What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many robot vacuums work with apps that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions. 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 trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls and an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that can clean up large items like lamp cords and toys as well as dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that the items don't get caught in the roller brush or left on your floor. This feature is particularly important when you have pets or children and you may have to clean the robot regularly.

A model that has a powerful engine and lots of suction is also an ideal option. This will make it more effective in removing pet hair, lint and dust from your hardwood and carpet floors.

The size of your house is another important consideration. If you have an area that is large it is possible to choose models that have multiple cleaning zones so you can clean the entire house in one go. Certain models also include mopping functions, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot functioning efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak to have owned their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries along with time).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning surface dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can distribute often throughout the week to keep your floors clean. 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 sensors, cameras or lasers to help you navigate your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They can also avoid obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models can automatically return to their base or dock when they run low on power. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to learn your home's layout and spend less time bouncing off walls.

If you don't want to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can find a model that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and dust from floors made of wood and tile and low-pile carpets. They can also be capable of removing larger debris such as metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is great if you do not want to empty it every cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, making the standard stick vacuum look old-fashioned. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability to control them using an app or a voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls to block off areas you do not want the robots to go.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses cameras, processors and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords as well as pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots that I've tested, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or tripped when I'm working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance bot but it wasn't always able to do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs off my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum areas, resulting in a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the top robot vacuums include an application that lets you alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and look at an image of the area covered by the machine. This is a very useful feature that other models don't have. It is easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific times and continue to run on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living room before dinner or on a regular basis.

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

Choose models with a large dustbin. This will allow you to perform many cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are models that self-empty. This eliminates the requirement to empty the machine after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a robot that is more than just vacuum, you'll want to consider one which can mop your floors. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums, and come with an internal water tank that holds multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris prior to needing to be cleaned.

The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the layout from one cleaning to the next, which helps them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums because it won't have to spend time going back to the beginning of the room if it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test participants who utilized a robot with this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient, and they could easily sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can then program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or throughout the house when you're at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter how often the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning option you should choose one that works with a mobile app. You can also see the status of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the best inexpensive robot vacuum robot vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters is simple to keep clean, especially if you can easily access the filter and take it off it to wash it. A high-powered brush is another excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Certain robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some even have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the clogging of brushes that can be a problem in other robots.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools that help them learn your home and get around obstacles. The top models come with sensors and cameras that detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models often use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with children who throw toys and socks scattered throughout the house, as it allows your robot to grab these items instead of scattering them.

More robots are coming with mop attachments. This is great for those with hard floors who require to mop frequently. These robots come with a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that you can swap in when ready to mop. They may require to be refilled more often than other kinds of robots, but they're ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned with a vacuum.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they cost much less than you'd expect. In fact, vacuum and mop you can get an affordable model for less than $200 that can do a decent job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. You can program the robot to vacuum a room every day and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.