Cleaning up can be such a daunting task, especially if you have larger spaces to maintain. Not many of us love spending our precious after working hours or even weekends cleaning up. But maintaining a freshly clean habitat for yourself and loved ones has never been easier thanks to the invention of vacuum cleaners.
These machine have long been used since the 19th century and continues to remain popular among those dealing with domestic or industrial waste. The market today is filled with a wide variety of vacuum cleaners to suit every kind of user’s needs. Although they are different in type, shape, size, and with varying features, their ultimate function is to support modern-day waste management.
Buying a vacuum cleaner is not the simplest job given the slew of options available out there. Different vacuum cleaners have different working mechanisms and serve specialized functions. Being aware of what you expect from your vacuum cleaner is the first step to making the right choice.
So, What Are The Different Types Of Vacuum Cleaners?
There are so many types of vacuum cleaners but today we’ll focus on the basic types, which include:
Upright vacuum cleaners
These are probably the most popular and sought-after vacuum cleaners and for good reasons. As the name suggests, they allow you to vacuum in a more upright position for a more comfortable and easy cleaning session. They come with different settings for versatile use and different attachments that you can swap out to clean different surfaces and reach even tight spaces.
Canister or cylinder vacuum cleaners
These types of vacuum cleaners have a small body with a long and flexible hose for maneuverability. Their compact nature makes them ideal for cleaning under low furniture and getting into small/awkward spaces like cleaning the car or the stairs. They also come with different attachments that are great for cleaning most surfaces.
Handheld vacuum cleaners
These are designed to be held by hand and carried to wherever the dirt is. They are perfect for cleaning up dirt and debris from hard-to-reach and tight spaces. The most common use for handheld vacuum cleaners is in vacuuming cars. They will also suffice for general floor cleaning, although this will take a long time.
Cordless
These vacuum cleaners are battery-powered. They are generally lightweight and their cordless design makes them much easier to move around. Just note that you might need to recharge between long cleaning sessions.
Stick vacuum cleaners
These vacuum cleaners have an upright construction but with the convenience of a handheld machine. They are very slim, making them ideal for cleaning narrow and tight spaces. Their stick-like handle is easy to manipulate and can easily be maneuvered around furniture and also effective in cleaning carpet and also different kinds of flooring.
Bagged vacuum cleaners
These come attached with a replaceable bag to hold dirt and debris cleaned off a surface. You can replace the bag with a fresh one once it’s full. Bagged vacuums are the way to go if any family member has asthma or suffers from allergies since the accumulated dirt is well-secured until time for disposal.
Bagless vacuum cleaners
These machines usually feature a see-through canister so users can see when it’s full and empty it out. The best part about the bagless vacuum is there are no ongoing costs for replacements bags; plus, it’s an eco-friendly option. On the negative side, bagless vacuums don’t do a great job removing allergens from the air. In fact, you risk dust and allergens escaping into the room when you open it to dispose of dirt you’ve collected during cleanup.
Robot vacuum cleaners
While the above are the general types of vacuum cleaners, there’s a special kind known as the robotic vacuums. These machines represent the latest in vacuum technology as they have a certain level of artificial intelligence. They run automatically and move independently throughout your house, collecting dirt and debris in its way.
Robotic vacuums clean with precision and can reach places that regular vacuum cleaners wouldn’t be able to. Though not as powerful as some traditional vacuum cleaners, their automated cleaning actions offers, ease of cleaning and convenience while saving you time and effort.
Robot vacuum cleaners are generally designed for residential use but some newer models are ideal for commercial use like cleaning offices, hotels, hospitals, and so on. Given that cleaning is one of the most dreaded household chores, a robot vacuum cleaner is a must-have to get a machine to do your work.
Robotic vacuums are becoming more and more popular and one of the major reasons people like them is they can be programmed to run at night or while people are out of the home, taking care of the chore. Some can be controlled remotely work with smart technology and will even dock themselves to a charger so they will have enough power to operate. This high-tech gadget is going to be our main focus for today. So, read on for more information!
Are Robot Vacuums Worth It?
Robotic vacuums offer so many benefits as we are going to see in this part of the text.
First off, the best home robot vacuum cleaners work just as well as regular vacuum cleaners. They can still vacuum dust, dirt, crumbs, pet hair, and just about anything off different kinds of flooring, including carpets, hardwood, etc. With powerful suction, they can clean open areas effectively and are also capable of cleaning areas a regular vacuum cleaner would be able to like under the furniture, corners, and other tough to reach spots.
The first, and probably the major reason to buy a robot vacuum cleaner is you won’t have to lift a finger cleaning your house. These machines feature a small motor that propels them around the cleaning surface, turning rollers or brushes that clean the area as the suction pulls the debris into an internal dustbin.
Another major benefit of robotic vacuums is many allow for scheduled cleaning. Users can program the machine to run at a specific time daily so the surfaces are always kept clean. You can set cleaning times when you’re not at home and come back to a spotless house. The basic nature of a robotic vacuum is to clean without human intervention.
At the very least, every piece has an auto mode that allows the machine to clean surfaces without you having to even press any buttons. Newer models can also map room by themselves and send the information to an app in your phone or to the manufacturer’s servers. You can then decide which mapped areas you want to be cleaned and when.
Some robot like roborock models typically offers multiple cleaning modes like spot-mode. Instead of cleaning the entire house, this mode will focus on a particular area that involves picking up small messes.
Another reason to like robotic vacuums over regular models is their repetitiveness. Unlike most of us, these machines are willing to clean every day. As already mentioned, you can program your machine to vacuum every day and while it might miss one spot today, it will get it tomorrow. These machines don’t give up; they keep at it as long as you program them to run.
One task that is just as daunting as vacuuming is mopping. Some robot vacuum cleaners double as automated robot mops.
As if that wasn’t enough, robot vacuum cleaners come with some added features like Wi-Fi connectivity, allowing you to operate it remotely. The best robot vacuum cleaner is even able to auto-dock, meaning it will position itself on the charging dock when the charge is low. There are even a few high-end models that can resume vacuuming after recharging.
Ultimately, the number one reason people buy a cleaning robot is convenience. The automation and repetitiveness of the robot vacuum cleaner technology are what makes up for its limitations and ultimately worth every penny.
Can Robot Replace Normal Vacuum?
We’ve seen all the benefits that these machines have to offer, so the common question among users is whether a robot can replace a normal vacuum cleaner or not.
Regular VS robotic vacuum has been an ongoing discussion since the invention of the robot vacuum cleaner technology. First of all, we have to understand that any innovative upgrade of a particular device does not in any way make it obsolete.
It, therefore, goes without saying that normal vacuums are not absolutely replaceable by robots. Now let us compare the two so you get a clear picture and make sense of this question.
A cleaning robot lacks power
This is obvious given their smaller power allowances in batteries and small sizes. Regular vacuums, on the other hand, have more weight and torque, making them better at picking up larger messes and deep-cleaning your floors.
Normal vacuums are cheaper
A cleaning robot can be quite costly with the best budget robot vacuum starting from around $200. This will, in fact, afford you the smallest and most low-power option from a less-known supplier. You can get a high-power regular vacuum at the same cost that will be faster and more effective at cleaning the whole house or even for spot cleaning. A model with the highest quality robot vacuum cleaner parts and functions can cost you well over a thousand bucks.
Robot vacuums are slow
Given their small size and lack of power, these machines are slower and often run much longer. They can take up to 3x times longer to finish cleaning. With a regular vacuum, you’ll likely get the job done faster and much more efficiently.
A cleaning robot still needs some work from you
While it’s true that robotic vacuums have remote control and automation capabilities, it still needs human intervention. For starters, given their small size, they generally have a smaller dustbin capacity. This means that they need constant emptying, especially during multiple/large cleaning sessions.
We also have to point out that a robot vacuum with mapping capabilities isn’t exactly flawless in navigating paths and avoiding obstacles. While it’s true that some are better at this than others, even the best robot vacuum cleaner will occasionally get clogged with things like socks, pet hair, shoelaces, power cords, and so on.
Robot vacuums are also likely to get wedged under furniture or just bounce off the cabinet and get stuck in a corner. These little annoyances will require your intervention to clear, taking up your time and effort. If you had left the machine to clean while you were out, you will come back to an incomplete job. In that case, you need to keep your house vacuum-proofed before you can leave the machine to run on its own.
A robotic vacuum works well in open-plan rooms with lots of floor space. Cluttered spaces and areas that need a lot of visual inspection will need a regular vacuum for precision vacuuming. Also, vacuuming that is off the floor like on the stairs, ledges, walls, furniture, and so on, is best left to a regular vacuum. Vehicles and boats also don’t have enough flat space to use a cleaning robot.
Conclusion
There are a lot of reasons to get a robot vacuum cleaner but as you can see, they cannot be an absolute replacement for regular models as some tasks are better left to the traditional models. You can use the robotic vacuum for everyday cleaning and use the regular one once a month for excellent results.
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