What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily basis. Many work with apps to allow you to 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-mop creates a map of your home using its initial run. It then remembers the space to help you with future cleaning tasks. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically emptys, as well as a self-cleaning, brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, look for one that can take in large objects, such as toys and lamp cords, and also dust particles. This will ensure that they don't become entangled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important if you have children or pets and need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

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

Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you live in a large house you might want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one session. Some models also have mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last a long time, but they'll need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will keep your robot running smoothly for long time to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same machine for 10 years or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do a great job of keeping up with surface dirt, pet hair, and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can send out several times a week to keep your floors tidy. The drawback is that they don't offer as much advanced technology, and best robot vacuum could be prone to getting stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

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

If you don't want to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you can find one that is capable of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and crumbs from hard floors like tiles and wood, as well as carpets with low pile. They can also handle larger particles like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is a great feature for those who don't want to empty it every cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer advanced features that make your ordinary stick vacuum appear old-fashioned, including schedules, zone targeting and the capability to control them using an app or a voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the industrial robot vacuum to get into.

Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology which uses sensors, cameras and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or derails when I'm working on my floor.

While the iRobot j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also tends to over-vacuum some areas, resulting in lots of dust in the filter, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums come with an app that lets you set up cleaning modes, set schedules and see an outline of the floor area that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This lets you create profiles that will automatically start the robot at certain times, and keep it running continuously. For instance, you could clean the living room each morning or prior to dinner.

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

For a truly hands-free experience, opt for a model with a large dust bin that can hold many cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. There are also models that are self-emptying that take some of the labor out of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that is more than a vacuum, you should consider a model with a mopping function. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank inside that can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before having to be empty.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your home. They can even keep track of the layout from one cleaning to the next and help them avoid getting lost or best robot Vacuum stuck in corners. This can make a significant difference in how efficiently your commercial robot vacuum vacuums because it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room if it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Certain models utilize laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you're working.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency with which the robot cleans your house and select the cleaning mode you should choose one that works with a mobile app. Within the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. The Best Robot Vacuum vacuums that are robotic can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is simple to keep hygienic, especially when you are able to access the filter and take it off it to rinse it. A powerful brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to get rid of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others come with an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to avoid the clogging.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation 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 such as furniture, stairs and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models may use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark off areas where you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with young children who throw socks and toys scattered around the house, since it helps your robot nab those items instead of scattering them.

We're beginning to see more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. These robots have a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate piece you swap in when they're ready to mop. These robots might require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned by vacuum cleaners.

We've seen some impressive technology incorporated into these tiny robots and they're cheaper than you think. You can find a quality one under $200, which does a decent cleaning job on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and rugs. It is possible to schedule the robot to vacuum the room on a regular basis and can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.