What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on a daily basis. Many work with apps to let you 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 robot vacuum vacuum and mop creates a home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future use. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an large dust bin that is empty automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, choose one that can take in large items, like lamps and toys and also fine dirt. This will ensure they don't get snarled by the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important for those who have pets or children and need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

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

The size of your home is another crucial factor to consider. If you live in a large house, you may want to select one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one session. Some models also come with mopping functions, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last a long time, but they'll need to be maintained regularly and in a proper manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will keep your robot functioning efficiently for many the years to be. Many of the neato robot vacuum vacuum owners we have spoken to have owned their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries with time).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do an excellent job at removing dirt and pet hair and dust. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can send out every week to keep your floor clean. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without falling off or getting stuck on the staircase. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models automatically return to their dock or base when they run low on energy. The ones that are more expensive usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the layout of your home and spend less time running into walls.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a fantastic job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as wood, tile, and low-pile rugs. They can also handle bigger debris like metal screws, rusty nails or even toys that have been discarded. Some models come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is great when you don't need to empty it after each cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the traditional stick vacuum look old-fashioned. These include scheduling, robot vacuum for hardwood floors zone-targeting and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish robots to access.

Certain robotic vacuums like the Eufy 11S and my former top choice, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that prevents them from crashing into furniture or tangling cords. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced shark ai robot vacuum obstacle-avoidance technology that uses a camera, processors and smarts to avoid items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tested, but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles around my home. It was also very rarely derailed or trapped while working on my floors.

The iRobot J7+ was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however it didn't always do a good job in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in dust accumulating in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums include an application that lets you alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and view a map of the floor area covered by the machine. This is a useful feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This lets you create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specific times and run it regularly. For instance, you could clean the living area every day or before dinner.

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

Choose models with an enormous dust bin. This will allow you to perform numerous cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the robot vacuum for Hardwood floors after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a robotic that is more than a vacuum, think about the models that have mopping functions. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank that can hold 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 keep track of the plan of your house 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, as it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room when it comes into contact with walls or furniture.

Our test subjects who tested a robot with this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient, and they could comfortably watch TV or do other chores while the small robot vacuum cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or all rooms while you're working.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency with which the costco robot vacuum cleans your home and choose a cleaning option, it's best to get one that works with an app that can be downloaded on mobile. Within the app, you can also monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the top robotic vacuums can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to access the filter and take it off it to rinse it. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair leg than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to avoid obstruction.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to help them navigate around obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. Cheaper models may utilize boundaries to mark areas you don't want to see it go. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who leave socks and toys scattered across the house, as it helps your robot nab these objects instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mops. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who need to mop frequently. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled more often than other kinds of robots, but they're perfect for homes with hard floors which aren't easy to clean using a vacuum.

These robots are packed with impressive technology, and cost much less than you'd think. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also moving around the edges of light carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to vacuum a particular room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.