What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum will help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many work with apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and set virtual boundaries or "walls" to keep them out of areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a home map after its first run, memorizing your space for future use. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and a self-cleaning, brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can take in large items, like toys and lamp cords, and also fine dirt. This will help ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush and aren't left behind on your floors. This is particularly crucial if the robot will be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

A model that has a powerful engine and lots of suction is a good choice. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, lint and dust from your hardwood and carpet floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your home. If you live in an apartment it is possible to select one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one go. Some models also come with mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will ensure that your robot is running efficiently for long time to be. Many owners of robot vacuums we speak with have owned the same machine for a decade or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot will cost less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt and pet hair and dust. You can use them to sweep your floors several times per day. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot mop and vacuum combo robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to guide you around your home and prevent getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs, and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they run out of energy. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to learn your home's layout and therefore spend less time bouncing against walls.

If you don't want to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can still find a model that does a great job of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and dust from floors made of wood and tile and low-pile carpets. They can also take care of bigger debris like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some even come with an auto-emptying base, which is useful if you don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning run.

Many robotic vacuums also come with advanced features that make your standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric, including schedules, zone targeting 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 where you don't want the robot to go.

Certain robotic vacuums like the Eufy 11S and my former top pick, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from crashing into furniture or getting caught in cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks 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 is stuck or derails while working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance robot however, it wasn't always doing well in removing dirt and crumbs from my carpets. It also tended to over-vacuum certain areas, which led to a lot of extra dust in the filter, and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums have an app that lets you to customize cleaning settings, set schedules and see the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that a few competitors do not have. It allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at certain times, and keep it running regularly. For example, best rated robot vacuum cleaning the living room each morning or prior to dinner.

A good app can also allow you to control your robot with voice commands. Certain models can be controlled by Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

For a truly hands-free experience, opt for models with a large dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can also find models that self-empty, which takes some of the burden of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you want a robot that can do more than just vacuum, you'll want to look into a model that can mop floors. These are typically larger than robotic vacuums and come with an internal water tank which can store several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be emptied.

Robots that are more advanced can create their own maps and keep track of the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, since it won't have to go back to where it started when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our testers who used a robot with this feature found it to be very efficient. They could comfortably sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you are at work.

App Control

It is recommended to select one that comes with an app for mobile devices if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and select cleaning mode. You can also see the status of the vacuum mop robot as well as the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the best rated robot vacuum robot vacuums can even be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot with a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, particularly if you can easily access the filter and take it off it to wash it. A high-powered brush is a great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others come with sensors that automatically clean brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools to help them understand your home and overcome obstacles. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles like furniture, stairs, and cords. The cheaper models could utilize boundary strips to mark off areas you don't want it to enter. Object avoidance can be especially useful for families with children who throw socks and toys all over the home. This can help your robot to gather the items instead of scattering.

More robots are equipped with mops. This is useful for those with hard floors who need to mop frequently. These robots come with water tanks built into the chassis, or an additional piece that you can swap in when you're ready to mop. These robots might need to be refilled frequently, but are ideal for homes that have hard floors and can't be cleaned with vacuum cleaners.

These robots are packed with impressive technology, and cost significantly less than you'd think. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that does a good job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs from hard floors while also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to vacuum specific rooms at regular intervals. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.