Hobot Robot Vacuum Cleaners and Window Washers: PERSONAL OPINION, PROS AND CONS

Hello to all readers of this project! I'm continuing to talk about robotic vacuum cleaner brands, and in this review I'll be looking at Hobot robotic vacuum cleaners and window cleaners. Having tested almost their entire product line, I've formed a general opinion about the products, as well as an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the line as a whole, and the brand itself. So, without wasting your time, I'll move on to a review of the manufacturer and the robots themselves. So, let's get started!

Briefly about the brand

First, let me tell you about the Hobot company. Well, for starters, it has nothing to do with elephants, and its name is a portmanteau of the words "Home" and "Robot."

The company was founded by George Chao. It wasn't that long ago, in 2010. But since then, a line of six robotic floor cleaners has been released, including the one announced for 2023 – Hobot LEGEE-D8, as well as 9 window cleaning robots, again including a new product Hobot R3.

Hobot is based in Taiwan. It's important to note that Hobot robots are also manufactured in Taiwan, using our own facilities. It's crucial to understand that everything from development to packaging takes place in the same place.

The company's official website states that Hobot's main mission is "Making your home smarter." To this end, new developments are constantly underway, and unique technologies are being patented. Overall, the brand is definitely a reliable and pioneering one. Personally, I've developed a high level of trust in it over more than five years of actively testing robotic vacuum cleaners.

Advantages and disadvantages

So, based on my experience using Hobot robots, I'll share the strengths and weaknesses I've discovered about the product, as well as the brand itself. Let's start with the positives.

The first is of course the uniqueness of robotsHobot robotic vacuum cleaners feature a number of unique design features that have not yet been copied by other brands. These include pre-collection of light debris before the turbo brush, moving platforms for scrubbing away dirt, and the announced Eco-Press feature in the dust bin, which compacts debris and serves as an alternative to a self-cleaning station. Furthermore, there are a number of uncommon but rarely used features. For example, support for 5G Wi-Fi connectivity, something most robots lack, and the ability to record creative voice commands. Hobot's window cleaning robots were among the first to feature spray nozzles for cleaning fluid and smartphone control, which subsequently became a standard for flagship window cleaning robots and other brands. Most importantly, unlike other brands, Hobot's design and design are unique. I believe that thanks to their patents, it's not so easy to copy and implement any given component. Overall, unique developments are undoubtedly the Hobot robots' strongest asset.

Secondly, in my opinion, Hobot, these are the best floor polishers and wet cleaning specialists. In 2019, the best-performing product at the time entered the market. Hobot Legee 688, which is where I first got acquainted with the brand's products. In 2019, the flagship Roborock S6, iClebo O5 Wi-FI, and iRobot Braava 390T weren't nearly as effective at cleaning dirt, especially when used as a vacuum cleaner. At the time, the 688 model was only inferior to its competitors in navigation, which meant it lacked some useful features. But in 2021, it appeared on the market. Legee 7, which, thanks to lidar, raised the bar and, once again, made it clear who the best floor polisher is. It was beginning to be overtaken by robots with round, rotating mops, which aren't as effective at removing dirt, but are equipped with a cloth rinsing station, something the new Hobots sorely lacked. And now, in 2023, the Legee D8 is getting a vibrating platform for removing dirt and an optional cloth rinsing station. Any guesses as to who will compete for the title of best robot floor polisher of 2023?! 😊

Another strong point I would like to highlight is complete sweeping of debris from the cornersAll Hobot robot vacuums, without exception, are D-shaped, and this is a clever design that's sorely lacking in robots from other brands. Thanks to this form factor, Hobot robots fit tightly into corners and completely sweep away debris with their side brushes. The result is a more thorough cleaning. Yes, the D-shape has its drawbacks, the main one being the robots' awkwardness and unnecessary contact with objects when turning. But the end justifies the means, and this body shape offers significantly higher efficiency.

The next strength of the brand is brand support And technology improvements from model to model. Yes, like any other robot, Hobots develop issues with functionality, software consistency, and performance over time. Personally, I've seen a fruitful process of fixing these issues. Were there two water nozzles? Now there are four. No lidar? They added one. A station is also available. There's even confirmed information about a new proprietary app that will fix the main bugs of the previous software. Overall, it's clear that management and engineers are listening to customer feedback and working hard to resolve any issues that arise. Even if it's not as quickly as many would like. It's also worth noting that Hobot has official distributors in Russia, providing full warranty support and after-sales service for their products. This is a very important factor when choosing a robot vacuum cleaner or window cleaner.

Now that we've covered the benefits of robots and the Hobot brand, let's talk about what I don't like so much.

The biggest drawback is that what robots Hobot is significantly behind in the development and implementation of FOREIGN technologies from its competitors. The station will appear only in the summer of 2023, although similar robots have been equipped with it for almost two years. Technologies popular in household robots, such as object recognition systems and artificial intelligence, haven't even been announced yet, so they can be expected in 2024 at the earliest. The slow implementation of modern solutions is particularly disappointing.

In defense, I can say that I understand why this happens. Firstly, Hobot engineers implement their own unique approach to each popular solution, rather than copying existing ideas. They don't infringe on other people's patents and position themselves as a law-abiding company, which inspires confidence. Secondly, according to brand representatives, a significant amount of time is spent on testing before production. This is a good thing, considering the unfortunate Xiaomi stations that have water supply issues right out of the box, but we're not used to waiting. We need the best, and we need it now.

Well, the second main comment on the brand’s products is damp softwareAfter poring over dozens of pages of online reviews of various models, I noticed one common complaint that wasn't observed in quick tests, but apparently shows up during long-term use. Something keeps glitching in the app. Sometimes the map gets lost, sometimes the robot's positioning itself gets affected.

There are also issues with the app's intuitive operation. Overall, according to customers, the SOFTWARE component needs to be addressed at the same level as the design. Again, I've helped resolve similar situations on numerous occasions, and the cause has often turned out to be improper operation of the robot itself. A lot depends on how the initial mapping is created, and how to do it correctly. If you launch the robot from somewhere other than the base, or move it manually and then turn it on, don't be surprised if the mapping gets lost.

This is reasonable logic. And again, I personally didn't encounter any major bugs during my tests, as I followed the instructions, so I'm inclined to assume things aren't that bad. However, I agree that the interface and the implementation of some features similar to those found in similar products could use some work. Again, I'll note that I'm testing the new Legee D8 using a new app, which will soon be available for previously released models. And I want to say that it's already clear that some of the work on the interface and functionality has been successful. I'll reiterate an important characteristic of the brand: they don't copy other people's ideas, but develop their own technologies. This also applies to the software. But with each update, the software improves, and that's a fact.

Overall, I can say that Hobot robotic vacuum cleaners and window washers are definitely worth considering, and the brand itself deserves a high reputation. Like other manufacturers, Hobot has room for improvement. But the fact that their products deservedly occupy the top spots in many ratings, including this project, is a fair decision. Test results provide a solid foundation for this. If you own a Hobot product, whether a robotic vacuum cleaner or a window wash, please leave your thoughts on your purchase in the comments. On that note, I'd like to conclude this review. Happy shopping. Bye!

Also, if you're interested, I recommend watching the video version of the Hobot robot review: