What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on a regular basis. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or 'walls' to keep them from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your home's layout for future tasks. It has self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, choose one that is able to pick up large objects, such as lamp cords and toys, and also fine dirt. This will help ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush, and aren't left on your floors. This feature is especially crucial if your commercial robot vacuum is going to be regularly cleaned by children or pets.

A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is an ideal choice. This will allow it to be more effective in eliminating dust, pet hair and lint from carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is another crucial factor to consider. If you live in a large house it is possible to choose one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire house in one go. Some models come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough, but they need to be maintained in a timely and efficient manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping the sensors will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for a long time. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have owned the same machine for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries along the way).

A basic robot will cost you less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt and pet hair, and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can send out often throughout the week to keep your floor tidy. They aren't as technologically advanced and self vacuum Robot are more susceptible to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums make use of sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models will return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They can also avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords. The ones that are more expensive usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the layout of your home and lessen the time you spend hitting walls.

There is no need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a great job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tile, wood and low-pile rug. They can also handle larger debris such as nails with rusty screws, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some even come with an auto-emptying base that is handy in the event that you don't wish to empty the dustbin after every clean-up.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look old-fashioned. They include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability for you to control them using an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and 'virtual walls' to block off areas you do not want the robots to enter.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes a camera and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tested, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or derails when working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs off my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum specific areas, leading to a lot of dust in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums come with an app that helps you set up cleaning modes set schedules, and view a map of your flooring area that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at certain times and run it continuously. For example, cleaning the living room every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app will also allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Certain models can be controlled by 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.

To enjoy a hands-free and effortless experience, opt for a model with a large dust bin that can withstand numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are also models that are Self vacuum robot-emptying that take some of the work out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a robotic that can do more than vacuum robot, consider one that has a mopping function. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums and have a water tank that can hold 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. They can even keep track of the arrangement from one cleaning to the next and help them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum because it won't need to return to where it started when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test participants found that the robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch television or perform other things while the robot cleaned. Certain models utilize laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can then program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms when you're at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter how often the robot cleans your house and select the cleaning mode it is recommended to purchase one that is compatible with an app for mobile devices. You can also view the status of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the most effective robot vacuums are controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot equipped with a washable filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter is easily removed and rinsed. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards making it much easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are more adept in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some also have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the blockage of brushes that could be a problem in other robots.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models often use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to go. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who scatter toys and socks all over the house. This allows your robot to gather these items instead of scattering.

We're beginning to see more robots that have mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to regularly clean them. They have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece you can swap in when ready to mop. They may require to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with floors made of wood that can't be easily cleaned with a vacuum.

We've seen some incredible technology incorporated into these tiny robots and they're cheaper than you expect. You can find a quality one under $200, which does a decent job cleaning on hard floors and can be scoured around the edges of carpets and rugs. The robot can be programmed to vacuum specific rooms on a regular schedule. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.