What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

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

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, choose one that can pick up large objects, such as lamp cords and toys, and also dust particles. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush or left on your floor. This is particularly crucial if the robot will be cleaned frequently by pets or children.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will enable it to be more efficient in eliminating dust, pet hair, and lint from carpets as well as hardwood flooring.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your space. If you have an apartment you might want to select one that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean the entire house in a single session. Some models have mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors looking clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums last a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many long time to come. Many owners of robot vacuums we chat with have owned the same model for a period of 10 years or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries along the way).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll perform a great job of cleaning surface dirt as well as pet fur and lint. You can use them to sweep your floor several times a day. They don't have as much technology and are more prone to get stuck or require manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their base or dock when the battery is low. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. Some of the more expensive models have the ability to map, which allows them to remember your home's layout and therefore spend less time bouncing against walls.

You don't need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a fantastic job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as wood, tile and low-pile rugs. They can also handle larger particles like metal screws, rusty nails or even toys that have been discarded. Some models come with a base that automatically empty itself, which is a great feature for those who don't want to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, making the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability for you to control them via an app or a voice assistants, 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, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology which uses a camera, processors and algorithms to stay clear of items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots that I've tried, however it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and rarely gets stuck or derailed when I'm working on my floor.

The iRobot J7+ was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always succeed at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my carpets. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum areas, resulting in lots of dust in the filter and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums come with an app that helps you customize cleaning modes set schedules, and view the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a great feature that some competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at specific times and continue to run continuously. For example, cleaning the living room each day or before dinner.

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

Look for the model with a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without needing to empty it. There are models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the robot after each vacuuming session.

If you want a robot that is more than just vacuum, you'll want to look into one that can mop floors. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums, and include an internal water tank that can hold many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris before having to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can make their own maps, and can remember the layout of your home 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 since it won't have to return to where it was when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test participants found that the robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or do other things 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

It is best robot vacuum for carpet and hardwood to select a robot that has a mobile application for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose a cleaning mode. In the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the most effective affordable robot vacuum vacuums are controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has an washable filter and self-emptying container, particularly when the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. A powerful brush is another fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards to get rid of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and help you understand your home. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. Cheaper models may use boundary strips to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly useful for families with young children who scatter toys and socks around the home. This helps your robot collect these items instead of scattering.

More robots are equipped with mop heads. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who require to clean regularly. They have a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate piece can be swapped in when ready to mop. They may require to be refilled more often than other types of robots, however they're great for homes with floors made of wood that can't be easily cleaned by vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you imagine. You can get a good one under $200, which does a decent job cleaning on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and rug. The robot can be programmed to clean the room at regular intervals. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.