What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a regular basis. Many use apps that allow you to schedule cleaning times and define virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them away from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vac-mop & vacuum in one creates an outline of your home's layout with its initial run. It then stores the space to be used for cleaning tasks in the future. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can pick up big items, such as lamps and toys as well as dust particles. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or left on your floor. This is especially important if you have pets or children, and you may have to clean the robot on a regular basis.

A model with an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is also a good option. This will help it be more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you have a large house, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean your entire home in a single session. Some models come with a mopping feature that can be used to keep floors looking clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are tough, but they need to be cleaned properly and regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your machine running smoothly for a long time. Many of the robot vacuum owners we speak to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time).

A basic robot is less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They'll still perform a great job of cleaning surface dirt as well as pet fur and top robot vacuum lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out often throughout the week to keep your floor clean. The drawback is that they don't have as smart technology, and can be prone to getting stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The top best Robot vacuum For hardwood floors vacuums make use of sensors, cameras or lasers to navigate your home and prevent getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models can return to their base or dock when the battery is low. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The most expensive models usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the layout of your home and reduce the amount of time you're bumping into walls.

You don't have to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a great job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tile, wood, and low-pile rugs. They can also be capable of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is a great feature when you don't need to empty it after each cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have smart features that make your ordinary stick vacuum appear old-fashioned such as schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't wish the robot to get into.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to prevent them from tripping over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses sensors, cameras and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles, and never is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.

The J7+ from iRobot was a great obstacle-avoiding robot, but it did not always do a good job in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas which resulted in dust accumulating in the filters and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the top robot vacuums have an app that allows you to alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and see an image of the floor area covered by the machine. This is an extremely useful feature that other models don't have. It allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at certain times, and keep it running regularly. For best Robot vacuum and mop Combo With self empty example, it could be cleaning the living room each day or before dinner.

A good app can let you control your robot 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 a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.

To have a hands-free experience, look for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are models that are self-emptying, which takes some of the work out of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robotic that can do more than vacuum, consider one that has a mopping function. They are usually larger than robotic vacuums and include an internal water tank that holds several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before needing to be emptied.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your home and can even remember the arrangement from one cleaning to the next which can help them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum because it won't need to go back to where it was when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our testers found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or all rooms when you're at work.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency at which the robot cleans your house and select a cleaning mode it is recommended to purchase one that works with an app for mobile devices. In the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep hygienic, especially if you can easily access the filter and remove it to wash it. Another great feature is a powerful brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the blockage of brushes that could be a problem in other machines.

Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools that help them understand your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models have sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models may utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who have socks and toys scattered around the house, because it allows your robot to grab these items instead of scattering them.

We're starting to see more robots equipped with mops which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to regularly clean them. These robots come with a water tank built into the chassis or a separate piece you can swap in when it's time to clean. They might need to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're great for homes with floors made of wood which aren't easy to clean by vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might imagine. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that does a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area carpets. It is possible to schedule the robot to clean rooms every day and it can be controlled remotely with the app or by pressing buttons on its side.