Five robotic vacuum cleaners for automated cleaning

Ariete 2711

The white-light green robot vacuum cleaner from the Italian company Ariete was nicknamed "baby" — that's how the name Briciola, printed on the body of the device, sounds in Italian.

The device is made in a minimalist style. Of the controls on its body, there is only one large start / end cleaning key. The functionality is fully revealed when paired with the remote control — it allows you to schedule cleaning time or turn on the "turbo" mode, in which the power of the vacuum cleaner increases significantly, and the movement path becomes spiral.

The robot moves around the premises based on the readings of the built-in sensors. In the process of movement, the vacuum cleaner practically does not cling to furniture and objects located on the floor. He feels most confident on a hard surface, but there is no particular point in using it for cleaning carpets — the absence of a turbo brush in the design will not allow high-quality cleaning of such coatings.

Dust and debris are removed by means of two side brushes that effectively penetrate into the most remote corners of the room (if only they could be approached). The package includes a spare set of brushes, as well as another fine filter (HEPA).

One charge of the built-in battery is enough for about an hour and a half of the vacuum cleaner. During this time, the device manages to qualitatively clean an apartment with an area of 50-60 square metres. m. When the battery is low, the robot returns to the docking station, where it fills its tanks for 3.5 hours (the battery needs to be charged for about 12 hours for the first use).

Another factor that attracts attention is the affordable cost of the vacuum cleaner (in comparison with colleagues in the shop). It allows you to completely close your eyes to minor flaws, which include unimportant cleaning of carpets and the lack of a dust container full indicator.

iRobot Roomba 616

The 600th series of robot vacuum cleaners from the American company iRobot includes basic models. Their difference from the flagship line lies in slightly reduced functionality (there is no possibility of remote control, the inability to pre-set a cleaning schedule, etc.).

The device starts working by pressing the "Clean" key. On the sides of it are two smaller buttons: the first activates cleaning in a given area (about 1 m in diameter), and the second forcibly sends the vacuum cleaner to the base station. Those. even a child will master the process of controlling the robot, because direct cleaning takes place in automatic mode — the vacuum cleaner scans the surrounding space using sensors and rides on the surface for up to 2 hours in a row (until the battery starts to run out), avoiding obstacles in its path.

The brain of a vacuum cleaner can recognize the type of surface and, starting from it, adjust the power level accordingly. Hair, wool, dust, fluff and other debris are drawn into the 0.5 liter tank by means of two multidirectional main brushes and one side brush (on the front right side) designed for cleaning along the walls. Another advanced feature is called Dirt Direct, and its meaning is to recognize especially dirty places, after which the vacuum cleaner makes multiple passes over them for more effective cleaning.

If wires are suddenly encountered in the path of the robot vacuum cleaner, it will get out of them without any consequences for both parties thanks to the anti-entanglement system. Also, the functionality of the model includes support for a virtual wall (restriction of the movement area). However the module for these purposes will have to be purchased additionally.

On a single battery charge, iRobot Roomba 616 can clean an area of about 60 square metres. m, which takes about 2 hours. After that, the device returns to the base and replenishes its energy reserves (for 3 hours). In idle mode, the robot is recommended to be kept near the base station, and it, in turn, not to be disconnected from the power supply.

Philips SmartPro Active FC 8810

An independent "smart" cleaner from the Dutch company Philips has two side brushes in its arsenal, designed for more thorough cleaning of debris and dust in the corners of the premises. There are no other nozzles in its design, which is why the vacuum cleaner is not very well suited for cleaning carpet surfaces.

The elements of the robot vacuum cleaner are hard floor coverings (parquet, laminate, ceramic tiles). They are cleaned both automatically and manually using the remote control. Auto mode includes the ability to programme a cleaning schedule for the week ahead and 4 different scenarios for moving the device: arbitrary movement, zigzag, in a spiral or along walls. In all cases, the vacuum cleaner is able to avoid obstacles along the way and overcome small elevations up to 1 cm high (for example, interior sills).

Almost the entire numerous range of sensors (obstacle detection, height difference, dust sensor) is dispersed around the perimeter of the device's spring-loaded bumper. At the back there is only a sensor for detecting the base, to which the vacuum cleaner automatically returns when the remaining battery charge is at 15%. A full charge of the built-in battery takes about 3.5 hours, and the operating time of the vacuum cleaner on this charge is about 1.5 hours.

Despite the large number of sensors, the vacuum cleaner still tends to crash into the legs of a table or chairs. It also hits obstacles when reversing (this is how the device tries to move off coarse carpets). Nevertheless, the robot almost always goes around large objects and furniture, while not forgetting to leave a clean floor behind.

Access to the dust container is as easy as shelling pears — just flip the magnetic cover on the top of the vacuum cleaner. The useful volume of the garbage tank is only 0.4 L, but this is enough to fully clean the floor in an apartment of about 60 square metres. m. And to further improve the quality of cleaning will help a special napkin, fixed between the wheels of the vacuum cleaner and designed to capture fine dust.

iRobot Roomba 980

The iRobot brand specializes in the development and production of robotics for domestic use (previously its products were also aimed at military purposes). In the line of robotic vacuum cleaners of the American company, the oldest model stands out — iRobot Roomba 980.

"Smart Cleaner" has two key features at once: it is equipped with a camera for visual positioning in the premises, as well as a Wi-Fi module for connection and control of all parameters via a compatible smartphone (based on Android or iOs). To be able to remotely change settings on a portable gadget, you need to install the iRobot Home application, among the possibilities of which are deferred cleaning planning for a week in advance, choosing the type of cleaning, diagnostics of all components and assemblies of the device, etc.

The assembly of the device is made at a high quality level. Thanks to spring-loaded wheels, it is able to overcome low obstacles, and a whole galaxy of various sensors will protect the vacuum cleaner from possible collisions and falls. In addition, special sensors are located on the belly of the robot, which are responsible for recognizing the surface material — in the event of a drive on the carpet, the device will automatically increase the power level for more efficient suction of dust and litter. And one side brush located on the starboard side will help to get the garbage out of the corners. When the battery is low, the vacuum cleaner automatically makes its way to the base, which happens about two hours after the start of cleaning.

Among the interesting features offered by iRobot Robotic 980, virtual walls stand out as a special line — accessories to limit the trajectory of the vacuum cleaner(2 beacons included). One use is to create a protective barrier around pet food bowls.

The numerous functions of the robot vacuum cleaner do not include only manual control (which looks a little strange, given the presence of a camera for visual orientation). You should definitely count on this opportunity in the near future, because software updates for the device are released regularly. Only its high cost can confuse potential buyers of a vacuum cleaner, but, as you know, you have to pay for high-tech products.

Samsung POWERbot VR-20K9350WK

Samsung VR-20K9350WK joined the range of robotic vacuum cleaners of the South Korean brand in 2016. It can rightly be called one of the most advanced models on the market today.

The device is able to scan the surrounding space using a highly sensitive FullView Sencor 2.0 sensor and a built-in camera for visual positioning, thereby creating a virtual map of all rooms. In the future, you can set certain areas for cleaning on it from a smartphone connected via a Wi-Fi connection. The wireless network also provides the ability to remotely start or stop the device and pre-schedule cleaning.

More effective cleaning of floors (whether it be ceramic tiles, parquet or carpet with a low pile) is achieved thanks to an oversized turbo brush — its width is 311 mm, which is about 1.5 times larger than most similar models. But there was no side brush in the design of the robot, so cleaning in the corners is done by increasing the suction power by 10 percent and passing through the required area three times.

For optimal room cleaning, 2 different cleaning modes and 3 suction modes are available. You can also control the vacuum cleaner manually, using the so-called light beam — in this case, the robot will follow the instructions of the remote control. And the virtual wall modules provided in the package will help limit the cleaning radius.

Among the shortcomings of the model, users note an increased noise level (78 dB in maximum thrust mode) and an overly long charging time (4 hours). Also, the advantages of the vacuum cleaner can hardly be attributed to its cost. These disadvantages are not so significant in comparison with the many advantages of the Samsung VR-20K9350WK, so you definitely shouldn’t refuse the idea of acquiring a robot vacuum cleaner. Moreover, it will be a great decoration for any interior.