Home and Kitchen – Page 34

Ecovacs Deebot R95 robot vacuum review

I’m a big fan of robot vacuums for one main reason – I’m lazy and don’t want to push a vacuum around my house when I can get a robot to do my work for me at the press of a button or automatically on a schedule that I set. The newest robot vac that I’ve had the opportunity to test is the Ecovacs Deebot R95 robot vacuum. Let’s see if it sucks… but in a good way.

What is it?

The Ecovacs Deebot R95 is a robotic vacuum and mop that you can control with your smartphone.

What’s in the package?

Ecovacs Deebot R95
Charging dock
Advanced wet/dry cleaning cloths (2)
Advanced wet/dry reservoir
Measuring cup
Direct suction option
Side brushes (4)
Instruction manual

Design and features

Like most robotic vacuums, the Ecovacs Deebot R95 has a circular shaped plastic housing.

The round module on the top cover of the vacuum is the laser distance sensor which the R95 uses to map the room.

There is a button and a panel of four status LEDs on the top of the R95. The status LEDs include a WiFi indicator, a scheduled cleaning indicator, spot mode indicator, and a return to charger mode indicator LED.

The top cover of the vacuum lifts up to provide access to the dirt bin and main power switch.

The dirt bin/filter housing has a handle that allows it to easily lift out from the vacuum for emptying.

Under the lid below the power switch is the upgrade port that can be used to update the vacuum’s firmware and a small tool that can be used to cut strings, hair, or other debris that might wind itself around the brush.

If you flip over the R95, you’ll see the three wheels that propel the vacuum. There are two driving wheels and one smaller wheel at the front that is flanked on both sides by anti-drop sensors. Two more anti-drop sensors are located above the driving wheels. These sensors prevent the R95 from falling down steps and stairs.

Included with the Deebot R95 are four side brushes that attach magnetically to the bottom of the vacuum. These small brushes help lift dirt from wall edges. Only two brushes are used at a time so two extras are included for use when the first two brushes wear out.

With the side brushes attached and the main brush in place, it’s time to charge the R95 to prepare for cleaning.

The charging dock plugs into a wall outlet and the R95 charges by sitting on two charging pins on the bottom edge of the dock.

At this point, you can install the Ecovacs app on your iOS or Android device so you can take advantage of advanced features like scheduling, do not disturb times, and more. Note that it’s not mandatory that you use an app with the vacuum. You can control the vacuum manually including a basic scheduling feature that set it to vacuum once a day at the same time each day.

Note that it’s not mandatory that you use an app with the vacuum. You can control the vacuum manually including a basic scheduling feature that set it to vacuum once a day at the same time each day just by pressing the Auto button twice.

The app will allow you to set scheduled cleaning times, do not disturb times when the vacuuming will not run even if a prior cleaning was on hold due to battery recharging, and a work log where you can check to see how many hours that the D95 has vacuumed.

I tested the D95 in a carpeted room and in a room with wood floors and found that it did a decent job picking up large pieces of cat fluff and other dirt.

Here’s the dirt bin after vacuuming the basement floor a couple of times. Ick. You can see some Cheerios in the bin. No idea where the heck they came from. Yes, we do like to eat Cheerios, but I don’t know how they got on the floor and how we didn’t see them. I guess that’s what a vacuum is for though, right?

Unlike other robot vacuums that I’ve tested before like the Neato Botvacs, I like that the Deebot doesn’t bang roughly into objects like furniture before adjusting course. The Deebot has a more gentle touch. It’s also less noisy than Botvacs. Unfortunately, that’s the only praise I can give this robot vacuum, because it has some definite issues.

One of the main reasons why I was excited to test the Ecovacs Deebot R95 is because the app is supposed to allow you to mark areas on the map to avoid. The mapping feature is pretty cool and it’s fun to watch a live view of the robot vacuuming when you’re not there. But the problem is that the app (at least the iOS version of the app) does not have the avoidance feature. The instructions say that there should be a special icon on the screen that you can press to then set areas to avoid. I’ve yet to see that icon. But I have seen the message shown in the screenshot above on the right.

I read some reviews on Amazon for the R95 and apparently, it takes MANY hours for the avoidance feature to become available. I’ve used the R95 to clean my floors at least 10 times now and still haven’t seen the feature.

Another problem is that if you toggle power on the vacuum, or move the charging base, the map gets reset and you’ll have to start the process again.

Another problem I noticed is that there’s an option to turn on voice reports. I didn’t even realize that the vacuum talked until I started writing the review and was taking screenshots and saw the option. I had the option turned no but hadn’t heard any voices. So I did a hard reset at which point the vacuum started telling me when it finished vacuuming, or if it was stuck. A voice telling me about a problem is a lot more useful than the Neato Botvacs that just beep when there is a problem. However, the voice reports stopped soon after they started. No idea why.

The R95 also started appearing offline in the Ecovacs app and I wasn’t able to get it to come back online even after doing a hard reset multiple times which has been frustrating.

The vacuum also has a weird habit of continue to run even when you try to stop it. Most robot vacs that I’ve tested will stop running when you pick them up and manually put them on their charging dock. Sometimes the R95 will sound like the brush is still spinning or the motor is still running even when it’s sitting still. I’ve had this happen when I take it to a room and press the auto button so it will just clean that room. When it stops, a voice will say “cleaning complete” or something to that effect (if the voice reports happen to be working) and the vacuum will stop moving but it will continue to make whirring noises until I flip the power switch under the lift up cover.

Final thoughts

The Ecovacs Deebot R95 robot vacuum does a decent job picking up dirt from carpet and also does a good job wet/dry mopping hard surfaces, but app and special features like voice reports, obstacle avoidance, and WiFi connections are buggy which makes using this product frustrating. For those reasons, I’d steer clear of this particular robot vacuum until these issues have been resolved by a firmware update of both the device and the app.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Ecovacs. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$439.99
Manufacturer:	Ecovacs
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Can be used manually or with an app Doesn't damage furniture Can vacuum carpet or wet/dry mop
Cons:	Buggy voice report feature Buggy WiFi connection Obstacle avoidance feature no available.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Home and Kitchen, Vacuum

Ecovacs Deebot R95 robot vacuum review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 24, 2017 at 3:39 pm.

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Prevent socks from going MIA with the SockDock

Can I see a show of hands… how many of you have socks with missing mates? We call them stragglers at my house, and it seems to be a widespread issue that affects countless families throughout the world. How can we solve this horrible tragedy? Well, there’s a gadget for that, and it’s called the SockDock.

The SockDock is a flexible holder that keeps nine pairs of socks together in the washer and the dryer so that one or more of them won’t escape to become the next “stragglers”.

The holder even has a hook at the end that you can use to hang the nine pairs of socks in the closet. Yeah, that seems kind of weird, but it will save you time and free up your sock drawer for other clothing.

SockDocks come with two holders, one for dirty and one for clean socks. You can read more about them at sockdock.com and order from The Grommet and Amazon for $14.95 and $16.00 respectively.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Clothing, Home and Kitchen

Prevent socks from going MIA with the SockDock originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 19, 2017 at 12:04 pm.

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It’s not fondue, it’s the Fondoodler

Alright, I must admit that when I saw this product I said to myself, “WHY”. But as I thought about it for a minute (maybe three) I said: “why not”. I am of course talking about the Fondoodler.

The Fondoodler is described as a hot glue gun, but for cheese. You have to admire folks who want to help us play with our food. Designed to melt the cheese that you load into its canister, the Fondoodler puts out a stream of hot gooey cheese onto anything you can imagine.

In all honesty, I do see a practical side to this device, if you are a can cheese lover this may be a higher class alternative. So, if you are looking to have fun with your cheese, check out the Fondoodler either on their web page for $30 or on Amazon for $29.95.

Filed in categories: News

Tagged: Food, Home and Kitchen

It’s not fondue, it’s the Fondoodler originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 11, 2017 at 8:00 am.

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Igloohome Deadbolt 02 Digital smart Lock review

My home is located at the very end of the power company’s circuit. As a result, if anything anomalous happens upstream, our power goes out. Frustratingly, the houses across the street are on another substation circuit and we can see their lights and flickering television screens while we sit by flashlight or candle light, hoping our smartphone batteries outlast the blackout. If the power isn’t out for long, I generally don’t feel the need to fire up the generator, but nonetheless, it’s almost always inconvenient.

I arrived home during the last power outage. I usually enter my home through my garage door, but that wasn’t going to happen this time. I pulled the keys from my ignition and… realized I had given my house key to a friend who was watching our cat during an extended overseas vacation. Naturally, I had neglected to collect it after returning. Rats! I have other keys, attached to my other keychains… of course, all locked in the house or the garage… crap! I had to go to a friendly neighbor and get the key we leave with him in case of emergencies.

Then I had a sickening thought: What if my neighbor wasn’t home? What if my kids had been dropped off in the same situation and the neighbor wasn’t home? What would they do? Sure, they could call for help, if they haven’t exhausted their phone battery during a day of fun, but it’s certainly an uneasy feeling.

I’ve never been a big fan of “hiding a key under the welcome mat,” because it’s just too obvious. How about under a rock or in a planter? Nope, rusty keys mess up locks. I thought about one of those combination key lockers, but I always thought they were kind of unsightly and I don’t really have a convenient place to locate one.

Over the past few years, various manufacturers have marketed electronic door locks, allowing occupants to access their homes. Long-life batteries mean access to one’s abode would be possible even during power outages and without keys. To make things more convenient, these locks can be programmed to allow temporary access for cat-sitters, AirBNB renters, the meter reader, or even someone coming in to perform repairs, all with the peace of mind that no one would be tempted to make a copy of that precious key. After all, my dad always said, “Locks keep honest people honest.” I think he’s right.

Igloohome’s Smart Deadbolt 02 such a beast. It’s a Bluetooth lock that can be programmed with up to 285 entry codes to allow single entry, duration or permanent access with different codes for each. It operates for up to 5000 cycles on four AA batteries has a low-battery warning and can even be “jump started” from outside using a 9-volt battery if the batteries die and the key isn’t available. In a pinch, I would be able to borrow the 9-volt battery from one of the garage door openers and be back in business… um,… in-side in a jiffy.

The smart deadbolt arrived securely packaged in a sturdy box. All the parts needed for installation, including a template to cut holes in the door, were included. Interestingly, the included manual provides the specifications, parts descriptions, features, pairing instructions, and app instructions, but do not have instructions for installation. For these, you’ll need to install the app and access the FAQs from Igloohome’s on-line database. Once there, the instructions are comprehensive with lots of illustrations. I decided to install the deadbolt on a rear garage entry door – one I almost never carry a key for, meaning I have to walk around to the front of the house, open the main door, and unlock it from inside, which is sometimes a frustrating stroll.

The body of the deadbolt is made of a zinc alloy and should resist the elements well. Installation is very similar to a conventional deadbolt, but with an additional mounting plate and wire joining the inside and outside panels. All the parts fit properly, with no fit or finish issues.

I installed the app and was able to easily pair the deadbolt and add a master password. The app isn’t the most elegant but gets the job done. Access codes can be added to allow someone to enter on once, over a preset duration based on date and time, or permanently. I think this could be really useful to allow a repair person or meter reader into the house once, or an AirBNB resident access only during their rental period. The app even keeps a record of when the deadbolt has been used. One-time lock codes can be set to expire within a specific time, meaning if the repair person is late, they’re not getting in. The app permits removal of individual unlock codes from the list of created codes, but they are retained until the entire list is deleted using the “Clear PIN List” function.

Opening the deadbolt from the keypad is simple. Touch the keypad to “wake up” the lock. The keypad illuminates a pleasant blue, enter the code, and press the # key. From the apps main screen, touching the padlock icon does the same thing. There is a feature called “”Easy Unlock,” that will unlock the deadbolt touching any single key, but only if the app is open and paired with the lock. Multiple Bluetooth “keys” can be made to the lock, allowing other family members to use this feature by scanning a QR code or via text message invitation and installing the app. Of course, a pair of conventional keys are included but requires removal of the outside dust cover with a pointed object. I doubt I’ll ever use them.

Locking the deadbolt from the inside is by manually turning the latch. From the outside, press and hold the # button for two seconds. It should be noted that the app cannot be used to lock the deadbolt – only unlock. This is unfortunate because checking the status of an entry door without having to go directly to the door would be a great feature. It would have been welcomed if the lock also had IP connectivity to remotely open, close or check status, but only Bluetooth is supported.

Overall, I’m pleased with this innovative product, but would welcome the ability to lock the deadbolt via the app. Internet IP connectivity would also have been a plus. Installing the Igloohome Smart Deadbolt has given me a little additional peace of mind. I don’t have to worry about my family being locked out of our home should the power go out. I don’t have to worry if my friendly neighbor is home or bother him. I can let people in (if I know they are coming in advance) and I can get into my garage without tromping around the house.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Igloohome. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Home and Kitchen

Igloohome Deadbolt 02 Digital smart Lock review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 6, 2017 at 8:59 am.

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Bedjet Model V2 review

This month, my Mrs. and I will celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary. Not a small feat in this day and age. Neither of had previous marriages and we didn’t cohabitate before we tied the knot. Archaic? Maybe, but it’s worked for us so far. We don’t have too many difficulties, despite having a mixed-race, multicultural home.

As long as people have been sharing beds together, there has been a fierce battle over the covers. I have a nightly duty to use my own body heat to keep my wife comfortable. This usually results in my tiny 4’11” spouse shoving my carcass out of our queen-size bed in a never-ending quest for warmth. I, on the other hand, try to stay cool and retreat sometimes opting for the “get up and go to the unoccupied side of the bed” strategy. Don’t misunderstand; I enjoy spooning with my spouse as much as the next guy, but there are some nights that I think she would freeze to death in the Sahara desert while I want to make snowballs with bare hands. Somehow we make it work, but never without some degree of blanket stealing, shivering or sweating. We occasionally joke about our sleeping arrangements, much to the chagrin of our daughters, but in the long run, it’s all good.

We’ve never been much for electric blankets because, in our experience, they lack the subtlety of control and made one happy and the other miserable. They also leave me sweaty. When given the opportunity to try out the Bedjet I thought it might be a great opportunity to better regulate our sleep comfort.

The Bedjet arrived in two boxes, one containing the dual-zone sheet and the other, the blower, nozzle, brackets, and hoses. Set up was deceptively easy. After unwrapping everything, the blower unit goes under the bed, hose attaches to the blower, bracket arm is placed between the mattress and box spring, the nozzle attaches to the other end of the hose and the nozzle is clipped into the bracket. The nozzle, placed under the sheets, can be placed in different locations around the mattress perimeter to direct the flow of air toward (or away from) slumbering residents. Plug it in, turn it on, install and setup the app – done! The whole process took less than five minutes. Bedjet has included a well-written, illustrated instruction manual, but I think most tech-savvy people won’t need it.

The hose leading from the blower to the nozzle is fairly bulky. This makes an odd bump under the comforter when the bed is made. It’s not terrible but does look a bit peculiar and I sometimes bump into it moving around the bedroom. It would be great if a flatter, lower-profile air hose was offered.

Included is a wireless remote control. It’ works great, but takes a goofy garage-door-opener-type, A23, batteries. Not a big deal, but I prefer to use the app.

The app connects to the base unit through Bluetooth and requires naming the base unit. The connection was simple, only needing a toggle of the wattage selection switch to pair. I elected to update the blower unit’s software, as it was offered as soon as the app connected. The app essentially duplicates the button layout of the included remote control but adds the capability of directly accessing fan speed and temperature, as well as saving preferred settings.

The dual-zone comforter is an interesting design. It is designed with air chambers on each side that can be independently fed from separate blower units. The chambers can be opened or closed to allow for use as a single zone or dual. Very clever. Since I currently have only one blower unit, I elected to open the baffles for use as a single zone.

Now the fun part… I fired up the blower on the turbo setting to warm the sheets, waited a few minutes and hopped into bed. The blower is quite quiet, especially on the slower speeds. At faster speeds, it’s audible but adds a bit of comforting white-noise to the room. What I experienced next was amazing, the sheets felt like they had just been pulled from the dryer – warm and toasty! I thought, “My wife is going to love this!” For years on chilly winter nights, my wife has asked me to jump into her side of the bed and use my own body heat to warm it up for her. Those days are gone. Now we can both jump into a snugly warm bed in just a few minutes and I don’t have to be a human hot water bottle. Nice! I don’t often say this, but, the Bedjet is truly luxurious. The blower is so powerful, at higher speeds, it lifts the comforter and a down blanket off the mattress. Wow!

While in operation, the blower unit has lights on it indicating power, blower speed, heating or cooling, and Bluetooth connection. I was initially thinking the lights would be distracting, maybe even keeping me awake (I’m a ludicrously light sleeper), but they pose no problem with the blower unit tucked under the bed.

Speaking of under the bed, the blower unit needs seven inches of clearance to stow properly. If that can’t happen, Bedjet offers a bracket that allows the blower unit to ride side-saddle next to the bed.

Next, I wanted to test the cooling functions. Because It has been unusually cool for August, I used the Bedjet to deliberately make the bed much warmer than I would be comfortable sleeping. Switching to the cooling mode, I was impressed how quickly the sheets went from hot to delightfully cool. The Bedjet doesn’t actually cool the air. It draws air from under the bed and since warm air rises, the coolest air in the room would naturally be on the floor. This cooling arrangement really works! I’m thrilled at the prospect of using less energy running the air conditioner on warmer nights. The timer functions are great for initial cooling or warming until the temperature is comfortable without needing to turn the system off.

The first few nights, my wife was a bit skeptical using the Bedjet, but rapidly saw the benefits, actually asking me to turn it on. Having used this product for a short time, I’m already hooked on the benefits. It’s a bit on the expensive side, but kicks the crap out of electric blankets, hot water bottles and using my own body heat to warm us my wife’s side of the bed. I can see a time in the near future we will invest in a second blower unit so we can make full use of this great product.

Source: The sample for this review was provided by Bedjet. Please visit their site for more info and Amazon to order.

Product Information

Price:	$399.00
Manufacturer:	Bedjet
Retailer:	Amazon
Pros:	Elegant solution for sleep comfort Luxurious!
Cons:	Expensive Remote uses odd batteries

Filed in categories: Reviews

Tagged: Home and Kitchen, Sleep

Bedjet Model V2 review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 2, 2017 at 9:00 am.

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