Roombas make your life easier. There is no denying it. These smart devices can clean your house and make it shine with minimum help and effort from your side. Roombas often become intangible parts of people’s daily needs. Most Roombas come with an app that can be downloaded on your phone to change the settings and to manage the controls of your Roomba.
But what if you don’t have your smartphone with you? Or what if you are someone who doesn’t use smartphones at all, but would like to have a Roomba? Is it possible to operate a Roomba without a smartphone? Let’s see.
Is it possible?
Yes, it is absolutely possible to use a Roomba even if you don’t have a smartphone or even if you don’t have any smart device. In case you have an i-pad or an android tablet, then you can download the Roomba’s app on that device and operate it just like it is done on smartphones. The app is compatible with any device that has an internet or Wi-Fi connection.
However, if you don’t have any smart devices, you can do the registration procedures and other functions on the official website. Basically, the work of an app is to let you operate your Roomba remotely. It isn’t a necessity for your Roomba to function.
How to use a Roomba without a smartphone?
To use your Roomba without a smartphone, you will first need to register it on the official website using the bar code, serial number, and other details about your Roomba.
Coming to the cleaning part, there is a clean button on the Roomba, and you just need to push that button to start cleaning. It might take you Roomba a couple of rounds to figure out the passes. But even without the app, the device is capable of auto-determining passes. It will form an idea by auto-detecting the spaces and checking the battery level at the end of a cleaning cycle.
If something is wrong with the Roomba, or if there is an issue, the Roomba is capable of informing you about the issue briefly. You can then go on to the website and solve the issue if it is related to the software or settings. If the issue is something external you can easily solve it without going to the website. The Roomba will keep repeating itself every couple of minutes until you resolve its issue.
The Roomba goes back to its home on its own when cleaning is done, so you won’t need any device to do that either. So using a Roomba without a smartphone or any other device is absolutely possible. Your functions will be limited and you might have to put in a little extra effort, like emptying its bin manually, but apart from these, it is totally possible to use a Roomba without a smartphone or any other smart device.
What are the cons of using a Roomba without a smart device?
You cannot schedule a cleaning
The app gives you an option to schedule a cleaning round whenever you want. This feature cannot be accessed without an app. You can always click the ‘clean’ button and go about your work. But you cannot clean while you are away from your home.
You might miss updates and other messages regarding error
The Roomba’s app can give you constant updates about your device and provide you with error messages if there is something wrong with your device. Without the app, you have no other way of receiving these updates and error messages. However, if you have any other smart device with a wi-fi connection, you can still get these. You don’t necessarily need a smartphone only to get these notifications. Additionally, the Roomba is capable of informing you about errors too.
During the first few runs, you might have to empty the bin many times
When you use the Roomba the first couple of times, the bin fills up really fast and you have to manually empty it out. The self-emptying function of Roombas is only available on the app, therefore you have to empty it every time.
But after the first few times, you won’t have to empty the Roomba’s bin so often. In fact, in most cases, you won’t need to clean it even once during the process and can empty the bin after the cleaning is done.
You have to manually start it and send it home
As mentioned before, the app lets you remotely control the Roomba. On the app, you can either schedule a cleaning or you can start it on your phone. But without a smartphone, you will have to manually push the start button to start cleaning. After emptying the bins, you will have to press the home button to send it home.
Conclusion
If you have any smart device, then there should be no problem in remotely controlling your Roomba. However, even when there is no smart device available, using a Roomba isn’t difficult. You might need to do a little extra work to use a Roomba without a smartphone, but when you compare the effort to that of cleaning your entire house manually, it might feel like no effort at all.
However, you might want to stick to Roombas that are more basic in their design and don’t require the app for a lot of functions. If you buy an expensive Roomba that is highly app-dependent, then it will only be a waste of money as you won’t be able to access those functions at all. If you want your Roomba to do just basic cleaning, then you can just buy a basic model and nothing too fancy.
It would be a good idea to talk to the executive at the shop or do your research online to find out which Roomba can be the best for someone who doesn’t use a smartphone. There are many options available and you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
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