What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A quality robot vacuum will keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a regular basis. Many of them use apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them out of areas that you don't want to be cleaned.
This smart vac and mop creates a home map after its first run, storing your space for future use. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically empties and self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.
Object Detection
When picking a robot vacuum, look for one that can take in large objects, such as lamps and toys as well as dust particles. This will ensure that the items don't get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across your floor. This feature is particularly important for those who have pets or children and need to clean the robot regularly.
It's recommended to select a model that has an efficient motor and plenty of suction power. This will allow it to be more efficient in removing dust, pet hair, and lint from carpets and hardwood flooring.
Another factor to consider is the size of your room. If you have a large home, you may choose one with multiple cleaning zones that can cover your entire house in a single session. Some models have mopping features that can be utilized to keep floors clean and fresh.
Robot vacuums are tough, but they need to be maintained in a timely and efficient manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will keep your robot running efficiently for long time to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak to have owned their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as time went by).
A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. You can use them to scrub your floor several times a day. The drawback is that they don't come with as advanced technology, and could be prone to getting stuck or requiring human intervention.
Object Avoidance
The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models can return to their dock or base when their battery is depleted. They can also avoid obstacles like furniture legs and cords. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to memorize your home's layout and spend less time bouncing off walls.
If you don't want to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you could locate a model that is capable of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and dust from floors made of tiles and wood, as well as carpets with low pile. They can also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even the remains of toys. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is great for those who don't want to empty it after each cleaning session.
Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look quaint. They include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability for you to control them using an app or a voice assistants, such as Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robots to go.
Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from getting sucked into furniture or tangling with cords. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance technology that makes use of sensors, cameras and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords as well as pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn't get stuck or derailment when I was working on my floors.
The J7+ from iRobot was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however it didn't always succeed in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also tends to over-vacuum areas, which led to a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.
Smart Mapping
Some of the best robot vacuums have an app that lets you customize cleaning modes set schedules, and view an outline of the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a very useful feature that some competitors do not have. This makes it easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific time intervals and run it on a regular basis, like cleaning the living room before dinner or on a regular basis.
A good app will also allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot with voice commands.
Find a model that has a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without needing to empty it. You can find models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the machine after every time you vacuum.
If you want a robot that is more than just vacuum, you'll want to consider one that can mop your floors. They're usually bigger than robotic vacuums and include a tank of water that can store multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dust and dirt before needing to emptied.
Robots that are more advanced can create their own maps and keep track of the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums because it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room if it comes into contact with walls or furniture.
Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation and can create an exact map of your house, which means you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or each room of the house while you're working.
App Control
It's best to choose one that comes with a mobile application for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose the cleaning mode. You can also see the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the top robot vacuums can even be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
A robot with a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, particularly when you are able to easily access the filter and then remove it to rinse it. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to get rid of dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some also have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the blockage of brushes that could occur in other machines.
Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools that help them understand your home and get around obstacles. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models may use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark off areas you don't want to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly beneficial for families with young children who scatter toys and socks all over the house. This can help your robot to gather these items instead of scattering.
We're seeing more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to regularly clean them. They have a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with hard automatic vacuum and mop robot floors that can't be easily cleaned by vacuum.
We've seen some amazing technology incorporated into these tiny robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might think. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs from hard floors while also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to vacuum the room at regular intervals. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.