Hobot-R3 window cleaning robot does a great job (cleaning review)

Hi, I am Hobot-R3 window cleaning robot, and I am here to help you clean those filthy windows. Little does it know that while it is an enthusiastic and tireless cleaner, I am not.

You see, I know that it will politely ask me to move it to the next pane of glass every few minutes, which is a pain in the *rse. OK, let’s get serious – Hobot-R3 makes me get off my *rse and clean the glass, frames, flyscreens, and more. And that is a good thing as we live by the sea, and it is amazing how much salt deposits get on the glass.

Which brings me to how often you should clean windows.

Most would answer when you cannot see out of them. Unless, of course, you have a million-dollar view, and then you can afford to pay for a cleaner.

The Architectural Digest states at least twice a year in established suburbia and at least four times a year within 1km of the sea, river, or dry/dusty area.

What comprises window washing? No, it is not a quick pressure hose, as that leaves water spots and streaks. It is not a quick wipe with a cloth/squeegee with a window cleaning solution, as that does not remove grime. It is the application of muscle and a final polish to remove streaks. Importantly, do it on a cooler, low-humidity, windless day.

Preparation makes all the difference.

If your windows are dirty, using water or a cleaning solution makes mud! Professional window cleaners recommend you vacuum the glass first. And remember, every story has two sides – inside and outside.

We have reviewed a few glass-cleaning robots, so we wrote a guide to help us assess the relative merits. Read – Window cleaning robots – sparking windows can be easy.

Spoiler alert – Hobot-R3 is pretty good, especially for dirty windows.

Australian Review – Hobot-R3 window cleaning robot (prices at 17/12/23)

Website	Robot My Life product page Hobot product page Hobot FAQ page Manual
Price	RRP $799 excludes any special promotional sales, including Australia-wide shipping and a 30-day money-back guarantee
From	Robot My Life online shop
Warranty	24-month ACL from Robot My Life covering motors and PCB boards. The warranty does not cover tanks and pads as these are consumable items.
Made in	Taiwan
Company	Robot My Life is an Australian company based in Victoria. It designs and sources robot vacuum cleaners, robot mops, robot mowers, robot window cleaners, stick vacuum cleaners, cleaning fluids and accessories. Hobot is a Taiwanese company Est 2010. Unlike the masses of generic Chinese-made robovacs, Hobot has followed its way, and all its products are designed and manufactured in Taiwan.
More	Hobot news and reviews Ultenic news and reviews PoolBot news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass(able) rating that is not as good as it should be and a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Pass+

I have been using a Hobot 388 window cleaning robot since mid-2021, so I know what to expect from a dual rotating mop pad robot. It is nice that it has upgraded from one to two ultrasonic misting spray nozzles and added some basic intelligence via an App. Still, the 388 has done everything I asked of it.

The Hobot App for Android or iOS is benign and only collects information needed for its operation. It enables firmware updates, and you can use the Hobot-R3 without the app or the remote control just by pressing the start button.

The best description is:

• Mains powered with a DC power pack and a 4m cable, so you need a convenient power point.
• Has an inbuilt battery to prevent it from falling should there be a power interruption.
• 4.5m safety rope
• DC brushless vacuum motor that creates a force strong enough to stick to any glass.
• Dual oversized rotating pads that emulate hand cleaning. The top pad acts more as a polisher and remains relatively dry, and the bottom gets a little damper – more later.
• Dual 15um ultrasonic sprays and a removable/replaceable water tank.
• Voice prompts (not voice-controlled).
• Smart route cleaning

Window Prep – you may need it if you have not cleaned for a long time

If you have dirty windows, it recommends using two passes. The first with spray-off is to remove dust and avoid ‘mud’. The second with spray-on cuts grime and cleans/polishes. Or you can pressure wash first, and after the water has dried (important as the pads streak if wet), do the second run only.

If you are doing a maintenance clean, then one pass with a spray-on is fine.

Respect 240V power!

We strongly recommend using any AC-powered device outside with an HPM Electresafe Power Centre – it has an RCBO (Residual Current Breaker with Overload) to stop anyone from getting electrocuted by detecting a ground leakage.

Size – Pass

Its 295 × 148 × 95mm x 915g. The height means you may need to remove flyscreens.

How Hobot-R3 works

The top rotating pad is mainly used to climb crablike up windows and to polish the glass after the bottom pad cleans them. They don’t constantly rotate as such but adhere to the glass gecko-like.

No matter where you start it on the pane, it will first climb to the top of the frame and clean along that. It then crabwalks down the glass and moves from one side to the other before moving down again and rinse and repeat.

All glass gets at least two passes – one from the bottom pad and one from the dry top pad.

Glass types – Pass+

The glass must be >3mm and flat, transparent, coloured, or opaque. It can have a slight tilt – we tested it to about +/-30°.

To start, switch it on, hold it against the glass and press the start/pause button. To release, press the power button.

Other uses: It will clean glass pool fences, shower screens, tiled benchtops (works horizontally, too), and splashbacks. While it has pressure change and edge detection, please keep it away from frameless glass edges.

Mop pads – Pass+

These are microfibre and are not meant to be damp – if they are, you get streaks. Hobot provides six pairs; you change them every 15-20m2 depending on the dirt and if you see streaks. The pads are hand or machine-washable (<40°). I use a Dishmatic Dish brush with a general-purpose pad and some dishwashing detergent to clean the pads and then wring and air dry.

AI Pattern cleaning – Pass+

It is not so much AI as smart algorithms assist in preventing falls and cleaning all glass to a pre-set pattern.

We found that placing the Hobot-R3 at the top of the glass was best to save time in climbing up and then cleaning downwards.

Safety rope – Good if you use it

In all the time I have used a Hobot window cleaner, it has not fallen. But that is not an invitation to be blasé about it either. The 4m carabiner rope should be used whenever there is a risk. For example, cleaning tall windows where a fall onto a hard surface could break it.

It is not always easy to find a tie-off point either. Some use a pool-cleaning pole; others place old pillows under the window to break the fall.

Water or Hobot Window detergent?

Pure, clean water is fine but has no ‘cutting power’. Hobot Window detergent comes in a five-pack for $60 (special $55) plus shipping. Given its frugal use, stick with this instead of trying to find an alternative.

Speed/sound

It does a 2100 x 650mm (1.365m2) window in 4.5 minutes. It is no louder than a conversation – 70dB at 1m.

How does it clean? Brilliant.

Given that we prepped the external dirty glass with a pressure wash, it only needed one pass to clean the windows, leaving them streak-free. Like most windows robots, it cannot remove bird poop, insect impacts, paint splatter and gunk. You should remove these first with a razor blade scraper.

We did not prep the internal glass, and one pass was fine.

Of course, we had to clean the frames, edges and corners to finish manually, but the result was better than a cloth, squeegee, and hard work.

Maintenance

Apart from cleaning the mop pads, wipe over the unit and store it. If you don’t use it for three months, top up the battery charge.

The water tank and nozzles are user-replaceable. This is good for longevity.

Things to consider

• Time: Hobot-R3 is relatively fast but will take longer than manual cleaning, so allow more time to supervise.  While cleaning, you can be busy scrubbing frames and vacuuming tracks. It reduces your workload by doing a better job than you can.
• Flyscreens or security screens: Most homes have insect screens, usually inside the window. Removal of the screens may be as simple as turning a few clips or as complex as breaking a few. Hobot-R3 needs clear access.
• Door handles and protrusions: Our bi-folds have lock and door handles, which protrude over the glass, stopping Hobot 388 from cleaning. Make sure you move these or tie them back.
• Hopper, wind-out and slide-up windows need a little attention. We tested on a wind-out window at approx. a 30° external angle, and it was fine. However, it cannot stick to similarly angled internal glass.
• Safety rope – we have covered this, but a reminder that you should affix it to prevent death dives, especially on tall windows. We are confident enough not to worry about internal windows and place a pillow at the bottom of the window.
• Wind and rain: You cannot use it in wet, windy, or high-humidity conditions. We noticed the nano-spray was occasionally blown away from the glass by seaside wind gusts. A still, dry day is best.
• Power: you need access to 240V.

CyberShack’s view – Hobot-R3 robot window cleaner is perfect for all windows

For our purposes and environment, a rotating mop cleaner is best. That does not detract from the excellent platen Hobot S2, perfect for well-maintained windows.

The App reminds me to clean every three months now – damned app. But quarterly maintenance is easier than annual back-breaking work.

Would I buy the Hobot-R3?

Definite yes. Not because I am lazy but because it does all the windows, balcony glass, pool glass fence, and more, some of which are way outside my comfort zone. And because my neighbour borrows mine all the time😁.

Rating

• Features: 90 – inbuilt UPS, dual rotating pads, dual spray, and an App/remote.
• Value: 95 – pretty much in line with the quality
• Performance: 90 – This performs brilliant maintenance cleans once windows are prepared. Use the Hobot Window cleaner solution for best results.
• Ease of Use: 85 – Remember you need to pre-clean dirty windows and allow time to supervise.
• Design: 90 – well-made and locally supported.