If window cleaning is the work that you really don’t want to do in the spring, then you definitely need to have a robot. People, who live on the 5th or 8th floor, have windows that do not open, a conservatory or a terrace, are the ones who are most happy about having the robots. Window cleaning robots are especially useful in commercial premises, in cleaning office or shop windows.

Robots need a power source to operate. So, they are wired (use electricity) or wireless (operate powered by a battery). 

 Wired robots (recommended) 

Wired robots can work without interruption, they do not need to be recharged. So, you can wash the windows whenever you want and as many times as you need. In the event of a power outage, due to built-in emergency batteries, such robots do not fall to the ground. 

 Wireless robots 

Wireless robots have built-in batteries, that need to be charged periodically. Battery charging takes about 2 hours, and after a full charge, the robots operate for about 30-60 minutes (duration may vary depending on the model). So, the cleaning process takes longer and needs to be planned in advance.

Robots can clean not only windows, but also mirrors, tiles, shower cabins, terraces, conservatory glasses, etc. Some models can even clean the TV screen and uneven surfaces.

People, who have window robots, encounter a problem – their robots cannot reach edges and corners. Some manufacturers have solved this problem by creating square-shaped devices, because such a design makes it easier to adapt to the edges of the window. In terms of “Hester M2-PRO “, its angles are also rounded – it not only cleans corners and edges, but also does not damage and scratch the window frame.

The maintenance of the robot is minimal – all you have to do is wash the cloths, clean the castors and charge the battery. It is recommended to wash the cloths after each cleaning by hand or in the washing machine, at a low temperature of up to 30 degrees, without using a fabric softener and other rinsing agents. The castors and caterpillars are also recommended to be cleaned after each cleaning with a damp cloth so that they will not leave traces on the glass. If the robot is a battery powered, then it needs to be charged as specified in the user manual.

Window robots are held onto the surface to be cleaned in two ways: by a powerful vacuum pump or by a magnetic connector.

The robots with the magnetic connector are fixed on one side of the window and the magnet on the other. This can be a problem if the windows are partitioned or unbraced.

Vacuum robots such as the Hester M2-PRO are more convenient as they do not have any additional attachments, and a safety rope is recommended for additional fall protection.

 The robot is smart and, therefore, it does almost all the work itself. All you have to do is to put on the cloths, connect the robot to the mains and attach the safety rope. When the robot is ready for work, place it on the surface and, after pressing the power button, specify the cleaning program. If your robot does not have an automatic liquid spray function, then you will have to manually moisten the cloths and the surface being cleaned.

Various protection systems are installed to ensure smooth and safe operation of window robots. The main of the are: 

• Powerful vacuum pump – it ensures strong suction of the robot to the surface being cleaned;

• Sensor edge detection – it prevents the robot from falling down during the cleaning of frameless surfaces;

• Extra power batteries – keep the device on the window in case of power cuts.

• Safety rope – when the robot slips off of the surface being cleaned, the rope keeps it in the air and prevents from crashing.

The robots we have tested (and many other modern devices) are equipped with the aforementioned protection systems. Use them to ensure long service life of the device. After charging an emergency battery and attaching the safety rope, the robot will not fall off the surfaces being cleaned.

The cleaning programs point the way for the robot, that is, the direction of movement. The programs differ in stages of operation, combinations of directions, other additional functions. 

“Hester M2-PRO”  has 3 programmes – vertical, horizontal and vertical-horizontal.

“Evvis Robot” moves vertically, horizontally and vertically-horizontally.

“Hobot-388” also has 3 programs, but it moves vertically and diagonally. 

“Cecotec Conga Windroid 980 Connected” is said to have 5 cleaning stages: it moistens the surface, rubs, dislodges dirt, washes it off and dries the surface. However, your help will also be needed in moistening the cloths or replacing them with new ones, just like in other robots. 

“Ecovacs Winbot 880” has Deep Clean and Spot programs, which clean multiple times in the same directions or a certain point for a longer time.

All the window robots, that have been tested, are controlled by remote control or smartphone. To control it by telephone, you need to download and install a special app on the robot and, in addition, watch the telephone for it to stay charged. 

Both methods of control are intended to indicate cleaning programs, directions of movement, return to the starting point or repeated washing in places where it is required. 

All 5 tested models automatically return to the starting point. So, there is no need to manually navigate in order to reach the robot and place it on another surface. Unfortunately, there are still robots on the market that do not clean the window completely and stop at random places.

In all cases, we recommend using only the fluid specified by the manufacturer of the robot. If, however, no fluid has been specified by the manufacturer, then use a cleaning fluid that does not foam and does not leave a film on the surface resulting from chemicals it contains.

Each manufacturer states specific indications. But, as a standard, robots are not recommended to be used during the rain, when snow is falling or when the temperature drops below +5°C. In such weather conditions, the device may not get attached reliably to the window and fall down.

During the robot testing, we noticed that the cleaning cloths have a significant impact on the efficiency of the process, because they absorb different amount of dirt and moisture. For example, the “Winbot 880” cloths had to be changed often. If this is not done in time, then traces are left on the surface that is being cleaned. Experience with the “Hester M2-PRO” cloths was completely different. They cleaned the same windows without leaving traces, even though we changed the cloths less often. The “Hester M2-PRO ” cloths are thicker, softer, their fibres are longer. The manufacturer also ensured reliable attachment of the cloth, it never slipped off, which we can’t say about “Winbot 880”.

Wet cleaning

Window cleaning robots usually have two cleaning modes – wet and dry. Only cloths are needed for the dry mode, while the wet mode also requires a fluid to moisten the surface or cloths. 

Manual moistening

• All what needs to be done is to periodically remove the robot from the surface being cleaned and, depending on the type of the robots, spray the cloths or the surface being cleaned with a fluid. 

Automatic moistening

• The robot is equipped with an automatic spraying system, which releases fluid and moistens the surface.

 Advantages of automatic moistening

The automatic system is much more convenient because there is no need to watch the cloths to prevent from drying out and to moisten them each time by yourself. The dried off cloths may leave traces and leave the windows uncleaned. Therefore, automatic moistening really facilitates work and you can be sure that you will not have to re-wash the windows. All you have to do is to fill the tank of the robot with a fluid. The capacity of the “Hester M2-PRO ” tank is 45 ml, which is enough to clean the room-height windows in the living room, because the robot distributes the fluid with the help of two metal nozzles, 0.1 ml during each spray. This significantly reduces the fluid consumption and increases cleaning efficiency.

 Window cleaning robots have powerful motors, which make noise when they operate. To reduce the noise, the manufacturers install sound insulation systems, which reduce the emitted sound to about 60-70 dB. The sound of 60 dB is equal to laughter, while the sound of 70 dB – to the hum of the hair dryer. Therefore, a difference of as many as 10 decibels is quite significant when we talk about a quite environment at home.

The “Hester M2-PRO” is powerful, but silent. Its 80 W motor emits a sound of up to 60 dB. Other robots emit a sound of 70 dB, because they are slightly more powerful than the “Devvis” robot. But we did not notice that it has a big impact on the difference of the duration of the operation.

While moving on the surface, the robot may encounter unexpected obstacles. The size of the robot, will prevent it from overcoming those obstacles. If it will not fit between the window and the window handle, the robot will do washing around them and, as a result, there will remain uncleaned spots. The narrower and smaller the robot, the better it cleans hard-to-reach places. 

Thickness – up to 12 cm

The thickness of the robots, that are available on the market, varies between 8 and 12 cm. The smaller the dimensions of the robot, the narrower surfaces it can wash. 

“Hester M2-PRO” is only 8 cm thick and it, therefore, it may reach the places which other robots cannot. This model is the “slimmest” of those, that have been tested, and one of the thinnest on the market.

Weight – up to 5 kg

On average, robots can weigh between 1 and 5 kilograms, or more. The robot needs power to reliably attach to the surface, and the more it weighs, the more power is needed. So, a heavier robot not only works louder, but it also consumes more electricity. The “Hester M2-PRO” weights 1.5 kg. Such a weight is optimal for smooth and economical work, that does not disturb the peace.