Alongside its high-pressure cleaners and floor washers, Kärcher also offers a robot vacuum cleaner, the RC 3. Can the manufacturer establish its reputation in this sector as it has done on other solutions of cleaning?
Kärcher RC 3 Presentation
The RC 3 is the only robot vacuum cleaner in the Kärcher catalog. Launched at 700 €, it is now available at around 500 €. A price that suggests a very advanced technical sheet, but ultimately Kärcher plays it rather basic: the RC 3 uses a camera to locate itself in space and ensure methodical navigation, is equipped with a double brush to collect dirt and can be controlled via Wi-Fi from the Kärcher Home & Garden app.
Kärcher RC 3 Convenience of employment
The Kärcher RC 3 has a round shape that could not be more classic for this type of device. With its 9.6 cm high, this robot is a bit high to slip under low furniture; we are far from the Senya My little Robot SYCN and its 5.7 cm. This thickness is all the more surprising since the RC 3 is not equipped with a laser rangefinder. It is supposed to navigate methodically using multiple sensors and a camera placed on the front of the device.
Like the Rowenta X-Plorer Serie 80, this robot is equipped with a removable lithium-ion battery that must be installed under the device. It is therefore entirely possible to replace this battery in the event of failure.
There is only the single on / off button on the robot cover. We would have appreciated a return to base button which would have avoided having to go through the Kärcher Home & Garden application which allows you to control the RC 3 remotely.
Kärcher RC 3 Connectivity and application
The functions of this application are quite basic. They allow you to start the robot remotely, send it back to its base or organize a weekly cleaning schedule.
The Kärcher RC 3 is able to map its route in real time in order to let the user follow his movements around the house. Unfortunately, the map is not very precise, unlike the one found on Roborocks.
On these maps, we can neither segment the areas by room nor create virtual beacons to prevent the robot from accessing certain places; which we deeply regret. We also regret the lack of a "maintenance" tab which usually gives information on the life of the brushes and the filter.
The maintenance of the Kärcher RC 3 is easy. The collector cassette is easily removed from the device. On the other hand, its small capacity (0.3 l) requires it to be emptied regularly. The HEPA-type filter is integrated into the collector and it should be removed from time to time to clean it.
Like iRobot's Roomba e5, the RC 3 has two rollers, one made of rubber, the other covered with nylon bristles. These two complementary brushes are designed to catch dirt more easily and quickly.
Surprisingly, the single side brush, screwed to the device, does not remove and therefore does not facilitate the extraction of hair and hairs that get tangled in it.
Kärcher RC 3 Navigation system
The Kärcher RC 3 has a rather strange way of getting around. Despite its camera and sensors, it does not operate a methodical zigzag navigation. He goes wherever he wants. Its routes are irregular. Sometimes he goes back several times to the same place and uses up his battery, sometimes he botches the work and leaves certain areas. It travels through space at lightning speed. It is so fast that you might think it sucks superficially and we will come back to this point in the suction section. Note that the RC 3 has no trouble climbing a door sill a little high or over thick carpet.
Kärcher RC 3 Suction
The suction performance measured on the Kärcher RC 3 is mixed, especially on fine carpet, a surface on which it tends to slide and throw waste forward. On this surface, this robot vacuum could only suck up 56% of the test material in 4 min before returning to its base. By comparison, the Neato D4 managed to swallow all the waste in twice the time.
On hard ground, the RC 3 eliminates 85% of waste in just under 4 minutes: an honorable result, but far from perfect. On thick carpet, the RC 3 sucked up 74% of the waste in 5 min 34s, which is honorable, but less well than the Neato D4 which was able to recover 90% of the waste in 8 min. Wanting to be too fast, the RC 3 therefore leaves certain areas, and that's a shame.
Kärcher RC 3 Noise
The sound level of the Kärcher RC 3 reached 58 dB (A), a measure in the average of our comparison. For example, the noise of the Ecovacs Deebot 950 does not exceed 47 dB (A) in Standard mode.
Kärcher RC 3 Autonomy
The autonomy of the RC 3 is in the average of our comparison. He manages to suck for just under two hours before losing his breath completely and returning to his base. If we are far from the marathoner Roborock S6 MaxV and his 3 hours of endurance, the RC 3 is not doing too badly. Note that a complete recharge of the robot still requires a little less than 4 hours.
Kärcher RC 3 STRONG POINTS:
Kärcher RC 3 WEAK POINTS:
- Limited functions of the application.
- Suction on thin carpet disappointing.
- Vacuum cleaner high enough.
Kärcher RC 3 FINAL CONCLUSION
It is not with his RC 3 that Kärcher will make a remarkable entry into the robot vacuum sector. This basic robot provides barely decent performance, far from that of the excellent Neato D4, which is sold cheaper. To get more infos about the new products, you can visit this: Home Gadget Test.
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