What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robotic vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums have apps that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries, or walls, to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

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

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up large items like toys and lamp cords as well as fine dust. This will ensure they don't get snarled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This is particularly crucial if the robot will be regularly cleaned by children or pets.

It's an excellent idea to select a model that has a powerful motor and lots of suction power. This will help it to be more efficient in removing dust, pet hair and lint from carpets and hardwood flooring.

Another important consideration is the size of your space. If you have a large home, you may choose one with multiple cleaning zones that can clean your entire house in one go. Some models also come with a mopping robot vacuum cleaner (visit fpcom.co.kr) function, which can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last for a long time however, they must be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly, emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot working efficiently for many years. Many of the robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for 10 years or mopping robot vacuum cleaner longer (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries as time went by).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning surface dirt, pet fur and lint. You can use them to scrub your floors multiple times per day. They do not have as much technology and are more prone to get stuck or require manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models will automatically return to their dock or base when they run out of power. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the layout of your home and spend less time bumping against walls.

If you don't want spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you could locate a model that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and debris from floors that are hard like wood and tile and carpets with a low pile. They can also do a decent job of removing larger debris such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or abandoned toys. Some have a base that automatically empties itself, which is great when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Many robotic vacuums also come with innovative features that make a standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric such as schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them with an app or a voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't want the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that prevents them from crashing into furniture or tangling with cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses a camera, processors and smarts to avoid items like lamp cords as well as pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tested however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It also didn't get stuck or derailment while working on my floors.

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

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuum cleaner for pet hair robot vacuums come with an app that can help you customize cleaning modes, set schedules and see the area of floor that the machine covers. This is an extremely useful feature that many competitors do not have. This lets you create profiles that automatically start the robot at specified times and run it continuously. For example, cleaning the living room each day, or just before dinner.

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

For a truly hands-free experience, opt for models with a large dust bin that can accommodate many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are also models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the work out of emptying the robot after each cleaning run.

If you're looking for a robot that can do more than simply shark vacuum and mop robot, you'll need to look at a model that can mop your floors. These are typically larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank in the interior that holds several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be cleaned.

Robots that are more sophisticated can make 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 big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum since it won't have to go back to where it started when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other things while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or throughout the house when you're at work.

App Control

If you're looking to change the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning option, it's best to get one that is compatible with an app for mobile devices. Within the app, you can examine the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums are controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep hygienic, especially if you can easily access the filter and then remove it to rinse it. A powerful brush is another fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Some have sensors that automatically clean brushes to prevent clogging.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that allow them to discover your home and get around obstacles. High-end models use sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. Cheaper models may use boundary strips to mark off areas that you don't wish it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, as it helps your robot nab the items instead of scattering them.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop attachments. This is useful for those with floors that are hard and need to mop frequently. These robots come with a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate piece you swap in when they're ready to mop. These robots may require frequent refills however, they are perfect for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned by vacuums.

We've seen some impressive technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might imagine. You can get a good one for less than $200, and it does a decent cleaning job on hard floors and can be scoured around the edges of carpets and area rug. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular basis. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.