Who Is the HOBOT-298 For, as a Window Robot Without a Station?
Summary
The HOBOT-298 suits people who don't want a base station taking up space and would rather grab one small unit and stick it on the glass. It sprays an ultrasonic mist and finds the edge of the window with a laser sensor, so it works on frameless glass. Its built-in battery is only a backup against falls, so you clean with the power cord plugged in.
A self-contained design
The square body holds itself to the glass by vacuum, with a rated suction force of 6.0 kg, and wipes using three automatic cleaning modes. A 108 kHz ultrasonic nozzle turns water into a mist of roughly 15-micron droplets. The 40 ml water tank is removable, the cloth is microfiber, and HOBOT rates cleaning speed at about 2.4 minutes per square meter.
Check your windows and outlets
Windows need to be larger than 40 × 40 cm. The power cord is 4 m long, so make sure it can reach an outlet from the window you want to clean. On frameless glass, the laser sensor detects the edge so the robot can turn.
Safety
If power cuts out, a built-in battery keeps it attached to the glass for 20 minutes while it beeps. That battery is there to stop a fall and give you time to retrieve it, not to keep cleaning. The included safety rope is 4.5 m long and rated for 150 kg of tension. On high windows or outside panes, tie the rope to something solid indoors before you start.
Other details
HOBOT doesn't list a price on its official pages. The robot weighs 1.2 to 1.28 kg (the pages give both figures), and noise is rated at 64 dB at 1 meter.
Sources
We have not tested these products. Specs, prices, stock and terms are as published on these pages on the date above and can change; check the manufacturer or retailer before you buy.