Author Topic: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?  (Read 28972 times)

MrSal

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #50 on: April 02, 2017, 01:01:27 PM »
damn it now i want one. Maybe i should take back the sewing machine i never use and get the roomba instead.

If you want one... buy a Neato.

All these stories of Roomba's ...and having to detangle hair or getting the vaccum stuck.... in 3 months operation, ours got stuck once! and it was because it sucked my socks that were on the floor.

The mapping feature of Neato is amazing to watch! It's not random like Roomba

Check this video...which i actually believe the user is Mustachian as well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ByUnyBjmSs

Regarding minglling with hair, my wife has long hair... I have medium hair... we have 1 dog with long hair...1 dog with short hair...1 cat. Never got an issue with hair.

Once a month I take the brush out and remove the hair that gets tangled in the brushes... a 30 second job!

If you buy a Neato, wait for the 40% Mystery coupon code at Kohls... use cashback credit card + cashback portal + coupon! That's how I got mine... Price 600+ dollars got it for $200 out of pocket.

sol

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #51 on: April 02, 2017, 01:32:55 PM »
what causes you to draw a line at robotic vacuums, versus bicycles, cars, dishwashers, washing machines, computers, pipes, etc?

Have you read this thread at all?  I think we've made it pretty clear that the robot vacuums don't do as good of a job cleaning as a regular upright vacuum, cost twice as much, last less than half as long, and don't really save you time because they require maintenance and prep work.

We're not advocating abandoning technology, we're saying that robot vacuums are inferior to upright vacuums, as vacuum technology goes.

They are fun toys, though.  Do you like spending money on fun toys?  I've owned three!

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #52 on: April 02, 2017, 02:10:29 PM »
Yes, I've read every word in the thread :)

I understand now that your experience with and beliefs about robot vacuums is different than those of some of us. Fair enough. I don't know that any one experience means everyone's would be likewise, though. (E.g., My Roomba has cleaned far better than any other vacuum I've owned. My time spent in four years of owning it has been dramatically less than time previously spent with conventional vacuums.)

It's okay for some people to find any given tool (car, blender, computer, etc) enhancing and for others not to.

No, I'm not a fan of toys -very minimalist- but I'm happy to spend on tools that enhance my life. This is true for me even if the same tool does not enhance everyone's...just like I don't use a bed even while being able to understand and celebrate that many people find them life-enhancing. I.e., My lifestyle doesn't make a bed-lifestyle wrong, stupid, mathematically or financially subpar, though. Key is to know what enhances our own lives, prioritize that, and ninja the rest. There can't be a shortlist of what is an objectively acceptable tool; it's very individual and about one's needs, lifestyle, circumstances, access, etc.

sol

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #53 on: April 02, 2017, 05:30:41 PM »
Have they even been around long enough to make this determination?  Are you comparing similar duty vacuums from the same manufacturer to determine the longevity?

I'm on my third robot vacuum since 2008.  I'm still using the same corded upright vacuum I bought back in the 90s.

Plus an upright vacuum has a hose attachment, and can also do baseboards, or sofa cracks, or upholstery, or the cheerios in your car.  Try doing any of that with a roomba.

Robot vacuums are single-purpose tools.  They are convenient, for the one thing that they do, but they are expensive and fragile consumer electronics, not household appliances. 


maizefolk

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #54 on: April 02, 2017, 05:48:13 PM »
Sol, have you tried different types of robotic vacuums or were all three from the same manufacturer?

Rocket

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #55 on: April 02, 2017, 06:18:49 PM »
I tried a roomba early on and it was great getting under the beds.  But it would get stuck a lot and I found myself having to clean up the floor before running it.  It also had trouble with area rugs with tassels. I stopped using it. I like the idea so maybe its time to look at a neato.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #56 on: April 02, 2017, 08:32:17 PM »
^ Eirene, do you have Costco (even online) and does it have the eternal return policy? If yes, I'd venture this can be more financially sound than second-hand. I.e., With second-hand, you don't know much its been used, how well maintained or not, if it's right near the end of the battery life, etc, so can pay for a lemon.

With Costco's policy, you know what you're getting and if you're unhappy with your experience in your specific home, or it fails early, you can get the money back.

I won't return mine when it fails because I've gotten all these blissful years of frequent use, but where that's not the case, the policy is wonderful! In my experience, relying on this kind of policy is more frugal than buying second-hand (though I still love second-hand for the environmental aspect).

ChpBstrd

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #57 on: April 03, 2017, 11:17:07 AM »
I picked up one of those 3' flat warehouse brooms for $15 to sweep up the dog hair in our 2700sf one-level, all tile and hardwood monstrosity. Takes 15 minutes, vs. 45 min to vacuum and reaches under couches and beds. I'm still thinking about an eBay Roomba thought, because I can't find those 15 min more often than every 3 weeks and the wife wants to HIRE somebody!!! NOOOO!!! From the reviews above, I'm somewhat back to my senses. Just need to sweep the warehouse more often.

NeonPegasus

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #58 on: April 03, 2017, 02:19:08 PM »
I got a Roomba for Xmas. It was second to top of the line model. It doesn't vacuum as well as my upright but it vacuums better than my kids using the upright so there's that. I have 3 kids and 2 cats and DH and I both work. I do think it saves me time, in spite of the maintenance here and there. I'd guess it takes about an hour to vacuum our entire house. And now that the whole family cleans together on the weekend, that is an hour less of work in between us and getting to do something fun.

Interestingly, it has had the pleasant side effect of getting my kids to be a lot neater. They know the robot will suck up their legos and keep things very picked up.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #59 on: April 03, 2017, 02:28:38 PM »
^ Oh yeah :)      Our common areas stay very neat, but Kid is allowed to do whatever in his bedroom. When it's too far gone for my taste, for too long, I just say cheerfully, "Okay, get your room ready for Roomba!" And EVERYthing gets picked up. I think he experiences it as supporting a preferred robot's needs, thus is game. Roomba functioning like an independent third person living in our house is very helpful for our interactions, lol.

maizefolk

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #60 on: April 03, 2017, 02:49:54 PM »
I find it has that effect even on me as a full grown adult. There's something about coming home to the pitiful beeping of my Neato after it's sucked up a sock I tossed carelessly on the floor that has made me much more conscientious about not leaving clothes lying around, something I always used to struggle with.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #61 on: April 03, 2017, 03:46:13 PM »
^    :)     And for me, I feel like I finally have a helpmate in anything! My kid definitely does his fair share of the household chores, and I'm happy to do a bunch of cleaning, but coming home to bright, clean, fluffed floors just makes my day! If we're home when it docks and sings, we both call out, "Thank you, Roomba!" World's most awesome roommate.

jamesbond007

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #62 on: April 03, 2017, 04:41:27 PM »
Robotic vacuums, in my experience watching a lot of my friends, is useless to me and doesn't serve any real need for my lifestyle. They are not powerful enough for the money. They are tiny so the amount of junk they can hold (Assuming they are able to pick up everything) is tiny. A lot of people, in my observation, program them and leave them. But they end up vacuuming with a normal vacuum once a week anyway. Robots don't pick up hair properly and it gets tangled under it leading to a mess or loss of suction. But these people justfiy the purchase because they are invested in it. These are the usual responses I hear: "I don't have to vacuum every day" (These people don't vacuum everyday anyway). "It saves time" (Well, it takes 10 minutes to vacuum my 945 sft house with a regular vacuum). "I have pets" (So?)

Anyway, after watching it extensively, I decided to keep my 5 yr old Simplicity Symmetry. No issues whatsoever. Running like a champ after 5 yrs. I change the bag once every 2 months. DONE.

CNM

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #63 on: April 03, 2017, 05:03:38 PM »
I have a Roomba!  I received it as a gift and I like it.  I've had it about 5 months.

I have a dog that sheds quite a bit, and it really helps keep the floors in presentable condition.  Let me explain.  Pre-Roomba, I'd vacuum 1x week.  The floor would be pretty covered in dog hair and gross.  The Roomba does not give a totally thorough cleaning, but it does a good job.  Now I only vacuum once every 2 weeks and I would probably stretch it to 3.


Sydneystache

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #64 on: April 03, 2017, 05:07:51 PM »
Anyone have a Dyson Eye? Reviews?

LadyStache in Baja

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #65 on: April 04, 2017, 08:35:30 AM »
^ Oh yeah :)      Our common areas stay very neat, but Kid is allowed to do whatever in his bedroom. When it's too far gone for my taste, for too long, I just say cheerfully, "Okay, get your room ready for Roomba!" And EVERYthing gets picked up. I think he experiences it as supporting a preferred robot's needs, thus is game. Roomba functioning like an independent third person living in our house is very helpful for our interactions, lol.

This is adorable.

prognastat

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #66 on: April 04, 2017, 09:01:30 AM »
Robotic vacuums, in my experience watching a lot of my friends, is useless to me and doesn't serve any real need for my lifestyle. They are not powerful enough for the money. They are tiny so the amount of junk they can hold (Assuming they are able to pick up everything) is tiny. A lot of people, in my observation, program them and leave them. But they end up vacuuming with a normal vacuum once a week anyway. Robots don't pick up hair properly and it gets tangled under it leading to a mess or loss of suction. But these people justfiy the purchase because they are invested in it. These are the usual responses I hear: "I don't have to vacuum every day" (These people don't vacuum everyday anyway). "It saves time" (Well, it takes 10 minutes to vacuum my 945 sft house with a regular vacuum). "I have pets" (So?)

Anyway, after watching it extensively, I decided to keep my 5 yr old Simplicity Symmetry. No issues whatsoever. Running like a champ after 5 yrs. I change the bag once every 2 months. DONE.

Then they have a terrible robotic vacuum. I haven't had any Roombas, but have had 2 Neatos and both did great picking up lots of dirt and have a decent size bin.

marielle

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #67 on: April 04, 2017, 09:06:41 AM »
Yikes, does nobody here have cats that throw up? I would never let a roomba in my apartment, I can't even imagine the horror. Any cat is liable to get a hairball at some point...

If I had no pets, then I'm sure I would love it. But I'm really really picky about clean floors. I absolutely hate stepping on crumbs and crap on the floor. So good suction is really important. I just got a Miele upright and it's perfect, and makes vacuuming /significantly/ less effort than a crappy cheap bagless. For anyone that hates vacuuming, try a decent bagged vacuum first. Meaning, not an overpriced bagless Dyson. Maybe a used Miele or Riccar off Craigslist.

Another problem is you can't get away with JUST the robot vacuum, so you have to buy two different types of vacuums and service both. Definitely not frugal. I prefer having less appliances than more.
« Last Edit: April 04, 2017, 09:11:57 AM by marielle »

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #68 on: April 04, 2017, 09:11:45 AM »
I'm really really picky about clean floors. I absolutely hate stepping on crumbs and crap on the floor. So good suction is really important.

So glad to meet another! This is the primary reason I have a robotic vacuum :)   Not everyone understands this sensory thing. Roomba takes a whole layer of trickiness off my days.

gocubs

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #69 on: April 04, 2017, 09:26:49 AM »
We have a roomba as well.  She works great but does tend to get stuck under our table if left unsupervised ( the space is just the right size where she gets wedged between the wood table and floor.). If it weren't for that I'd leave it out and let it clean while we are at work.  It's just too much hassle to block off the dining room every day.

jamesbond007

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #70 on: April 04, 2017, 10:21:11 AM »
Robotic vacuums, in my experience watching a lot of my friends, is useless to me and doesn't serve any real need for my lifestyle. They are not powerful enough for the money. They are tiny so the amount of junk they can hold (Assuming they are able to pick up everything) is tiny. A lot of people, in my observation, program them and leave them. But they end up vacuuming with a normal vacuum once a week anyway. Robots don't pick up hair properly and it gets tangled under it leading to a mess or loss of suction. But these people justfiy the purchase because they are invested in it. These are the usual responses I hear: "I don't have to vacuum every day" (These people don't vacuum everyday anyway). "It saves time" (Well, it takes 10 minutes to vacuum my 945 sft house with a regular vacuum). "I have pets" (So?)

Anyway, after watching it extensively, I decided to keep my 5 yr old Simplicity Symmetry. No issues whatsoever. Running like a champ after 5 yrs. I change the bag once every 2 months. DONE.

Then they have a terrible robotic vacuum. I haven't had any Roombas, but have had 2 Neatos and both did great picking up lots of dirt and have a decent size bin.

Didn't want to drop names but they had Roombas, and a Samsung (Supposed to be the most powerful on the market). Either way, cannot justify the price for work that takes 10 minutes.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #71 on: April 04, 2017, 10:33:24 AM »
I will say that I'm extremely impressed with those who vacuum your places thoroughly in 10 minutes per week! I was a professional vacuumer for six years and live in ~450 sq feet and am still much slower at it, for sure!

prognastat

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #72 on: April 04, 2017, 10:41:20 AM »
Robotic vacuums, in my experience watching a lot of my friends, is useless to me and doesn't serve any real need for my lifestyle. They are not powerful enough for the money. They are tiny so the amount of junk they can hold (Assuming they are able to pick up everything) is tiny. A lot of people, in my observation, program them and leave them. But they end up vacuuming with a normal vacuum once a week anyway. Robots don't pick up hair properly and it gets tangled under it leading to a mess or loss of suction. But these people justfiy the purchase because they are invested in it. These are the usual responses I hear: "I don't have to vacuum every day" (These people don't vacuum everyday anyway). "It saves time" (Well, it takes 10 minutes to vacuum my 945 sft house with a regular vacuum). "I have pets" (So?)

Anyway, after watching it extensively, I decided to keep my 5 yr old Simplicity Symmetry. No issues whatsoever. Running like a champ after 5 yrs. I change the bag once every 2 months. DONE.

Then they have a terrible robotic vacuum. I haven't had any Roombas, but have had 2 Neatos and both did great picking up lots of dirt and have a decent size bin.

Didn't want to drop names but they had Roombas, and a Samsung (Supposed to be the most powerful on the market). Either way, cannot justify the price for work that takes 10 minutes.

From the reviews I got the impressions that Neatos are more affordable, better pathfinding, stronger suction and larger bins at the cost of being less cute/pretty and louder. I've gotten my Neatos for less than half of what Roombas cost and they have performed great for my needs.

prognastat

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #73 on: April 04, 2017, 10:46:43 AM »
I will say that I'm extremely impressed with those who vacuum your places thoroughly in 10 minutes per week! I was a professional vacuumer for six years and live in ~450 sq feet and am still much slower at it, for sure!

If you are actually trying to keep it clean and have any pets at all then that is just impossible.

When i was living in a similarly sized apartment by myself without pets it would probably take at least 20- 30 minutes to vacuum it well, but I needed to do this maybe once a month. Doing a full house at 1500 sq ft or so would likely be over an hour to get done. Unless of course you do it quickly without attention to detail I don't see how anyone could do more than 1 room in 10 minutes.

Joel

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #74 on: April 04, 2017, 11:44:59 AM »
Regarding 10 minutes to vacuum an entire house, nobody ever exaggerates anything on these forums....

MrSal

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #75 on: April 04, 2017, 12:08:29 PM »
What I love most about the Neato I got (I got the top of the line one for $220 out of pocket brand new - it costs 600$ almost) is that we only vaccuum about once every 3 weeks now.

Actually the house is better vaccuumed now because we didn't move the furniture all the time, and clumps of hair and dust would gather underneath the couch for example and under the bed. Now?

Its always clean.... best $200 ever spent. Only got stuck once (my fault because i left a sock on the floor) ... doesn't get trapped with wires (we dont have that many and the ones we do are usually sitting against the kickboard and even then the vacuum can climb and deal with wires easy)

Its scheduled to run 3x week and everysingle time, when i get home, i just empty the bin - which is always full !!

Riff

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #76 on: April 04, 2017, 12:12:33 PM »
We have two cats and laminate flooring, so it's a constant struggle.  Like another poster said, every day there are new cat hair tumbleweeds.  My solution was to get a cordless vacuum that hangs in the hallway closet.  It only takes a couple of minutes to do a quick sweep of the house (it's small).  If it were a regular corded vacuum, I know I wouldn't vacuum nearly often enough. 

The first cordless vacuum I bought, I cheaped out on and it didn't last long.  Went for the Dyson this time.

https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-V6-Animal-Cord-free-Vacuum/dp/B00SMLJQ7W/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1491329107&sr=8-6&keywords=dyson

maizefolk

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #77 on: April 04, 2017, 07:20:27 PM »
Another problem is you can't get away with JUST the robot vacuum, so you have to buy two different types of vacuums and service both. Definitely not frugal. I prefer having less appliances than more.

*waves* This is a false statement. I haven't owned an upright vacuum in more than four years. No complaints about the cleanliness of my house.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #78 on: April 04, 2017, 07:22:43 PM »
^ Ditto.

marielle

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #79 on: April 04, 2017, 07:27:14 PM »
Fair enough. I'm sure it's situational. I get cat litter between the carpet and the wall so I have to use the hose attachment. Plus, vacuuming the car as well. I refuse to go to touch less car washes because of paint scratching. I guess a gas station vac is an option though, but that money adds up.

golden1

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #80 on: April 05, 2017, 06:28:43 AM »
I hated my Roomba.  My husband bought it for me as a gift, and the thing was more trouble than it was worth.  The brushes got clogged constantly and required cleaning.  It very frequently got trapped and needed rescuing.  Also, if you have a child or animal with small toys, you better make sure they are constantly picked up.

Here is my favorite daily vac for quick clean ups and pet hair:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PB8EJ2/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

No bags, and a cleanable filter.  It is battery powered and battery lasts quite a long time.  I have am 1800 sqft house and this vacuum can clean the whole house twice.  It is small and can fit in small spaces. 

Gin1984

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #81 on: April 05, 2017, 06:53:46 AM »
What I love most about the Neato I got (I got the top of the line one for $220 out of pocket brand new - it costs 600$ almost) is that we only vaccuum about once every 3 weeks now.

Actually the house is better vaccuumed now because we didn't move the furniture all the time, and clumps of hair and dust would gather underneath the couch for example and under the bed. Now?

Its always clean.... best $200 ever spent. Only got stuck once (my fault because i left a sock on the floor) ... doesn't get trapped with wires (we dont have that many and the ones we do are usually sitting against the kickboard and even then the vacuum can climb and deal with wires easy)

Its scheduled to run 3x week and everysingle time, when i get home, i just empty the bin - which is always full !!
Which one did you get and how did you get such a discount?

Case

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #82 on: April 06, 2017, 08:13:03 AM »
My wife and I work full time, we DIY most things, have not hired out much yet.
We have a cat; the hair gets everywhere; it drives my wife absolutely insane.  In addition, I have some allergies, and without fully nailing it down, this may contribute to them.

We vacuum / clean every 1-2 weeks... seems we spend a large chunk of our limited free time there.  By the next day after cleaning, the cat's 'tumbleweeds' have returned.  I'm thinking maybe one of these devices would make my wife feel less like she has to be constantly cleaning.

We are well on our way to FIRE and have some cash to spare.  I'm wondering if a roomba-like-thing is a good idea.  We could set it to clean every couple of days, and presumably the cat hairs would be kept under control.  Additional bonus is maybe it can help reach places that are hard to get with a conventional vacuum such as under beds, sofas... where large balls of fir/hair accumulate.

Comments?  Personal experiences?
Which device is the the most mustachian? (not counting the human roomba - e.g. me).

Thanks everyone for the extensive and at times heated discussion!  I have been following actively.

I want to make a few statements relating to the original post:
-I am not asking whether or not this is more efficient than an upright vacuum; obivously a robotic vacuum is not as a good a value in terms of cost, performance, and maintenace.
-rather, I am asking whether or not the robotic vacuum can postively impact our situation.  Will it save us time? If so how much?  What is the cost associated with that?  It seems we can better get to an answer to this question (unique to each person it seems) by determining roughly how much vacuuming time it saves you versus the cost and how long it lasts.  -
-a legitimate added benefit could be getting the house cleaner than it would be otherwise, due to more frequent vacuum. My wife and I are never going to vacuum the full house more than once every 1-2 times per week.  However, my allergies might benefit, and my wife would probably prefer a house that had less hair/dust build up.  This is where the frequent vacuumings of the robot could help.  Given that, it is essential to find the optimal model with minimal cost.
-the main unknown seems to be how the thing deals with long hair; some people say it is a disaster with a time consuming maintenance need; others say it is no problem.  For that reasons, recommendations on the specific models would be useful.
-seems like good cost savings can be found on used models, and that you might need to replace the battery/brush/etc...

Thanks!

MrSal

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #83 on: April 06, 2017, 09:13:02 AM »
What I love most about the Neato I got (I got the top of the line one for $220 out of pocket brand new - it costs 600$ almost) is that we only vaccuum about once every 3 weeks now.

Actually the house is better vaccuumed now because we didn't move the furniture all the time, and clumps of hair and dust would gather underneath the couch for example and under the bed. Now?

Its always clean.... best $200 ever spent. Only got stuck once (my fault because i left a sock on the floor) ... doesn't get trapped with wires (we dont have that many and the ones we do are usually sitting against the kickboard and even then the vacuum can climb and deal with wires easy)

Its scheduled to run 3x week and everysingle time, when i get home, i just empty the bin - which is always full !!
Which one did you get and how did you get such a discount?

Got a Neato Wifi ... I used a conjunction of Kohl's coupon for 40% off ... Discovery Card that had 5% cashback at department stores... and ebates casback at 8% ... oh and I also got Kolhs cash as well with it.

I actually ended up buying about 5-6 of those robots and resold them on Amazon for $500 each ...so in the end i actually made a profit of $1500 + the Kohls cash that I collected

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #84 on: April 06, 2017, 09:25:02 AM »
Case, to answer your latest post:

1. Mine is as good as any upright I've had in terms of value, performance, and maintenance.

2. The model that has not minded my long hair is Roomba PetSeries595. (I got Roomba based on the info I had at the time, and what Costco's eternal return policy had available. In future, I would also consider a Neato based on the happiness of others in this thread.)

3. Two friends of mine -a couple that lives together- have a cat. One feels he needs it; the other is desperately allergic unless they vacuum daily. His vacuuming daily means they can keep their cat *and* her health. They are wealthy, busy, and have a lovely, tidy condo. I think for their situation, for example, a robot vacuum would be an excellent fit.

sol

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #85 on: April 06, 2017, 12:02:17 PM »
I've been using my roomba (530 series) more often since this thread started up.  I still have to disassemble and clean the rollers every two or three times it vacuums, or else it gets clogged and stops with an error message.  I WISH it could go for months without cleaning, the way some people here have reported.  That would be awesome.

I have already replaced the brush cage and the spinner on this robot, since they both broke after the first year or so, plus the battery and filters because they wear out.  They are not terribly expensive, but I feel like vacuums should not have disposable hard parts.

My previous 530 had all of the above fixable problems, plus a sensor malfunction that immobilized it.  Customer service told me it was old and broken and offered a discount on a newer model, but could not fix it.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #86 on: April 06, 2017, 12:51:02 PM »
^ That's where I love the Costco guarantee. If something is a lemon right off the bat, or ever down the line, money back. I love me a safe experiment :)

Case

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #87 on: April 08, 2017, 04:03:56 PM »
I've been using my roomba (530 series) more often since this thread started up.  I still have to disassemble and clean the rollers every two or three times it vacuums, or else it gets clogged and stops with an error message.  I WISH it could go for months without cleaning, the way some people here have reported.  That would be awesome.

I have already replaced the brush cage and the spinner on this robot, since they both broke after the first year or so, plus the battery and filters because they wear out.  They are not terribly expensive, but I feel like vacuums should not have disposable hard parts.

My previous 530 had all of the above fixable problems, plus a sensor malfunction that immobilized it.  Customer service told me it was old and broken and offered a discount on a newer model, but could not fix it.

is it the latter series models that are supposed to handle the hair better?  I thought iRobot switched to rubber blades rather than brushes?
Just curious if this is an issue solved in newer models.

Rural

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #88 on: April 08, 2017, 06:25:48 PM »
I've been using my roomba (530 series) more often since this thread started up.  I still have to disassemble and clean the rollers every two or three times it vacuums, or else it gets clogged and stops with an error message.  I WISH it could go for months without cleaning, the way some people here have reported.  That would be awesome.

I have already replaced the brush cage and the spinner on this robot, since they both broke after the first year or so, plus the battery and filters because they wear out.  They are not terribly expensive, but I feel like vacuums should not have disposable hard parts.

My previous 530 had all of the above fixable problems, plus a sensor malfunction that immobilized it.  Customer service told me it was old and broken and offered a discount on a newer model, but could not fix it.

is it the latter series models that are supposed to handle the hair better?  I thought iRobot switched to rubber blades rather than brushes?
Just curious if this is an issue solved in newer models.


I have a 655 pet series. It has both a brush and a rubber blade thing, and it's never had any trouble with hair (two long-haired people, three cats, and two Great Danes). It came with a tool for getting the hair off the brush, which I've used maybe six times in two years, but not because of any trouble, just figured it was a good idea to do every now and again,

stream26

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #89 on: September 07, 2017, 04:21:09 AM »
I would never have only a robot vac. So you can still get one. i have a cozzy Dyson Ball full size, the Dyson V6 stick and a Black and Decker hand vac. I use them all in different situations. The robot just doesn’t have enough cleaning power to replace a full size vac in a carpeted home. It’s great for keeping the dust bunnies and crumbs swept up and it leaves vacuum marks on your rugs and picks up surface debris. But I could vacuum after the roomba and pick up a lot from my deep pile carpet.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2017, 04:25:30 AM by stream26 »

Case

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #90 on: September 07, 2017, 08:32:33 AM »
My wife and I work full time, we DIY most things, have not hired out much yet.
We have a cat; the hair gets everywhere; it drives my wife absolutely insane.  In addition, I have some allergies, and without fully nailing it down, this may contribute to them.

We vacuum / clean every 1-2 weeks... seems we spend a large chunk of our limited free time there.  By the next day after cleaning, the cat's 'tumbleweeds' have returned.  I'm thinking maybe one of these devices would make my wife feel less like she has to be constantly cleaning.

We are well on our way to FIRE and have some cash to spare.  I'm wondering if a roomba-like-thing is a good idea.  We could set it to clean every couple of days, and presumably the cat hairs would be kept under control.  Additional bonus is maybe it can help reach places that are hard to get with a conventional vacuum such as under beds, sofas... where large balls of fir/hair accumulate.

Comments?  Personal experiences?
Which device is the the most mustachian? (not counting the human roomba - e.g. me).

Since this thread popped back up, I will give a minor update:

I just got a Deebot N79.  It's one of the current top 'budget' robot vacuum options.
I'm trying this out to see if we find it useful, and will report back at some point (and if I forget and you want the info, bounce this thread back up).

There is a lot of detailed discussion on this thread trashing robot vacuums.  We will put this cheap unit to the test.  Knowing that vacuuming (manual) is not a huge hassle, and that upright vacuums are by far the more frugal vacuum, a lot of people here are wondering why anyone would bother.  The problem, is that they are not taking into the full constraints of everyone's particular situation.

I am getting this thing because I have:
1.  A cat that sheds a lot
2.  A wife who is significantly bothered by build up of cat hair /dust / etc....
3.  Allergies which I"m curious would be benefitted by frequent vacuuming.
4.  not enough free time to handle every single little GD task that I could DIY.

To point number 2, recall the MMM post where he proposed that people not worry so much about keeping everying perfectly clean.  Then, remember the follow up where his wife told him he was full of shit.  The point is that for some people having a very clean house is very important, and that is ok.

To point number 4:
I think mustachians don't always have a firm grasp on the value of their free-time.  I have gone out of my way on many different areas to DIY.  Eventually you realize that the best way to do it is to only DIY things that you really like, things that are higher value, or some combination of the two.  I don't mind vacuuming all that much, and hell, I even enjoy it on rare occasion (I'm a chemist and find vacuum pumps interesting), but to vacuum multiple times a week would make me hate it.  Rather than hiring a nanny, I figured I'd give the robot vacuum a go.

With this in mind, the role of this robot vacuum is to help with upkeep.  We are still going to vacuum (manual), probably every two weeks, but we are hoping the robot will help us stay on pop of the dust and cat tumbleweeds that pop up every day.  We have no intention of fully replacing upright vacuums with the robot.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #91 on: September 07, 2017, 09:07:03 AM »
"Vacuum free since 2003" heh heh
I thought I might need a vacuum once...To seal stuff to fit in my car during a move.
Instead I picked up a $20 battery-operated compact pump for outdoor gear, and that did the trick.

Quote
Then, remember the follow up where his wife told him he was full of shit.

:))))

I didn't know of this post. That makes me glad.

There are huge differences in any two humans in:
*visual preferences
*sensory stuff (noticing stickiness, stuff on the soles of feet, etc or not)
*time availability
*natural messiness (dropping crumbs, not dropping crumbs)
*energy levels (how much one can manage after a 40-60 hour work week)
*priorities (clean or socialize?)
*furry pet or no furry pet
*enjoys vacuuming manually; does not
*physical disability/limitation or none

...and then differences in houses. Some houses are new and shiny and practical and almost keep themselves clean. (I suspect Mr MM's is more like this one.) Some receive a lot of dust. Some are older and full of crevices. Bigger, smaller, etc.

There are enough differences in people and buildings that it makes no sense to tell others that a given piece of equipment is "right" or "wrong" or "stupid" or "necessary." Same with car, computer, etc. Not everyone needs any one item. Depends on the details of one's life.

Case

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #92 on: September 07, 2017, 10:45:21 AM »
"Vacuum free since 2003" heh heh
I thought I might need a vacuum once...To seal stuff to fit in my car during a move.
Instead I picked up a $20 battery-operated compact pump for outdoor gear, and that did the trick.

Quote
Then, remember the follow up where his wife told him he was full of shit.

:))))

I didn't know of this post. That makes me glad.

There are huge differences in any two humans in:
*visual preferences
*sensory stuff (noticing stickiness, stuff on the soles of feet, etc or not)
*time availability
*natural messiness (dropping crumbs, not dropping crumbs)
*energy levels (how much one can manage after a 40-60 hour work week)
*priorities (clean or socialize?)
*furry pet or no furry pet
*enjoys vacuuming manually; does not
*physical disability/limitation or none

...and then differences in houses. Some houses are new and shiny and practical and almost keep themselves clean. (I suspect Mr MM's is more like this one.) Some receive a lot of dust. Some are older and full of crevices. Bigger, smaller, etc.

There are enough differences in people and buildings that it makes no sense to tell others that a given piece of equipment is "right" or "wrong" or "stupid" or "necessary." Same with car, computer, etc. Not everyone needs any one item. Depends on the details of one's life.

I don't remember the exact quote, but it went down something like that I think.
Just a little reminder to not lose site of the bigger picture; in this case, the health of a relationship is more important than trying to convince your SO that your 'clean threshold' is "more efficient" than theirs.

joonifloofeefloo

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #93 on: September 07, 2017, 10:48:25 AM »
Quote
in this case, the health of a relationship is more important than trying to convince your SO that your 'clean threshold' is "more efficient" than theirs.

A-freakin'-men!

Heck, ditto for the health of one's forum relationships, too!

Case

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #94 on: September 12, 2017, 10:27:30 AM »
My wife and I work full time, we DIY most things, have not hired out much yet.
We have a cat; the hair gets everywhere; it drives my wife absolutely insane.  In addition, I have some allergies, and without fully nailing it down, this may contribute to them.

We vacuum / clean every 1-2 weeks... seems we spend a large chunk of our limited free time there.  By the next day after cleaning, the cat's 'tumbleweeds' have returned.  I'm thinking maybe one of these devices would make my wife feel less like she has to be constantly cleaning.

We are well on our way to FIRE and have some cash to spare.  I'm wondering if a roomba-like-thing is a good idea.  We could set it to clean every couple of days, and presumably the cat hairs would be kept under control.  Additional bonus is maybe it can help reach places that are hard to get with a conventional vacuum such as under beds, sofas... where large balls of fir/hair accumulate.

Comments?  Personal experiences?
Which device is the the most mustachian? (not counting the human roomba - e.g. me).

Update #1:  3 days of using the Deebot N79.
So far my impression is that the thing is pretty good!  It is picking up far more dust than I thought it would.  This means that there is tons of hidden dust in places it can reach that I can't (underneath beds/furniture/etc...), or that it is actually doing a better job than my upright vacuum.  it's also possible that the upright vacuum compresses the lint/etc.. more, so it appears to be less than it is.  In any case, time will tell.  I'm curious to see if after a week or so of using this thing if the amount it picks up reaches a steady state.  Also curious if they next time I use the upright if it picks up less than usual.

Operationally, it is pretty good.  It occasionally gets stuck, but I a was used to this.  I am learning what areas of the house to barricade to prevent this.  The daily/weekly maintenance his not a big deal (empty dust bin and remove trapped hairs).  We will see if these tasks get annoying as the novelty of it wears off.... but so far, not a lot of upkeep.

The other big test will be the long term durability, and weather it lasts or not.  I will post updates periodically.

Freckles

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #95 on: September 12, 2017, 11:15:21 AM »
Cool, glad it's working out for you. I'm still loving my robot mopper! It's been maybe six months now and it's going strong.

Freckles

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #96 on: October 26, 2017, 03:29:23 PM »
Yes. I said I love mine in a post right above yours. I have an adorable little thing that we call Obie. She is used often and very appreciated in my house.

LadyStache in Baja

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #97 on: November 07, 2017, 02:48:14 AM »
Yes. I said I love mine in a post right above yours. I have an adorable little thing that we call Obie. She is used often and very appreciated in my house.

Why is it so cheap?! Do people just not want a mopping one? I think I need this. My kids leave a terrible grimy mess all over the floor.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #98 on: November 07, 2017, 04:31:29 AM »
After nearly four years our Roomba doesn't dock anymore, but it still charges when plugged in, so it's still very convenient.

Two ten-month-olds drop a LOT of food, though we're working on it and they're getting better.

Freckles

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Re: robotic vacuums - worth it? which is most mustachian?
« Reply #99 on: November 07, 2017, 08:42:17 PM »
Why is it so cheap?! Do people just not want a mopping one? I think I need this. My kids leave a terrible grimy mess all over the floor.

I guess as far as these things go, it's not terribly complicated. It doesn't dock itself, for example. When it runs out of power, there it stops. (But it does go for a good while.) And it don't believe it has some fancy technology that maps out the whole room or anything. It follows a pattern and it figures out the space it is working in by bumping into walls or furniture and turning itself around to get around those obstacles, but it doesn't map out the room or remember anything. Also, it's tiny. But I consider that a feature because it gets into small places and doesn't take up a lot of space. It's not great at scrubbing, but it's good at getting your floor cleaner with almost no effort on your part.