What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A
good robot vacuum can keep you 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 ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas you don't want to be cleaned.
This smart vacuum and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, memorizing your space for future jobs. It has a self-cleaning brush roll and an large dust bin that is empty automatically.
Object Detection
When choosing a robot vacuum, choose one that is able to pick up large objects, such as lamp cords and toys, and also fine dirt. This will ensure that the items don't get caught in the roller brush or left on your floor. This feature is particularly important when 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 a good choice. This will enable it to be more efficient in eliminating dust, pet hair and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.
Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you have an apartment it is possible to pick one that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean your entire house in one session. Some models come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors looking fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums last a long time however they'll need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many the years to come. Many owners of robot vacuums that we have spoken with have owned the same model for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries in the process).
A basic robot is much less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They'll be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning dirt from surfaces, pet fur and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can send out every week to keep your floor free of dirt. The downside is they don't have as smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or requiring human intervention.
Object Avoidance
The most effective robot vacuums utilize cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models will return to their base or
good Robot vacuum dock when the battery is low. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The most expensive models usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the design of your home and spend less time hitting walls.
You don't need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a fantastic job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood and low-pile rugs. They can also handle larger particles like metal screws, rusty nails or discarded toys. Some even come with an auto-emptying base which is helpful if you don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning run.
Some robotic vacuums have clever features that make the standard stick vacuum look old-fashioned. These include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability to control them through an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want the robot to enter.
Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It was also very rarely stuck or derailment while working on my flooring.
The J7+ from iRobot was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always succeed in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my rugs. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and a less clean house.
Smart Mapping
Some of the top robot vacuums have an app that lets you customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and see the area covered by the machine. This is an excellent feature that many competitors don't have. This lets you create profiles that will automatically start the robot at certain times and continue to run continuously. For example, it could be cleaning the living room every day, or just before dinner.
A good app will also let you 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 the need for an app.
For a truly hands-free experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can find models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the robot after every vacuuming session.
If you're looking for a
robot vacuum for dog hair that can do more than vacuum, consider the models that have mopping capabilities. They are usually larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank in the interior which can store multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.
The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the layout from one cleaning to another and help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a huge difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums, as it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room when it comes across walls or furniture.
Our testers found that robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or do other things while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation and can make an exact map of your entire home, which means that you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or every room in the house when you're at work.
App Control
It's best to choose one that comes with an app that is mobile for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose the cleaning mode. Through the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. The best robotic vacuums can be controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.
A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and remove it to rinse it. A high-powered brush is another fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Certain robots are better in avoiding chair legs than others. Some have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to avoid the clogging.
Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and to learn about your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models may utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with children who have toys and socks scattered throughout the house, because it helps your robot nab these objects instead of scattering them.
More robots are coming with mop heads. This is great for those with floors that are hard and need to mop frequently.