IN A NUTSHELL..
A robovac can transform your cleaning routine with ease and efficiency:
- 🗺 Some navigation challenges – but newer models have improved obstacle detection.
- 🧼 Occasional deep cleaning is needed – but everyday convenience outweighs the drawbacks.
- 🐶For busy parents, pet owners, or anyone who values their time – a robovac is a worthwhile investment.
- 💰Options at every price point – there’s something for everyone.
Here’s to clean floors and more time for what truly matters!
For personal stories and pro tips – more details below.
There are no affiliate links or sponsored products on this page.
Jump to your burning questions:
The Battle for Cleanliness
Are you constantly battling crumbs, pet hair, and that mysterious fluff that seems to multiply overnight? Keeping a spotless home with young children or shedding pets can feel like an impossible task.
As a parent, I’ve experienced the never-ending struggle to maintain clean floors. Until I entered the world of robovacs. Our journey with robovacs began in 2019, and since then, we’ve welcomed one more into our home—alongside our two cheeky boys.
This guide aims to help you decide whether a robovac is a good solution for your family’s needs or just another gadget you can do without.
We’ll explore the pros, cons, and share personal experiences to help you make an informed decision.
Note that the ratings are based on our experience having owned the Roborock S50 and Roborock Q Revo. We bought the Q Revo early 2024 and you can see our review of it here.
Review Deep Dive – Your Questions Answered
1. Does using a robovac save you time?
In a Nutshell:
- Yes, Robovacs Save Time: They handle floor cleaning for you.
- Scheduled Cleaning: You can set it to clean at specific times that suit you.
- On-Demand Cleaning: Convenient for quick tidying after meals.
- Docking Station Advantage: Models with docking stations auto-empty, requiring less maintenance.
Yes – Robovacs are great time savers! They take all the floor cleaning duties straight out of your hands. You can even set up schedules so they clean according to your preferences.
Our experience:
Having a robovac is like having a little helper that works while you’re busy with more important things, like playing superhero or building rocket ships out of cardboard boxes. I schedule ours to clean thehouse every Tuesday and Thursday, plus two more runs over the weekend while we’re out. That’s 4.5 hours of cleaning saved if I did it myself.
Our robovac also cleans up mess on demand. For example, we often ask it to tidy the dining area after the boys’ messy meals. And thanks to its docking station, I don’t need to empty the dustbin after each clean. You can check out my detailed review on our current robovac, the Q Revo here.
PROTIP #1
Docking stations increases time saved
Avoid the hassle of emptying the dustbin after every clean by choosing a robovac with a docking station. It will auto-empty into the dock’s dustbin, which needs changing every 6-8 months.
Our first robovac didn’t have a dock, and I’ve experienced the chore it can be. Personally, I can’t see myself going dockless again!
2. Can it do more than just vacuum?
In a Nutshell:
- Yes, Robovacs Can Do More: Some models come with mopping functions.
- Hybrid Models: They can vacuum and mop simultaneously, saving power.
- Performance Varies: Not all mopping vacuums are equal; some perform better than others.
- Personal Experience: The Q Revo’s dual rotating mops and carpet avoidance features show a significant improvement over older models.
Yes – some models come with mopping functions, increasing the way it can clean your floors in a single cleaning session.
Our experience:
The robovac we have now is a hybrid model, vacuuming and mopping simultaneously, which saves power by doing both chores in one go.
But know that not all mopping vacuums are created equal. While our older model was also capable of “mopping”, it was equivalent to that of dragging a wet rag across the floor, and soaking any carpet in its path.
In contrast, our current Q Revo has dual rotating mops, applies pressure, and can smartly lift the mops to avoid carpets. The performance difference is night and day.
PROTIP #2
There are different mopping technologies on the market
Some high-end units use rapid vibrations instead of rotating mops to remove dirt. I’m sure you will come across debates of which one’s superior as you do your research – so be prepared. If mopping is a must have for you, I recommend to start with middle of the range units as you can really get the most bang for your buck.
3. How well does it clean and can it replace manual cleaning?
In a Nutshell:
- Good Performance: Robovacs efficiently clean hard floors and surface-level dirt on carpets.
- Deep Cleaning: Occasional manual deep carpet cleaning may still be needed.
- Impressive Mopping: Many models also provide strong mopping performance.
- Corners and Edges: Newer models with extendable arms effectively clean these areas.
- Personal Experience: Regular use of our robovac keeps floors clean and minimizes the need for manual mopping, though some corner dust build-up occurs.
Robovacs are good at picking up dirt on hard floors and surface level dirt on carpets, though deep carpet cleaning may still be needed occasionally. Their mopping performance is impressive too.
Corners and edges used to be a challenge for robovacs, but newer models with extendable arms address this issue effectively.
Our experience:
Our current robovac keeps our floors clean and fresh, and we certainly notice a difference when it doesn’t run. As our robovac doesn’t have an extendable arm, we do get build-up of dust in the corners, but it’s manageable with occasional manual cleaning. Over the past year, we haven’t needed to mop the house thanks to frequent robovac use.
PROTIP #3
More frequent cleaning sessions
Because you don’t have to do the cleaning yourself, you can set the unit to run the same cleaning routine a second time to get a better result. I find that because the robovac cleans more frequently than I normally would, it keeps things in good condition.
4. How convenient is it to have a robovac? Can I tell it to clean when I’m not home?
In a Nutshell:
- Very Convenient: Robovacs can be controlled remotely through the manufacturer’s app.
- Customizable Cleaning: Adjust suction power, water usage, and set specific cleaning zones via Wi-Fi.
- Remote Control: Start cleaning sessions when you’re not home, such as during school runs.
- Scheduled Cleaning: Set up regular cleaning schedules for consistent cleanliness.
- Personal Experience: Regular use keeps our floors spotless with minimal maintenance tasks like emptying and refilling water tanks.
There are several ways to start a cleaning session with your robovac.
The best way is through the manufacturer’s app, where you can customize the clean, control suction power, and adjust water usage for mopping. You can command it to clean the entire house, a specific room, or a set zone, all remotely via Wi-Fi.
Short on time after breakfast? Let the robovac clean up while you drop the kids off at school. It’s like having a dedicated cleaning partner that never procrastinates.
Our experience:
I schedule our robovac to clean four times a week, so we always come home to spotless floors. The only tasks I have are emptying the dirty water tank and refilling the clean tank every two cycles. Our current model also dries the mop pads to avoid that damp cloth smell.
Did I mention you can control the robovac remotely using an app? Most brands have this feature, so you can get the house cleaned on a whim, anytime.
PROTIP #3
Schedule around your schedule
I set our robovac to run early on weekdays, starting with my home office and then moving to the rest of the house. On weekends, it’s scheduled for the afternoon when we are out so its not getting in anyone’s way. Make it clean where you want, when you want.
5. Can I count on it to clean regularly with the same level of performance each time?
In a Nutshell:
- Yes, Consistent Performance: Modern robovacs maintain regular cleaning with smart navigation and adaptive features.
- Automated Scheduling: Ensures regular and thorough cleaning without manual intervention.
- Self-Maintenance: Advanced models have self-emptying dustbins and self-cleaning mops for peak performance.
- Smart Detection: Some models use cameras to check their work and re-clean if needed.
- Personal Experience: Setting a cleaning schedule keeps our floors consistently clean, with minimal manual input.
Modern robovacs deliver consistent performance with automated scheduling, smart navigation, and adaptive cleaning features, ensuring regular, thorough cleaning.
Advanced models include self-maintenance capabilities like self-emptying dustbins and self-cleaning mops, maintaining peak performance over time. Some can even detect if it’s done a good job via its camera, and if not, automatically clean the area again. Talk about initiative!
Our experience:
Set the cleaning schedule once and forget it. Clean as often or as little as needed, and you’ll often come home pleasantly surprised by how clean your floors are.
6. I have indoor pets that malt a lot of hair, will this impact the performance of a robovac?
In a Nutshell:
- Effective for Pet Hair: Robovacs, especially with specialized brushes, handle pet hair well.
- Specialized Brushes: Rubber rollers and dual rollers effectively pick up pet hair and reduce allergens.
- Positive Reviews: Many users with pets report good performance on pet hair.
- Personal Experience: Despite not having pets, human hair shedding is managed well by our robovac.
Now we don’t have any pets in our house. Dealing with two young boys is hard enough work as it is. But I have seen positive reviews about models being effective at keeping on top of hair from pets that malt often.
Some robovacs also come with specialized brushes (rubber rollers, dual roller to effectively pick up pet hair and reduce allergens on your floors.
Our experience:
You might wonder why we gave it 5 stars without having a pet. Well, my wife sheds an incredible amount of hair each month. I know this because during my monthly maintenance, I find copious amounts of hair wrapped around the ends of main brush (as designed). Sometimes, they even get under the mop mounts!
7. What other tech savvy features do robovacs provide?
In a Nutshell:
- Advanced Features: Smart mapping, self-charging, self-emptying, self-washing, self-drying, and smart home integration.
- Built-in Cameras: High-end models can take photos of obstacles and send notifications; some even allow remote pet monitoring and communication.
- Camera Consideration: Not essential for cleaning performance but can enhance obstacle avoidance; models without cameras are more affordable.
- Personal Experience: Our robovac maps the house, allows app control for custom cleaning routines, and performs self-maintenance tasks via the docking station.
Depending on the model, advanced features like smart mapping, self-charging, self-emptying, self-washing, self-drying, and smart home integration are available.
Some high-end units come with built-in cameras that can take photos of obstacles they’ve avoided and send notifications to your phone. The camera can also double as a personal spy, allowing you to check on your pets while you’re at work. Some units even have a microphone for communication.
PROTIP #4
Cameras on robovacs
There are models on the market that come with cameras – the camera is not a necessity and won’t hinder the performance of your robvacs cleaning capabilities, that much. They are mainly used for improved obstacle avoidance, so don’t feel like you need to get one with it. Units with cameras are also more expensive, so you’ll be also saving a few dollars going for a non-camera version.
P.S I didn’t want a camera spying on us so I went with the Q Revo.
Our experience:
The smarts built into robovacs have come a long way. Out of the box, ours was able to map our house by systematically bumping around, creating a top-down view map. I can modify rooms, name them, and set no-go zones all through the app. This makes setting up custom cleaning routines easy and allows you to control where the robovac can go.
We schedule cleaning 4 days a week, and on weekends, I increase the water usage for a better mop cycle. The robovac self-empties its dustbin, washes its mops, and self-dries with a built-in heater—all thanks to the docking station.
The docking station is like a home for your robovac, where it returns when it needs to recharge or clean itself. It’s like a bed for your trusty helper.
8. Are robovacs kid friendly? I’m worried that it may injure my child.
In a Nutshell:
- Kid-Friendly Design: Robovacs have sensors and bumpers to detect obstacles and navigate around them safely.
- Low Risk of Injury: They move slowly and have low profiles, minimizing impact force.
- Automatic Path Change: Minor bumps cause the robovac to change its path, further reducing risk.
- Personal Experience: These features contribute to a safe environment for children.
Robovacs are designed with safety features that make them very kid-friendly. They come equipped with sensors and bumpers to detect obstacles and navigate around them, minimizing the risk of collisions.
In the unlikely event that it fails to detect a child and bumps into them, there is a very low chance of injury. Robovacs generally have low profiles and move at a slow speeds, so this significantly reduces the force on impact. Minor bumps will cause the robovac to change its path.
Our experience:
Personally I’m more worried about my children trampling over the robovac than the reverse. Sometimes, I would catch my then 2-year-old waiting for it to approach, kick it, then laguh as it changes course.
9. I’ve heard that robovacs are expensive, how much are we talking about?
In a Nutshell:
- Price Range: Robovacs range from $200 to $2,500, depending on features.
- Budget-Friendly ($200 – $400): Basic navigation, manual emptying, standard suction.
- Mid-Range ($400 – $1,500): Advanced navigation, self-emptying bins, enhanced suction, better app control.
- High-End ($1,500+): Top-tier navigation, self-cleaning mops, self-emptying bins, advanced sensors, cameras, AI technology.
- Long-Term Savings: Despite the initial cost, the long-term time and effort savings can be significant.
- Personal Tip: Choose a robovac based on your family’s specific needs to ensure best value.
The price of robovacs can vary quite drastically depending on the features you want included. The prices typically start around $200 and peak around $2500 for premium models.
Here is a general summary of what features you can expect for the various price range:
Budget-Friendly (Around $200 – $400) – Features: Basic navigation sensors, manual emptying, standard suction.
Mid-Range ($400 – $1,500) – Features: Advanced navigation (LiDAR, cameras), some models with self-emptying bins, enhanced suction, and better app control.
High-End ($1,500+) – Features: Top-tier navigation, self-cleaning mops, self-emptying bins, advanced sensors, cameras and AI technology for object recognition.
Our experience:
While the initial cost can be steep, especially for models that vacuum and mop well, consider the long-term savings in time and effort. Compare models to find the best value. You might not need a docking station, which can reduce upfront costs.
PROTIP #5
Base your robovac off your family’s needs
There’s no point in buying a unit with a a mopping function if your house is mainly carpet. You will get little use out of it. Choosing the right model to suit your needs will save you some extra money.
10. Are the robots high in maintenance? I don’t want another kid right now.
In a Nutshell:
- Moderate Maintenance: Regular tasks include emptying dustbins, cleaning brushes, and replacing filters.
- Docking Station Convenience: Reduces frequency of emptying to every 6-7 months.
- Water Tank Management: Need to empty dirty water and top up clean water.
- Maintenance Reminders: App timers or phone calendar reminders help.
- Personal Tip: Monthly 45-minute check/clean ensures optimal performance.
Regular upkeep is needed: emptying the dustbin, cleaning brushes, and replacing filters. With a docking station, you only need to empty the dustbag every 6-7 months. You’ll still need to empty the dirty water tank, top up the clean water, and clean the docking station
Our experience:
Regular maintenance is essential for optimal performance. Most models have app timers to remind you, or you can set phone calendar reminders.
PROTIP #6
Make maintenance a monthly task
I set aside 45 minutes at the end of each month to do an overall check/clean of the robovac and the docking station, even if it doesn’t need it yet. This ensures that its in top condition all the time.
11. My kids leave things on the ground all the time, will this be an issue for the robovac?
In a Nutshell:
- Potential Issue: Robovacs may struggle with cords, small toys, and obstacles.
- Obstacle Avoidance: High-end models perform better at avoiding obstacles.
- Pet Feces: Be cautious with indoor pets as robovacs can’t detect feces well.
- Personal Experience: Loose cables and small toys can cause issues; tidying up before cleaning helps.
- Pro Tip: Do a quick walkthrough to pick up small items and set no-go zones to prevent entanglement.
Obstacles like cords and small toys can be problematic for most robovacs. Even mid-range units struggle with obstacle avoidance, while high-end units perform better. Robovacs can’t detect feces, so be cautious with indoor pets. Although I hear that this is now being improved on.
Our experience:
Our current robovac definitely struggles with small toys and cords laying about. I have to make sure all loose cables in my office are tidied up before cleaning sessions as they will get chewed up by the main brush.
PROTIP #7
Do a 2 minute walk around the house prior to a scheduled clean
To avoid coming home to a tangled robovac, do a quick walkthrough, picking up small toys and cables. Use the app-set no-go zones to prevent the bot from getting stuck.
12. Are robovacs noisy? I don’t want a commercial vacuum running through my house.
In a Nutshell:
- Quieter than Stick Vacuums: Robovacs operate around 60-70 decibels, similar to a conversation or background music.
- Household Experience: No significant noise issues; quieter than stick vacuums.
- Docking Station Noise: Emptying process is loud but brief (5-8 seconds).
- Pro Tip: Schedule cleaning when you’re out or in another part of the house to minimize noise disruption. Consider models with quiet modes if noise is a concern.
Robovacs are generally quieter than commercial and handheld vacuums, operating around 60-70 decibels (similar to a conversation or background music).
Our experience:
No issues with the noise in our household; they’re no louder than conventional stick vacuums. In fact, I’d rather run the robovac than use a stick vacuum while the kids sleep.
Do note however, that the docking station emptying process is loud and can startle kids, though it only lasts about 5-8 seconds.
PROTIP #8
Schedule cleaning around your schedule
Schedule cleaning times when you’re out or in another part of the house if noise is a concern. Look for models with quiet modes if noise is really a concern.
13. How long does a full battery last?
In a Nutshell:
- Battery Life: 60 to 180 minutes per charge, depending on the model.
- Low-Range Models: Last 60-90 minutes.
- Mid-Range Models: Last 90-120 minutes.
- High-End Models: Last 120-180 minutes.
- Recharging: Most robovacs return to docks to recharge and resume cleaning.
- Personal Experience: Our Q Revo runs for 2 hours, covering about 100 sqm; recharge time can extend total cleaning duration for large houses.
Battery life ranges from 60 to 180 minutes per charge, depending on the model. Low-range models last 60-90 minutes, mid-range 90-120 minutes, and high-end 120-180 minutes. Most robovacs return to their docks to recharge and resume cleaning for thorough coverage.
Our experience:
Our current Q Revo cleans for about 2 hours straight, covering approximately 100 sqm before it needs to go back home to recharge. This can be annoying if you have a large house, as they take quite a while to recharge. So what could be a 2 hour cleaning session may turn into 6 if factoring recharge time.
How much time can you realistically save?
Just head on to my calculator here to find out! Enter a few minor details and you can see exactly how much time you can save in a year and whether the savings is worth you investing into a robovac.
I save around 107 hours a year based on my cleaning schedule below:
- Number of times I vacuum in a month: 16 times (I vacuum 4 days a week)
- Average time I take to manually vacuum: 25 minutes
- Number of times I mop in a month: 1 time
- Average time to manually mop: 45 minutes
I actually set our robovac to mop more frequently than I would manually clean, so time savings would potentially be higher than 107 hours 🙂
Conclusion
Bringing a robo vacuum into your home can significantly enhance your cleaning routine, It certainly has for our household. It provides and increases cleaning efficiency (100% efficiency since you don’t need to be there while it cleans!).
While there are challenges, such as navigation issues, newer models on the market are showing improvements to obstacle detection of smaller objects and animal feces (yep, there are tests out there showing how well a robovac can avoid your pets poop).
There’s also the need for occasional deep cleaning and cleaning of missed areas like corners. But i’ve found that the benefits they provide far outweigh the drawbacks.
Depending on how much you value your time and the structure of your house, its more likely than not that a robovac will be worthy investment!
Sharing Corner
Hopefully our experiences have helped you decide whether a Robovac is right for your household. There are constantly new models being released into the market so I’m keen to find out which models you rely on for keeping your home clean and your schedules clear. Please let us know below!
If you want to start somewhere, you can check out the review of our current Q Revo here
Link to my Time Saving Calculator.
