CHOICE verdict
Throughout our testing we found the Hobot-R3 worked well to clean our dirty windows, with only a few small patches of dirt remaining and some difficulty cleaning the corners. During testing, the unit detached once from the window, so it lost marks for that. You can expect additional costs for replacement cleaning fluid and mopping pads, but if you use it regularly for maintenance cleaning then you may find plain water can get the job done, too.
Price: $799 (includes two sets of cleaning wheels, 7 sets of mop pads and 220mL of cleaning fluid). It costs $27 for a pack of 12 (6 sets) mop pads and $12 for 220mL of cleaning fluid.
Contact: www.robotmylife.com.au
On this page:
- What is a robot window cleaner?
- Is it easy to set up and use?
- Does the robot window cleaner work?
- Is the Hobot-R3 worth it?
Do you have lots of large panel windows throughout your home, or hard to access areas such as the outside of apartment windows? Maybe a pool with glass fencing?
A robot that cleans your windows for you sounds like a dream. No more elbow grease needed to keep your glass fingerprint and grime free.
We bought the Hobot-R3 to see how well it worked, and to see whether our lab tester James Thomson could get squeaky clean windows without lifting a finger.
The Hobot-R3.
What is a robot window cleaner?
The Hobot-R3 is a robotic device that uses fan suction to grip onto your windows and glass surfaces and move across them to get them clean. Its slim, rectangular design measures 10cm high, 30cm wide and 14.5cm deep.
It can be used within a framed location on surfaces including:
- Glass, porcelain, marble
- Mirrors
- Tiles
- Splashbacks
- Walls
It has a dual spray tank where you can add the cleaning solution, and while the tanks may look small, they claim to cover up to 23 square metres. On its base are two removable mop pads.
Unlike robot vacuum cleaners which are cordless, the Hobot-R3 is mains powered, but it does have a back-up battery for safety reasons. In the case of power failure, the battery can keep the Hobot connected for up to 20 minutes.
When you attach the Hobot-R3 to the window, it applies 5kg of suction force along with a 90W brushless motor and is designed to mimic human scrubbing.
What's in the box of your Hobot-R3.
Some features of the Hobot-R3 include:
- Comes with a remote so you can manually control the movement of the robot
- Safety tether to help 'catch' the robot if it detaches from the window
- Inbuilt spray system
- Voice prompts which will alert you if it's out of water or finished cleaning
- Ability to update software via bluetooth
- Can be used with an extension cord to increase reach
- Parts like the fluid tanks can be replaced if they break
In the box you'll get the window cleaner with tether, charging cable with AC adapter, remote control, 4 cleaning wheels (2 sets), 14 cleaning cloths (7 sets), 220ml detergent, 2 extra nozzles, user manual and a quick-start guide.
The Hobot-R3 has remote control.
Is it easy to set up and use?
To get started, you simply need to connect to the AC adapter, and wait for the light to turn green, indicating it's fully charged and ready to go. You'll need to fill the tanks with water or the cleaning solution (although it can even be run empty). The cleaning solution has a nozzle which fits into the tank well to avoid spills. It has a 30mL capacity and there's a maximum fill line to avoid overfilling.
Once you secure the safety cable and connect to power, you can turn on the device and place it on the window. If you find the power cable is too short for some windows (or you may have limited powerpoints near your windows), you can use an extension cord to increase your access.
You can choose between three auto-programs that are very easy to select, or you can manually control the cleaner via the remote or app.
It's important to ensure the safety tether is connected to avoid damage or injury if it detaches from the window and falls
It's important to ensure the safety tether is connected when using the Hobot-R3 to avoid any damage or injury if the unit detaches from the window and falls, especially if you're using the Hobot outside and/or at a height. We were lucky we'd attached it, as it fell once during testing but was caught by the tether.
Setting up the app
The Hobot has an associated app that lets you control the unit and receive alerts and prompts throughout the cleaning cycle. James installed the app on an iPhone and found it was easy to connect and run the Hobot through the app.
Does the robot window cleaner work?
The robot window cleaner achieved good results in our cleaning test.
To test the Hobot-R3 we used a window measuring 1.3m x 1.1m. To achieve the best results, the manufacturer recommends doing a "dry clean" first to gather all the dust. For this you'll need to turn off the spray system to ensure dirt and solution don't mix together to cause some dirty streaks. The dry run took around 6 minutes in our test. James then swapped to a fresh set of cleaning pads before doing two runs of a "wet clean" with the spray function turned on to wash and clean the window.
The Hobot-R3 at work at CHOICE.
At the end of one dry and two wet runs the window was very clean.
"It didn't clean a 2mm strip around the edge of the window and while there were some small areas of dirt remaining, these were easily removed when rubbed with a cloth," says James.
But, he adds, "The Hobot struggles with cleaning corners. It simply can't reach them due to its design."
The underside of the Hobot-R3 in use, illustrating how it can't get into corners.
When used outside, there was a light breeze which blew most of the spray away, something to be mindful of when using the Hobot. It's also important to avoid rainy days and days of high humidity to minimise the chance of water stains.
The unit provides good spoken feedback but it can be hard to hear over the noise of the suction, especially when used outside.
During testing, the Hobot-R3 fell off the window once. The unit was caught by the safety cable and was undamaged. However, the two cleaning pads detached and fell to the ground. They are quite light (32g each) so may not cause any damage, but could be hard to recover depending on where they fall.
Keep in mind, the Hobot will work best if you're using it regularly for maintenance rather than heavy-duty cleaning. This (and many other similar devices) are designed to maintain clean glass and don't work well in cases where there is a lot of dirt and grime build-up.
Is the Hobot-R3 worth it?
If you have lots of glass surfaces and are sick of putting in the hard work to keep them clean, a robot window cleaner may well be worth its hefty price tag. A robot window cleaner should be used as a maintenance device – to maintain clean windows - and if it's used as intended you'd be pleased with the results.
James rates his experience with the Hobot-R3 as OK.
"It's easy to use and control with the remote. It cleans well but struggles with corners. It also fell once for unexplained reasons during our testing, which brought down the rating," says James
We've also tested the Ecovacs Winbot W1 Pro and found it worked well. Its square shape means getting into corners and edges isn't as tricky as it is with the Hobot, but it has significant ongoing costs and you need to have the windows to suit.
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
