What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum can assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint, mop and dust on a regular basis. Many work with apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with a large dust bin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, pick one that can clean up big items such as lamp cords and toys and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across your floor. This is particularly important if your robot will be cleaned frequently by pets or children.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, lint and dust off your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you have an area that is large it is possible to pick a model that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean your entire house in a single session. Certain models also include a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors 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 and emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will ensure that your robot is running efficiently for years to be. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same machine for a period of 10 years or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries in the process).

A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do an excellent job of keeping up with dirt and pet hair and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can send out several times a week to keep your floors clean. They do not have as much technology and are more prone to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuum cleaner and mop robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models will return to their dock or base when their battery is depleted. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The most expensive models usually come with mapping capabilities that permit them to remember the layout of your home and lessen the time you spend bumping into walls.

You don't have to spend a lot 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 rugs. They also be capable of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some models come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have clever features, making the standard stick vacuum look outdated. They include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability to control them through an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and 'virtual walls' to block off areas you don't want the robot to go.

Some robotic vacs like the Eufy 11S and my former favorite Roborock S8 Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from getting sucked into furniture or getting caught in cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to see and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots that I've tested, but it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and never gets stuck or derailed while working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance robot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum areas, which led to a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that helps you set up cleaning modes set schedules, and view a map of your area of floor that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that a few competitors do not have. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specific time intervals and run it on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning your living room prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

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

For a truly hands-free experience, opt for models with a large dust bin that can hold many cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. There are models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the labor out of emptying the machine after each vacuuming 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 your floors. These are usually bigger than robotic vacuums and include a water tank in the interior that holds multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before having to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps, and can remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum, because it won't need to go back to the beginning when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models utilize laser navigation and can make an exact map of your home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or every room in your home when you're at work.

App Control

It's best to choose the vacuum that comes with an app for mobile devices for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. You can also check the status of the vacuum as well as the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the top robot vacuums are controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has a washable filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another great feature is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are better in avoiding chair legs than others. Others have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to avoid the clogging.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and help you understand your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords, while cheaper models often utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is particularly beneficial for families with young kids who scatter socks and toys all over the house. This helps your robot collect the items instead of scattering.

We're beginning to see more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to mop them regularly. 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 kinds of robots, but they're perfect for homes with hard floors which aren't easy to clean with a vacuum.

These robots are packed with some amazing technology, and they are priced much less than you'd expect. In fact, you can get a good one for under $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area carpets. You can schedule the robot to sweep the room regularly and can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.