Do you hate vacuuming? Do you love technology? Do you wish you could afford to have someone else keep your floors free of dust, dirt and other unmentionables?
Well, robotic vacuuming is nothing new – iRoomba has been doing it for a few years and other companies are joining in. But, a robotic vacuum for under $100? That’s simply unheard of – right? Wrong. P3 International has just made the unbelievable a reality. The concept is great – just set the vacuum in the center of the room, hit the power button and walk away. The vacuum does all the work, gets all the dirt and it is fun to watch too.
At CES this year, P3 introduced their revolutionary robotic vacuum called the…..Robotic Vacuum. OK, so they don’t get any points for creativity with the name – but they do with the price point. With a MSRP of $59.00 – the robotic vacuum can afford an un-original name. Here is the official scoop from their web site:
About P3 International
P3 International has continued its rapid growth to become one of the world’s leading manufacturers of solution oriented consumer electronics. For more than a decade, we have been committed to developing unique consumer electronic products targeted to the mail order and retail industry. The year 2000 saw us display and offer our products on the web.
Much of our success is due to our ability to address the needs of the consumer within a broad range of situations and lifestyles. We are constantly adding new customer friendly products and are committed to the highest quality standards.
Within an established global network, P3 has proven itself a strong presence in the electronics industry. We are proud of our success and guarantee our continuing efforts in providing our customers with the newest and most innovative products for the next millennium.
Product Description
Uses smart programming to move about on its own, getting in and out of the tightest places to clean every floor. Includes electrostatic paper that attaches to bottom of machine to sweep all tile and wood floors. Built-in, smart technology automatically determines 1 of 3 pre-programmed patterns: Random mode for tight spaces; Spiral mode for large open areas; Along-the-Wall mode for room perimeters. Internal dust bin captures dust and dirt for easy disposal. AC adapter charges the long-life rechargeable batteries for extended operation
P3 Made a Splash at CES
New and Improved Robotic Vacuum Sweeps CES!
Tired of breaking your back trying to clean those hard to reach corners or underneath the furniture while rustling through accessories? With the latest and greatest Robotic Vacuum you can have sparkling floors without breaking your back or your wallet!
Until now this expensive high-tech piece of electronics was more a fantasy than a reality but now for an affordable price, your busy schedule just got a lot less hectic. With its smart programming to move about on its own, it gets in and out of the tightest places to clean all your floors. Simply switch on before you’re off and by the time you get back your tedious chore will be completed with the press of a button!
Don’t complicate things with those confusing vacuums that have lengthy manuals and massive assembly – cut your time and cost in half! Use it on carpet or attach the included electrostatic paper to the bottom and sweep all of your tile and wood floors clean. Programmed with three modes, the Robotic Vacuum automatically determines which one to use when cleaning your floors. Built-in smart technology automatically determines one of these three preprogrammed patterns:
* Random mode for tight spaces
* Spiral mode for large open areas
* Along The Wall mode for room perimeters
So, let’s take this thing for a spin…
Design:
The Robotic Vacuum is an unusual shape – there really is no shape description that I can use to adequately sum it up. It is not too large – 11 x 11 x 4 and very light. It has a ‘bumper’ in the front which forces the vacuum to change direction when it hits a wall or piece of furniture.
On the top of the vacuum there is a charging port and an on/off switch. Underneath is where the re-chargeable batteries go and where the filter resides.
All openings were easy to access and use. It was a cinch to clean the filter from the bottom and to insert the batteries.
Ease of Use:
Using the Robotic Vacuum was as easy as charging it, turning it on and letting it go. There were some precautions to take when using it; closing doors (especially ones leading down stairs) is highly recommended. I also found that the the vacuum would sometimes get stuck between furniture or would be in a ‘loop’ like doing a do-se-do around the table legs.
How Well Does it Work?
This is the most important question. Under most circumstances, I could turn it on and it would cover most of a room. If it got stuck or caught, I would need to pick it up and move it to another part of the room. Usually, in order to get every inch of the room, I would have to physically pick it up at least once to move it. for the most part, this vacuum seemed incredibly intuitive and like it knew where it was going. So much so, that my family nick named it ‘Will Robinson’ and would talk to it as it seemed to be deciding where to go.
There were a couple of things that I really liked about how it worked. It seems to somehow sense when it is near a wall – instead of moving away (like when it bumped into furniture) it would continue down the path of the wall until it hit a corner. It also varies its movements – it can go in a spiral, or a straight line along walls or in a random pattern – which helped cover floor space.
My only gripes was that it would sometimes get caught on the carpet and that the filter is really small – so, if I send it on a big job, I would have to empty the filter. The good news in that is that it really does pick stuff up.
Now, this is not designed to be a substitute for your Dyson or fancy heppa filter super-duper vacuum. But for small jobs or in between vacuuming with the big machines, this does a great job of keeping your rooms dust and lint free.
Over all Grade: A-
Pros: Small, light weight, inexpensive and it really works. Fun to watch
Cons: Small filter, doesn’t pick up big stuff, charge only lasts for about 40 minutes or so
The P3 Robotic Vacuum is a steal at $59.95. It is fun, it works, it is durable and it is kind of cool. Don’t expect it to replace your main Vacuum – but use if often and you will vacuum less. P3’s web site is www.p3international.com – but I did not find information about this product on their web page. However, I did find it at several on line e-tailers.
Written by Gary