STACK #205 Nov 2021

WELL-CONNECTED continued

LIFE TECH FEATURE

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CLEAN SMARTS

SMART HOME FACTS The first smart vacuum

was introduced in 1998. It was deemed smart because it could change the airflow depending on the floor surface it was cleaning iRobot introduced its first robot vac, the Roomba, in 2002 The first wireless remote controlled garage door was developed in the 1980s Source: Statista

“It’s just gimmicky” is a sentence we frequently hear when we talk about smart – or robot - vacuum cleaners. Admittedly, when robot vacs first hit the market, there were many reported issues and bugs, but robot vacs have come a long way and now form part of the regular cleaning regime in many homes. And it’s not hard to see why they’re becoming increasingly popular. Busy lives leave very little time for chores, so being able to remotely turn a robot vac on and let it clean in your absence is right out of The Jetsons. Even when you’re home, there’s something reassuring about hearing the robot vac systematically working through its cleaning program as you sit on your seventh Teams meeting of the day.

Quick robot Vacuum Buying Checklist 1. Pick a robot vac suited to the size of your house. Are you Tony Stark? Then you’ll need a model that caters to more extensive surface areas. 2. Note the size of the gaps under beds and sofas. Some thinner, profiled vacs can access these harder-to-reach areas with aplomb. 3. Consider your floor coverings. If you have thick rugs in the house with tassels, cheaper robot vacs might get snagged. 4. If you own shedding pets, make sure the model you buy is powerful enough to cater to animal hair.

Top tips for robot vac suck-cess

Robot vacs are exceptionally good at deploying sensor technology to avoid obstacles like stool legs and kid’s shoes. But if you want a comprehensive cleaning compatriot, opt for higher-end models that will allow you to create floorplans and build barriers to avoid obstacles you know will cause snagging issues. Set up a regular automated cleaning schedule, so you don’t even need to think about starting the vac. Some robot vacs can be adapted to mop as well as vacuum, taking another domestic burden off your to-do-list Like you would with a conventional vacuum cleaner, doing a sweep of the house to pick up any loose items on the floor will ensure a trouble-free clean. Robot vacs love munching on charging cables. Some of the more expensive models will self-empty into a base when full. A handy feature if you’re going out for the day and want your robot vac to clean in your absence. Stay on top of the maintenance.

Clean the brushes regularly – too much hair caught up on the rollers can lead to damage. Once a robot vac runs low on battery, it will automatically return to its docking station. The charging dock should always be placed with easy access for the vac. Some robot vacs even come with a built-in webcam, so you can log in from a smartphone and use the robot vac as a security camera.

Eufy L70 Hybrid RoboVac

iRobot Roomba i3 Robot Vacuum

Great for standard vacuuming and pet hair, too, the Roomba i3 is so smart (in more ways than one) that once the bin onboard is full, it will return to its base and empty its load into a bigger bin. You won’t have to empty the bin for close to two months.

150 minutes of cleaning at your fingertips while you sit back and enjoy a film, the Hybrid RoboVac has a 0.45L dustbin and combines vacuuming with mopping across a wide range of different floor surfaces. You can even control it with your voice.

Lenovo Smart Clock 2 with Wireless Charging Dock Lenovo’s Smart Clock 2 brings full access to the power of Google, plays music and podcasts from its front-firing speakers, keeps track of your schedule, checks traffic, news and can kick start your smart home ‘scenes all from the comfort of your bed. It has a vibrant 4-inch colour touchscreen for all your photos and, importantly for many, has no camera – so you’re entirely in control of your privacy. And for added convenience, drop your smartphone on the wireless charging dock when you turn out the lights for the night. BEDROOM SMARTS

34 NOVEMBER 2021

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