Robot vacuum cleaner advice?

[AintNobodyHereButUsChickens]

I've got one being delivered any minute. It's a Eufy one, on a BF deal at £132.99. I'm really excited! But I'm already thinking of returning it and swapping it because it doesn't come with boundary strips and apparently it doesn't have the sensors to recognise them. We have a fireplace in the fining room and the hearth is flush with the floor, so I don't want the hoover rolling under the stove while it's lit and blowing itself up!

However, the more expensive one (the 30c Max, not the 30c) with the boundary strips is £269.99 😬 BUT it does come with a free gift of a set of Eufy smart weighing scales, which I've had on my Amazon wishlist for months.

What should I do oh wise MNetters? Stick with the one I have coming, or return and swap for the more expensive one?

I'm seriously considering one. Do you have an old fashioned fire guard that you could stand around your stove?
Actually I didn't know they made them with strips - I presume you have to lay these strips under the carpet all round the edges of all your rooms? I thought the little robot just backed off from obstacles (although obviously not your flush hearth).
Personally I'd stay with your original one and buy a fireguard, they're under £10 at B&Q

Which model is it? We have the 11S which is one of the older and lower range models and it can recognise the boundary strips (bought separately.)

I suppose it depends how often you think you’re going to have the vacuum wandering around when the fire is on. If often then I’d probably replace for a model which recognises boundaries.

Actually I didn't know they made them with strips - I presume you have to lay these strips under the carpet all round the edges of all your rooms?

They can sense obstacles, which prevents them banging into walls and furniture all the time (although ours struggles with our slim-legged plant stand) so you don’t need to put boundaries at the edge of rooms; but are designed to not treat rugs or door threshold strips as obstacles.

@ComtesseDeSpair

Which model is it? We have the 11S which is one of the older and lower range models and it can recognise the boundary strips (bought separately.)

I suppose it depends how often you think you’re going to have the vacuum wandering around when the fire is on. If often then I’d probably replace for a model which recognises boundaries.

It's the 15c Max. I was thinking we'll just keep it for a little while and see how we get on with it. I can always stop it going in the dining room when the fire's lit I suppose 🤔

I named her Enid, anyway

@ExD1938

I'm seriously considering one. Do you have an old fashioned fire guard that you could stand around your stove? Actually I didn't know they made them with strips - I presume you have to lay these strips under the carpet all round the edges of all your rooms? I thought the little robot just backed off from obstacles (although obviously not your flush hearth). Personally I'd stay with your original one and buy a fireguard, they're under £10 at B&Q

The strips are to stop it going somewhere you don't want it to go, like fireplaces with a flush hearth 😬 or desks/TV cabinets where there could be a lot of dangling wires. They all have built in sensors to stop them falling down stairs and such so you don't need strips for on landings etc.

I have a robot cleaner, it came with boundary strips and I never use them.

I'll pop a cushion down to deter it away from an area sometimes. But I don't know if you have anything cushion height that's safe to put in front of the fire?

I've decided we'll keep this one. She's fab but not worth £270, I don't think. I'll keep her out of the dining room altogether, it's too painful to watch her getting tangled in the legs of the dining chairs 🤣

@AintNobodyHereButUsChickens

I've decided we'll keep this one. She's fab but not worth £270, I don't think. I'll keep her out of the dining room altogether, it's too painful to watch her getting tangled in the legs of the dining chairs 🤣

Glad you’re pleased with Enid!

I find ours hard to watch as well, it doesn’t have the room mapping function so just wanders around at will. I have ADHD and being in the same room as Eufy at work is a painful insight into what it must be like to work with me

I think they're a waste of time and money, you still have to clear everything off the floor so it doesn't get stuck. And it's a bit rubbish at cornering 😩

I have a cheapy one that I just barricade into areas I want done.

We have a Neato Botvac Connected, which comes with boundary strips but they don't always work, he gets stuck under our reclining chairs so we stuff a blanket under them.

Re dining chairs, we pop ours up on the dining table. The amount of time taken to get everything out of his way is literally a couple of minutes, no problem at all. Had ours for 5 years now and it is still amazing, one of my favourite purchases.

It's been my best buy, and I'm incredibly stingy.
I don't care about corners; I'll happily live in circular rooms.

We've had an expensive iRobot one and now the same model as you. I much prefer the cheaper one. He just smashes about and does his job.

Love mine, just need to teach him to do the stairs and we’re sorted.

Because ours is connected to the wifi, you have to register him and give him a name - I think this has encouraged us to see him as part of the family. His "birthday" (anniversary of when we bought him) is on the calendar.