What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

This smart vac and mop creates a home map with its first run, memorizing your space for future use. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up large objects like lamp cords and toys and fine dust. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brushes or end up on your floor. This feature is especially important if your robot will be cleaned regularly by children or pets.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has an efficient motor and plenty of suction power. This will make it more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your space. If you have a large house, you may want to opt for models with multiple cleaning zones that can cover your entire house in a single session. Some models also come with mopping capabilities, which can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are durable however, they must be cleaned properly and regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot functioning efficiently for many years. Many owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same machine for a decade or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do an excellent job at keeping up with dirt and pet hair, and dust. You can use them to sweep your floors multiple times per day. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more prone to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They can also stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs, and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they are running low on power. The ones that are more expensive usually come with mapping capabilities that permit them to remember the design of your home and lessen the time you spend running into walls.

If you're not looking to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you can still find one that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors like tile and wood as well as low-pile carpets. They also do a good job of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or the remains of toys. Some models even have self-emptying bases, which is useful for those who don't want to empty the dustbin after every cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer innovative features that make a regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them via an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls' to block off areas you do not want the robots to go.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to detect and avoid objects like shoe cords, lamp cords socks and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots that I've tested, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and never gets stuck or derailed while working on my floor.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a good obstacle avoidance bot but it wasn't always able to do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs from my carpets. It also tends to over-vacuum areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuum and mop under $500 robot vacuums have an app that can help you set up cleaning modes, set schedules and see a map of your area of floor that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that many competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specified times and run it continuously. For example, cleaning the living room each day or before dinner.

A good app will also allow you to control your robot with voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot using voice commands.

Find models with a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without needing empty it. You can find models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the robot after every time you vacuum.

If you want a robot that can do more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look at the possibility of a model that can mop floors. They are usually larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank inside that holds multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before needing to be cleaned.

Robots that are more advanced can make their own maps and keep track of the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your robot Vacuum Mops vacuum as it will not have to go back to where it started when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our testers found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch television or perform other things while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or all rooms while you are at work.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency at which the robot cleans your home and choose the cleaning mode it is recommended to purchase one that works with a mobile app. In the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the top robotic vacuums can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot with an washable filter and self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter is easily removed and rinsed. A high-powered brush is a great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to get rid of hair and dirt. Certain robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some even have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the clogging of brushes that can occur in other robots.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like furniture, stairs, and cords. The cheaper models could use boundary strips to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects can be particularly beneficial for families with children who scatter toys and socks all over the home. This can help your robot to collect the items instead of scattering.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop heads. This is great for those with hard floors who require to mop regularly. They come with a water tank built into the chassis or an additional piece that which you can change out when it's time to mop. They may need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, however they're perfect for homes with hard floors that aren't easily cleaned using a vacuum.

We've seen some amazing technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you think. In fact, you can get a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, while traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area carpets. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular schedule. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.