Having a robot vacuum in your home is pretty damn cool. There’s something about the peace of mind that comes with owning one, knowing it can put in the time when we don’t necessarily want to. Even better, it’s great that they can get a head start on cleaning the house in the event of guest.
We’re a few generations into robot vacuum cleaners and the kinks have been largely ironed out. Indeed, they’re one of those things that often work better than expected.
We’ve seen and used our share of smart/robot vacuum cleaners over the last few years. Offered at different price points, there are various features one might look for or need when considering one.
As is the case with other gadgets you can usually apply the old adage of “you get what you pay for” with robot vacuums. But, much like we’ve seen in headphones, speakers, and other tech, there’s something to be said about trying new brands. You can generally save a little bit of money if you go with a lesser-known company and still get the features you want or need.
Bagotte is one of those brands that we were only peripherally aware of, having hit our radar some time back. We’d not had any personal experience with the company but the chatter we picked up along the way seemed to suggest it was worth checking out.
Our team was provided a pair of robot vacuum cleaners (BG700, BG800) from Bagotte and we’ve had them running about the home and office for a few months now. And while they do share a handful of characteristics, we’re going to focus on the newer model, the BG800.
What is the Bagotte BG800?
A flat puck of a device, the Bagotte BG800 has the same general look as almost all robot vacuum cleaners. About three inches tall, it works on both hard surfaces and those with carpet. With a suction power that’s higher than most, it can be operated via voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
What are the BG800’s main features?
Whether you plan to run the vacuum manually via remote, by voice, or by a preset schedule, the BG800 is that quiet little assistant that goes about its business without drawing unwanted attention.
The Bagotte BG800 is built to run for about 40-50 minutes per charge. When it’s time to do so, it docks itself on a base and replenishes the battery.
There are 14 sensors built into the vacuum so it knows exactly where obstacles, walls, and other barriers are located. Indeed, it can even understand where stairs are and back away from them.
How does the BG800 perform?
The vacuum has a gorgeous, glossy finish that looks both modern and futuristic. Unfortunately, it takes all of one cycle before it picks up loose hair, dust, and dander — on the exterior. Fortunately, a damp cloth is all it takes to wipe it clean.
We appreciate the simple design and controls; the remote makes it easy to manage cleaning cycles, especially if you need to stop, start, or pause. Truth be told, once you get it connected to a Google Home, you can also just use your voice to handle your vacuum.
The mobile app gives you a decent look at the battery status and allows for many of the same controls in the physical remote. And while it doesn’t provide all that fine of detail, there is a map that helps you get a feel for the area that’s been cleaned.
The Bagotte BG800 is a great unit that handles its business without any fuss. We like running it on occasion here at the office. There’s not a lot of foot traffic and we rarely have any food, crumbs, or other dirt to worry about. With that said, the vacuum does a terrific job picking them up.
Robot vacuums generally have two ways of moving about an environment. Some bounce from wall and corner to another like a DVD player standby screen. Others, like the BG800 move with precise lines back and forth from one end the room to another.
There’s a certain piece of mind that comes with being able to watch your vacuum do its job, even if from the corner of your eye. And while those which bounce around seemingly random are effective, it’s hard to understand where it is in terms of completion.
In a related note, the BG800 comes with a roll of boundary strip that can be secured with 3M tape. The idea is that you can block off an area that you don’t want the vacuum to cover. Maybe you’ve got a section of a room that has a delicate rug or item that you’d prefer to clean on your own. Another idea might be to run it across a walkway to keep the vacuum from heading down a hall into another section of the home.
The last thing you want is a $250 item tumbling down the steps because you forgot to shut a door or put a baby gate up. We appreciate that the sensors can detect when the unit approaches steps, pausing, and backing away.
Other smart vacuum cleaners we’ve used have two sets of brushes to help sweep dirt under the unit. There’s only one present here and we noticed the difference. We found random areas where the vacuum didn’t seem to reach, but they’re usually corners tucked out of the way.
As much as we appreciate robot vacuums, we still use more traditional upright models to really get a deep clean. They’re often considerably stronger and more adaptable with accessories. It’s easier to get into corners and tight spaces and they’re helpful at all heights.
BG700 versus BG800
If you’re hesitant to invest money on a robot vacuum or don’t want to spend too much on an unfamiliar brand, consider the BG700. The previous generation runs about $100 less and features many of the same functions.
They’re nearly identical in size, have app and remote controls, work well on hard floors and low pile carpet, and can be outfitted with an optional water tank for a mopping-like clean.
For the extra money the BG800 will add the straight line cleaning with real-time mapping and the higher suction.
Conclusion
The Bagotte BG800 is less expensive than similar devices from other brands, but we think it’s worth the gamble. It’s a great stepping off point into the space and it won’t cost you all that much.
We’ve come to like the speed and flexibility of the Bagotte BG800; it’s also really quiet, too. It’s great to have a dependable vacuum that automatically cleans the office in and around the desk, cubicles, and shelves. Scheduling is nice, but so is using voice commands via Google Assistant.
Learn more about the BG800 and BG700 at Bagotte’s website where there are also links to purchase each through Amazon. As of today you can find the BG800 for about $237 with the BG700 going for as low as $130 in used condition.
