If I mention the Thermomix brand, you'll probably recognize it, but what about Kobold? This company might not ring a bell, or at least not as much as Thermomix, but both belong to the same Vorwerk group, though they specialize in different things: one makes kitchen robots, while the other manufactures vacuum cleaners. And today I want to talk to you about one of these gadgets. I've been testing the Kobold VR300 robot vacuum cleaner, and today I'm going to share my experience with it.
Kobold VR300 video review
Robot vacuum cleaner: specific vs versatile
Since the use of smart robots at home became fashionable, I have been lucky enough to try different types of this equipment. From those whose operation was based on walking forward until bumping into something and rectifying, others somewhat more intelligent where certain sensors were already included or, even, robots with an exclusive task such as vacuuming or scrubbing and others more versatile that did both tasks.
And this is exactly the case with the VR300, since it is a robot focused solely on the task of sweeping and vacuuming. Is this type of equipment better or should I opt for something more versatile? That is exactly what I ask myself every time a robot with these characteristics passes through my hands and what I want to answer in this analysis. But let's not get ahead of the game and first take a look at everything the Kobold VR300 has to offer.
In cleaning, design also matters
One of the important aspects of this type of equipment is its design and the accompanying accessories. Depending on its shape and height, it can access different areas of your home for cleaning with varying degrees of ease. The VR300 has a "D" shape , which makes it easier to reach corners compared to other models with a completely circular shape. Furthermore, its height of 9 centimeters from the floor is also an advantage .
As for the components, in its box they accompany it:
- main brush: this is in charge of collecting most of the dirt with its 1.800 revolutions per minute at full operation.
- Side brush: although it also collects everything that is on its way and makes the main job easier, this brush is essential for cleaning corners and places that are difficult to access.
- dirt container: where all the dust, hair and, ultimately, all the dirt that the robot captures in its path is stored. This has a capacity of 0,53 liters.
- tank filter
- Charging base
All of this is complemented by its more than 15 sensors that allow it to navigate precisely and intelligently. Ultrasonic and infrared sensors enable it to avoid obstacles such as doors, furniture, or even stairs without any problems and continue with its cleaning task.
Few, if any, faults I can put at the VR300 in this regard during my tests. My house is a standard home with standard decoration, with easier access points and other more complex ones. This robot has gone through all of them without any problem, cleaning under the table and in corners, leaving everything quite clean. In my case I do not have stairs, but I have been able to verify that it detects a large part of the obstacles without problems and easily dodges them. Of course, like the rest of this type of equipment, smaller ones such as cables or the legs of a portable clothesline for example continue to resist.
Creation of maps and cleaning modes
Another fundamental aspect of these devices today is the possibility of managing them from our own smartphone. On this occasion, Vorwerk has a fairly simple and intuitive app in which we can create the maps, switch between the different cleaning modes, create limits and other interesting things.
The first thing we must do is synchronize our robot with the app, something very simple if we follow the steps that it will indicate. Once inside, we must create the first map of our home. But it will not be the only one that this vacuum cleaner can memorize, since, if we have a house with several floors from the application, we can make it memorize all of them by clicking on "add map".
Now yes, we will have at our disposal all the possibilities that this app offers us. In it we can:
- Divide our house by rooms or groups of rooms: Thanks to this functionality we can tell the VR300 to clean a room or group of rooms in a timely manner, without having to complete the entire map of our house. In my case, I have created a group of 2 rooms including the living room and the kitchen with the name "Daily" so that they are the ones the robot passes through every day. We can do all this from the “Cleaning area” menu.
- Limit access virtually: in this same menu where we can create the different rooms is where we will have the possibility of adding virtual limits through which the robot cannot pass. In this way, if you have a place in your house with always loose cables or small objects, this limit will make cleaning the robot not a daily odyssey.
- Schedule cleanings: This is not something innovative within the market of these gadgets for the home. We can create schedules for the vacuum cleaner to start and clean our house. But, the best thing about this model is that we can select different cleaning zones depending on the programs what we believe An example of all this might be to create a schedule for Monday to Friday to clean that group of "Daily" and then, on the weekend, set another schedule for it to do a full house cleaning.
- Switch between different maps saved.
- Perform spot cleaning: if you need the Kobold vacuum cleaner to pass only through a specific place or you require a deeper cleaning, you can use this functionality. From the corresponding menu you can choose between the different options that it gives us (such as the ECO mode for a job more silence, cleaning with double power or a specific area of 4 x 4 meters) and activate it by clicking on "Start". Of course, this should be combined with the manual cleaning option or use the carrying handle to take her to the area where you need her to work punctually.
- Check battery status and alerts: from this application we can see the battery level What does our robot have? In addition, we will receive notification if you need us to let's empty the tank, if it has been stuck or every time finish your work and return to the base.
Back home to recharge batteries
And now that I've mentioned the charging base, let's talk about a vital aspect of robot vacuums: their battery life . The Kobold VR300 has a battery life that, according to Vorwerk, can last for 60 minutes at full performance . And, if we select ECO mode , it would last up to 90 minutes cleaning an area of up to 120 m².
Does this hold true in everyday use? Well, it's almost spot on. My house has about 37 square meters of usable space, excluding the area occupied by furniture, and this vacuum cleaner takes about 50-60 minutes to clean without needing to return to the charging base at maximum power (not counting the double cleaning in spot mode). Therefore, I can confirm that it lives up to its promises in terms of battery life.
On the other hand, something I'd like to highlight regarding the charging base is its connection system with the robot. Until now, all the models I've tested have used a system of pins or small circuit boards on both the vacuum cleaner and the base, which sometimes caused the device to malfunction when returning to the base.
However, the VR300 has two wide strips on its base and two more on its body, which makes returning to the base much easier. Furthermore, I think the method it uses to approach the base is both useful and amusing , as the vacuum starts to "crawl" backward until it detects that it has connected to the base. You can see this in more detail in our video review, which I linked at the beginning of the article.
A great option at a high price
For all these reasons, and after my testing over the past few weeks, I believe the Kobold VR300 robot is an incredibly good option if you're looking for top-quality home cleaning . Furthermore, it can navigate around obstacles thanks to its sensor system and works effectively on surfaces like wood, tiles, and even short- and long-pile carpets (there is a limit, which you can check in the user manual).
But of course, we all know what happens when we find something specific that performs its job at the highest level: the price goes up. This model costs €899 if you buy it from the manufacturer's website and €799 on Amazon through the following link:
See offer on AmazonIs it worth paying this price? If you are looking for the best cleaning experience and can afford it, it is a recommended purchase in my honest opinion. But, if what you are looking for is a more versatile option that sweeps and scrubs penalizing certain details, this may not be the most suitable model for you.