What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on regular basis. Many use apps that allow you to schedule cleaning times and set virtual boundaries or "walls" to keep them out of areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map with its first run, storing your space for future use. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up big items such as lamps and toys and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or end up on your floor. This feature is especially crucial if your robot is going to be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

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

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your room. If you have a huge home, you may choose models with multiple cleaning zones that can cover the entire house in a single session. Certain models also include mopping functions, which can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for long time to come. Many robot 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 less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll do a fantastic 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 clean. However, they don't come with as smart technology, and can be prone to getting stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models can return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. The more expensive ones often feature mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the layout of your home and reduce the amount of time you're bumping into walls.

You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a great job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces like tiles, wood and low-pile rug. They can also handle larger particles like metal screws, rusty nails or discarded toys. Some models come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is great if you do not want to empty it every cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the standard stick vacuum look outdated. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the capability to control them through an app or a voice assistants, such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance that uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, but it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a good obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do an excellent job of avoiding dust and crumbs from my rugs. It also tends to over-vacuum certain areas, which led to a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an application that lets you customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and look at the area covered by the machine. This is a very useful feature that other models don't have. This makes it easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific time intervals and run it 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 via voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot with voice commands.

Choose a model that has a large dust bin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without needing empty it. There are also models that are self-emptying that take some of the work out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a robot capable of doing more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into a model which can mop your floors. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank that can store multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dust and dirt before it needs to be empty.

The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your house 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 effectiveness of your robot vacuum as it will not have to return to where it was when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could watch TV or complete other things while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you're working.

App Control

If you want to customize the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and select a cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with a mobile app. You can also check the status of the vacuum as well as the condition of its dust bin within the app. The best robotic vacuums can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep hygienic, especially if you can easily access the filter and remove it to wash it. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards, making it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the clogging of brushes that can occur in other machines.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools that allow them to discover your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models use sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. The cheaper models could utilize boundary strips to mark off areas that you don't wish it to go. Object avoidance can be especially useful for families with young kids who scatter socks and toys around the home. This can help your robot to gather the items instead of scattering.

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

We've seen some amazing technology in these small robots, Robotvacuummops.com and they're a lot cheaper than you imagine. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that does 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. It is possible to schedule the robot to clean the room every day and can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.