What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on a daily basis. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning sessions and set virtual boundaries or "walls" to keep them out of areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your home's layout for future tasks. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, look for one that is able to pick up large objects, such as toys and lamp cords, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they don't get snarled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is especially crucial if your robot is going to be regularly cleaned by children or pets.

It's recommended to choose a model with strong motors and plenty of suction power. This will enable it to be more efficient in removing pet hair, dust and lint from carpets and best self cleaning mopping robot hardwood flooring.

The size of your home is a different factor to consider. If you live in an apartment it is possible to pick one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one go. Some models also have a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums last a long time however they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot working efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have owned the same machine for a period of 10 years or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries along the way).

A basic robot is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces, pet fur and lint. You can use them to clean your floors several times per day. The downside is they don't offer as much advanced technology, and could be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot for mopping floors robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their dock or base when the battery is low. They also can avoid obstacles like furniture cords and legs. Some of the more expensive models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to learn your home's layout and therefore spend less time bouncing off walls.

You don't need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do an excellent job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood and low-pile rugs. They can also do a good job of removing larger debris such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or discarded toys. Some come with self-emptying bases that is handy for those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have smart features that make your ordinary stick vacuum appear old-fashioned such as scheduling, zone targeting, and the capability to control them using an app or 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.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses sensors, cameras and intelligent algorithms to avoid objects like lamp cords as well as pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn't get stuck or tangled when I was working on my floors.

The iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle-avoiding robot however, it didn't 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

The best self cleaning mopping robot robot vacuums have an app that helps you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view an outline of the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a useful feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified time intervals and run it on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living room before dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app can 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 a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without the need for an app.

Choose the model with a large dust bin. This allows you to complete many cleaning sessions without having to empty it. There are also models that self-empty that take some of the work out of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.

If you're looking for a robot that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to consider the possibility of a model which can mop your floors. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums, and come with an internal water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be emptied.

Robots that are more sophisticated can make their own maps and keep track of the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, since it won't have to spend time going back to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants found that the 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 use laser navigation and can make an exact map of your home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or each room of the house while you're at work.

App Control

It is best to select a robot that has a mobile application if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and choose the cleaning mode. You can also see the status of the vacuum as well as the state of its dust bin using the app. Some of the top robot vacuums can even be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot with the ability to wash the filter and a self-emptying container, particularly if the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. Another feature that is great is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair leg than others. Others come with a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to aid them in navigating obstacles and to learn about your home. High-end models use sensors and cameras to detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs, and cords. Less expensive models might use boundary strips to mark off areas you don't want it to enter. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who throw socks and toys all over the home. This helps your robot collect these items instead of scattering.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mops. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who require to clean regularly. These robots have a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They might need to be refilled more often than other kinds of robots, but they're great for homes with floors made of wood which aren't easy to clean using a vacuum.

We've seen some amazing technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot cheaper than you think. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that can do a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. It is possible to schedule the robot to sweep the room every day and it can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.