What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum can help you stay on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with apps 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 mop and vac creates a map of your home with its first run, memorizing your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically emptys and self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, choose one that can pick up large objects, such as lamp cords and toys, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they don't get snarled by the roller brush and aren't left behind on your floors. This is especially important for those who have pets or children and may need to clean the robot regularly.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has a powerful motor and lots of suction power. This will allow it to be more effective in getting rid of pet hair, dust and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.

Another factor to consider is the size of your home. If you live in an area that is large it is possible to choose a model that has multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean your entire house in one session. Some models come with mopping capabilities 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, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will keep your robot running efficiently for the years to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have owned the same model for a decade or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries along the way).

A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll do a fantastic job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. You can use them to sweep your floors several times per day. The drawback is that they don't come with as smart technology, and can be prone to getting stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuums use sensors, cameras or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They also can stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models will automatically return to their dock or base when they run low on power. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities that allow them to remember your home's layout and therefore spend less time bouncing against walls.

If you're not looking to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can still find a model that is capable of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and dust from floors made of wood and tile and carpets with low pile. They also can handle larger debris such as nails that are rusty, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some have an automatic base that drains itself, which is a great feature for those who don't want to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features that make the look of a stick vacuum quaint. They include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability for you to control them through an app or voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls' to block off areas you do not want the robots to go.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to detect and avoid objects like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tried, but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles in my home and rarely got derailed or trapped when I was working on my flooring.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance robot however, it wasn't always doing an excellent job of avoiding dust and crumbs from my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas, leading to a lot of dust in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that can help you customize cleaning modes and schedules, as well as view an outline of the flooring area that the machine covers. This is a very useful feature that other models do not have. It allows you to create profiles that automatically start the robot at specified times and continue to run regularly. For example, cleaning the living room every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app will allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Some models support Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free. You can say "start with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without the need for an app.

For a truly hands-free experience, choose a model with a large dust bin that can accommodate numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the requirement to empty the robot after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a robotic that can do more than vacuum, consider one that has mopping capabilities. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums and have a water tank in the interior that can hold many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.

Robots that are more advanced 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 Good Robot vacuum stuck. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum as it will not have to return to where it started when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our test subjects who tested the robot that has this feature found it to be extremely efficient, and could watch TV or do other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your entire home, which means that you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or every room in your home while you're working.

App Control

If you want to customize how often the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning option you should choose one that has a mobile app. You can also see the state of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin using the app. Some of the top robot vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot vacuum for dog hair that self-empties a bin and washable filters is simple to keep clean, especially when you are able to access the filter and take it off it to wash it. A high-powered brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to get rid of hair and dirt. Some robots are better in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some also have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the obstruction of brushes that may be a problem in other robots.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that help them understand your home and get around obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models sometimes use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects can be particularly beneficial for families with children who throw socks and toys all over the home. This helps your robot collect the items instead of scattering.

We're seeing more robots that have mops, which are useful for those who have hard floors and require to clean them regularly. These robots come with a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate piece can be swapped in when ready to mop. These robots might require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes that have hard floors and can't be cleaned with vacuum cleaners.

These robots come with impressive technology, and they are priced significantly less than you'd think. In fact, you can get a good one for under $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs from hard floors while also moving around the edges of light carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to vacuum the room on a regular schedule. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.