Posts from Online Tech Tips for 12/20/2018

Computer Tips From a Computer Guy Is this email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser](. Online Tech Tips Newsletter In This Issue - [Best Robot Vacuums for under $500](#mctoc1) Dec 19, 2018 05:54 am | Aseem Kishore | Gadgets [][][] Best Robot Vacuums for under $500 Robot vacuums have quickly become a very affordable way to keep your home clean, but moving from a traditional vacuum cleaner for the first time can be quite confusing. We’ve created this buying guide to help you find your very first robot vacuum. We’ve specifically focused on the top robot vacuums for $100-$500 and have explained how each model compares and what experience you get at different price points. Hopefully, by the time you have finished reading this article, you’ll be much more knowledgeable about robot vacuums and you’ll be ready to make your first purchase. Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 930 – $463.99 Overview: Not only vacuums, but also mops. Powerful sensors can detect when and where to mop. Use the app to limit where the robot cleans. Alexa control available. Starting at the high end, we have the Ecovacs Deebot 930. Ecovacs is a very reputable brand in this space and they have a range of different products at different price points. With the Ozmo 930, you are essentially getting the very best Ecovacs has to offer. Functionality in the Deebot Ozmo 930 starts with the laser based mapping. With this, the Ozmo 930 can map out your floor plan and learn where it needs to avoid. Sensors have been built in to automatically avoid walls or drops, too, so no need to worry if you are cleaning near delicate areas or next to a set of stairs. You can also add boundaries to the floor plan via the Ecovacs app, just in case there are areas you’d like the robot to avoid. The Deebot Ozmo 930 also features adaptive floor sensing – it can detect what floor material it is currently on. With this information, it can determine whether it needs to simply vacuum or mop and vacuum simultaneously. Yes, if you didn’t know already, the Deebot Ozmo 930 can also mop floors whilst it cleans. Water pumps and sensors have been installed alongside the vacuum to ensure that your hard floors are sparkling clean and dust free. The Deebot Ozmo 930 also has Alexa voice control functionality, so you can stop, start, or charge the robot with voice commands. Speaking of charging, you’ll be able to get up to 100 minutes of run time before the Deebot Ozmo 930 needs to be charged up again. Neato Botvac D80 Robot Vacuum – $319.99 Overview: Powerful option for automating your cleaning, Picks up dirt, dust and pet hair with ease. Use included barriers to restrict where your robot vacuum can clean. Next up, we have the Neato Botvac D80, which is a step down in terms of pricing from the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo 930. Some sacrifices are made, but for the most part you are still getting a very high quality robot vacuum. You lose Alexa voice control functionality and some additional app based control, but smart laser mapping is still used to map out the layout of your room automatically. Once your room has been mapped, the Neato Botvac D80 will intelligently calculate the most optimal path whilst cleaning your room. Once your robot has been set up to run through a specific route, all you need to do is press the start button and the Botvac D80 will run its route and then return back to the charging station once complete. You can also set up automatic cleaning schedules so that you never have to think about cleaning your room again. On a full charge, the Neato Botvac D80 can go for 100 minutes. There is no mopping included with the Neato Botvac D80, but you do get some strong brushes and a vacuum that can pull hair and other stubborn dust from all surfaces. You are also given special boundary markers that can be used to ensure the Botvac D80 doesn’t go outside of a specific area. iRobot Roomba 675 – $248 Overview: Cheaper option for app and voice control via Alexa or Google Assistant. Works harder on stubborn dirt. Roomba is perhaps the most well known name in the robot vacuum world, but how does their mid-range Roomba 675 fare? Surprisingly, pretty well. There’s no mop included, but the powerful vacuum system ensures that your floors are clear from dirt and debris. The intelligent sensors built in allow the Roomba 675 to work harder on more stubborn dirt, and work around or under furniture when possible. The edge-sweeping brush is also excellent at getting dirt away from the corners of your rooms. You also have 90 minutes of charge time, which is just 10 minutes less than the aforementioned options. Unlike the Neato Botvac D80, the iRobot Roomba 675 has voice controlled support via Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, and the iRobot HOME app makes it far easier to stop, start, or schedule cleaning. You do miss out on the virtual wall barriers that come with the Neato Botvac D80 or more expensive Roomba models, so if you need to section off specific areas, you’re out of luck. However, if you have a contained area, the iRobot Roomba 675 could easily become a suitable and more affordable alternative to the Neato Botvac D80. eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 11S – $169 Overview: Cheap option with great cleaning power, automatic mapping, and scheduling. Sometimes runs into issues or misses areas. For just $169, you get a surprising level of functionality from the eufy Boost IQ RoboVac 11S. Just like the other models in this article, the RoboVac 11S will automatically map out your room and go through a cleaning routine. Once the cleaning is complete, it will return back to its charging station. Each charge provides 100 minutes of run time. This model in particular is also great at getting underneath most furniture, and for the most part it can avoid walls and drops. When it comes to further customization, for example, adding virtual barriers or custom routes, you lose out. There’s no included app and you don’t get voice control. You do get an included IR remote for controlling the vacuum from a distance. On top of this, whilst it technically can map out your room, it can often get a little lost, meaning that it may take multiple cleans before it gets all of the spots in a room. For $169, it’s understandable that the programming isn’t as top notch as more expensive models. Thankfully, if it runs into any major problems, it’ll stop cleaning and start beeping to alert the owner that it needs assistance. Overall, this is a cheap and cheerful option that provides a reasonable level of functionality. Summary Thanks for reading through our list on the top robot vacuums for $100-$500. Which of these suggestions takes your interest? If you have any specific questions about any of these models, leave a comment and I’ll get back to you. The post [Best Robot Vacuums for under $500]( appeared first on [Online Tech Tips](. [Read More]( [share on Twitter]( [Like Best Robot Vacuums for under $500 on Facebook]( Recent Posts [The 5 Best New Features in Windows 10’s 1809 Update]( [The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Stringify]( [How to Create a Routine With Amazon Alexa]( [Philips Hue vs the Competition – Which are the Best Smart Lights?]( [How to Record Your First Excel Macro]( Copyright © 2018 Online Tech Tips, LLC, All rights reserved. You signed up for news and information from Online Tech Tips. [unsubscribe from this list]( | [update subscription preferences](