HOBOT

HOBOT and its US distributor

HOBOT is a home robot brand that makes window cleaning robots and a floor-cleaning line sold under the LEGEE name. The US site at hobot.us is run by Home Robot LLC, which describes itself as "the official supplier and authorized distributor of HOBOT INC products in the United States" and says it represents HOBOT Technology Inc. because of the "innovative concepts they bring to the industry of home robots: from patented unique technology of movement to high performance." The home page sums up the offer in its own tagline: "Floor and Window Cleaning Robots," and a line that reads "STOP DOING HOUSEHOLD CHORES - LET ROBOTS DO IT FOR YOU."

That split matters for a buyer. HOBOT makes the robots; Home Robot LLC sells them in the US, from its own site, from branded stores and through partners in other regions, and it handles the warranty, service, repair, accessories and parts. The distributor also says it gives 10% of its profit to science and technology projects in its local community.

The range: two families

HOBOT's US store is organized into "HOBOT for Window," "LEGEE for Floor" and accessories, with a robots comparison page to line the models up.

LEGEE-688, the floor robot. The one floor model in the US lineup is the "HOBOT LEGEE-688 Mop-Vacuum Robot with Talent Clean," listed at $199.00 against a regular $299.00. Its product page leads on navigation: "LEGEE® Smart Navigation Technology," described as a "HOBOT Exclusive Patent License" that "carries out the navigation through the three long lasers in the front." The specifications list Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) for the app, a Li-Ion 2750 mAh battery, a body of 340mm × 330mm × 95mm, and a charging station rated for 100~240 V input with a 19V/1A, 19W adapter. At 95mm tall it is a low robot, and the home page advertises it with a WiFi app.

HOBOT-298, the entry window robot. Listed at $199.00 against $249.00, the HOBOT-298 is where the brand's engineering story is clearest. Its page says it "brings revolutionary bio-mimicry technology into play": a detachable water tank and an ultrasonic nozzle that "nebulizes water to 15um mists then sprays it evenly on the glass like the effect of human exhales on a glass surface." The 40ml tank lets it clean a 40m2 area with water or detergent, so there is no need to spray the glass first. It keeps the square body of the earlier HOBOT-268 and 288 and uses a Nidec brushless motor with a metal fan "for extended durability and lower noise."

HOBOT-2S, the step up. At $299.00 against $349.00, the "HOBOT-2S Window Cleaning Robot with Dual Ultrasonic Water Spray" moves from one spray nozzle to two. The Hungarian HOBOT store describes it as having two patented ultrasonic nozzles, Edge-Leakage sensors and what it calls a creative sound function, and positions it as a new dimension in window cleaning.

The HOBOT-298 spec sheet

The 298's feature table is the most complete on the site and shows how HOBOT builds its window robots:

• Adhesion by vacuum, in a square white body weighing 1280g and measuring 240x240x100 mm.
• "AI Technology V3.1" software with a linear cleaning pattern and automatic water spray.
• A replaceable 40 ml tank, an ultrasonic nozzle at 108 Khz and a 15 μm water particle size, plus 220 ml of window detergent.
• 3 auto-cleaning modes, a noise level of 64 dB @1 m and a suction force of 6.0 Kgs.
• A workable window size of >40x40 cm, 100~240V power and 72 W power consumption.
• A micro-fiber cleaning cloth, a safety rope rated at 150 Kgf, and an embedded Li-Po battery listed at 20 mins.

The safety rope and the embedded battery are the parts of the table a first-time buyer should read first, since a window robot works on vertical glass.

Beyond the US models

HOBOT's range is wider than the three robots the US site stocks. The Hungarian store, hobothungary.hu, sells the HOBOT 2S along with the HOBOT R3, HOBOT 388 and HOBOT 368. It describes the 388 as offering automatic movement control for every type of window and a handy remote control, and the "stílusos és vékony" (stylish and slim) HOBOT 368 as controllable by smartphone or remote, with "AI-Technology V3.0" gyroscope navigation.

What owners say

The US home page quotes two LEGEE-688 owners. One writes that it "washes floors really well without leaving any traces," that she can switch it on, leave home and come back to clean floors with the robot charging at its base, and that "Washing cloths mop at the speed of 600 movements per minute!" She adds that it approaches objects "slowly and carefully." The other describes the cleaning sequence: it vacuums, collects dust with a dry cloth, then sprays water and polishes with another cloth, and it can also switch to a dry mode with no water at all. She notes a dust container that is easy to empty, that it suits any type of hard surface, and that 3 extra cloths were included.

Warranty, support and buying

Every product page promises a "1 year warranty" and "Replacement in case of defect within 14 days," and the site has its own refund policy and warranty policy pages. The product pages advertise free US shipping, and the home page banner reads "FREE SHIPPING OVER $200," with a buy now, pay later option. Home Robot LLC lists an office in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, phone support through 1-833-HOBOTUS on weekdays, separate service, sales and wholesale e-mail addresses, an FAQ and a blog, and it supplies accessories and parts for all HOBOT models. The site also offers articles, videos, photos and user instructions for each robot.

Who HOBOT suits

HOBOT suits a home with a lot of glass: tall windows, a conservatory or panes that are awkward to reach by hand. The HOBOT-298 is the value entry, and the 2S adds a second ultrasonic nozzle and Edge-Leakage sensors. The LEGEE-688 suits a small to mid-size home with hard floors where a low, laser-guided robot that vacuums and mops in one pass is enough, and it comes at the same sale price as the entry window robot. Buyers who want a large floor range, self-emptying docks or detailed suction figures will find the US lineup focused on windows first, with one floor model beside them.