What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with applications that let you schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries, or "walls," to keep the vacuum away from areas that you don't want cleaned.

This mop and vac creates a home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When picking a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can take in large items, like lamp cords and toys, as well as dust particles. This will help ensure they don't get snarled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important for those who have pets or children, and need to clean the robot regularly.

A model with an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is an excellent choice. This will allow it to be more efficient in eliminating pet hair, dust and lint off carpets and hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your space. If you have a huge home, you may want to opt for a model with multiple cleaning zones that cover the entire home in a single session. Certain models also include a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

small robot vacuum vacuums are tough however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors regularly will keep your machine running efficiently for years to come. Many robot vacuum owners we speak to have been using their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries along with time).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job at removing dirt and pet hair, and lint. You can use them to sweep your floors several times per day. The drawback is that they don't have as smart technology, and can be prone to getting stuck or requiring human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without falling off or getting stuck 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 out of energy. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the layout of your home and lessen the time you spend hitting walls.

You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a fantastic job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tile, wood and low-pile rug. They also be capable of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some models even have an auto-emptying base which is helpful for rated those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the standard stick vacuum look quaint. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't wish robots to access.

Certain robotic vacuums like the Eufy 11S and my former top pick, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from derailing by running into furniture or tangling cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance that uses a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tested, but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles in my home and rarely got stuck or tangled while working on my flooring.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum certain areas, leading to dust accumulating in the filters, and rated a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that helps you to customize cleaning settings and schedules, as well as view the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a useful feature, and one that many competitors don't have. It allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at specific times, and keep it running continuously. For example, it could be cleaning the living room every day, or just before dinner.

A good app can also let you control your robot vacuum cleaner for carpet using voice commands. Certain models can be controlled by Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work entirely hands-free, meaning you can say "start with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

For a truly hands-free experience, choose a model with a large dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can also find models that self-empty which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the machine after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robot that does more than vacuum, consider the models that have mopping functions. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums and come with an internal water tank that holds several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the layout between cleanings, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum as it will not have to return to where it was when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other things while the robot cleaned. Some of these models utilize laser navigation and rated can create an exact map of your home, which means that you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or each room of the house when you're at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning option, it's best to get one that is compatible with an app for mobile devices. You can also see the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the best robot vacuums can even be controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and remove it to rinse it. A high-powered brush is a excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Certain robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some also have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the obstruction of brushes that may be a problem in other robots.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to recognize obstacles like stairs, furniture, and cords. Cheaper models may utilize boundary strips to mark areas where you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with young children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, because it helps your robot nab those objects instead of scattering them.

We're beginning to see more robots equipped with mops which are useful for those who have hard floors and need to clean them regularly. They come with water tanks built into the chassis or an extra piece you can swap in when you're ready to mop. They may require frequent refills but they're ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren't easily cleaned by a vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology incorporated into these tiny robots and they're less expensive than you might expect. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that does a good job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, while moving around the edges of light carpets or area carpets. You can program the robot to clean the room every day and it can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.