What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A quality robot vacuum will help you stay on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums work with applications that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries, or "walls," to keep the vacuum away from areas that you don't want 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 has self emptying robot Vacuum-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that is able to pick up big items such as toys and lamp cords as well as fine dust. This will ensure that they don't get caught in the roller brush, and aren't left behind on your floors. This feature is particularly important if you have pets or children and need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

A model with an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is an ideal option. This will enable it to be more efficient in eliminating pet hair, dust and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.

The size of your home is another important consideration. If you have a huge home, you may want to opt for models with multiple cleaning zones that can cover your entire house in one go. Some models also have mopping capabilities, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums last a long time however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for long time to be. Many robot vacuum owners who we talk to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries along with time).

A basic robot vacuum and mop combo is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They will still be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning the surface of dirt, pet fur and lint. You can use them to clean your floor several times a day. The downside is they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be susceptible to becoming stuck or requiring human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and prevent getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They also can avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs, and some models automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on energy. The more expensive ones often feature mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend bumping into walls.

If you don't want splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you could find one that does a great job of removing pet hair dirt, dust, and debris from floors that are hard like wood and tile and carpets with low pile. They also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some even come with a self-emptying base, which is useful if you don't want to empty the dustbin after every clean-up.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look quaint. These include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability to control them through an app or a voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robot to venture.

Certain robotic vacuums such as the Eufy 11S and my former top robot vacuum pick the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from derailing by running into furniture or tangling cords. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology which uses cameras, processors and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots that I've tried, however it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and rarely gets stuck or derailed when working on my floor.

While the iRobot j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum specific areas, leading to dust accumulating in the filters and a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums have an app that helps you set up cleaning modes and schedules, as well as view a map of your flooring area that the machine covers. This is a useful feature, and one that some competitors lack altogether. It allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specified times and run it regularly. For example, cleaning the living room each morning or prior to dinner.

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

To have a hands-free experience, choose a model with a large dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can also find models that self-empty which takes a portion of the work out of emptying the machine after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a robotic that does more than vacuum, think about the models that have a mopping function. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dust and dirt before having to be emptied.

Robots that are more sophisticated can create 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 big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum as it will not have to go back to where it started when it encounters walls or furniture.

Our test participants who utilized robots with this capability found it to be very efficient, and they could comfortably sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models utilize laser navigation and can make an exact map of your house, which means you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or every room in the house 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 has an app that can be downloaded on mobile. In the app, you can check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the most effective robot vacuums can even be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has an washable filter and self-emptying container, especially when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. A high-powered brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Some have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that allow them to learn your home and navigate around obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, self Emptying robot vacuum stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models sometimes use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark off areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with children who have socks and toys scattered around the house, since it allows your robot to grab the items instead of scattering them.

We're starting to see more robots that have mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. They have a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate component that can be swapped in when ready to mop. They might need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, however they're perfect for homes with hard floors that aren't easily cleaned with a vacuum.

These robots come with impressive technology, and they cost significantly less than you'd think. In fact, you can get a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, and also moving around the edges of light carpets or area rugs. You can schedule the robot to vacuum rooms every day, and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.