Robot vacuums have been around for a long time and the best thing about them is they can work with very little effort. It will go around, cleaning the floor as long as you charge the machine. So what makes Haier Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner (TH27U1) different from the others? One definitely involves ease of use and the second is design, besides its capability to clean.

With stick vacuum cleaners, users, at times, get bored and leave spots around the room untouched for days. That’s not the case with robot vacuum cleaners because these clean more thoroughly than most of us. It’s especially helpful when you have pets and children at home. You can either run the bot a few times a week or every day, it would be enough to ensure that crumbs and pet hair don’t become a problem.

Easy to get the bot going

Setting up the Haier cleaner is as simple as the cleaning process. It’s all plug-and-play. The two most important accessories in the box are the dustbin section and the water tank for mopping. Yes, it does both things. Switching between the two accessories is simple — just press a button and pull one out and push the other into the slot until you hear a satisfying click. Two cleaning heads need to be attached, which are, once again, plug-and-play. To ensure the robot vacuum cleaner can be put to use throughout the week, the company has packed in two extra cleaning heads as well as an additional mopping cloth.

There is also a charging dock, which works seamlessly. But there are two issues I have with it. First, the cord on the charging brick could have been slightly longer. Second, the dock itself could have been heavier. When it comes to functioning, it works smoothly.

Before you press the start button, think of downloading the Haier Smart App. It’s a seamless process. Second, don’t forget to charge the device before the first use. If the battery is drained out, it will take anything between three-four hours for a full charge. Next, hit the start button and let the robot figure out the maze you live in.

Cleaning process

The cleaning bot works on almost any kind of flooring — bare or carpeted. All we would suggest is don’t put it up against a high pile of rugs. There are a few things we kept ready for the bot. First, some pulse and coffee grounds on a hard floor. The bot sucked it up effortlessly and since the pulse had spread a bit, the bot had to navigate to collect all the debris. At the same time, it collected all the hair my cat sheds every day. She is usually found in the strangest of nooks in the house. The second test, in fact, involved cleaning difficult corners. After checking the machine after 30-40 minutes, I was surprised by the amount of pet hair that gathers each day (besides cookie crumbs).

Being only 76mm high, the robot vacuum cleaner easily moved under chairs and sofas. There were hardly any scratches on the body after using the device for quite a few days. The navigation system on the bot is very good and there were hardly moments when it got trapped or tangled. Since my home office is a mess, packed with wires, I thought the bot would get tangled up in no time but surprise, surprise. There is a hair-cutting tool in the box. The bot will obviously pick up a lot of human hair and some of it will get entangled; to remove the same use this tool. How often does this happen? Rarely because the spinning mechanism under the machine is well-designed.

Coming to the mopping part, the water tank holds enough water to clean a big room. There is a good seal on the water tank and use the mopping unit after all the dust has been sucked up. We made a small patch containing a mix of mayonnaise and cornflakes. Instead of smearing the same all over the floor, it was quick to clean it up.

Most would like to see the bot at work but I suggest you try not to watch because the machine makes the strangest of turns and, at times, you feel it would miss a few spots. The truth is that these machines keep returning to a spot a few times and ultimately the entire room gets cleaned. There is a HEPA filter in the box to capture dust and allergens.

The running time for the machine can be anything between 90 and 110 minutes, which is enough to clean up most of the apartment. You can’t obviously make it climb stairs. At the same time, the navigation system is very good and it senses edges easily. Keeping noise to less than 65 decibels, you won’t feel disturbed. Or you can schedule cleaning times for the bot or use your smartphone app to get it to work.

Should you buy it?

Robot vacuum cleaners have less suction power than the stick variety but it makes up for it by going over a zone time and again. The two types of devices have different uses. Some prefer cleaning the apartment on their own and the stick vacuum cleaner is fine for them while for others, it can be the bot. It helps that Haier has included support for Alexa and Google Assistant. Plus, the remote is small and handy. Working in favour of Haier is its brand name as well as after-sales support. Haier Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner (TH27U1) can definitely out-clean most bots, even the more expensive ones, and is effective on all types of surfaces.

AT A GLANCE

Device: Haier Smart Robot Vacuum Cleaner (TH27U1)

Price: MRP is Rs 22,999 and MOP is 14,499

HIGH NOTES

• Cleans all kinds of surfaces easily
• Has a good navigation system
• The mopping tank can hold enough water
• Battery life is enough to clean largish rooms

MUFFLED NOTE

• The wire on the power brick could have been longer

Pictures: The Telegraph

The dry and wet tanks that come with the vacuum cleaner

It’s easy to change the mopping cloth and there is an extra one comes in the box

The machine can reach almost any corner