What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robotic vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a daily basis. Many of them use apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and set virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

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

Object Detection

When selecting a robot vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up large objects like toys and lamp cords and fine dust. This will ensure that the items don't get stuck in the roller brush or left on your floor. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be cleaned frequently by pets or children.

A model with an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is also a good option. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust off your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you live in a big house, you may prefer one with multiple cleaning zones that can cover the entire home in a single session. Certain models have mopping capabilities that can be utilized to keep floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many years. Many owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same machine for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job at removing dirt on the surface, pet hair and lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can distribute several times a week to keep your floor free of dirt. However, they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras or lasers to help you navigate your home, affordable avoiding getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They also can stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they run low on energy. Some of the more expensive models come with the ability to map, which allows them to remember the layout of your home and spend less time bouncing off walls.

There is no need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as wood, tile and low-pile rug. They also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even discarded toys. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it every cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look quaint. These include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability to control them using an app or voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't want the robot to get into.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from derailing by running into furniture or tangling with cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses cameras, processors and intelligent algorithms to avoid objects such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles, and never is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot however, it wasn't always doing well in removing dirt and crumbs from my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas, which resulted in a lot of dust in the filters and an unclean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot mop and vacuum combo robot vacuums have an application that lets you alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and view a map of the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is a great feature that some competitors don't have. This lets you create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specified times and run it continuously. For instance, you could clean the living area every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app will 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. You can say "start a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

To have a hands-free experience, choose models with a large dust bin that can withstand many cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the robot after every time you vacuum.

If you're looking for a robot that is more than a vacuum, think about the models that have a mopping function. They're usually bigger than robotic vacuums and have a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before it needs to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps, and can remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums because it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch TV or do other things while the robot cleaned. Certain models utilize laser navigation to create a 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'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning option it is recommended to purchase one that has an app for mobile devices. In the app, you can also monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the most effective robot vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has 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 rinse it. Another great feature is a powerful brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Some have sensors that automatically clean brushes to prevent clogging.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models often use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, because it assists your robot vacuum for dog hair in capturing these objects instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mop attachments. This is beneficial for those with floors that are hard and need to mop regularly. These robots have a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate component that you can swap in when ready to mop. These robots may require frequent refills, but are ideal for homes with hard floors and can't be cleaned with vacuum cleaners.

We've seen some amazing technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot cheaper than you imagine. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that does a good job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also moving around the edges of light carpets or area carpets. The robot can be programmed to vacuum a particular room at regular intervals. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.