Buying Guides
The specification sheet skips the room. A dock needs a socket, a rectangle of floor, and a radio path. If any of those fail, the robot you wanted becomes a trip hazard with a dead battery.
This is the physical twin of parts and warranty in your country. It applies to a Roomba in a studio, a Relay in a hotel closet, and a Temi that must roam a floor. Apartment buyers should also read robot vacuums in apartments.
ⓘ Quick Answer
Do not order until you have taped the dock footprint on the floor, confirmed a socket that is not a fire-route extension lead, and walked the route with a phone to see the Wi-Fi drop.
The three taxes
Floor
Dock plus approach space. Self-empty towers are furniture. In a hotel, a closet that blocks egress fails even if the robot is perfect.
Power
A dedicated socket. Nightly unplugging to run a kettle is how pilots die. Industrial cells need a proper supply, not a wish.
Radio
Dead spots become stalled robots. Guest Wi-Fi is not always the right network. Measure the actual path, including lifts.
How to test in twenty minutes
- Tape the dock outline where you think it will live.
- Live with the tape for a day. If people kick it, that spot is wrong.
- Walk the route on a phone call. Note every drop.
- Check that a loaded trolley can pass the dock at peak traffic.
When the room says no
A beautiful machine in the wrong alcove is the wrong machine. Buy a smaller dock, a cheaper robot that needs less radio, or no robot. The room always wins.
💡 What to Check
If the only socket is behind a fire door or in a public aisle, you do not have a home for the robot yet.
Room-tax checklist
Room-tax checklist
- Dock footprint taped, including the approach.
- Socket that will not be stolen by a kettle or a vacuum.
- Wi-Fi walked on the real route, including lifts if used.
- Egress and accessibility still clear with the dock in place.
- Someone will keep that corner clear after week one.
Final Thoughts
Suction, payload, and charm are optional until the room pays the tax. Measure floor, power, and radio first.
Then compare robots on Robot.help that actually fit the corner you have.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a Wi-Fi extender?
Sometimes. Test it on the route. An extender that drops during a dinner rush is not a network.
Do all docks need a water tap?
No. Only mop-washing stations. Still measure the dry dock; it is larger than people think.
What if I have no spare socket?
That is a facilities job before it is a robot job. Do not run an extension across a walkway.