What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum will help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many use apps that let you schedule cleaning sessions and define virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them away from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map after its first run, memorizing your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an large dust bin that is empty automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up big items such as toys and lamp cords as well as dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush or end up on your floor. This feature is particularly important for mediawiki.volunteersguild.org those who have children or pets and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

It's an excellent idea to choose a model with a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will make it more efficient in removing pet hair, lint and dust from your hardwood and carpet floors.

The size of your house is another important consideration. If you live in a large house you might want to select models that have multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean your entire house in a single session. Certain models also include mopping capabilities that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums last a long time however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine running smoothly for a long time. Many owners of ilife robot vacuum vacuums that we have spoken with have had the same model for a decade or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries in the process).

A basic robot is less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll do an excellent job of cleaning the surface of dirt as well as pet fur and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can use often throughout the week to keep your floor free of dirt. The drawback is that they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models can return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture cords and legs. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities, which allow them to remember your home's layout and spend less time bouncing off walls.

If you're not looking to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you could locate a model that does an excellent job of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors like tiles and wood, as well as low-pile carpets. They also can handle bigger debris like nails with rusty screws, metal screws or discarded toys. Some come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is ideal if you do not want to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Many robotic vacuums also come with advanced features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as zones, schedules, and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and 'virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robots to go.

Some robotic vacuums, deal like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to see and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and never gets stuck or derailed while working on my floor.

The iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle-avoiding robot however it didn't always do a good job in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum certain areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that can help you set up cleaning modes and schedules, as well as view an outline of the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a great feature that many competitors don't have. It is easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at certain times and continue to run on regularly, for example, cleaning your living room prior to dinner or every other day.

A good app will allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot through voice commands.

For a truly hands-free experience, choose an option with a big dust bin that can withstand numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the requirement to empty the machine after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a machine that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look at the possibility of a model that can mop floors. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank that can store multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps and remember the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, since it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.

Our testers found that robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch television or perform other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Some models use laser navigation to create the 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 want to customize how often the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning mode you should choose one that has an app for mobile devices. You can also check the status of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin within the app. The best robotic vacuums can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot with a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and then remove 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. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Others have sensors that automatically clean brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and help you understand your home. The most powerful robot vacuum expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords. Cheaper models may utilize boundary strips to mark areas you don't want it to enter. Object avoidance is especially important for families with children who have socks and toys scattered around the house, because it allows your robot to grab those objects instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to clean them regularly. They come with an integrated water tank into the chassis, or an extra piece you can swap in when it's time to clean. They may need to be filled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're great for homes with floors made of wood that aren't easily cleaned using a vacuum.

We've seen some incredible technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot 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 from hard floors, and also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to clean specific rooms at regular intervals. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.