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 robot vacuums are compatible with applications that let you schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries or "walls," to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas that you don't wish to be cleaned.

This smart vac-mop makes a map of your home's layout with its initial run. It then stores the area to be used for cleaning tasks in the future. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically empties and a self-cleaning, brush roll.

Object Detection

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

It's recommended to choose a model with an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will make it more effective in removing pet hair, lint, and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your room. If you live in a large house, you may want to pick one that has multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean the entire house in a single session. Some models also come with a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last a long time however, they must be maintained regularly and in a proper manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine working efficiently for many years. Many owners of robot vacuums we chat 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 much less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They'll still perform a great job of cleaning the surface of dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. You can use them to clean your floor several times a day. The drawback is that they don't offer as much technological innovation, and may be susceptible to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without falling off or getting stuck on the stairs. Some models will return to their base or dock when their battery is depleted. They also can avoid obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The ones that are more expensive usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the layout of your home and spend less time hitting walls.

You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find 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 decent job of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or abandoned toys. Some come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have clever features, which make the standard stick vacuum look quaint. These include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability to control them using an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacuums, such as the eufy robot vacuum and mop 11S or my former top choice, 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 makes use of sensors, cameras and algorithms to stay clear of items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It was also very rarely stuck or derailment when I was working on my floors.

The J7+ from iRobot was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always do a good job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas, leading to dust accumulating in the filters, good robot vacuum and a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the top robot vacuums have an app that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and look at a map of the area covered by the machine. This is a great feature that many competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at specified times and continue to run regularly. For instance, you could clean the living room each morning or prior to dinner.

A good app can also allow you to 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 the need for an app.

To have a hands-free experience, look for models with a large dust bin that can accommodate numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. You can also find models that are self-emptying, which takes some of the labor out of emptying the robot after each cleaning run.

If you want a robot that can do more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into one which can mop your floors. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated 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, because it won't need to go back to where it started when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test participants found that the robots that had this feature were very efficient. They could watch TV or do other things while the robot cleaned. 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 each room of the house while you're at work.

App Control

It is best to select the vacuum that comes with an app that is mobile in case you wish to alter the frequency of cleaning and choose a cleaning mode. Within the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robotic vacuums can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot that has a washable filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another great feature is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards making it much easier to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair leg than others. Others come with sensors that automatically clean brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools that allow them to discover your home and navigate around obstacles. High-end models have sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models often utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want to leave. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with children who have socks and toys scattered across the house, as it assists your robot in capturing these objects instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who need to mop regularly. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece that can be swapped in when ready to mop. These robots might require frequent refills, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be cleaned with a vacuum.

These robots are loaded with impressive technology, and cost much less than you would expect. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that can do a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while moving around the edges of light carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to clean specific rooms on a regular schedule. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.