Buying Guide · 3 min read
Some features exist to win the comparison table rather than to help you. These seven reliably impress in the shop and then go untouched after week one.
1. Voice assistant control
Demonstrates beautifully. In practice, opening the app or letting a schedule run is faster than saying a precise phrase and waiting. Most owners stop using it almost immediately.
Look for instead: reliable scheduling that runs without you doing anything at all.
2. Suction power in pascals
Brands measure it differently, so cross-brand comparison is close to meaningless. A well-sealed robot with a good rubber brush routinely beats a higher-rated one with a poor brush.
Look for instead: brush type and how well the intake seals against the floor.
3. Headline battery runtime
A big number sells, but it barely matters if the robot returns to the dock, recharges, and resumes where it stopped. And if it cannot resume, no battery figure will save it.
Look for instead: automatic recharge and resume.
4. Driving the robot manually with the camera
Genuinely fun for one evening. Then you realise steering a robot through your own house from your phone is slower than walking. Meanwhile it is the feature that puts a live camera in your rooms.
Look for instead: good autonomy, so you never need to drive it.
5. Multi-floor mapping in a one-floor home
An excellent feature that a large share of buyers will never use once. Check your own home before paying for it.
Look for instead: accurate mapping of the floor you actually have.
6. Cleaning history and analytics dashboards
Charts of square metres cleaned per week are interesting exactly twice. They change no decision you will ever make.
Look for instead: clear alerts when a filter or brush actually needs attention.
7. The word AI with nothing after it
On its own it describes nothing. It can mean sophisticated object recognition, or it can mean a slightly better bump sensor.
Look for instead: a specific claim you can test, such as whether it avoids an object the size of a shoe in a dark room.
💡 A useful habit
For every feature in the listing, ask how often you would realistically use it in a normal week. Anything answered with once or never should not affect the price you are willing to pay.
Frequently asked questions
Are these features bad?
No, they are just oversold. Each one is useful to somebody. The point is to stop paying a premium for features your own week never calls for.
Which features are genuinely worth paying for?
Saved mapping, automatic recharge and resume, real obstacle avoidance, mop lifting on carpet, and easily available spare parts.