexible compared to a regular broom they can easily get into the tightest spots and they pick up everything, even the finest lint and hair, and you can easily control where everything is swept.  They are surprisingly durable (I've had mine for over two years and it barely even looks used even though I use it every two or three days). 

 

And they are dirt cheap on Lazada where you can find a large selection of them.

 

Not only all of that that but they just look really cool hanging on the wall in the kitchen. ????

Edited May 5, 2021 by WaveHunter

[pgrahmm]

1 hour ago, WaveHunter said:

You might just consider a traditional Asian style grass broom.  You see them used all over Thailand by Thais.

 

I had a robot to take care of minor day to day clean up as you described but a friend gave me one of these unique grass brooms and I love it!  When I moved I gave the robo away and kept the broom!

 

No need to clean out the vacuum all the time, nothing to recharge or plug in, and it actually does a better job than the vacuum did!  And believe it or not, I just enjoy using it...hard to describe why but once you use one you'll understand.

 

Because the whiskers are so fine and flexible compared to a regular broom they can easily get into the tightest spots and they pick up everything, even the finest lint and hair, and you can easily control where everything is swept.  They are surprisingly durable (I've had mine for over two years and it barely even looks used even though I use it every two or three days). 

 

And they are dirt cheap on Lazada where you can find a large selection of them.

 

Not only all of that that but they just look really cool hanging on the wall in the kitchen. ????

Yep, they work like a hose....Our indoor ones are mostly like this....

[Justgrazing]

2 hours ago, Guderian said:

but thought that having a robot vacuum roam around the place once or twice a week

 

I've seen GPS robot lawn mowers but not sure they'd be much good indoors as they'd be giving the carpets a haircut more than anything I should imagine .. which would probably create more mess .. 

[John435]

My Neato D3 does a good job in between the visits you mentioned. 

[KKr]

when these first came out I brought one home from the US. reasonable size apartment, cleaned ok, 

only corners could not get into as the contraption is round about 30 or 40 cm across. 

basically it goes straight until an obstacle and there turns by some 60 degrees so all floor gets cleaned.

running time, in those early models, not brilliant but enough for about 30 sqm.

great for pet hair, dust and small dirt.

it came with a light beam type barrier to limit where it went.

 

I suggest to get a “homing” one that returns to base for recharge and connects itself. 

 

basic emptying of dust collected took ten seconds, plus the time to catch the ???? , that goes without saying ????

 

I liked it ????

 

Edited May 6, 2021 by KKr

[Oxx]

14 hours ago, Guderian said:

they lack features like auto-room mapping

 

Room mapping isn't really necessary - more of a gimmick.

 

14 hours ago, Guderian said:

I'm just looking for something to do a quick sweep of crumbs

 

It's not going to be quick.  My Roomba takes around 40 minutes to do one room.

[robblok]

There are some nice ones available from XIami one even has a mob under it. From memory i paid around 12k or so.

 

It actually does the job quite good and it has room mapping. 

 

Yes like Oxx said its takes 40 minutes. But if you live in a house just let it work while your on floor two the sound is then not too bad. I always had it run at night. I liked the mopping function too. 

Sill its just a a band aid for lazy people and you do need to set it up empty the bin ext.

[recom273]

I don’t have one, but I keep my eye on this guy on YouTube he has a pretty scientific approach.

 

I will be getting one of from this line when we finish the house, I feel it it has the features we would use and it fits with

my home automation system.

 

 

I notice that cordless vacuums are currently becoming increasingly popular.

[newnative]

    We have one of the fairly large Korean models.  It definitely picks up dust and dirt as the cup is usually pretty full after a run.  Occasionally does get stuck on some of the furniture.

[MrJ2U]

I got one, about 10,000 baht.  I used it for about 2 weeks and now its in storage.  Tried again but the remote doesn't work.  It worked well for a while.  I prefer the cordless Xiaomi vacuum.  Ee have kids so theres usually junk and toys laying around as obstacles.

[zig]

I have had Deebot n79 for 1.5 years now. Paid like 4k for it. It is a stupid little thing that moves randomly around the room but if you let it run for a while then it manages to clean all of it reasonably well. 

Thinking to buy one with a mopping function the next time. 

[steve187]

we use a few different makes,( don't ask) we have 2 x autobot bought as a pair for around 5,000 ish baht work really well,

the wife puts a fresh disposable cloth underneath using the location tabs, blocks the doorways and sets it off while we sleep, work really well, lasts about 2 hours, it bumps against the wall and then changes direction, but has no set pattern, either circles, straight line or curved lines, seems to get everywhere,

i raised up the sofa on some pieces of rubber cut to fit the legs, so now the robot does under the sofa, it goes under the dining tables and negotiates itself around the chair legs, it seems to get everywhere, makes a squeaky clean floor, we have a return to base model, but it gets lost, so we don't use that charger. have found a cheaper brand replacement battery that is a straight swop for the autobot at half the price, they as with all battery gadgets lose charging power after some time. i would suggest buying the autobot mini at less than 3,000thb, autobot - ซื้อ autobot ราคาดีที่สุดค่ะ Thailand | www.lazada.co.th

Edited May 6, 2021 by steve187

[Taxi]

Probably depends on what kind of floors you have and how much loose bits and pieces you have on the floors. I have a Deebot T8 with attached vibrating mopping kit and an automatic emptying system.  I don't recall exactly where I got it, either Ebay or Aliexpress, on Lazada its about 16,000 + Mopping 5,000, plus the emptying system. 

 

On alixexpress I can see the vacum and emptying system for 16,500.  ECOVACS DEEBOT T8 – ซื้อECOVACS DEEBOT T8พร้อมการจัดส่งฟรีที่ AliExpress version

 

I use to have a cleaning lady years ago, have had probably 4 robot vacums and this one is the best so far. My condo is all tiled floors with a couple of rugs, this does an outstanding job. It's at least a year or more since I mopped anything and my floors are super clean.

 

The amount of dirt this thing picks up is surprising, you think your homes clean then run this thing. My condo is about 200 sqm and takes about 80 minutes to vacum and mop on a single charge. If it broke down tomorrow I would immediately buy another one. 

[Fairynuff]

I’ve never been tempted because I’ve seen the ones that a couple of friends have had. They’re a bit of a gimmick IMO and really not very good. 

[sonjai]

I used iRobot in my condo many years ago. After a few months I decided it was not good enough and sold it.  The things about it that I was not happy about:
1) it could not get under furniture with short legs (I think the minimum height is 10cm or even higher)
2) it could not clean well under small pieces of furniture, like chairs, where legs were close to each other. Especially if chairs are standing close to each other, like around a dinning table.
3) It was difficult to remove hair wrapped around the robot's brush. I had a GF with long hair at that time so it was always a hassle to clean the brush after every use.
4) it did not pick sand or small stones off the floor. The suction power was not strong enough for that and living close to the beach meant there was often some sand brought into the apartment from outside.
 

[Grusa]

I live in a 3-storey townhouse with half the top floor being an open terrace. With all the dust etc. that blows in, "black foot disease" was feature of life!

 

We bought a Mr Robot Neptune. Every second or third day we set it loose, and it it does a magnificent job - no black foot! t also has a wet mop, which we do from time to time.

We had an unfortunate incident - we had left it running, there was a thunderstorm and the poor thing drowned! It was cheaper to buy a new one, than get it repaired.

 

We now use it regularly on the other floors, which are tiled or parquet. It can't do stairs, but it will not go over the edge. It will go down over a small step, such as at a bathroom entry, if it is less than about 1", - but it cannot always make it back, and gets trapped. It is powerful enough to move lightweight furniture, and things on casters, and it can get stuck in tight spaces. It will go under furniture if it is high enough, but will get stuck if there is not enough clearance. It will do anything it can to avoid cleaning anywhere within one metre of its dock, until the very end of its power.

 

It will not pick up certain things - small stones, etc which are too heavy to suck up, feathers which are so light that the sweeping brushes blow them away, but normal fluff and dust are ok. It dislikes elastic bands, string, and paper clips. It has a love affair with any kind of trailing cables, and tries to sh@g low (1") lamp bases. Rugs, carpets with loose edges are a no-no.........tiles, concrete and parquet are good.

 

There are many features on more expensive models which in my view are quite unnecessary...remote control (Neptune has one but we never use it, except for fun), wifi, cameras, mapping, GPS, etc.

 

Much cheaper to buy on Lazada/Ali Express than in the stores. And, less than our now-fired Maid's monthly salary!

Edited May 6, 2021 by Grusa

[chilly07]

Got an IRobot from Homepro for 7000bht. Wife wanted it to save her cleaning timber floors in bedrooms. Doesn't do the job anywhere near as good as her and I have to use remote all the time to recover it from obstructions

[earlinclaifornia]

My girlfriend bought one and I am sure it did not cost much. The unit does a good job picking up dog hairs.

[Guderian]

18 hours ago, John435 said:

My Neato D3 does a good job in between the visits you mentioned. 

 

I can't see the D3 on Lazada, but King Power has the D6 at 24,400 Baht which is well over my budget. I'm really looking for something cheap and cheerful that works, preferably not costing more than around 10,000 Baht.

[Guderian]

7 hours ago, KKr said:

when these first came out I brought one home from the US. reasonable size apartment, cleaned ok, 

only corners could not get into as the contraption is round about 30 or 40 cm across. 

basically it goes straight until an obstacle and there turns by some 60 degrees so all floor gets cleaned.

running time, in those early models, not brilliant but enough for about 30 sqm.

great for pet hair, dust and small dirt.

it came with a light beam type barrier to limit where it went.

 

I suggest to get a “homing” one that returns to base for recharge and connects itself. 

 

basic emptying of dust collected took ten seconds, plus the time to catch the ???? , that goes without saying ????

 

I liked it ????

 

 

Yes, I see that the most fancy ones now even empty the dust tray themselves. I'm not sure I'd pay a vast amount extra for that facility, though.

[Guderian]

5 hours ago, recom273 said:

I don’t have one, but I keep my eye on this guy on YouTube he has a pretty scientific approach.

 

I will be getting one of from this line when we finish the house, I feel it it has the features we would use and it fits with

my home automation system.

 

 

I notice that cordless vacuums are currently becoming increasingly popular.

 

That's 40,000 Baht on Lazada, so well beyond my budget.

I bought a cordless vacuum a few years ago, a Dibea from Lazada. It's very handy for cleaning up patches of mess but not really powerful enough to do the whole house. Given that it only cost around 4,000 Baht, though, it was a worthwhile investment.

[WaveHunter]

3 minutes ago, Guderian said:

 

That's 40,000 Baht on Lazada, so well beyond my budget.

I bought a cordless vacuum a few years ago, a Dibea from Lazada. It's very handy for cleaning up patches of mess but not really powerful enough to do the whole house. Given that it only cost around 4,000 Baht, though, it was a worthwhile investment.

If you have someone coming in to clean for you twice a week, I'd just go with the grass broom.  Even for an entire house, these type of brooms are great. 

 

I know this will sound strange, but there is something very relaxing about using these brooms.  It's a "zen like" feeling you get pushing the broom around LOL!  I know, I know...sounds bizarre, but try it and you'll see what I mean ????  I enjoy using mine because of this quite a bit.

 

[Guderian]

1 minute ago, WaveHunter said:

If you have someone coming in to clean for you twice a week, I'd just go with the grass broom.  Even for an entire house, these type of brooms are great. 

 

I know this will sound strange, but there is something very relaxing about using these brooms.  It's a "zen like" feeling you get pushing the broom around LOL!  I know, I know...sounds bizarre, but try it and you'll see what I mean ????  I enjoy using mine because of this quite a bit.

 

 

My cleaner comes twice a month, not twice a week, so there tends to be a fair bit of sand and bits of plants and dust accumulating between her visits. I've been using the grass brushes for years, as well as both a corded and cordless vacuum cleaner, but I would prefer to be able to spend my time sitting at the PC while some little robot roams around the place doing the work for me. The cleaner mops the place, of course, as well as using a dust mop afterwards, so I don't think I'd bother with that option for my first attempt with a robot. I just want something that's reliable and works, and doesn't cost too much.

[recom273]

51 minutes ago, Guderian said:

 

That's 40,000 Baht on Lazada, so well beyond my budget.

I bought a cordless vacuum a few years ago, a Dibea from Lazada. It's very handy for cleaning up patches of mess but not really powerful enough to do the whole house. Given that it only cost around 4,000 Baht, though, it was a worthwhile investment.

Did you check the guys reviews, you can see from his reports that some of the previous models may suit, especially if you don’t want a mopping functioned a smaller reservoir.

[Guderian]

7 minutes ago, recom273 said:

Did you check the guys reviews, you can see from his reports that some of the previous models may suit, especially if you don’t want a mopping functioned a smaller reservoir.

 

I didn't check, I'm new to this and my head is already spinning from all the different brands, never mind the models, lol.

 

While doing a random search on Lazada I came up with this one, the ECOVACs DEEBOT U2 PRO, which has good reviews on various websites:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th//products/i1594988416-s4338230615.html?spm=a2o4m.cart.0.0.c7606108MyTwfg&urlFlag=true

 

It's a bit pricier than I want to pay, really, but I'd be interested to hear if anybody has tried this one?

@Taxiand @zig, you both mention Deebot without cursing, any ideas about this one?

 

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, Guderian said:

 

My cleaner comes twice a month, not twice a week, so there tends to be a fair bit of sand and bits of plants and dust accumulating between her visits. I've been using the grass brushes for years, as well as both a corded and cordless vacuum cleaner, but I would prefer to be able to spend my time sitting at the PC while some little robot roams around the place doing the work for me. The cleaner mops the place, of course, as well as using a dust mop afterwards, so I don't think I'd bother with that option for my first attempt with a robot. I just want something that's reliable and works, and doesn't cost too much.

Yeah, I get it.  I see your point...and an added bonus, your kitty will love it ????

 

 

[recom273]

14 minutes ago, Guderian said:

 

I didn't check, I'm new to this and my head is already spinning from all the different brands, never mind the models, lol.

 

While doing a random search on Lazada I came up with this one, the ECOVACs DEEBOT U2 PRO, which has good reviews on various websites:

 

https://www.lazada.co.th//products/i1594988416-s4338230615.html?spm=a2o4m.cart.0.0.c7606108MyTwfg&urlFlag=true

 

It's a bit pricier than I want to pay, really, but I'd be interested to hear if anybody has tried this one?

@Taxiand @zig, you both mention Deebot without cursing, any ideas about this one?

 

For me, I want something to fit into my HomeKit automated home - I like the roboroc because the mopping function seems to be good and we have a few xiaomi products, the wife is used to mejiahome app but it’s a lot of money .. but doing research, I found that deebot can also be integrated into my system, so I’m going to look to research that.

[pgrahmm]