I have now owned the Bissell Smartclean for one week and have used it each day. There are many pros and cons I have found with this unit.
Pros:
1) It gets under the furniture with ease. It vacuums under my couch, coffee table and end tables in my living room with no problem. I am not able to get under those items with my standard vacuum cleaner too well, so this is a big plus that I don't have to move my furniture around so much to make sure it is getting cleaned underneath them.
2) It is easy to schedule cleaning time when you are away. I love the fact that the programming of when to clean was easier then I thought it would be. I can just set it and forget it. (Well, I do have to remember to empty the bin each time after cleaning, though.)
3) I have had no problem with it getting stuck on my rugs. If it can't get onto a rug it will back up and try again at a different angle. If that doesn't work it will just skip it and move on. So, I am glad it hasn't gotten hung up on them yet.
4) It transitions from my living room carpet to my hardware floor with no problems. From one to the other and back again, it hasn't given me any error messages and it doesn't skip a beat.
5) The bin that collects the debris is easy to remove from the unit and dump out in the garbage. This feature was a little worrisome for me, as I read a couple of reviews where it was hard for the people to access. It couldn't be much more straightforward/simple in my opinion. You open up the top cover, lift up the unit by the handle, open the compartment, dump, snap the compartment lid back on the container, set it back in the vacuum, and close the top of the vacuum again.
6) It has very good suction power. For the size of the unit, I am still amazed at the suction power this vacuum has. It has been able to pick up the smallest of dust specks to pea rock to my golden retrievers long fur with ease.
7) It runs quieter than my standard upright vacuum. It is still noisy, but it is quiet enough you can talk to someone else in the room without yelling. When my other vacuum is running, you can't even hear the TV. With this running in the same room, you can without increasing the volume level of whatever you are watching or listening too.
Cons:
1) It is not all that smart. It will vacuum over one section of the room three or four times and miss another section entirely. Vacuuming each day I hoped would solve the problem, but this vacuum must have been designed to vacuum a square room only instead of an entire floor plan involving a dining, living, and kitchen area.
2) It doesn't sense the walls and furniture too well that it is usually bumping into something. Luckily, the bumper helps it not do too much damage, but it should be able to sense better where it is in relation to larger objects. Plus, it always runs into its docking station while vacuuming. I would hope it knew where that at least was so it would go around it.
3) It does not like table/chair sets. It always gets trapped under my dining room table and chairs. I have now had to remove the chairs out of the room while it vacuums so it can get around things more efficiently. I maybe shouldn't complain about this as I have to remove the chairs to vacuum with my standard vacuum cleaner, but this means I cannot run this unit when I am at work unless I have the chairs removed from the room before I leave.
4) It cannot find its dock too easily. If it is in another room of the house, it will give up after some time and stop in the middle of the floor. The signal cannot travel through the wall and when the unit bumps into something, it turns and always drives in the opposite direction of where it should be going. When the unit quits in the same room, it is fine and can find the charging station. But, it meanders so randomly it takes awhile for it to find the signal. In all, it loses about 5 minutes of its time trying to find the station.
5) It does not come with the remote. I bought the remote from Bissell separately. Luckily, I found a promo code to get 10% off + free shipping. I didn't want to pay the extra expense, but it will help drive the unit out of where it gets stuck or help it find its charging dock with more ease.
6) If the sun is directly shining on the floor, it will not vacuum that spot. This must have to do with the sensor part where it thinks it might be falling down a staircase or something. I now program it to vacuum at night and it does much better.
7) It does not replace my standard vacuum cleaner, only supplements it. This is a real shame as this robot vacuum costs just as much as my standard upright did. I still have to haul out my standard vacuum on a regular basis to clean up in the spots this one misses.
8) It will get stuck in curtains and cords. You will need to hem up long drapes and tie up cords so they are not on the floor. I also need to be more weary of things laying around such as a throw that is draping from the couch. It makes one more diligent in picking up items though, so this could also be a benefit. :)
Things I have not tried.
1) Seeing if it actually won't fall down a staircase. This unit only runs on my first floor and I keep the door shut to my basement stairs.
2) The invisible wall. I haven't found use for it yet as I want it to clean the entire downstairs area.
3) Different speeds. I always keep it on the highest speed to make sure it is picking up all debris. I am sure if I ran it on a lower speed it would run quieter and not drain the battery as quick.
4) Plugging it directly into the outlet for charging. I have only used the charging dock to charge the unit.
Other Information:
I also made a YouTube video of me unpacking the unit from the box, setting it up, and running it around the house. You may watch the video if you want to learn more about this unit and how it performed for me in my house. If you want to see it, you can type, BISSELL SmartClean 1605 Vacuum Cleaning Robot - Product Setup & Review, into YouTube's search to find it.
Conclusion:
I would probably not buy this unit again if I had the opportunity. I feel that it does get the job done that I need it too, but just at a satisfactory level. When I first got the unit, I was overwhelmed with the stigma of having such a luxury. Now, after I had this a week, I can see where improvements could be made to make this unit more efficient. With how much it costs, it should help replace the standard upright vacuum more than just supplementing to the chore. As time goes on, I hope Bissell improves their product and then maybe I would be interested in upgrading. Until then, I am keeping the unit to do quick vacuum jobs while I am away to help keep on top of my vacuuming chore.
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From the manufacturer
BISSELL SmartClean 1605 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
The BISSELL SmartClean Robotic Vacuum gives you automatic, effective cleaning whenever you want, all over your home. Its powerful suction and unique brush roll design gather dust, debris, and hair so you don’t have to. Its navigation system provides excellent coverage, even under furniture, along edges and corners, and in other hard-to-reach places. SmartClean offers automatic return to its self-charging docking station, scheduling cleans when it’s convenient for you, and other fantastic, helpful features.
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Low ProfileGets under furniture and into tight spaces. |
Automatically AdjustsAdjusts to multiple surfaces like carpet, hard floors, and tile. |
Invisible Wall TechnologyKeeps the vacuum in the rooms you want to clean and out of the ones you don’t. |
BISSELL SmartClean Robotic Vacuum
automatically cleans your floors.
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Opticlean Optical SensorsSeek out dirt and debris, performing concentrated cleaning in your most heavily trafficked areas. |
Scheduled CleaningsSchedule cleanings for when it’s most convenient for you, up to seven times per week. |
Lithium Ion BatteryDelivers lasting, powerful, hands free cleaning - up to 80 minutes of run time on hard floors. |
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Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2016
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016
Where to start? It charges very fast and is relatively easy to operate once you read the instruction book and figure out the buttons & codes. The error codes are super easy to memorize and that's good because you'll see them often. The collection bin is easy to remove and clean out and this is also a good thing because it's tiny and you'll be emptying it multiple times per room. Well... multiple times assuming the machine actually picks anything up for you. The wheels are strong and it does actually move over surfaces pretty easily. Of course the brush that sweeps the debris up into the collection bin doesn't really make the transition as well from wood or tile to carpet. More on this in a bit.
The charging dock is a problem unto itself. It weighs far less than the vacuum unit. When the vacuum tries to set itself up to charge it can bump the dock and cause it to move. If your dock is on a wood floor and the vacuum gets in a robot induced spin of confusion this becomes a Monty Python type skit. I watched my Bissel robo vac chase it's charging dock down my hallway yesterday trying to park & charge, whacking the dock hard enough to cause it to slide a few inches away on the wood floor each time they touched. This silliness repeated over & over until the charging dock actually became unplugged from the wall! I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. I kept thinking "Dude! She's just not that into you."
The actual vacuuming is a problem here as well. On a basic tile floor with nothing but dry mud from our barn boots, the Bissel does fine - see the first two photos. If I could leave this unit in just the mud room and kitchen it would be fine. Using it in the foyer and dining room yields similar results - again simple wood floors and very little dog hair & some random dry shoe dirt, just the usual. The problems become very obvious on carpet. Transitioning from wood to carpet means the brush on the bottom of the machine rubs onto the carpet and deposits all the gathered dirt & hair & debris in a tidy little pile ONTO THE CARPET. You know... so I can use my real vacuum at my leisure later. See the last two photos.
The business of dropping piles of debris all over my carpet and any area rug it crosses had gone on every single time I have used this machine. I have cleaned it, I've checked to be sure the roller brush underneath is working properly, I've vacuumed with the big Dyson immediately before setting the little Bissel loose and it still happens. Despite having a big banner over the top that proclaims it's designed for pet hair, it is not suitable in any way shape or form for a house with any quantity of dog hair. I am giving this machine two stars - one for the simple amusement factor (my dogs think it's an indoor turtle and watching them stalk it cracks me up) and a second star because it is pretty good on bare tile floors with very limited amounts of dry dirt. Minus three stars for limited capacity, inability to reliably self dock & charge, and failure to actually vacuum more than just dry dusty dirt or actually do everything it claims.
Makes me laugh & curse, but doesn't actually vacuum well at all. See photos
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016
For ten days I have laughed out loud, cursed and finally just ignored this little robot vacuum cleaner for my own sanity. It seems like a great idea and if you live in a tiny house with nothing but tiny dust bunnies on slick floors then it might be a good idea. However, back here in my world... a big house with pets and a mix of tile, wood and carpet on the floors this machine is next to useless in most applications.Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2016
Where to start? It charges very fast and is relatively easy to operate once you read the instruction book and figure out the buttons & codes. The error codes are super easy to memorize and that's good because you'll see them often. The collection bin is easy to remove and clean out and this is also a good thing because it's tiny and you'll be emptying it multiple times per room. Well... multiple times assuming the machine actually picks anything up for you. The wheels are strong and it does actually move over surfaces pretty easily. Of course the brush that sweeps the debris up into the collection bin doesn't really make the transition as well from wood or tile to carpet. More on this in a bit.
The charging dock is a problem unto itself. It weighs far less than the vacuum unit. When the vacuum tries to set itself up to charge it can bump the dock and cause it to move. If your dock is on a wood floor and the vacuum gets in a robot induced spin of confusion this becomes a Monty Python type skit. I watched my Bissel robo vac chase it's charging dock down my hallway yesterday trying to park & charge, whacking the dock hard enough to cause it to slide a few inches away on the wood floor each time they touched. This silliness repeated over & over until the charging dock actually became unplugged from the wall! I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes. I kept thinking "Dude! She's just not that into you."
The actual vacuuming is a problem here as well. On a basic tile floor with nothing but dry mud from our barn boots, the Bissel does fine - see the first two photos. If I could leave this unit in just the mud room and kitchen it would be fine. Using it in the foyer and dining room yields similar results - again simple wood floors and very little dog hair & some random dry shoe dirt, just the usual. The problems become very obvious on carpet. Transitioning from wood to carpet means the brush on the bottom of the machine rubs onto the carpet and deposits all the gathered dirt & hair & debris in a tidy little pile ONTO THE CARPET. You know... so I can use my real vacuum at my leisure later. See the last two photos.
The business of dropping piles of debris all over my carpet and any area rug it crosses had gone on every single time I have used this machine. I have cleaned it, I've checked to be sure the roller brush underneath is working properly, I've vacuumed with the big Dyson immediately before setting the little Bissel loose and it still happens. Despite having a big banner over the top that proclaims it's designed for pet hair, it is not suitable in any way shape or form for a house with any quantity of dog hair. I am giving this machine two stars - one for the simple amusement factor (my dogs think it's an indoor turtle and watching them stalk it cracks me up) and a second star because it is pretty good on bare tile floors with very limited amounts of dry dirt. Minus three stars for limited capacity, inability to reliably self dock & charge, and failure to actually vacuum more than just dry dusty dirt or actually do everything it claims.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
Amazon Customer
Clean pretty good. But gets lost and can't find way ...
Reviewed in Canada on January 27, 2017Jean Amazon Customer
Good if no mats or carpets are in it's way.
Reviewed in Canada on April 5, 2017
