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 daily basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with applications that let you schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries or "walls," to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.
This smart vac-mop creates the map of your home with its first run. It then saves the space to help you with future cleaning tasks. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.
Object Detection
When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up large objects like toys and lamp cords and dust particles that are fine. This will ensure that they don't become entangled by the roller brush and aren't left behind on your floors. This is particularly crucial if your robot is going to be cleaned frequently by children or pets.
A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is also a good option. This will help it to be more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint from carpets and hardwood floors.
Another factor to consider is the size of your room. If you have a huge home, you might prefer models with multiple cleaning zones that can clean the entire home in a single session. Some models have mopping features that can be used to keep floors fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums are durable, but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine working efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums who we talk to have owned their machines for ten years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as time went by).
A basic robot will cost less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do an excellent job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. You can use them to scrub your floor several times a day. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more prone to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.
Object Avoidance
The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without falling off or getting stuck on the stairs. They can also stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models can automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on energy. The most expensive models usually come with mapping capabilities that permit them to remember the layout of your home and reduce the amount of time you're bumping into walls.
If you don't want splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can still find one that does a great job of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors like tile and wood as well as low-pile carpets. They also can handle bigger debris like nails with rusty screws, metal screws or discarded toys. Some come with self-emptying bases, which is useful in the event that you don't wish to empty the dustbin after every cleaning session.
Some robotic vacuums have smart features, which make the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability for you to control them through an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to enter.
Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will prevent them from tripping over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance technology that makes use of a camera, processors and smarts to avoid items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and never gets stuck or derailed when working on my floor.
The iRobot J7+ was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always succeed in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also tends to over-vacuum areas, resulting in a lot of extra dust in the filter and an unclean home.
Smart Mapping
A few of the top robot vacuums come with an app that helps you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view an outline of the floor area that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at specific times and run it continuously. For example, cleaning the living room each day, or just before dinner.
A good app will also allow you to control your robot using voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.
For a truly hands-free experience, opt for a model with a large dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be empty. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the robot after every vacuuming session.
If robot vacuum for carpet want a robot capable of doing more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look at one which can mop your floors. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums and have an internal water tank that holds many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris before needing to be cleaned.
The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the arrangement from one cleaning to another and help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a huge difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, as it won't be spending time returning to the beginning of the room when it comes across walls or furniture.
Our testers found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch TV or complete other things while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can then program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or all rooms while you are at work.
App Control
If you're looking to change the frequency at which the robot cleans your house and select the cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with an app for mobile devices. Through the app, you can examine the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the best robot vacuums are controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
It is easy to maintain a robot equipped with an washable filter and self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. A powerful brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some even have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the obstruction of brushes that may happen in other robots.
Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to aid them in navigating obstacles and help you understand your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models sometimes utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects can be particularly useful for families with children who scatter socks and toys all over the home. This allows your robot to collect these items, instead of scattering them.
We're seeing more robots equipped with mops which are useful for those who have hard floors and require to regularly clean them. These robots have an integrated water tank into the chassis, or a separate piece you can put in when you're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled more frequently than other kinds of robots, but they're perfect for homes with floors made of wood that aren't easily cleaned with a vacuum.
These robots are loaded with impressive technology, and cost significantly less than you would expect. You can find a quality one for under $200. It does a decent cleaning job on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and area carpets. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.