What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many robot vacuums work with applications that let you schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries, or walls, to ensure that the vacuum is kept away from areas that you don’t want to be cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a home map after its first run, storing your space for future jobs. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an large dust bin that is empty automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up large items like toys and lamp cords and fine dust. This will help ensure they don’t get snarled in the roller brush and aren’t left on your floors. This is especially important if you have pets or children and you may have to clean the robot regularly.

A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is also a good choice. This will make it more efficient in removing pet hair, lint, and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another factor to consider is the size of your room. If you live in a big home, robotvacuummops.com you might want to opt for models with multiple cleaning zones that can clean your entire house in one go. Some models also have mopping functions, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are durable but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors regularly will ensure that your robot is running efficiently for the years to be. Many of the robot vacuum owners who we talk to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries along with time).

A basic robot will cost less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, however they’ll still do an excellent job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and lint. They’re a great maintenance cleaner that you can distribute often throughout the week to keep your floors clean. They don’t have as much technology and are more susceptible to get stuck or require 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 staircase. They also can avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs, and some models will automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on energy. The most expensive models usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the layout of your home and spend less time running into walls.

There is no need to spend a lot 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 rugs. They can also handle bigger debris like nails with rusty screws, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is great when you don’t need to empty it after each cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have smart features that make your ordinary stick vacuum appear old-fashioned, including zones, schedules, and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don’t want the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacs like the Eufy 11S and my former top choice, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from derailing by running into furniture or getting caught in cords. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses cameras, processors and smarts to avoid items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It’s more expensive than other bots I’ve tested however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles within my home and rarely got stuck or derailment when I was cleaning my floors.

The J7+ from iRobot was a great obstacle-avoiding robot however it didn’t always do a great job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum specific areas, which resulted in dust accumulating in the filters and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that can help you set up cleaning modes, set schedules and see an outline of the floor area that the machine covers. This is a handy feature, and one that many competitors don’t have. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified times and keep it running on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living room before dinner or every other day.

A good app will also allow you to control your robot with voice commands. Some models are compatible with 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.

For a truly hands-free experience, look for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the need to empty the machine after every vacuuming session.

If you’re looking for a robot that can do more than vacuum, consider a model with a mopping function. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums and have a water tank in the interior which can store many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to needing to be emptied.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your home. They can even keep track of the arrangement between cleanings which can help them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum because it won’t need to go back to where it started when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch television or perform other tasks 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 while you are at work.

App Control

It is best to select the vacuum that comes with an app that is mobile in case you wish to alter the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. Through the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums can even be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot equipped with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, particularly when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. Another great feature is a powerful brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chairs’ legs than others, and some also have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the clogging of brushes that can happen in other machines.

Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools that help them learn your home and overcome obstacles. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. The cheaper models could use boundaries to mark areas that you don’t wish to see it go. Avoidance of objects is particularly useful for families with children who scatter toys and socks around the house. This can help your robot to gather the items instead of scattering.

We’re seeing more robots that have mops, which are useful for those who have hard floors and need to clean them regularly. These robots have a reservoir of water built into their chassis or as a separate piece can be swapped in when ready to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently but they’re ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren’t cleaned easily with a vacuum.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they cost significantly less than you’d think. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that does a good job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs from hard floors, and also moving around the edges of light carpets or area rug. You can program the robot to clean a room on a regular basis and can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.