What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A quality robot vacuum will assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many of them use apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them from areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop creates an outline of your home with its first run. It then saves the space to be used for cleaning tasks in the future. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls and an large dust bin that is empty automatically.

Object Detection

When picking a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can take in big items, such as lamp cords and toys, and also dust particles. This will ensure that the items don't get stuck in the roller brushes or top robot vacuum left on your floor. This is especially important if your robot will be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

It's also a good idea to choose a model with an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will enable it to be more efficient in eliminating pet hair, dust and lint off carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your home is another crucial factor to consider. If you live in a large house you might want to choose a model that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one go. Some models also have a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting, but they need to be cleaned properly and regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will keep your robot running smoothly for long time to be. Many of the 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 is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They'll still be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning dirt from surfaces pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can use often throughout the week to keep your floors clean. However, they don't have as advanced technology, and could be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the staircase. Some models can return to their dock or base when their batteries are low. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. Some of the more expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to learn the layout of your home and spend less time bumping against walls.

If you're not looking to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you could locate a model that does a great job of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and debris from floors that are hard like tiles and wood, as well as carpets with a low pile. They can also handle bigger debris like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some come with an auto-emptying base, which is useful in the event that you don't wish to empty your trash bin after every cleaning run.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the standard stick vacuum look outdated. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the capability to control them through an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robot to go.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It also didn't get derailed or trapped while working on my floors.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance tool, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum specific areas, resulting in dust accumulation in the filters, and a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that allows you to customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and look at a map of the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is an extremely useful feature that some competitors do not have. It allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at certain times and continue to run continuously. For example, it could be cleaning the living room each day or before dinner.

A good app will allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work entirely hands-free, meaning you can say "start a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

For a truly hands-free experience, choose an option with a big dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be empty. There are models that self-empty, which eliminates the need to empty the robot after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a machine that can do more than just vacuum, you'll want to consider a model which can mop your floors. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums and have a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dust and dirt before needing to emptied.

Robots that are more advanced can create their own maps and remember the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums because it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room when it comes into contact with walls or furniture.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch television or perform other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you are at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning option, it's best to get one that is compatible with an app that can be downloaded on mobile. Through the app, you can also check the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the best robot vacuums can even be controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A top robot vacuum that self-empties a bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep hygienic, especially when you are able to access the filter and remove it to rinse it. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to get rid of dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others have sensors that automatically clean brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to detect obstacles such as stairs, furniture and cords. The cheaper models could utilize boundary strips to mark off areas that you don't wish to see it go. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who scatter toys and socks all over the home. This can help your robot to gather these items, instead of scattering them.

We're starting to see more robots with mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and need to mop them regularly. These robots have an integrated water tank into the chassis, or an extra piece which you can change out when you're ready to mop. They may require to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with floors made of wood that can't be easily cleaned by vacuum.

These robots are packed with impressive technology, and cost significantly less than you'd expect. You can get a good one for under $200. It can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and carpets. It is possible to schedule the robot to vacuum rooms every day and it can be controlled remotely with the app or by pressing buttons on its side.