Robot vacuums are dependable troopers.
They comply with orders, full duties and return to base to scrub themselves and recharge with out the necessity to raise a finger.
It's a luxurious I and others in my prolonged household have loved and raved about for years.
As such, I used to be excited to deploy its window cleansing cousin.
But, as chances are you’ll suspect, they aren't as simple to ship into battle.
Ecovacs revealed its $799 Winbot W1 Pro earlier this yr.
For the previous week it has been zig-zagging throughout home windows throughout my tiny townhouse.
My preliminary impression? This factor is robust.
The science behind the Winbot W1 Pro's suction mystifies me however I used to be satisfied my single-pane home windows would shatter earlier than I might yank it off the glass.
A security rope comes completely connected to the machine which you’ll loop over curtain rods and close by rails.
It doesn't get in the way in which, however I ditched that fairly shortly as soon as I used to be assured the Winbot wouldn't often fall off my big sq. home windows (which is what the robotic is designed for).
While establishing the W1 Pro, the app will warning you in opposition to utilizing the robotic on different varieties of glass.
Windows which might be too small will not be appropriate. Same goes for textured and curved glass.
Gaps, some edgings and decorations like stickers might additionally destabilise the Winbot.
They're widespread sense limitations, however limitations none-the-less.
And ridiculous as it’s to need the Winbot to leap from window to window like Indiana Jones, it's the place the impracticality of the know-how lies.
You bodily should disconnect, transfer and reconnect the Winbot W1 Pro each 5 to 10 minutes.
Too typically I discovered myself standing subsequent to it (moderately than going off to do one thing productive), scrolling on my telephone and ready for it to complete for longer than it'd take me to scrub the window myself.
I put that to the check utilizing some good-old-fashion Windex and paper towels and whereas it took me two minutes to wipe down one half of my glass sliding door twice, it took the Winbot 5 and a half minutes (on the 'quick' setting) to go over the identical area as soon as.
Speaking of Windex, the Winbot W1 Pro have to be crammed with a cleansing answer.
A small, 230mL bottle comes within the field – which is price about 4 refills.
I used three in a couple of hours and I didn't even clear each window in my tiny townhouse.
You should buy a brand new bottle just for $14.99 AUD.
That's rather a lot in comparison with the $3 you possibly can pay for a 500mL bottle of Windex. I haven't tried pouring Windex into the Winbot however I can see myself attempting in future.
Good news is, it does a stable job.
Don't count on the Winbot W1 Pro to take away months (or years) of constructed up grime – even while you change it to its 'deep' cleansing perform – nevertheless it actually left my home windows with a streak-free shine.
The one exception is the game the place the Winbot stops and beeps in your consideration on the finish of its clear. That's typically proper in the midst of the window it simply cleaned (or wherever it began) and the mop pad will depart an imprint.
Personally, I discovered it most helpful on these arduous to achieve out of doors home windows which demand climbing a ladder to scrub. Of course, there are dangers to utilizing the Winbot W1 Pro outdoors (particularly on a second ground or increased) and that’s the place the protection rope earns its maintain.
Whether the Winbot W1 Pro ought to earn its spot in your house is one other query.
$799 is rather a lot to ask of many within the midst of a value of residing disaster.
And whereas I'll fortunately maintain mine helpful for these arduous to achieve, out of doors home windows – if I have to get the job accomplished fast – I'll be reaching for the Windex and a paper towel first.
Source: www.9news.com.au
