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Always wanted a robot vacuum but not at Roomba prices? The Pure Clean was about $75, the cheapest I could find. Here’s what you get.
I’ve always wanted a robot vacuum. The appeal is having your rooms vacuumed every day without lifting a finger, even while you sleep or work, and getting under couches and tables. What always turned me off was the $300 to $500 price point. This Pure Clean (PUCRC15) turned out to be made by Pyle, maker of really cheap electronics I’ve never had problems with. The button goes to the PUCRC15 on Amazon.
- Very cheap for a robot vacuum
- Quieter than a regular vacuum
- Gets under furniture you can’t easily reach
- Simple dust tray that dumps easily
- Navigates around things it bumps into
- Picked up dirt on hardwood
- No charging base; you plug it in and start it
- Got stuck on a floor vent and a thick rug
- Not enough traction to climb off the rug
- Random navigation
- No rubber bumper; may scuff wood chair legs
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
What’s in the box
Not a lot: an instruction booklet, a charging cable that looks like a standard laptop power cord, and a little bag of extra corner brushes. The robot itself is a neon green Pure Clean PUCRC15.
A quick walkthrough
It’s a couple of inches thick with rubberized wheels on both sides, a third wheel for steering, a brush, and the battery behind a little cover. Press a button and the dust tray drops down. The top is captive so it won’t fall off. Hold it upside down before you open it, and dump it out.
The corner brushes clip onto a hexagonal post and spin to sweep things in. There’s a charging port on the back, a red power switch, LEDs, and what look like sensors behind clear plastic on the front.
No charging base
One big difference from a Roomba: there’s no base. Higher-end robots go out, vacuum and return to recharge on their own. This one can’t, unless it has an opposable thumb somewhere, so it’s more of a manual operation: plug it in, unplug it, start it. That’s probably where the savings come in.
How it did
To start it, press the power button, then pick a mode: 10 minutes, 20 minutes or max. On hardwood it moves around in the standard random pattern and navigates around things it hits. It picked up dirt, and it’s a lot quieter than a regular vacuum.
But it got stuck on a floor vent, and on a fairly thick rug it got totally stuck and didn’t have the traction to free itself. It doesn’t go under my low furniture, and I’d like some rubber around the edges because my wood chair legs could get scuffed over time.
Verdict
You get what you pay for, which has been my experience with Pyle. If you just want a robot, this might be the one. If you want a self-charging base and a robot that handles carpets and different floor textures better, you’ll have to step up a level.
FAQ
Does the Pure Clean robot vacuum have a charging dock?
No. You plug it in to charge and start it yourself.
Who makes Pure Clean?
Pyle.
Does it work on rugs?
It got stuck on my fairly thick rug.
What cleaning modes does it have?
10 minutes, 20 minutes and max.
How much did it cost?
About $75 when I bought it.
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