After we got the engineered hardwood flooring installed downstairs, I read the most important care tip is to keep it vacuumed. Although I’ve so far resisted the siren call of home cleaning services, I decided to give a robot a chance.
Warning. This is not for people who are on a tight budget. While prices vary considerably, our floor guy said not to get a cheap one … they aren’t worth the money.
We got the iRobot Roomba i7+. I purchased it online from Lowe’s. With tax, total cost was $803.30. It’s kind of a shocker, but I get a rebate from online purchases on my credit card, so it’s not all bad. This model creates a smart map of your home so you can target specific areas without having the robot vacuum the whole house.
Robo, as we call him, is self-emptying. When he’s done with a job, you hear a giant whirl and the dirt, dust and cat hair go into a tower at the docking station lined with a bag you only have to change once a month or even less. The sound is loud, but it’s just for a few seconds.
I loves him. He had to do several tours of the whole house to map it out, but then I was able to go into the app and customize it. The rooms are labeled, so I can tell him to just vacuum the kitchen and breakfast area, which is where we make most of the mess.
When Robo does the whole house, he usually has to go back to the docking station to recharge. Then he’ll finish the job after he’s all juiced up. He really does a great job, and I almost want to give him a tip!
The hardwood floors are perfect for Robo. We only have two area rugs. One is a flokati, and I’m probably going to program Robo to skip him. He doesn’t get stuck or anything, but I’m not sure it makes a difference. The other rug is a tighter weave, and Riley, our cat, loves to hang out there. He is a long-haired cat and very fluffy. It has always been hard to get the cat hair off.
Robo kind of stirs up the cat hair on the rug and leaves it in clumps. It’s an improvement but not a solution. We’d be better off without any rugs, but we like it, and most importantly, Riley likes it. I just have to go back with the regular vacuum periodically to get the rest of the cat hair.
I mainly wanted Robo to help maintain the hardwood floors. Upstairs is carpeted, except for the bathrooms. Robo could map the whole upstairs, too, and he has a feature that supposedly will keep him from falling down the stairs. But at $800, I’m looking for a sure thing. I could create a keep-out zone, but only after he maps the area, so I’d have to watch and make sure he doesn’t get to the stairs.
While I may eventually go that route, for now, I put him in a room, press the “clean” button and close the door. The smaller rooms are easy because he doesn’t fill up the bin or run out of juice. Our master area is bigger, and both scenarios are possible. When I hear him quit, I take him back to the docking station and let him empty the bin and recharge.
I’m impressed. It’s amazing how much cat hair he manages to find. I even love the vacuum tracks on the carpet!
I hesitated to share my experience with the robot vac because I know not everyone has an extra $800 to burn. But if you do have some spare change, so far, I think it’s a retiree’s best friend. The house is cleaner, and it’s easier on your body … leaving you with more time to have fun!