What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on regular basis. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vac-mop creates the map of your home with its initial run. It then stores the space to help you with future cleaning tasks. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, choose one that can pick-up large objects like lamps and toys and fine dust. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush or left on your floor. This feature is especially important if your robot will be cleaned regularly by children or pets.

A model that has a powerful engine and lots of suction is also an ideal option. This will enable it to be more effective in removing dust, pet hair, and lint off carpets and hardwood floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you have a large home, you might choose models with multiple cleaning zones that cover the entire house in a single session. Some models also have a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough, but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping your sensors will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for a long time. Many robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for ten years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries with time).

A basic robot is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They'll still perform a great job of cleaning dirt from surfaces pet fur, lint and other debris. You can use them to sweep your floors several times per day. However, they don't have as smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without falling off or getting stuck on the staircase. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs, and some models automatically return to their base or dock when they run out of energy. The most expensive models usually feature mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the arrangement of your home, and Robot Vacuum Mops 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 an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces like wood, tile and low-pile rug. They can also be capable of handling larger objects such as metal screws, rusty staples or discarded toys. Some come with a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal if you do not want to empty it every cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. These include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability for you to control them via an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and 'virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robot to venture.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy RoboVac G20: Advanced Navigation Powerful 2500 Pa Suction 11S and my former favorite the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from getting sucked into furniture or tangling cords. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance technology that makes use of a camera, processors and smarts to avoid items like lamp cords as well as pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tested however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn't get derailed or trapped when I was working on my floors.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance tool but it wasn't always able to do well in removing dirt and crumbs off my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum specific areas, resulting in dust accumulating in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best vacuum and mop combo for laminate floors robot vacuums have an application that lets you customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and see the area covered by the machine. This is an excellent 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 regularly, for example, cleaning the living room before dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app will allow you to control your Robot Vacuum Mops using voice commands. Certain models can be controlled by 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.

Look for the model with a large dustbin. This will allow you to perform numerous cleaning sessions without having to empty it. There are also models that self-empty which takes a portion of the labor out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a robot that can do more than vacuum, you should consider the models that have a mopping function. They are usually larger than the robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank inside that holds many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.

The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the arrangement between cleanings and help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum because it won't need to go back to the beginning when it encounters furniture or walls.

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

App Control

If you want to customize how often the robot cleans your home and choose the cleaning mode it is recommended to purchase one that is compatible with a mobile app. You can also check the state of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the top robot vacuums are controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot with a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to access the filter and remove it to wash it. A high-powered brush is another fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards to remove dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that help them understand your home and overcome obstacles. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to recognize obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords. Less expensive models might utilize boundary strips to mark areas that you don't wish it to go. Object avoidance is especially important for families with young children who leave toys and socks scattered throughout the house, as it allows your robot to grab those items instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mops. This is great for those with floors that are hard and need to clean regularly. These robots have a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate piece that you can swap in when ready to mop. These robots may require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes with hard floors and can't be cleaned easily with vacuum cleaners.

We've seen some impressive technology incorporated into these tiny robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might expect. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that can do a decent job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room at regular intervals. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.