What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair and lint on regular basis. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and set 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 with its first run, storing your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning, robot Vacuum for Dog hair self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, pick one that is able to pick up big items such as lamp cords and toys and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush, and aren't left on your floors. This is especially important if your robot will be cleaned regularly by children or pets.

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

The size of your home is another important consideration. If you have a large house it is possible to choose one that has multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean your entire home in one go. Some models also come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting but they need to be cleaned properly and local regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly, emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot running smoothly for a long time. Many of the robot vacuum owners we speak to have owned their machines for ten years or longer (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time).

A basic robot will cost less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do an excellent job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and lint. You can use them to scrub your floors several times per day. 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 cameras, sensors or lasers to guide you around your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their base or dock when their battery is depleted. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The most expensive models usually feature mapping capabilities that allow them to learn 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 can find one that does a great job of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors 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 discarded toys. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer advanced features that make your standard stick vacuum mop combo robot seem prehistoric, including zones, schedules, and the ability to control them with an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses cameras, processors and algorithms to stay clear of items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots that I've tried, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles, and never gets stuck or derailed when I'm working on my floor.

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

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robots vacuums include an app that allows you to modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see an image of the area covered by the machine. This is a handy feature that many competitors don't have. It allows you to create profiles which will automatically start the robot at specific times, and keep it running continuously. For example, it could be cleaning the living room each morning or prior to dinner.

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

Find the model with a large dustbin. This will allow you to do numerous cleaning sessions without having empty it. You can also find models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the work out of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robotic that does more than vacuum, you should consider the models that have mopping functions. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and include a tank of water that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can make their own maps, and can remember the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum since it won't have to return to where it was when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our testers found that robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other things while the robot was cleaning. Some models use laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms when you're at work.

App Control

If you're looking to change how often the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning mode, it's best to get one that has a mobile app. Through the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the most effective robot vacuums are controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot equipped with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, particularly if the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards, making it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Certain robots are better in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some even have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the blockage of brushes that could occur in other machines.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords. Less expensive models might utilize boundaries to mark areas that you don't wish to see it go. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who have socks and toys scattered across the house, because it assists your robot in capturing these objects instead of scattering them.

We're starting to see more robots equipped with mops which are great for people who have hard floors and need to clean them regularly. These robots come with a water tank built into the chassis, or an additional piece that which you can change out when it's time to mop. They may need to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with hard floors which aren't easy to clean using a vacuum.

We've seen some incredible technology incorporated into these tiny 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 getting rid of pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, while moving around the edges of light carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to vacuum the room at regular intervals. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.