What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily basis. Many use apps that allow you to 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-mop creates an outline of your home with its initial run. It then stores the area for future cleaning jobs. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic auto vacuum Cleaner, choose one that can take in large items, like toys and lamp cords, as well as dust particles. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush or end up on your floor. This is especially crucial if your robot is going to be regularly cleaned by children or pets.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will make it more efficient at getting up pet hair, lint, and auto vacuum cleaner dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your home is another important consideration. If you live in an area that is large, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one go. Certain models also include mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last a long time however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will keep your robot running smoothly for the years to be. Many robot vacuum that cleans and mops owners we speak to have owned their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries with time).

A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt and pet hair and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can send out every week to keep your floors clean. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more prone to get stuck or require manual 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 staircase. Certain models are able to return to their dock or base when their battery is depleted. They can also avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to memorize the design of your home and lessen the time you spend hitting walls.

If you don't want spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you could find one that is capable of removing pet hair, dirt, Auto Vacuum cleaner dust and debris from floors that are hard like tile and wood as well as carpets with low pile. They also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is ideal if you do not want to empty it every cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have innovative features that make a regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them via an app or a voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to get into.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that prevents them from derailing by running into furniture or tangling with cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles, and never is stuck or tripped while working on my floor.

The iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle-avoiding robot, but it did not always do a great job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my carpets. It also was prone to over-vacuum specific areas, which resulted in a lot of dust in the filters, and a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you set up cleaning modes set schedules, and view a map of your area of floor that the machine covers. This is a great feature that many competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified time intervals and run it on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning your living room prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app can 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 entirely hands-free, meaning you can say "start with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.

To enjoy a hands-free and effortless experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. There are also models that self-empty that take some of the burden of emptying the machine after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that can do more than vacuum, consider one that has mopping functions. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank in the interior that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before needing to be emptied.

The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your home 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 huge difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums, as it won't have to spend time returning to the beginning of the room when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants who utilized a robot with this capability found it to be very efficient, and they could easily watch TV or do other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can then program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you're working.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your house and select a cleaning option it is recommended to purchase one that is compatible with a mobile app. Within the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the best vacuum and mop combo robot vacuums can be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot with an washable filter and self-emptying container, particularly if the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. A high-powered brush is another excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair leg than others. Others come with an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent clogging.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to help them navigate around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models sometimes use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark off areas where you don't want it to go. Object avoidance can be especially useful for families with young children who scatter toys and socks around the home. This can help your robot to collect the items instead of scattering.

We're starting to see more robots that have mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to clean them regularly. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that can be swapped in when ready to mop. These robots may need to be refilled frequently, but are ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren't cleaned easily with a vacuum.

We've seen some amazing technology packed into these little robots and they're less expensive than you might think. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that does a good job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to clean the room on a regular schedule. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.