What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with applications that let you schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries, or walls, to ensure that the vacuum is kept away from areas you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your space for future use. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, choose one that can pick up large items, like lamps and toys as well as fine dirt. This will help ensure they don't get snarled in the roller brush, and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important when you have pets or children, and need to clean the robot regularly.

It's recommended to select a model that has a powerful motor and lots of suction power. This will allow it to be more efficient in getting rid of dust, pet hair, and lint off carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is another important consideration. If you live in an area that is large, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean the entire house in a single session. Certain models have mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are tough, but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will keep your robot running smoothly for the years to be. Many of the robot vacuum owners we have spoken to have been using their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries as time went by).

A basic robot is less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They will still perform a great job of cleaning surface dirt, pet fur and lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can distribute every week to keep your floors tidy. They don't have as much technology and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to guide you around your home and prevent getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They can also avoid obstacles such as cords and furniture legs, and some models will automatically return to their dock or base when they run low on power. Some of the more expensive models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to remember your home's layout and spend less time bouncing off walls.

There is no need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tile, wood, and low-pile rugs. They also can handle larger particles like nails that are rusty, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it after each cleaning session.

Many robotic vacuums also come with smart features that make your standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric with features like zones, schedules, and the capability to control them using an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want robots to access.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks, and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles within my home and rarely got stuck or derailment when I was cleaning my floors.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot however, it wasn't always doing an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs from my carpets. It also tends to over-vacuum some areas, which led to lots of dust in the filter and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums come with an app that lets you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view the flooring area that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that some competitors lack altogether. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specific times and keep it running on a regular basis, like cleaning your living room prior to dinner or every other day.

A good app can let you control your robot using voice commands. Some models support Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start cleaning" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.

Find a model that has a large dust bin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are also models that are self-emptying that take some of the work out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a machine capable of doing more than just vacuum, you'll want to look at one that can mop your floors. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums, and have a water tank inside that can hold many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to needing to be cleaned.

The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your home. They can even keep track of the arrangement from one cleaning to the next, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, since it won't need to spend time going back to the beginning of the room when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or do other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation and can create an exact map of your home, meaning you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner or every room in the house while you're at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency with which the robot cleans your house and select the cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with an app that can be downloaded on mobile. In the app, you can also check the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. The best cheap robot vacuum robotic vacuums can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to access the filter and take it off it to wash it. A high-powered brush is a fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Some have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and help you understand your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models may use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is crucial for vacuum and mop families with young children who throw toys and socks scattered throughout the house, because it allows your robot to grab the objects instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots that have mops, which are useful for those who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. These robots come with water tanks built into the chassis, or an extra piece you can put in when it's time to clean. They may need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors that can't be cleaned easily with vacuums.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're less expensive than you might expect. You can find a decent one under $200, which can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and rugs. It is possible to schedule the robot to sweep the room every day, and it can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.