What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and set virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them away from areas that you don't want to be cleaned.

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

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, choose one that is able to pick up large objects like lamps and toys as well as fine dust. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brush or strewn across your floor. This feature is especially crucial if your robot is going to be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

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

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your room. If you have a large house you might want to select models that have multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire house in a single session. Certain models have a mopping feature that can be used to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums can last a long time however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your robot running smoothly for a long time. Many owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same machine for a decade or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out several times a week to keep your floor free of dirt. The drawback is that they don't come with as advanced technology, and could be prone to becoming stuck or requiring human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the staircase. Some models can return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They can also stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize your home's layout and therefore spend less time bumping against walls.

If you don't want spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you can still find one that is capable of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and debris from floors that are hard like tile and wood as well as low-pile carpets. They also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some even come with self-emptying bases, which is useful for those who don't want to empty the dustbin after every cleaning session.

Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the standard stick vacuum look outdated. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability to control them through an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you do not want the robots to go.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance that uses a camera and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tested but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles around my home. It also didn't get stuck or derailment while working on my floors.

The J7+ from iRobot was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always do a good job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my rugs. mop robot vacuum had a tendency to over-vacuum areas, resulting in an abundance of dust in the filter and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums include an application that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and look at an image of the floor area covered by the machine. This is a handy feature, and one that many competitors don't have. It allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specific times and continue to run regularly. 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 with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without using the app.

Choose a model that has a large dust bin. This allows you to complete many cleaning sessions without having empty it. You can also find models that self-empty which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the machine after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that does more than vacuum, you should consider the models that have mopping functions. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before needing to emptied.

Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps and remember the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum because it won't need to return to where it started when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test subjects found that robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can program them to clean your bedroom after dinner, or all rooms when you're at work.


App Control

It is recommended to select a robot that has an app for mobile devices for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and select the cleaning mode. Within the app, you can check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the best robotic vacuums can be controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has a washable filter and a self-emptying container, especially when the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. Another feature that is great is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are better in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some even have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the blockage of brushes that could be a problem in other robots.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools that help them navigate around obstacles and learn your home. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to recognize obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. Less expensive models might utilize boundary strips to mark off areas you don't want it to go. Object avoidance can be especially useful for families with children who throw socks and toys around the home. This can help your robot to gather these items, instead of scattering them.

We're beginning 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 you can swap in when ready to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors that can't be cleaned with vacuums.

These robots come with some impressive technology, and they are priced significantly less than you would expect. You can find a quality one under $200, which can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and area carpets. The robot can be programmed to clean the room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.