Robotic vacuum cleaner - an automatic device designed for high-quality cleaning of floor coverings without human intervention. They have long ceased to be something unique and are available to any consumer.
There are many models of robotic vacuum cleaners on the home appliance market, and for a technically inexperienced person, the choice can be very difficult. Experts recommend paying attention to the following 9 rules when buying.
1. Dry or wet cleaning
Dry cleaning from debris and dust can be carried out by vacuum cleaners operating on the principle of an electric broom. In such devices, the suction function is not very large, and the main work is carried out by the brushes located on the side and under the body. They are most effective when cleaning flat surfaces - tiles, parquet, laminate and linoleum.
Wet cleaning carried out by models that are equipped with water tanks. During operation, the vacuum cleaner sprays water mixed with detergent, after which the floor is cleaned with brushes, and then the moisture is sucked inside the housing using a turbine. This keeps the floor clean and only slightly damp. But the main disadvantage of washing vacuum cleaners is the need for periodic water changes, which cannot be done automatically.
2. Power of work and treated area
Usually, low-power devices are designed for cleaning rooms with an area of 30 to 90 square meters. m, and the charge of their battery lasts for 2-3 hours of constant work. But for large apartments and large offices, robotic vacuum cleaners with powerful batteries and base stations (devices where the vacuum cleaner restores the battery charge) are required that can restore a resource in a maximum of 1 hour.
3. Motion sensors and overcoming
They allow the robot vacuum cleaner to navigate in space during operation.
IN standard models the following are installed:
- collision sensors located on the sides of the body, which at the right moment send a signal about a change in movement;
- touch sensors designed to determine the distance to solid objects;
- drop sensors required to determine the height difference of the treated surface. Their main task is to prevent the robot vacuum cleaner from falling down the stairs.
In more perfect models additional types of sensor devices can be installed on robotic devices:
- contamination sensors in the lower part of the case, which determine the degree and type of surface contamination. They signal a change in the operating mode and set the number of repetitions of processing;
- Cleaning control sensors are a kind of laser scanners that allow the device to determine in which places cleaning has already been carried out, and where it has yet to be done.
There are models that occupy an intermediate position, trying to maintain a balance of price and quality. An example of such a robot vacuum cleaner iRobot Roomba 980
Depending on the set of sensors, the power and cost of the robot vacuum cleaner differ. As a rule, all possible sensor devices are installed in expensive and powerful models.
4.Waste bin volume
In different models, it varies from 0.3 to 2 liters of capacity. Accordingly, the larger the area the vacuum cleaner will need to process, the more spacious the container should be.
5. Number of modes and additional functions
Robot vacuum cleaners are able to work both in normal mode and in enhanced mode, which is turned on by a signal from a special sensor or entered in the program by the owner. Strenuous work is necessary when cleaning heavily soiled surfaces.
Some models additionally include the functions of air ionization and surface disinfection using ultraviolet lamps.
6. Air filtration function
The layer through which the air sucked in by the vacuum cleaner comes out can be a thin layer of special paper or a full-fledged multi-layer filter. In some models, the latter complements the aroma diffuser - a compartment for aromatic mixtures, through which air flows and aromas the treated room.
7. Service
Like all household appliances, robotic vacuum cleaners break down. And not all manufacturers in Russia provide a guarantee for their goods. In particular, free repair of Chinese stamps is not provided.
8. Brand of the robot vacuum cleaner
Certain manufacturers are still more credible than others. And among the most reliable are iRobot (USA), Panda (Japan), Yujin Robot (Korea) and Kitfort (Russia). Not surprisingly, the models of these brands topped rating of robot vacuum cleaners 2016based on user reviews, taking into account the cost of devices.
9. Cost
The cost of a vacuum cleaner should be the last thing to consider, because relatively simple and advanced devices, the price range is approximately equal.