
Robot Vacuums in Older Homes: Rugs, Thresholds and Stairs
Older houses have doorways, rugs with tassels and stairs that trip up robot vacuums, so here is what actually matters before you spend the money.
Home & Kitchen writer · Melbourne
Emma covers home and kitchen gadgets, from smart plugs to air fryers. She focuses on what things really cost to buy and run at home, and on the features that matter once the novelty wears off.

Older houses have doorways, rugs with tassels and stairs that trip up robot vacuums, so here is what actually matters before you spend the money.

Smart plugs promise to cut your bills by killing standby power, but the numbers are smaller than you might expect. Here is the honest math.

Variable-temperature kettles promise better tea and coffee, but do they earn their keep? Here's what the extra money buys, and when a plain kettle is fine.

Air fryers get praised for saving money, but is that true for every meal? Here are the watts, the cooking times, and the cost per dish worked out in plain numbers.