Our month with the world’s most expensive robot vacuum cleaner |
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| NYT Wirecutter |
Every so often on the cleaning beat, we come across an over-engineered, overhyped gadget that claims to solve all your cleaning woes — even offering to take over the chore entirely. And while some robots can be extremely useful (more on that below), we’ve found that if a cleaning gizmo seems like it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
The feature list of this $1,400 robot vacuum is a mile long: AI obstacle detection, a self-emptying dirt bin, a self-washing and self-drying mop, a tiny robot arm that reaches into corners to sweep up the last bits of dust, and on and on. And yet? In our month of testing it, we found it’s pretty good, sure, but it’s far from perfect and it’s still susceptible to the same limitations that robot cleaners have struggled with for decades.
Says staff writer Liam McCabe: “Counting on it to be a perfect robot servant, or to engineer the drudgery of cleaning out of your life, is just setting yourself up for disappointment.”
It’s fun to use. But … →
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Plus: A much cheaper (and currently on-sale!) robot vacuum we actually really like |
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| Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter |
It’s not a total set-it-and-forget-it machine — and it won’t clean your floors as well as a dedicated plug-in vacuum cleaner can. But good robot vacuums are still extremely handy cleaners that can handle pet hair and dust adeptly. After testing more than a dozen, we’re certain our top pick is the best one available.
Our favorite robot vacuum is $178 off right now→
One last thing: How to make your Swiffer less wasteful |
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| NYT Wirecutter |
Spray mops, like the ubiquitous Swiffer WetJet, aren’t the best tools for soaking up spills or cleaning grout. (We much prefer a good old fashioned wet mop for that.) But we understand the appeal of their convenience, since the handle, pad, and cleaning solution are all stored together, premixed, and ready to go. There is one glaring issue, though: The single-use pads and detergent bottles create a prodigious pile of trash over time.
With the right tips and tricks, your Swiffer doesn’t have to be too wasteful→
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