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Three kids, a dog and a never-ending supply of crumbs. Here’s why a robot vacuum and mop has become my favourite household member.
Meet Baymax. He’s white, round, has two black eyes and is officially the most self-sufficient member of my household.
He vacuums. He mops. He empties his own dustbin, washes his own mop pads and politely sends me a notification when he needs attention. Unlike the children, he doesn’t need to be asked twice.
Baymax is our Roborock robot vacuum and mop, and in a house with three kids and a dog, he’s easily one of my favourite purchases.
But is a Roborock actually worth the investment? Especially if, like me, you remember when robot vacuums were more trouble than they were worth?
Here’s my experience.
Why I Finally Gave Robot Vacuums Another Chance
About fifteen years ago, we owned one of the early robot vacuums.
It was a disaster.
Between tangled cords, dirty corners and constantly getting stuck, I spent more time rescuing the thing than I would have spent vacuuming myself. So when a colleague recommended Roborock, I was sceptical. But after hearing how much robot vacuum technology had improved, I decided to give it another go.
And from the moment I lifted Baymax out of his box, it was a completely different experience. The setup was straightforward, the app was easy to navigate, and suddenly I had a little robot taking care of one of the most repetitive jobs in the house.
Not to be dramatic, but I have had Baymax for two years now and may never go back.
What I Love About My Roborock Robot Vacuum and Mop
1. It Vacuums and Mops Without Me Getting Involved
With three kids and a dog, our floors take an absolute beating.
There’s always something. Crumbs after breakfast, dog hair, dirt tracked in from outside and whatever mysterious debris seems to materialise underneath the dining table. Baymax handles the everyday vacuuming and mopping while I get on with more important things. Like drinking my coffee while it’s still hot.
My favourite feature is that he also empties his own dustbin and washes his mop pads at the docking station. He even has his own sleek white tower tucked away in our laundry. Frankly, he’s better organised than most of the family.
Heard enough? Jump over to Amazon and read more about Roborock vacuums.
2. I Can Keep Him Out of the Kids’ Bedrooms
One of the most useful features of the Roborock app is the ability to customise which rooms get cleaned.
I’ve set Baymax up to avoid all three kids’ bedrooms. Not because he can’t clean them. Because those rooms are a minefield. Between toys, clothes and things I’d rather not identify, I’d probably have to start paying him hazard money if he ventured inside.
Fortunately, I can select which rooms to clean or exclude through the app. So Baymax handles the shared living spaces while I continue my ongoing campaign to convince the children to clean their own rooms.
3. Alexa Means I Can Start Cleaning Without Lifting a Finger
Home hack: You can schedule this vacuum to start running at a certain time each day. But I prefer to initiate it. Connect a compatible Roborock robot vacuum to Alexa and use voice commands to start cleaning. It’s one of my favourite little home automation tricks. I can be sitting with my morning coffee, ask Alexa to start the vacuum, and Baymax gets straight to work.
No arguing. No negotiating. No dramatic sighing.
For the first time in my parenting career, I can ask someone to vacuum the floor and they actually do it. Immediately.
I’m considering teaching the kids to respond to Alexa commands next.
4. It Takes Care of the Little Jobs Too
One of the things I appreciate most about Baymax is that he doesn’t demand much attention. When his sensors need cleaning, he sends me a notification. I don’t have to remember when I last checked them or spend my time trying to figure out why he’s stopped working. Of course, he still needs occasional maintenance. He’s a robot vacuum, not actual magic.
But compared with our first attempt at robot vacuum ownership fifteen years ago, the difference is enormous.
Is a Roborock Worth It for Families With Kids and Pets?
For our family, absolutely.
What makes Baymax worthwhile isn’t just that he vacuums and mops. It’s that I no longer have to think about cleaning the floors every single day. And when you have three kids, a dog and a household to keep running, removing one repetitive job from the mental load is a pretty big win.
That said, a robot vacuum isn’t necessarily for everyone.
Before buying, consider:
- The price: A self-emptying robot vacuum and mop is a bigger investment than a basic vacuum.
- Floor clutter: You’ll still need to keep cables, small toys and other obstacles out of the way.
- Maintenance: The dock, mop pads and sensors still need occasional attention.
- Your layout: Think about how well a robot vacuum will work with your flooring, rugs, stairs and room configuration.
For me, the convenience has been worth it. But I’d recommend choosing a model based on the features you’ll genuinely use rather than paying for every available extra.
The Baymax Makeover: Yes, I Gave My Robot Vacuum a Face
Full disclosure: Roborock vacuums do not come with adorable little Baymax eyes.
I added those myself.
A little black vinyl, my Cricut machine and suddenly our robot vacuum had a personality. Because apparently even my cleaning appliances need a craft project. If you’d like to give your own robot vacuum a makeover, I’ll share how I created Baymax’s face in a separate DIY tutorial.
My Verdict: The Household Member I Never Have to Nag
Would I buy a Roborock again?
Yes.
Baymax isn’t going to pick up the kids’ school bags, put the laundry away or solve the mystery of why every single drinking glass ends up in a bedroom. But he does keep our shared floors clean without me having to drag out the vacuum every day.
And that’s one less thing on my never-ending to-do list. If you’re thinking about starting your own home automation journey, a robot vacuum is a pretty good place to start.
Build your own little robot army.
It’s the closest thing I’ve found to having a house elf.
Lexi’s verdict: Love that anyone in the family can say "Alexa, start vacuuming" and Baymax jumps to help. He's low maintenance, well designed and effective. What more could you want?
Loved
- No more hauling a vacuum around
- Starts cleaning with a simple voice or app command
- Automatically varies suction for rugs vs floor boards
- Empties it's own Dust Pan into a central bag
- Washes (and dries) his own mops
- Refills & empties his water for mopping (from a tower tank that I fill up once a week)
- One dust bag (located in the tower) lasts me about a month of daily vacuuming.
Not so much
- He obviously can't go up stairs. Stair vacuuming is still a kid chore.
- I do still do a quick floor check to ensure everything gets cleaned – no obstacles for him to go around
- Stay on top of emptying & refilling the tower's water tanks. The dirty tank can get icky if left too long. I do this once a week.
- The dog doesn't love Baymax as much as I love him. But they avoid each other.

