STACK #198 Apr 2021

VAC INA JIFFY! continued

LIFE TECH FEATURE

visit stack.com.au

BUYINGGUIDE You don’t have to make a massive initial investment to enter the world of robotic vacuums. Or, you may decide to go all-in. Either way, here are some top choices.

FORTHEBUDGET-CONSCIOUS

EcovacsDeebot U2 Floor CleaningRobot You too can have U2 clean for you! The perfect introductory robotic vacuum if you want a device to both vacuum and mop your floors, the U2 uses tech from the more advanced Ozmo models to perform mopping tasks. With variable cleaning levels – kick it into Max+ for those stubborn dirty areas – you’ll get up to 110 minutes in a single cleaning session, which can cover up to around 200 sqm. While it doesn’t have laser mapping, the

EufyRoboVac35CWi-Fi RoboticVacuum This RoboVac sucks! Really, it does, via super 1500Pa suction power! Offering up to 100 minutes of continuous vacuuming, dirty floors are no match for this dedicated device, and all while keeping the noise down to about the same as your average operating microwave oven. Armed with Wi-Fi, the Robovac35C is compatible with both Google Home and Alexa, and it also comes with boundary strips

YOUR PLASTIC PAL WHO’S FUNTO BEWITH! If you find the whole robot helper thing a little impersonal, or if you’ve gone totally in the other direction and started talking to yours, why not personalise it a little? We added a couple of boggle eyes to our delightful Deebot U2 (that we christened Roberta, to go along with its sunny robotic fembot voice). As long as you don’t put anything in the way of any of the sensors or otherwise impede its ability to get its job done, it can add a little fun.

to block off areas that you don’t wish it to enter. The unit is also super-slim, making it very handy to get under low-hanging furniture, and has handy standard features such as auto-clean scheduling via its smartphone app.

U2 will be gentle on your skirting boards and furniture. It’s Wi-Fi

enabled, Google Home and Alexa ready, plus there’s an optional Pet Care Kit if you have an issue with pet hair.

NOEXPENSESPARED

Ecovacs Deebot OZMOT8AIVI Robot Vacuum After all the mod cons? The Deebot Ozmo T8 is your ticket to cleaning freedom! You get all the most desirable features – smart object recognition, advanced laser mapping, custom cleaning and more – in a device that vacuums and mops. This smart home-savvy unit offers an oscillating mopping system for removing stubborn spills. It also features virtual boundary tech, automatically detects hard and soft surfaces, and has a huge 5,200mAh battery offering up to 300 sqm of coverage in a single charge. You can even purchase an

iRobot Roomba i7Wi-Fi ConnectedRobotic Vacuum The top tier device from robotic vacuum innovators iRobot, the Roomba i7

promises their most powerful suction yet, which is ideal for anybody who has pets – and the hair that they shed. It’s a smart vacuuming machine, with its patented iAdapt 3.0 Navigation mapping aiming to deliver an efficient cleaning run every time. Google and Alexa ready, its smartphone app allows the typical functions such as remote scheduling, plus you can even drill down to only cleaning specific rooms. The Roomba i7 can also team up with a separately available iRobot Braava robotic mop, telling it when to do its stuff automatically.

Auto-Empty Station to take care of some of the dirty work for you, and see what it’s up to when home or away via its in-built camera.

EVERYTHING’SROSIE! The Jetson household gave us a glimpse of what we might expect in our future. While today’s robotic vacuums may not have all of Rosie’s functionality, at least they don’t give us any cheek.

50 APRIL 2021

jbhifi.com.au