What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

This smart vacuum and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your space for future use. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up big items such as lamps and toys and fine dust. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or left on your floor. This is especially important if you have pets or children, and may need to clean the robot regularly.

It's recommended to select a model that has a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will make it more efficient at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you live in a large house, you may want to select models that have multiple cleaning zones so you can clean the entire house in one go. Some models have mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last for a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping down the sensors regularly will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for the years to be. Many owners of robot vacuums we chat with have owned the same machine for vacuum that cleans and Mops a period of 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot is much less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They'll still be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning surface dirt, pet fur and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can distribute often throughout the week to keep your floor tidy. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras or lasers to guide you around your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They also can stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models automatically return to their base or dock when they run low on power. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities, which allow them to memorize the layout of your home and spend less time bouncing off walls.

You don't need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a great job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tile, wood, and low-pile rugs. They can also handle larger particles like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is a great feature if you do not want to empty it after each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, which make the look of a stick vacuum old-fashioned. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability for you to control them via an app or voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robot to go.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology which uses sensors, cameras and smarts to avoid items like lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tested however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles around my home. It was also very rarely derailed or trapped while working on my flooring.

The J7+ from iRobot was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always do a great job in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my carpets. It also tends to over-vacuum certain areas, which resulted in an abundance of dust in the filter and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best automatic vacuum robot vacuums have an app that lets you to customize cleaning settings, set schedules and see an outline of the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a great feature that other models don't have. It is easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specified time intervals and run it on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living room before dinner or every other day.

A good app will also let you control your robot with 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 the need for an app.

Find a model that has a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without needing empty it. There are models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robotic that does more than vacuum, consider the models that have mopping capabilities. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dust and dirt before needing to emptied.

Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps and remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums because it won't need to spend time going back to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants found that the robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can then program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or throughout the house when you're at work.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and choose the cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with an app that can be downloaded on mobile. Through the app, you can also monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. The best vacuums that are robotic can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot that has an washable filter and self-emptying container, particularly when the filter is easily removed and rinsed. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards making it much easier to remove dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Some have sensors that automatically clean brushes to prevent obstruction.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools that help them navigate around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models often utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly useful for families with children who throw socks and toys all over the home. This allows your robot to gather these items instead of scattering.

More robots are equipped with mops. This is beneficial 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 swap in when they're ready to mop & vacuum in one. These robots may need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors and can't be cleaned with vacuums.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots, and they're a lot cheaper than you expect. You can find a quality one for less than $200, and it does a decent job cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and area carpets. The robot can be programmed to vacuum a particular room at regular intervals. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.