Earlier today, we finally added the splashguard tile to our kitchen.
Or, I should say my daughter added the tile. Well, I did start; however, I only did one square. I went outside to work the gardens, and my lovely daughter took over this wonderful project.
I must say that she did an excellent job with this project.
This evening, I started placing my kitchen appliances back in place, and I finally put my Mock Mill Professional 200 Stone Grain Mill in its new home right beside my Vitamix. It took a while to get everything into its location, and I thoroughly cleaned my granite countertops before placing my kitchen appliances into their location.
My daughter hasn’t finished this project; there’s still a small amount to complete; however, we are both pleased with how this project has turned out.
Less than a week after purchasing the Shark 2-in-1 vacuum, I bought the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra with a self-emptying water system.
I used the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Self-Empty XL for a few days and liked it a lot. It has better suction power than my Shark – AI Ultra Robot Vacuum RV2502AE with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base; however, I wanted to see how the Roborock compared, after all, the water tank is self-emptying also, and while I had every intention of trying out both robot mop vacuums and sending one back. Well… they’re both staying. The Shark 2-in1 has been moved to the basement floor, and the Roborock stays on the main floor, the home for my first Shark vacuum. That Shark, aka Diva, will be moved to the third floor.
As impressive of a job that I did with keeping our hardwood floors clean, having the vacuum and mop take it to another level, and it’s one less chore I have to do daily, and I’m happy with that. Having one dog that sheds, I had my Shark vacuum the floor multiple times daily.
I love my Shark Robots; however, I will say that Roborock has them beat with their mopping system. The Shark has to be refilled each time you use the mop; the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra does not since the water tank is self-emptying, just like the vacuum, and empties the dirty water into the dirty water tank after mopping the floors.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra: Pros
It mapped the floor where it’s housed in less than 10 minutes. My Shark takes a little over 40 minutes to map.
Just like the Shark, you can schedule the Roborock to clean. Our robot vacuums start cleaning every morning at 5:00 am.
It uses LIDAR technology, just like my Sharks. This vacuum cleans in a straight line! It’s incredibly meticulous with its cleaning.
Self-Emptying – Yes, the mop does this also!
It’s elf Washing and has two water tanks; clean water and dirty water.
The mop pad is much more secure than the Sharks mop cloth because there’s more velcro on the Roborock’s base.
Roborock shows you where it’s at while vacuuming.
Roborock cleans and dries the mop pad when it returns to its base. The cleaning and drying feature for the mop pad is excellent and efficient, and since I have extra pads, I don’t need to replace them often; however, I still choose to change them every few days.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra: Cons
Like the Shark, You cannot schedule more than one cleaning session daily. No big deal; I log on to the app and have my vacuums clean again in the evening.
It uses bags. I last used vacuum bags at least 20 years ago; however, I did locate a business that makes reusable vacuum bags that fit the Robock S8 Pro Ultra. I’ll test it out to see what I think about reusable bags.
It does not automatically return to its base when the vacuum bag is full. Shark has an auto-detect feature that does this under washing mode. Under Dock Settings, I Clicked on Empty Mode and selected “Max,” which is suitable for large homes and more dirty environments. Under Washing Mode, I chose “Deep,” which is ideal for occasional deep cleaning, with higher water consumption and longer cleaning time.
If you chose the black robot vacuum, which I did, the cord is white. They also have a white version. It’s a minor quibble; however, come on, Robock!
It’s pricey – Currently, it is priced at $1599.00.
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra: Things I don’t mind or don’t understand
If you chose the deep clean settings, it is loud; however, I don’t mind.
Ok, here’s what I need help understanding. On a few forums, I read that some people who have robot vacuums with self-emptying water tanks complain that the dirty water tank smells over time. Are you serious? Of course, stink! It’s dirty water sitting in a tank. After discovering this, why are you still letting dirty water sit in the tank for days without dumping the water? That’s disgusting. I dump the dirty water tank after each use, rinse and place the tank back into the base. It takes a few minutes and guarantees I won’t have this issue.
Roborock: More thoughts…
Purchase extra supplies. I have vacuum bags, filters, and even batteries for my vacuums. When I need them, I don’t have to wait for them to arrive. My reusable vacuum bag arrived today. I’m looking forward to trying it out myself.
There is a kit that you can get which can be attached to your water supply and drainage system.
No robot vacuum can physically pick up your clutter, at least not yet. If you have small items on your floor, your robot vacuum could have issues when vacuuming or mopping. Since we don’t have clutter, it’s not an issue. Yoki, our working-line German shepherd, has toys and loves playing with them. However, they are placed in her toy bin after she finishes playing with them. My daughter and I are both organized, me more than her, so we don’t have items strewn on the floor.
I would never have thought I would have three robot vacuums; however, here I am. I purchased my first robot vacuum, Shark – AI Ultra Robot Vacuum RV2502AE with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, when I stepped in and became the primary caregiver for my father after my mother was taken to the hospital. I needed assistance. I was working, thankfully, from home, I had my daughter, and I was taking care of him full-time. I needed assistance. Purchasing my Shark robot vacuum meant that it was one extra task I was no longer required to do, and I was grateful for that. Yes, it was a bit pricey, but the minutes that gave me back each day made it worthwhile.
A little over a year ago, I purchased the Shark – AI Ultra Robot Vacuum RV2502AE with XL HEPA Self-Empty Base, LIDAR Navigation, and Wi-Fi Connected – Black. I must say that it’s an excellent vacuum, and it gets used several times daily. It did have to be replaced a few months ago. When I reached out to customer service, I connected with an app, and they visually walked through various troubleshooting scenarios and ultimately decided that my robot needed to be replaced. Excellent customer service.
Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Self-Empty XL
As much as I love this robot and was thrilled to get my replacement in April, I decided to look for a robot vacuum with a mopping feature a few weeks ago. While a few robot vacuums besides my beloved Shark brand piqued my interest, like the Roborock S8 Pro Ultrawith a self-emptying water system, I chose Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Self-Empty XL. Why? I have several Shark vacuums, and they do an excellent job. This robot is also bagless, but the Roborock isn’t. If it were, I most likely would have chosen that model. I must say that is one of the many things I love about Shark’s Vacuums; they’re bagless. Granted, I mainly purchased my second robot for mopping only, and thus far, that’s all I’ve used it for; however, if/when I do use the vacuum feature, I don’t want to have a bag to contend with.
First Impressions of the Shark AI Ultra 2-in1 Robot Self-Empty XL
Pros
It Mops the Floor – It does a great job doing a surface mop of the floor. I honestly don’t think the robot mops are meant for intense ground in spills; however, if you’re someone like myself and are diligent with mopping (this is a several times weekly occurrence for me with my manual mop), then you might welcome a robot mop into your home since it will take care of that mopping. My lovely daughter is no longer a toddler; she’s 20 years old now, so I’m not dealing with the occasional child spills, and while we have two dogs, they don’t have accidents in our home.
It Vacuums as it Mops – It’s a two-for-one deal. This vacuum comes with two bins. One is exclusively for vacuuming, and another has a section to hold the water at the bottom of the bin and a compartment that collects dust on top.
Excellent job cleaning – Both the vacuum and the mop do an excellent job cleaning. The vacuum and mop pick up fine dirt with each run and plenty of Yoki (Working line black German Shepherd’s) hair.
Where You Are? – I’d love to identify where the robot is while cleaning. It would have been helpful when setting up the map since it didn’t look too much like the rooms in my home.
Manually have to change the mop – Unlike the dust bin, there isn’t a container that holds the clean water and another for dirty like with the Roborock, which means that after each cleaning, you have to change the mop pad and add more water.
Overall, I’m enjoying my newest robot. If this robot is anything like my other Shark vacuums, I’ll enjoy it for a long time.
Say hello to my new washer and dryer. I purchased the Speed Queen TR7 FF7 front-load washing machine and the Speed Queen DF7 dryer.
Almost two weeks ago, my Maytag washing machine went up AGAIN. The display board went black, and despite what I tried to do, there was no bringing it back to life. I had the same issue about seven months ago. I had a repairman come out and replace the offending display board. Since the machine was still under warranty, it cost me nothing. But this time, I was done! I was tired of the washing machine becoming unbalanced when I placed bulky items within the washing machine—searched for a new washer. After a lot of research, I decided on the Speed Queen; I was impressed with their durability, and while not as fancy as some of the washers out there, what impressed me was that they work. Also, from my research, they were capable of handling bulky loads. Unfortunately, my Maytag washer would constantly become unbalanced and stop. Sighs…
Back to the Basics: Handwashing Clothes
For almost two weeks, my daughter and I were without a machine. So we washed everything by hand and placed the clothes in the dryer. Then, to make things a bit easier, I purchased a washboard. That sped up the process, but was it still a lot of work? I had no desire to go to the laundromat to wash our clothes, so handwashing was the only viable option.
Making the Purchase
Last Wednesday, My daughter and I visited our local Bray & Scarff store. Although I looked at other brands, I knew I would get the Speed Queen. Speed Queen washers and dryers are made in the USA. Their inner workings are metal, and I believe the pulley system is metal, also. Initially, I went with the Speed Queen Toploader washer; however, after arriving home, I researched more and decided to try the Front Loaders machine. I contacted the salesman, who assisted me at the store, and told him of the change. I also told him I would also like to purchase the dryer. My Maytag dryer was also falling behind. I’ve had to dry the clothes because they were still damp repeatedly. Sighs…
High Price for Quality
I must say they are costly. The washer and dryer that I purchased cost over $4,000, and when I added the store (Bray & Scarff) warranty, that brought the cost to over $5,000. However, I should not have to replace the machines again, which is perfect. Wednesday, the two servicemen came to install the units. The lead service tech talked incessantly about how great these washing machines were. He stated that this was the second TR7 FF7 that he had seen. He took a picture of the units after they were installed.
Initial Thoughts
The Speed Queen TR7 FF7 Front Loader is quiet. Oh my goodness, the Speed Queen TR7 FF7 Front Loader is quiet compared to my Maytag washer! Since the Speed Queens’ arrival on Wednesday, I’ve washed and dried several loads. I must say that I’m impressed.
The Speed Queen Front Loader TR7 FF7 handled bulky laundry without becoming unbalanced! Wednesday, I washed two queen-size quilts at the same time. My Speed Queen dealt with both without any hiccups, with no unstable mode. This was awesome. I wash a lot of bulky clothes, which saves me the unnecessary headaches of having to baby-watch the washer so I can pounce if the machine starts to make loud knocking noise, which is a sure sign that the device is unbalanced with ease.
I’m thrilled with my purchase and look forward to many years of using my Speed Queen washer and dryer.
Edited to add
The Speed Queen TR7 is the Top load washer. Since I have the Front Loader, that would be the Speed Queen FF7.
Vacuuming is something I make an effort to do daily. It just makes sense to stay on top of cleaning since this is an almost daily ritual; there’s very little debris that accumulates in my vacuum’s dust bin. I clean the dust bin every time I vacuum. I’m still using the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light DuoClean (Model HV382) that I’d purchased back in September 2018, and it still looks as good as it did when I made the purchase.
I’ve done extensive research on cordless vacuums for the past several months. So, of course, Shark was the brand that I was looking at since I’m still using my DuoClean, and am very happy with how it performs. I also reviewed Miele and Dyson.
Shark Rocket UltraLight DueClean and Shark IZ682H Vertex Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with IQ Display
After watching many videos and reading reviews about various cordless vacuums, I chose another Shark; Shark IZ682H Vertex Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with IQ Display. The new vacuum is on the right; the DuoClean is left. My corded vacuum still looks and performs great! I take excellent care of my appliances. Currently, I have both of them in our tiny laundry room. So, why would I purchase another vacuum if my first was performing so well? Because of the flexibility that the cordless vacuum offers. In rooms where connecting to an outlet would be challenging, the Shark IZ682H Vertex Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with IQ Display makes it easy.
Shark IZ682H Vertex Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with IQ Display packaging
The Shark Vertex Pro packaging was excellent.
Shark IZ682H Vertex Pro Cordless Stick Vacuum with IQ Display wrapped in paper
Everything included within the box was neatly wrapped in paper! No plastic wrapping. The vacuum came with two batteries that can last up to 60 minutes.
I must say that I love this vacuum and am impressed with its power.
No-Hair Wrap
The feature that I liked the most was the no-hair wrap feature. My daughter and I both have a lot of hair, and we have one cute little dog named Bella. She’s a no-shed breed; however, she occasionally drops hair strands.
And it also flexes so it can go under furniture quickly.
Lack of Suction: User-Error
Last evening, I noticed that the vacuum was no longer providing suction; however, this morning, I realized that the removable dustbin placement wasn’t flush, which caused the lack of function. Once the dustbin was connected correctly, my Shark no longer had issues sucking up debris.
I like a clean home, because of that our home gets cleaned daily. I find it therapeutic, transforming a place ( through cleaning) into a place that enhances my happiness. Since I clean daily, I usually don’t spend a lot of time cleaning because those daily cleaning sessions add up to the home that is never in need of a massive cleaning intervention because of neglect or put off until another time. Of course, there are times when I don’t want to clean, but… I realize that even though my family, work, pets and the numerous other obligations added to my busy daily life keep me occupied the house won’t clean itself and so I always take a few moments daily to clean.
Daily Cleaning Makes It Look “Easy”
Clothes get washed, dried, and folded the same day. The same thing applies to the dishes. If we see something out of place we take a short time that is needed to restore order. Sometimes it’s seconds other times minutes such as folding items that have been washed or washing, drying and putting away dishes. We don’t use a dishwasher. I still prefer hand washed dishes. In allowing that time daily to restore order, I actually save myself from investing massive amounts of times restoring order to a messy environment. Daily cleaning is the method that works best for us, and regardless of the day our home always looks spotless. Guess what? My daughter assists with the cleaning. I didn’t always have someone assisting me with this task when I was truly single it I was the only one cleaning and when she was an infant, the messes that come along with an active child made things (at times) a bit overwhelming.
I will be the first to admit that it is easy for me to get lost in my creative chaos. What might look like a mess to someone isn’t for me, there’s order there, but… I also realize that even establishing order within my creativity means less cleaning (in the long run) and so I organize, clean up the loose fiber and put my tools away after each use.
Going Carpetless
About six years ago, we made the switch to a carpetless home and I must say that was the best decision. We have granite, marble and laminate wood floors. I find a hard surface much easier to clean than carpet. All I need is a broom, dustpan, and a mop to keep the floors spotless. However, I admit (for myself at least) using a vacuum and a steamer to stay on top of floor maintenance can make things easier for us. Recently, I purchased the Dupray steamer. I’m still impressed with this purchase and it’s continuing to do an amazing job of making our floors spotless with minimal effort. While researching the steam cleaner, I was also researching vacuums. Now we do have a Bissel vacuum cleaner from our carpeted days, however, over the years its performance was not impressive. It started kicking up dirt on our carpeted floors and on the kitchen that was a hard surface, it didn’t do well at all.
We have pets, which can mean more maintenance
We have two dogs. One compliment that we do receive is that people would never know we had pets. It doesn’t smell. Their bedding and toys get washed weekly. The areas that they frequent are swept, vacuumed and mopped. We treat our dogs and their belongings like anything else in the home. It all needs to be maintained.
Researching a vacuum that works best for me
After a lot of research, I narrowed my vacuum choices down to two upright vacuums; Dyson V8 and a Shark Rocket. Although I was impressed with Dyson, I chose the Shark because it did have a cord. The Dyson model that interested me was cordless. From my research, the charge lasted about 40 minutes (I think the V10 last up to an hour), and while my vacuuming typically doesn’t last that long (since the floors are cleaned daily) I didn’t want to have such a small window to clean.
Shark Rocket (HV302) Corded Ultra-Light vacuum
Last week, I ordered a Shark Rocket (HV302) Corded Ultra-Light vacuum. I believe this is the base model in the Shark Rocket line. It arrived on Friday, but… the suction wasn’t all impressive. Since I’d read numerous reviews about the product, I was confident enough to realize that the fault was with a defective unit. Since I ordered it on Amazon, it simply was a matter of logging onto the site, requesting a return, packing everything securely back into the original box, and wait for UPS to pick up the item.
and just like the other Shark, this vacuum was packaged extremely well. Do you see what I’m talking about? When it comes to large items, I try to keep the boxes, just in case I have to return the item. Thankfully, I have only had to return one item. It’s one of the reasons why I do spend a lot of time researching an item before I purchase it since I don’t want to be dissatisfied with the item after it’s purchased. So no… I’m not an impulse buyer.
Assembling the Shark Rocket HV382 was easy. There wasn’t too much to put together and I was cleaning our floors in less than five minutes.
My daughter commented that she didn’t think the floor needed cleaning. The floors rarely look like they need cleaning, so that’s nothing new, after all, we clean our floors daily. But… that’s how we stay on top of a spotless home. The effort to sweep or vacuum floors daily is minimal compared to allowing them to collect dirt. The Shark did manage to pick up fine dirt and the suction on this item was impressive although she was right about the hard surface floors, the carpeted stairs revealed something else entirely different.
Look what was collected in the Rocket’s container. Oh, by the way, the container that holds the dirt is removable on the Shark Rocket HV382. It isn’t on the HV302. Those stairs appeared to be clean, but I knew they weren’t. Why?
As I’d already mentioned our Bissel wasn’t doing a great job cleaning and although I swept the carpeted rug, I knew it wasn’t doing an effective job since the finer dirt particles were just sinking into the thick pile carpeting.
To clean the carpet with my Shark Rocket, I swapped to the carpet setting and was able to pull out a lot of dirt, and if you look closely some tiny beads that I use with my jewelry making. I’m used to upright vacuums, our last few vacuums were uprights. They definitely weren’t as lightweight at this one.
To prolong the life of my upright vacuums, I’ve always emptied the trash container after each use and I also rinse out the bin and let it dry. This vacuum has LED lights on the motorhead, when I read about that feature, I didn’t think too much about it when I was reading the reviews (although I’d read what others were saying about the lights) however, I will admit that it’s a nice bonus since it clearly brings to light (grins) any dirt that might be on the floor. Overall, I really like this vacuum.
Suction, this is picking up everything that is on our floors and carpeted steps.
Portability – This vacuum weighs less than nine pounds.
It converts to a handheld vacuum.
The canister that holds the vacuumed dirt is removable.
Easy access to the motorhead.
Tool to remove tangles caught in the brush head.
Fine threads/fibers. I’m a crafter, this vacuum is picking up all fibers without any issue.
LED light on vacuum head. It really does highlight dirt that might have been missed.
Cons
The cord isn’t detachable.
You have to lean the vacuum against something or place it on the floor. This makes sense since the motor is at the top of the vacuum. For myself, this is minor and it only takes a few seconds to do this.
I know the true test will be to see how the Shark Rocket performs after several months of use. I’ll definitely be sure to post an update on how I feel about this vacuum after I’ve used it for a while. Based on reviews, my experience should still be positive.
This post contains affiliate links. Occasionally my posts will contain affiliate links referencing the various items I use. I don’t do it often and will only post items that I recommend.
