The Robot Vacuum Cleaner - Taking Vacuuming Into The Space Age

Jane Jetson had it easy. She had a robot named Rosie to do all her housework for her.

And while we haven't quite reached the age where we can have a robot at our command 24 hours a day, we do have a robot that will free up our time while our floors stay clean. This is what a robot vacuum cleaner is all about. It allows you to keep your carpet and floors clean with minimal work on your part. In fact it requires very little input from you at all. Simply program it then go out to lunch or go to bed while it does the work for you. Yes you really can go to bed because the newer models actually make less noise than a standard upright or canister model.

The robot vacuum cleaner runs on a battery that typically will last between 50 and 90 minutes depending on the brand you purchase. And if you want to get really space age, some are smart enough to know when the battery is running low, and will actually find the charger and connect itself automatically to recharge.

There are several big companies that make robot vacuum cleaners, and most of them are fairly similar. They are typically round, and are operated either by programming the unit directly of through the use of a remote control. One particular model is operated through the internet. If you're at your favorite coffee shop with your laptop you can actually watch the vacuum on the net simply by using the built in camera.

And it really doesn't matter what floor surface you have. These vacuum cleaners are made to work on carpet, wood or tile. They'll pick up not only the dust and pet hair, but also clean up any spills also. If you have trouble getting your vacuum under the bed or other surfaces, it's not a problem for these guys. No more moving heavy furniture, a robot vacuum cleaner will to under places you could never reach before. They will easily slip under beds, tables and sofas. And thanks to their unique styling and brush position, baseboards and corners are not a problem either.

So what is the drawback? Well your robot vacuum cleaner is not cheap, but it's not outrageously expensive either. You can expect to pay between $250 and $350 dollars. Think about your standard canister or upright. Some of them are way less than that, but others are way more expensive too. So really, while somewhat costly, it's not a bad deal either.

At least one model purifies the air as it vacuums by putting negative ions out as it moves around your home. But, can it negotiate the stairs?