MY YEAR WITH “ROBO”

Cleaning isn’t my favorite activity, so I stepped into the future and got a Roborock S5 Max vacuum cleaner. One year later, “Robo” and I have a strong relationship and here’s why.

- BILL BERGMANN

SETUP/PROGRAMMING:

Most robot vacs use a charging dock they can access easily when it’s time to recharge. I found an inconspicuous spot my Robo could reach anytime.

Downloading the phone app and connecting to Wi-Fi was straightforward; I just had to be sure to connect with 2.4 GHz signal, not the regular 5 GHz system. You can also connect to the vac through Alexa or Google Home.

I was impressed with the app’s capability. I mapped all the rooms in my house to include no-go and no-mop zones, and I customized Robo’s vacuum and mop settings for certain areas. Robo sends useful alerts to my phone; I know if it’s stuck (it happens but rarely), or if I need to fill the mop reservoir or empty the dust bin. And Robo pings me when it’s finished. I love that!

WHAT ROBO CAN DO:

At slightly under 3 in. tall, Robo scoots below furniture and cleans the unseen. Its little spinning brush collects the dust and pet hair that cling to furniture feet.

Robo does a light damp mop that brings a new level of clean to my floors. I now do only occasional spot cleaning and fewer manual mop sessions.

I’m amazed that Robo senses carpets and rugs, switching to stronger suction to clean a rug.

WHAT ROBO CAN’T DO:

I need to do a little prep before putting Robo to work. I move any lamp or cord that might obstruct Robo or get sucked into its rotating brush. If it does jam, Robo sends an SOS to my phone. The brush is easy to remove and clean.