What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A quality robot vacuum will keep you on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with 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 you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a map of your home with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically empties and self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When selecting a robot vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up large items like lamp cords and toys and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure they don't become entangled by the roller brush and don't end up on your floors. This is particularly important if your robot will be cleaned regularly by children or pets.

It's also a good idea to select a model that has a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will help it to be more effective in removing dust, pet hair and lint from carpets as well as hardwood flooring.

The size of your house is another crucial factor to consider. If you have a huge house, you may choose one with multiple cleaning zones that can clean your entire house in a single session. Some models also come with mopping functions, which can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are durable but they need to be cleaned properly and regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will keep your robot running efficiently for years to come. Many of the robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for ten years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries with time).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They will still do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces as well as pet fur and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can distribute often throughout the week to keep your floors free of dirt. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they are running low on power. Some of the more expensive models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to remember your home's layout and therefore spend less time bouncing off walls.

You don't need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as tile, wood and low-pile rug. They can also do a decent job of removing larger debris such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains 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 with features like zones, schedules, and the ability to control them with an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want robots to access.

Some robotic vacs like the Eufy 11S and my former top pick Roborock S8 Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from getting sucked into furniture or getting caught in cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like lamp cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots that I've tried, however it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or derails while working on my floor.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle avoidance tool, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also tends to over-vacuum areas, which resulted in lots of dust in the filter and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuum mop combo robot vacuums come with an app that can help you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view the flooring area that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified times and keep it running on a regular basis, like cleaning your living room prior to dinner or every other day.

A good app will 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 cleaning" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

To enjoy a hands-free and effortless experience, opt for a model with a large dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. There are models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the robot after every time you vacuum.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that is more than a vacuum, you should consider the models that have mopping capabilities. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums and include a tank of water that can store multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your home and can even remember the layout from one cleaning to the next, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a significant difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, as it won't be spending time returning to the beginning of the room when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants who utilized a Cheap Robot Vacuum with this feature found it to be extremely efficient, and they could easily sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the best robot vacuum for pet hair was cleaning. Certain models utilize laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can then program them to clean your 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 house and select a cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with a mobile app. Within the app, you can also check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums are operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot with a washable filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove hair and cheap robot vacuum dirt. Some robots are better at avoiding chair legs than others, and some have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the blockage of brushes that could occur in other robots.

Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools to help them discover your home and get around obstacles. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs, and cords. Cheaper models may utilize boundary strips to mark areas you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects can be particularly useful for families with young children who throw socks and toys around the home. This helps your robot collect these items instead of scattering.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mops. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who require to mop frequently. These robots come with a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate component that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently but they're ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren't cleaned with vacuums.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they cost a lot less than you'd expect. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that does a good job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, cheap Robot Vacuum while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. You can program the robot to sweep rooms on a regular basis and can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.