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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what's the point of a robotic vacuum?

105 replies

Shufflebumnessie · 27/11/2018 13:43

Over the past few years DH has often suggested buying a robotic vacuum cleaner. So far I have managed to dissuade him but I accidentally saw an email yesterday and it would appear he's bought one in the Amazon Black Friday sale. As he's not told me that he's bought it I can only imagine it's meant to be a Christmas present for me but that's a whole other thread!!

I honestly can't see the point in them. We have young children so toys laying on the floor are a pretty constant in the lounge so it won't have a nice clear floor space to clean. Plus, I'm assuming it can't get into corners so we're still going to have to get the normal vacuum out.

Are there any positives to them? Will it revolutionise the cleaning of my house?

OP posts:
MrsWhiskersen · 27/11/2018 14:18

I thought you got five free kittens with every purchase? Every ad for one I’ve seen on YouTube has five kittens sitting on it, so I assume they come with.

sossages · 27/11/2018 14:19

Crunch Me too! I don't even like cats that much but my fantasy Old English sheepdog would probably be a bit too chunky for it.

Bedheadretention · 27/11/2018 14:19

Dsis has one and it's twice thrown itself down the stairs Confused

AriadnePersephoneCloud · 27/11/2018 14:34

I have one. Got it for my dust allergic child. Said child then refused to have a suitable low pile carpet (picking my battles) so it now lives in the kitchen and I love it. I just press a button on my phone and off it goes and then parks itself on its charger after. It does require emptying every few days and it does get stuck - usually because its sucked up a shoe lace and is dragging said shoe around Grin I just tell it what a dick head it is, pull the shoe out and off it goes. I think my order of preference in this house is now... The dog, the robot vacuum, then anyone else 😁

AriadnePersephoneCloud · 27/11/2018 14:34

PS my dog also ignores it but attacks the normal vacuum. Very odd.

FromEden · 27/11/2018 14:37

I've got one but it's been sat patiently in it's box until we move to our new house. I got it because it does under furniture, under our sofa gets really bad Blush and it's heavy to move. If it's really good I intend to get one for the first floor too. I'm sure it doesn't replace a good thorough vacuum but its more for day to day maintenance

BlytheSpiritsSpirit · 27/11/2018 14:38

We have hardwood and tile all downstairs - is it only good for carpets?

theycallmebabydriver · 27/11/2018 14:40

We were looking at the roomba 980 as it claims to be the only one with a carpet mode, we're all carpet half wood floors but it's the most expensive. Anyone know how the cheaper 960 performs on carpet?

Blonde87 · 27/11/2018 21:34

I am the robotic vacuum cleaner in my house. Count yourself lucky

PeanuttyButter · 27/11/2018 21:38

I want one!
I hoover every other day but it needs to be done daily. I have wooden floors and two cats who like to nap in trees and constantly bringing in foliage and seeds especially in summer. We have a low pile rug and that seems to clean people’s feet as they walk on it. I could hoover several times a day tbf!
Someone give some excellent reasons so I can persuade DH to buy one. I’d even have it for Christmas!!

CheshireChat · 27/11/2018 21:40

If DP would get me one as a present for me, I'd shove it up his arse sideways! And I'd quite like one otherwise.

yoyo1234 · 27/11/2018 21:48

Oh was going to start a thread about how well do robot vacuum cleaners clean. Can anyone recommend one for a tiled floor. Really want one for my kitchen ( think it will require googly eyes as well). I would be very happy with it as a Christmas present , useful and fun.

DarthLipgloss · 27/11/2018 21:54

I get the point but would 100% not want one as a present.

toastymarshmallowss · 27/11/2018 22:00

I have one that goes out at 2am every morning and cleans downstairs before we get up. Have toddlers but all their toys are packed away at night. Have pets so is great for keeping on top of the hairs. Wouldn't be without it 😀

Janus · 27/11/2018 22:02

I’ve had one for about 5 years and LOVE it. I have 3 dogs and 2 cats, you can’t imagine how much it picks up! I still hoover as well but I set it to do my kitchen which is a really big room which the animals tend to be in and it fills up every day.
You must pick up the toys though but it therefore encourages you to be tidy! It does also come with a little cube that stops it leaving a certain room so if you have a play room or something you can block it off from doing that room if you don’t have time to pick everything up!

rabbitsandrhubarb · 27/11/2018 22:05

Great for keeping on top of dog hair and dust daily, then do a proper deep clean every so often.

My two dogs seem to have got used to it, but do give it a wide berth. I like it, it vacuums whilst I work, but you do need to empty it regularly. I have a cheaper version, the Eufy, which is fine (didnt want to shell out on a Roomba).

FitzChivalryFarseer · 27/11/2018 22:11

I was tempted, but because of the weird layout of our house (steps into sitting rooms and bedrooms), I would need 5 to do the whole house! Even just to do downstairs would be three. Not going to happen.

Albadross · 27/11/2018 22:13

@bedheadretention do you think it got tired of being taken for a sucker ? 😂

MakeAHouseAHome · 27/11/2018 22:15

I also think they are utterly pointless...

  1. They can't do stairs
  2. They can't do edges properly

So if I have to do those things with hoover anyway why the heck would I want an additional robotic hoover.

speakout · 27/11/2018 22:19

I head Anne Diamond being interviewed a couple on months ago about her robotic hoover.
The set it going through the ground floor and went out for the evening.

Their dog shit on the floor.

Hoover had spread the muck everywhere, mashed it into carpets covered every inch of floor.
Dog had walked on it, lain on it, jumped up on sofas.
Literally her whole house was covered in dog mess.

Namelesswonder · 27/11/2018 22:22

I luv mine, I have a mix of wooden floors and carpets and the little beaters work just as well on carpets as a normal vacuum. Yes, it’s not great on corners but I can live with that. I set it off when I leave for work, either upstairs or down stairs and come home to clean floors. Why wouldn’t you want one?

JustBecauseYouAreUniqueDoesNot · 27/11/2018 22:23

I have one and love it. Use it for downstairs in between proper cleans and the kitchen floor is no longer full of bits.

We have a cheap one- eufy- but it does a good job. It was our proof of concept. Next time we'll get a more expensive one.

My husband was really sceptical but is now a convert and uses it more than I do.

CS12345 · 27/11/2018 22:29

He's buying you a hoover? For Christmas? You're kidding right? Hoovers, like all domestic appliances, are house presents. Unless he doesn't live in the house that is but assuming he does, why the fuck are you putting up with such nonsense?

Twofurrycats · 27/11/2018 22:39

I have a cheap one. I only wanted it for hard floors (vinyl, laminate, floorboards) . I do love it though. It's very basic, doesn't have a docking station I have to plug it in to recharge and would probably fling itself downstairs given the chance. It cleans well and can zoom round while I do another room. When it dies I shall buy one with more bells and whistles .

Charmatt · 27/11/2018 22:40

I love my Roomba! It goes from hardwood to tiles to carpet - it just keeps on top of the hoovering. Since working full time it's a great time saver. I set him (I call him KevinBlush) off each morning when I leave the house. I still have a cordless vacuum for when I'm cleaning at the weekend.