What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A quality robot vacuum will keep you on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many use apps that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions and define virtual boundaries or "walls" to keep them out of areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop will create the map of your home's layout with its initial run. It then saves the space to help you with future cleaning tasks. It has self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up large objects like toys and lamp cords and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure they don't get snarled by the roller brush and don't end up on your floors. This is especially important if your robot will be cleaned regularly by pets or children.

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

The size of your house is another crucial factor to consider. If you live in a big house, you may want to opt for one with multiple cleaning zones that cover your entire house in one session. Some models also come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums last a long time however they'll need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your machine running smoothly for a long time. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we have spoken to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still do an excellent job of cleaning the surface of dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can use often throughout the week to keep your floor tidy. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The Best Robot Vacuum For Hard Floors robot vacs use sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models will return to their dock or base when their battery is depleted. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the layout of your home and lessen the time you spend running into walls.

There is no need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood and low-pile rug. They also can handle larger debris such as nails that are rusty, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is great for those who don't want to empty it after each cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer advanced features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them with an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and 'virtual walls' to block off areas where you don't want the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will prevent them from tripping over cords or furniture. Others, such as the irobot vacuum cleaner Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks, and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tested, however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn't get stuck or tangled when I was cleaning my floors.

While the iRobot j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance tool but it wasn't always able to do an excellent job of removing dust and crumbs from my carpets. It also was prone to over-vacuum specific areas, resulting in dust accumulation in the filters and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you set up cleaning modes, set schedules and see an outline of the flooring area that the machine covers. This is a useful feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specified times, and keep it running regularly. For instance, you could clean the living area every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app can 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.

Look for a model that has an enormous dust bin. This allows you to complete many cleaning sessions without having empty it. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the machine after every vacuuming session.

If you want a robot capable of doing more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into one that can mop your floors. These are typically larger than robotic vacuums and include an internal water tank which can store several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be emptied.

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 which can help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a huge difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, as it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room whenever it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants who utilized robots with this capability found it to be very efficient, and they could watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you are at work.

App Control

If you want to customize how often the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning option, it's best to get one that works with an app for mobile devices. Within the app, you can also check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the top vacuums that are robotic can be controlled 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, especially when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. A high-powered brush is a 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 chairs' legs than others, and some even have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the clogging of brushes that can be a problem in other machines.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools to help them discover your home and navigate around obstacles. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to identify obstacles such as stairs, furniture, and cords. Cheaper models may use boundaries to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly beneficial for families with children who scatter socks and toys around the house. This can help your robot collect these items, instead of scattering them.

We're beginning to see more robots that have mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. These robots have an integrated water tank into the chassis, or a separate piece you can put in when it's time to mop. They might need to be filled more frequently than other types of robots, but they're ideal for best robot Vacuum for hard floors homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned using a vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you expect. You can find a quality one for under $200. It does a decent job cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and carpets. You can schedule the robot to sweep rooms on a regular basis, and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.