Don’t buy a robot vacuum! “Rental is the best” because of “rapid evolution” and “consumables”

Well, hello everyone! How are you spending this Golden Week?
This time we have an amazing 11-day consecutive holiday that’s fantastic.
By the way, for me it’s looking like about 60 days off… (；∀；) *Though not exactly days off

After buying a house in Chiba, I started using a robot vacuum.
With one of these in place, it cleans the floor every day for you.
Having an environment where cleaning is constantly happening, like with dual residency or a vacation home, is really effective.
I felt like we’re living in a great era.
Over several years I’ve rented various models, and I’ve concluded that “rental really is the best.”

Honestly, I don’t think it’s something you should spend tens of thousands of yen to buy.
Most of all, the “lifespan is just too short,” which is what I felt.

Sekaimon, which makes eBay easy, is brilliant! (*´ω｀*)

To put it simply, the downsides are “rapid evolution” and “consumables.”

ECOVACS DEEBOT Y1 PRO
I ultimately rented this one for a year and loved it.
It’s already been discontinued,
and honestly, new versions come out every few months, so I don’t think it’s something you should buy.

Once you buy a robot vacuum, various parts become consumables.
Air filters, brushes, wheels, and so on all kinds of problems can develop.

You can extend the lifespan by maintaining and cleaning the robot vacuum,
but it’s hard to actually get around to cleaning the vacuum itself, isn’t it?
The costs add up when you’re quietly buying these consumables.
Also, fundamentally it runs on battery power, so the battery is a consumable too.
At best you get 3 to 5 years of good use, and by then the product itself will have changed dramatically.

Let me share my impressions after using robot vacuums for several years.

To be honest, whether it’s actually cleaning well is… unclear.
There’s a fair amount of dust and debris accumulating, so I do think it’s cleaning.

For dual residency, moving preparations, or vacation homes, I think it would be extremely useful.

● Robot vacuums “evolve quickly ”
New products are released constantly,
and models from a year ago become noticeably outdated.
Rather than cleaning ability,
the improvement in spatial awareness through LiDAR sensors is remarkable.

In other words, they’re getting better at recognizing “where you want it to clean and where you don’t want it to go.”

With better spatial awareness,
it gets lost less often, “falling down stairs or off the entryway”
and such incidents drop dramatically.

● Brush, air filter, and battery consumable costs add up
You can buy brushes and air filters individually,
but batteries are another story.

In the worst case, you have to send it back for maintenance.
Including shipping, you’re looking at spending thousands of yen, so when you’re thinking about buying, you should keep that in mind.

● Around six months in, it stops listening and “starts glitching”
Here’s something interesting: every model starts out excellent.
But over time, it stops understanding the map you set up,
and you end up with situations like “falling off ledges,” “getting lost and not returning to the dock,” or “not being able to return to the dock properly.”
Usually a factory reset fixes it, but then “you have to set it up all over again.”
The frequency of these glitches seems to increase with use over time.
In my experience, a new unit is really only at its best for about six months.

“Renting new units every six months to a year is the best approach.”

Basically, I’m against buying robot vacuums.
However, for dual residency, moving, or vacation homes, they’re an extremely effective tool.

And here’s something else to watch out for: “they don’t sell well” and “disposal costs money.”
It feels like we’re entering an era where you shouldn’t buy appliances in general.
Performance is incredibly high, but “the structure is too complex and prone to breaking,”
and honestly, they seem designed not to last five years.
And five years from now, they’ll be unbelievably outdated.

Already, we’re not in an era of buying and using things long-term anymore.
I’ve been thinking lately that using rental services strategically for different items is incredibly convenient.

I personally use a site called “Rentio.”

Rentio

Every year I rent a “humidifier.”

Since I only use it from October to March, I rent a new one every year.
*Of course, used options are available, but “new is definitely better.”
With this humidifier,
“there’s no need for storage” and “no need to buy filters or do maintenance.”

I’ve bought many humidifiers over the years.
But after a few years, “they become terribly dirty and worn.”
When you first use them, they often have an unpleasant smell that’s uncomfortable.
I think seasonal appliances are where rental really shines.

And when you want to try out a “robot vacuum” like this time, it’s perfect.
Buying something is easy, but if you don’t like it, disposal is a hassle.
With rental, you just return it. I wish this wonderful system would spread more!

Previously, I also rented a “GoPro 11” (ﾟДﾟ)
I’m glad I rented it.
It performed way below my expectations, and I thought “I’m so glad I didn’t buy it.”
Just rent something you’re curious about and try it out.
The cost of that rental is definitely not a loss.

This got pretty long, but “I just returned the robot vacuum today,” so I thought I’d write about it.
For the last few months, the robot vacuum was mostly glitching and not working.

So if you’re ever unsure about an appliance, try renting from Rentio—it’s really great!