Best Robot Vacuums and Roomba that don’t need wi-fi
Are you looking out for the best robot vacuum without wifi? We might have an answer for you.
Do robot vacuums or Roomba need wi-fi? Not always!
And do you want to learn specifically about Roomba options without wi-fi? You are in the right place! Looks like you are the type who is looking for something simple and practical that just works.
We will present to you the 3 best robot vacuums which work without wi-fi followed by a section exclusively on Roomba vacuums without wi-fi connection.
This article will also compare the wifi-deficient robotic cleaners against the wifi-enabled ones while highlighting who should be getting what and why.
Let us start off with three of the best no wi-fi robot vacuums to choose from.
3 of the Highest-rated robot vacuums without Wi-Fi
#1 PROSCENIC M7 PRO ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER
Check out the Proscenic M7 Pro Robot Vacuum which works without wi-fi
Appearing #1 in the list of the best robot vacuum without wifi is the Proscenic m7 pro robot vacuum. Besides a remote and the buttons on the device, the Proscenic m7 pro is app and voice compatible. Wait, app and voice? Don’t these require wifi?
The voice and app controls of the Proscenic communicate over the internet except that this feature is OPTIONAL. The remote it ships with allows you to start, stop, dock, schedule cleaning runs, and spot-clean. The app allows for marking zones, naming/dividing rooms, and selecting rooms for cleaning. If you aren’t interested in its mapping function though–or in other words, if you don’t live in a large, multi-story house; don’t have pets or kids or complicated floor plans; have primarily hard floors (Proscenic m7 pro is a hybrid model w/o the option to actively avoid carpets)–the remote is adequate and there is almost no need to set it up on the app.
Related: Proscenic robot vacuum reviews
#2 ILIFE V5s PRO ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER
If you’re looking for a robot vacuum without wifi and find the Proscenic m7 Pro to be out of your budget or its offerings way more than your needs, then you should check out the iLife v5s Pro–a more handy, practical, and budget-friendly alternative.
For a bit more context, the iLife v5s Pro only uses a remote (no app or Alexa or Google) and doesn’t support the mapping function or over-the-air updates. The remote allows you to start, stop, dock, schedule cleaning runs, and spot-clean.
The iLife v5s Pro is very effective at cleaning. It can run up to 100 minutes on a single charge and besides its decent suction and airflow that gets optimum use in open areas along with wall edges/corners, the suction inlet also allows the iLife v5s robot vacuum to cope well with hair. Reduced tangling tendencies translate into reduced upkeep and potential savings on replacement brush rolls.
On top of the reduced ongoing expenses on parts, the iLife v5s Pro is just under $200 on Amazon.
Do understand that intelligence and convenience have been sacrificed for affordability and simplicity on the iLife v5s Pro. Its random pathing and lack of mapping, auto-resume, and auto-empty functions mean increased potential jamming/coverage issues and/or prolonged/abandoned cleaning jobs.
Regardless, the iLife v5s Pro vacuuming and mopping robot should meet your needs if you…
- Live in a small (~600sqft), uncluttered home
- Want vacuuming + mopping
- Have hardwood floors, tile, or laminate
- Have pets or people with long hair
- Don’t live in a multi-level home
- Don’t have dark-colored floors
- Aren’t interested in personalization
- Don’t plan to use completely unattended
#3 GOOVI 1600PA ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER
Check out the GOOVI 1600PA robot vacuum cleaner
The Goovi 1600PA robot vacuum concludes this list of the best robot vacuum without wifi. To avoid needless repetition, think of the Goovi 1600PA as the iLife v5s Pro (#2 above) without the mopping function and with the suction inlet. Or in plain terms: the Goovi 1600PA robot vacuum is budget-friendly and effective at cleaning; has straightforward, effective, and reliable operations (remote-controlled); follows a random cleaning path; and lacks mapping, auto-dirt empty, and auto-resume functions.
Also read: Full Review (include pros and cons) of the Goovi 1600PA Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
That mentioned, get the Goovi 1600PA vacuuming robot if you:
- Live in a small (~600sqft), uncluttered home
- Have dark-colored floors
- Have hard floors, carpets (low- and medium-pile), and moderately shedding, short-haired pets
- Don’t live in a multi-level home
- Don’t plan to run completely unattended
- Aren’t interested in personalization
- Don’t want the mopping function
Best Roomba without wi-fi
Can you use Roomba without wi-fi?
Yes you can use Roomba even without a wi-fi connection. As you would expect, some of the functionalities might not still be available without wi-fi but you can still get basic output from your Roomba without wi-fi. Note that you will lose on features such as mobile push notifications and cleaning maps if you use Roomba without wi-fi.
Does Roomba require wi-fi?
No, wi-fi is not a necessity to use a Roomba for cleaning your house. Roomba comes with its own set of options to use it without having a wi-fi connection. You can use the available offline buttons on Roomba to do basic functions. For example with the Clean button Roomba will start the cleaning, pressing the Home button will get the device to go to its charging spot and Spot Clean gets Roomba to focus on cleaning particular areas.
How to turn off wi-fi on Roomba?
If you are opting for a factory reset for your Roomba then be aware that it will wipe out all existing settings. If you want to go ahead then press the 3 buttons together for 10 seconds – Clean, Spot Clean and Home.
Which is the best Roomba without wi-fi?
One of the best Roomba that works well without wi-fi as well is the iRobot Roomba 890 Robot Vacuum.
Comparing general features of robot vacuums with and without wi-fi
Under this section, the implications of market demands, privacy, usability, and controls/settings will be discussed with regards to a robot vacuum’s wi-fi capability or lack thereof.
MARKET DEMANDS
Simply put, the odds are against the remote/manually controlled robot vacuums in terms of production/availability. The market favors the app-enabled robots and with less and less of the no-wifi robots being produced, parts may eventually become unavailable/difficult to find or afford, especially since the brands that care about producing items in this category care very little about parts and accessories.
PRIVACY/SECURITY
The manually controlled options win here if you aren’t comfortable with a camera on wheels patrolling your home or are concerned about a company in China having access to your data. This is because registering to use an app-enabled robot usually involves handing off personal details like name, email, phone location, etc. On top of that, there are units such as the Roomba i7 or the Roborock s6 maxv that use cameras for navigation/obstacle recognition & avoidance.
USABILITY AND RELIABILITY
Unlike the app-controlled options where a firmware update fixes an issue while (possibly) breaking another–and then you have to wait for the next update– the without-wifi robotic vacuum cleaners work anytime, every time. On the other hand, the app-enabled bots have advanced units in their lineup with premium features (methodical routing, auto-dirt emptying, auto recharge & resume, keep-out zones, etc.) that significantly impacts cleaning performance and user experience.
CUSTOMIZATION AND CONTROLS
Scheduling one cleaning each day, commanding stop, pause, and dock, and the ability to change power levels are the personalization and controls/settings available in the manually-controlled robovacs. Restricting their activity usually involves using unsightly magnetic strips or bulky, less effective blocks.
The app-controlled robovacs on the other hand, particularly the premium models, allow room-specific and multiple-times-a-day scheduling. Not only that, with the wifi-enabled automatic vacs you can clean specific areas/rooms, or create barriers in-app to condone the bot off unwanted areas.
With wifi or without wifi: Which robot vacuums to buy?
- Get the w/o wifi robot vacuum if you’re a non-tech person or buying for a non-tech person. Aged parents for example–these categories of users will best appreciate the simple operations (no complicated setup or quirky app) and controls (buttons on the device and/or remote) of a wifi-deficient floor vacuum cleaner.
- Because they don’t have cameras, get a unit without wifi support if you prioritize privacy/want to reduce security risk.
- Get one of the without wifi vacuum robots if you want simplicity and reliability since they don’t receive firmware updates that can break features/usability.
- Get one of the no-wifi robovacs if pricing is an important factor knowing they typically sell within the $200 price mark.
- Get one of the w/wifi robot vacuums if you want efficiency and convenience as they’re feature-rich and advanced, with the ability to receive firmware updates for bug fixes and usability improvements.
Conclusion
The without wi-fi vacuum robots clearly aren’t as efficient (they rely on persistence as against intelligence of the premium models) and coupled with their shoestring offerings – cleaning could be delayed and/or gets more demanding. On the upside, the without wifi vacuum robots are reasonably priced and suitable for multiple floorings (high-pile rugs are exceptions) and user types.
The Proscenic m7 Pro emerged as the top pick given its logical pathing, near-flawless operations, and tons of control and customization options. Proscenic is quite pricey, though, which explains the inclusion of the Goovi 1600 PA and iLife v5s Pro being more budget-friendly and practical alternatives that pack just as enough cleaning power without compromising privacy and usability.
Further reading
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