What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A robot vacuum will help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many robot vacuums have applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries or walls, to ensure that the vacuum is kept away from areas you don't want cleaned.
This smart vac-mop makes a map of your home using its first run. It then saves the area to help you with future cleaning tasks. robotvacuummops.com has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and a self-cleaning, brush roll.
Object Detection
When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, make sure you choose one that is able to pick up large items, like lamps and toys as well as fine dirt. This will help ensure they don't get snarled in the roller brush, and aren't left on your floors. This is especially important when you have children or pets and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.
It's recommended to select a model that has strong motors and lots of suction power. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust off your carpets and hardwood floors.
The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you live in a big house, you may choose a model with multiple cleaning zones that cover the entire house in one go. Some models also have mopping capabilities that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums can last a long time however, they must be maintained regularly and in a proper manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly, emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for a long time. Many robot vacuum owners we have spoken to have owned their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries along with time).
A basic robot will cost you less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, however they'll do a fantastic job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair, and dust. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can use often throughout the week to keep your floor clean. They don't have as much technology and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.
Object Avoidance
The best robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to guide you around your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models will automatically return to their dock or base when they run out of energy. Some of the more expensive models come with the ability to map, which allows them to learn the layout of your home and spend less time bumping against walls.
There is no need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do an excellent job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as wood, tile, and low-pile rugs. They also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even abandoned toys. Some come with an auto-emptying base that is handy for those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every clean-up.
Many robotic vacuums also come with innovative features that make a regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls to block off areas you do not want the robot to go.
Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tested however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It was also very rarely stuck or derailment while working on my flooring.
The iRobot J7+ was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always do a great job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum specific areas, which resulted in dust accumulation in the filters, and a less clean home.
Smart Mapping
A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that helps you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view the flooring area that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that some competitors lack altogether. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific times and continue to run on regularly, for example, cleaning your living room prior to dinner or every other day.
A good app will allow you to control your robot using voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot through voice commands.
For a truly hands-free experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can accommodate many cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. There are also models that self-empty that take some of the burden of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.
If you want a robot that is more than just vacuum, you'll want to look at the possibility of a model that can mop floors. They're usually bigger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.
Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps and keep track of the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, since it won't have to go back to where it started when it encounters walls or furniture.
Our testers who used robots with this feature found it to be very efficient. They could watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some of these models utilize laser navigation and can create an exact map of your entire home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or each room of the house when you're at work.
App Control
It's best to choose a robot that has an app that is mobile for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and select the cleaning mode. You can also view the state of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the top robotic vacuums can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.
It is easy to maintain a robot with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, particularly when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. Another feature that is great is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some even have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the clogging of brushes that can be a problem in other machines.
Some robo-vacs use navigation tools to help them learn your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models have sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models often utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want to leave. Avoidance of objects can be particularly beneficial for families with children who scatter toys and socks all over the home. This helps your robot to gather the items instead of scattering.
We're seeing more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to mop them regularly. These robots come with water tanks built into the chassis or an extra piece you can swap in when it's time to mop. These robots might require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes that have hard floors and can't be cleaned easily with vacuums.
We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you imagine. You can get a good one under $200, which does a decent cleaning job on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and rug. You can program the robot to clean rooms every day and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.