How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home

You'll have to do some work in order to keep your robot's home in order. This includes cleaning up clutter, tangled rugs and loose cords.

Choose a model that comes with self-emptying bins. This will make it easier for you to clean up spills. You might also consider a 2-in-1 that vacuums and mops.

Features

You can select a robotic vacuum cleaner with intelligent features based on your house's requirements. Some models are built to plan your home and create floor plans, while others have a built-in camera that provides live video feeds of your space. These cameras can also be used to identify obstacles and help with problem-solving. Some robots feature an option to schedule cleaning sessions or adjust the frequency.

Look for a robot with a self emptying dustbin in case you'd like it to to vacuum and mop. Ecovacs' Deebot Pro is among our top choices because it offers both features for an affordable price. It features a suction opening similar to upright vacuums. This helps it pick up debris more efficiently than other robots. It is equipped with side brushes that have 3 bristles that help to push hair and dirt into the robot's path. This model is the top in its category for a variety of reasons, including its efficient mopping capabilities, its navigation capability, and the low price.

The best-performing robovacs have large dust bins that can go months without needing to be empty. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is an excellent example of a high-end robot that has a self-emptying bin and clever features that allow for a hands-free experience. It comes with a small mopping pad that scrubs away stuck-on dirt and is able to glide over light mats and rugs that can cause problems for other robots. Sensors can assist in locating dirtier areas, and it can also mop and vacuum simultaneously.


The Eufy Clean X10 is another top choice, and its application has a user-friendly interface which makes setting up customized options quick and simple. Its lidar-powered mapping is fast and accurate and it is able to divide rooms for a thorough clean. It has great technology for avoiding objects that suckers up Cheerios and avoids fake dog poop, however it had some issues with stairs. The square-front design of the robot helped it get into corners better than most other robots we've tested. It also has the ability to edge-hug which helps it to sweep along baseboards easily.

Cleaning performance

Robots aren't as efficient as vacuums in cleaning carpets from deep within and sweeping up dirt that has been put in. However, they are able to collect small particles such as dust and baking soda and heavier debris such as screws made of metal and pet fur. They can also remove spills and crumbs. Making sure that your robot is maintained with regular maintenance like emptying the dustbin and cleaning or changing the filter, and cleaning the sensors and cameras will ensure that it lasts for the longest time possible.

The most effective robots are adept at picking up fine particles from hard carpets and floors that have low pile. They are also adept at picking up orzo, sand, and wood shavings. robotic vacuums can even clean up cat litter and screws made of metal but they're more likely to struggle with more sluggish items such as baked flour or coffee grounds. They're less impressive when climbing stairs and don't always catch everything that's thrown around the edges of furniture.

Some models excel at mopping as well. The iRoborock Roomba 900 is one of them and is a fantastic tool for taking off coffee spills and other liquids as well as dried-on or sticky food debris from hardwood. The robot's spot and area cleaning modes allow you to set up an area for it to concentrate on. This way, the robot won't waste its time vacuuming areas which are already clean. The Dreame X40 also does a good job of mopping however it has an advantage over the Roborock. It can first vacuum and then mop to clean up spills and stains that are on high-pile rugs.

Another top mopping robot is the Dyson V8 Absolute. It's more expensive than Roomba however it has superior suction. It can also handle a wider variety of floor types and textures. It's also able to return to the charging dock when running low on water and resume cleaning from where it was when it left. Its app has many other options, including the ability to schedule regular cleaning sessions. It's also quiet, which makes it a perfect option for homes with children or pets.

Cost

The top robot cleaners work well at a low cost and many come with smart features that can help you save money in the long run. You should consider the price of a vacuum and a mop to get the best value for your buck. Certain models come with additional features that you may not need but can find useful, like a self-emptying bin or efficient navigation.

Investing in a model that is able to do both mops and vacuums is the most economical choice. It is important to remember that robot vacuums are only as good as the dirt it sifts up, so it's not recommended to avoid manual vacuuming in favor of using a robot vacuum.

You should expect to pay around $500 on a robot that can do both vacuuming as well as mopping, like the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot scored highly in CR's testing and can clean floors and carpets. It also has an intuitive app that allows you to see its cleaning route and create no-go zones. Jaclyn Turner noticed that the mopping functionality could use improvement, as it is based on a dragging system with light pressure rather than true scrub.

If you're on the budget, you can find a great deal for a robot vacuum that is highly rated and only does one thing, such as the Eufy 11S. Its sleek design is slim and quiet. It also excels on hardwood floors, tile carpets, and carpets with low pile. It also didn't miss a beat when it came to removing pet hair and litter.

A few robotics with a budget-friendly price tag have basic bump navigation, but it doesn't create a map of coverage and is more likely to be caught on furniture or miss certain areas. These robots are still able to clean your floors but they're not as efficient or capable of navigate around obstacles that are common to household use.

Shark IQ XL is another alternative. It's a budget-friendly device that has received high marks for its cleaning efficiency as well as its price-to-value ratio. It's not as sophisticated as the Combo j9+, however it's easy to use and does a great job on both bare floors and carpets. It is also relatively light and can be pushed underneath furniture without getting stuck.

Maintenance

A robot vacuum cleaner can be a great way to keep your house in order, especially if it has pets or children. However, it needs some attention to ensure it is in top condition. Keeping up with robotic hoovers , such as emptying the dust bin, washing or replacing the filter, and wiping off sensors and cameras can extend the life of your robot.

Vacuums require more frequent maintenance than robot mopping machines however, you can extend the life of your vacuum by making sure you follow the manufacturer's instructions for emptying and cleaning its dustbin, brush roller and filter. Clean the robot's charging contacts and sensor with a damp cloth to prevent them from becoming clogged.

This model is a great choice to find an efficient, durable robot that's also easy to use. It's sleek, ultra-slim design that allows it to slide under sofas and ottomans to get rid of dirt. The app makes it simple to choose rooms and plan the cleaning schedule, as well as to set no-go zones and alter cleaning intensity.

Although it's more expensive than other models on this list, this robot comes with a variety of features that can make up for the price tag. Its mapping speed is quick and it has the capacity to store four maps of your home in 2D or 3D. It is also one of the quieter robotics devices we tested. The battery lasts for about three hours.

The Romba 11s is a versatile vacuum with an impressively high performance along walls. In our tests, it cleared up to 1.3 inches away from the wall. This is higher than any other robots we tested. It has many smart features, including a spot-cleaning feature as well as an automatic boost mode. It also uses random navigation, so it doesn't clean the same spots over and over.

The only drawback to this robot is that it doesn't have the ability to detect bare floors and can be confused by large carpets or rugs. It's an excellent choice if you have a small apartment or a single-family house with narrow hallways and plenty of furniture.