Robotic hoovers

rachelj
rachelj Member Posts: 121
edited 19. Aug 2010, 17:57 in Living with Arthritis archive
I am in the process of writing a list of all the day to day tasks I struggle with and pushing around the hoover is certainly one of them. Has anyone tried the automatic robotic hoovers, just leave them on and off they go?

The most common one seems to be a brand called iRobot, they are very expensive though. I am thinking by the time I have bought all the gadgets to help me do the house work an ironing lady and cleaner would be cheaper!! i know they won't be as good as my trusty upright, but at least it would keep on top of the worse of it.


Rach

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have a robotic hoover, called Paula. She has been my cleaner for more years than I care to remember - she's more thorough and fun to chat to. Seriously, if cleaning is a struggle, engage somone to do it for you. I cannot clean the bath, wash floors properly, clean the oven, hoover the stairs etc etc etc. She can, and she's worth her weight in gold - and that is some amount of gold! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Rach

    I worked for a company last year who sold this item. I think they were about £199.00 (not sure)....We did not sell lots of them but customers whom I dealt with swore by them.
    Apparently they do just get switched on and they find every nook and cranny, do the job thoroughly and make a sound when they are finished. Like I said the owners said once they had them they wouldnt do without...I do add mind that most of the customers I spoke to were OAP's.....Incidentally if you struggle with normal hoovers, how about the lightweight ones? My mum has one, which I joke and call it "toytown"....She loves it but I hate it as it has a very short pipe for attaching tools to and every time I need to hoover in corners and awkward corners it always batters me on the head :-(.........I swear at it on a regular basis!!!

    Elainex
  • julie47
    julie47 Member Posts: 6,041
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi

    yes I have also seen the robotic hoover on a shopping channel. But
    as you say they can be expensive and when you have bought all the gadgets where do you keep them.

    I am lucky as my mum comes to do things I find difficult mainly change beds and bath and I hire my nephew to do out my kitchen cupboards every so often so he can earn pocket money. When mums away It falls on hubby.
    All my floors are laminate except the stairs and landing so I swiffer them while sat in my elec wheelchair, I know they are not as cosy as carpet but it is a whole lot easier for me.

    I think they do a lawn mower too. :?:

    Love Julie xx pf
  • fourferrets
    fourferrets Member Posts: 44
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I have a Roomba. It is around 3 years old now. I don't use it often, but it does clean up ok. It is better for laminate type floors and short pile carpet. I used to set mine off then go and do the shopping, more often than not it would get caught up on a rug or something else I'd left around, and I would come back to hear the poor thing bleeping out it's distress call :)
    It has a remote control so if you want to make it chase the cat or dog or in my case ferret, you can lol

    As a light cleaner it isn't too bad. Not sure how battery life has improved these days but mine will run for around 40 minutes on a full charge.

    The bits are replaceable, so if the brushes etc wear through, you can replace them.
  • shiningstar
    shiningstar Member Posts: 40
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I'm with DD on this one...if you can afford it get a cleaner...mine comes once a week and what a joy clean house - no effort...I cant manage to hoover or clean baths etc hurts my wrists just geting it out of the cupboard! SS
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I remember seeing those types of hoovers on BluePeter or Tomorrow's world or similar years ago. You'd need a very tidy house in the first place. Having had cleaner since my hip op - if you can find one - I think that is the better option!!

    Speedy
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.