What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

This smart vac-mop creates a map of your home with its initial run. It then saves the space for future cleaning jobs. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that can clean up large items like toys and lamp cords as well as dust particles of fine size. This will ensure they don't become entangled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is an ideal option. This will make it more efficient at getting up pet hair, lint and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

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

Robot vacuums are durable however, they must 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 machine running smoothly for long time to be. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak to have owned their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries with time).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, but they'll do a fantastic job at removing dirt and pet hair and dust. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out every week to keep your floor tidy. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more prone to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras 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 their battery is depleted. They can also avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. The most expensive models usually come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend running into walls.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a fantastic job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood and low-pile rugs. They can also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is ideal for those who don't want to empty it after each cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer smart features that make your standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric, including scheduling, zone targeting, and the capability to control them using an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't wish the robot to get into.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will keep them from tripping 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 such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tried, however it does a great job of avoiding obstacles, and never 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 do a good job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum some areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

Some of the top robot vacuums have an application that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and view the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is a very useful feature that many competitors do not have. It allows you to create profiles that automatically start the robot at specified times and continue to run continuously. For example, self Cleaning robot Vacuum cleaning the living room every day, or just 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 through voice commands.

To have a hands-free experience, choose an option with a big dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be empty. There are also models that are self cleaning robot Vacuum-emptying that take some of the work out of emptying the robot vacuum cleaner for carpet after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that does more than vacuum, you should consider a model with a mopping function. They're usually bigger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions' worth of dirt and dust before having to be emptied.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your home and can even remember the arrangement from one cleaning to another and help them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, as it won't need to spend time going back to the beginning of the room whenever it encounters furniture or walls.

Our testers found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch television or perform other things while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models utilize 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 the house while you're working.

App Control

If you're looking to change the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and choose the cleaning mode you should choose one that has an app that can be downloaded on mobile. You can also check the status of the vacuum as well as the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the most effective robot vacuums can be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, particularly if you can easily access the filter and remove it to wash it. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to get rid of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair leg than others. Others have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent clogging.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and help you understand your home. The top models come with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models may utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is particularly useful for families with young kids who scatter socks and toys all over the house. This allows your robot to gather these items instead of scattering.

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

We've seen some impressive technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might think. You can get a good one for less than $200, and it does a decent cleaning job on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and area rug. The robot can be programmed to vacuum the room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.