So spring has arrived and the blossom is starting to show on the trees, and on the ground, all over the cars and more annoyingly all in the gutters. So its time to get the ladder up, don on the gloves and start clearing them out. However, luckily for me before I did this arduous task a friend talked about a gutter cleaning robot, so I decided to do a little research.
To my surprise he was right. I discovered that the iRobot Looj had actually been around since 2008! So why is there not more people using it and why has it taken five years for me to find out about it?
The system I ended up buying was the newest version, the iRObot Looj 330, which can set you back anywhere from $200 depending on where you purchase the device from; the companies main ethos behind the robot is of course to be able to clean gutters out much easily, but their main concern is that of basic safety.
There will be some climbing of ladders to be done, but that is only to put the robot into the gutter itself. They have designed the robot so that a hand can be easily taken in and out of the handle; all points that require hands on and also coloured orange, which makes it very good to ensure you do not touch the parts that could cause an injury. Another good safety feature, and also a practical one is that the robot can be connected to a belt loop, leaving your hands free when moving and using the ladder.
As you will probably only use the robot a couple of times a year to clear out the gutters, it runs on a lithium-ion battery which can be removed when not in use. The item has 500 RPM motor and has multiple speed settings which are moe explained in the owners manual. Make sure you read this to ensure you make the most out of the robot to clean the gutter.
There are interchangeable paddles for various types of cleaning so no matter how much or how little is in the gutter it is going to be cleaned out properly. Not only are they useful in a simple clean, but they can clean out wet build up’s, as well as large items that may have fallen in there.
The device works by simply placing it into the gutter and then using a remote control, it works its way up the gutter cleaning it out. The latest model, the 330 now has an automatic mode, this means that when it reaches the end of the gutter it will come backwards to the starting position.
I was impressed with the iRobot 330, it made quick work of cleaning out the gutters, only taking around 45 minutes to an hour to complete the whole house, I did find however that if it gets too stuck it can switch itself off, I assume for safety reasons. Also when I used a paddle that was too small it did tend to flip over, so make sure you attach the right paddle for the job. All in all I am happy with it, and it can be stored very easily too; soI can put my feet up and enjoy the day rather than spending it on the roof.
This review was brought to you by Andrew Stewart from Pronto Plastics uPVC Guttering.