What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A good robot vacuum can assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums work with applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries or 'walls,' to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas you don't wish to be cleaned.
This smart vac and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your space for future jobs. It has self-cleaning brush rolls and an large dust bin that is empty automatically.
Object Detection
When choosing a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that is able to pick up big items, such as lamps and toys as well as fine dirt. This will help ensure they don't get caught in the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important if you have pets or children and may need to clean the robot regularly.
It's recommended to select a model that has a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.
Another factor to consider is the size of your home. If you live in a big home, you may want to opt for one with multiple cleaning zones that cover the entire house in a single session. Some models also come with a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums last a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many long time to be. Many of the robot vacuum owners we speak to have been using their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries as time went by).
A basic robot will cost you less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll do a fantastic job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair, and dust. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out often throughout the week to keep your floor tidy. The drawback is that they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.
Object Avoidance
The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They can also avoid obstacles such as cords and furniture legs, and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they are running low on power. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities, which allow them to learn your home's layout and spend less time bouncing against walls.
There is no need to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as tiles, wood and low-pile rugs. They also be capable of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or the remains of toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is a great feature when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.
Some robotic vacuums have clever features, making the look of a stick vacuum old-fashioned. These include schedules, zone-targeting, and the capability to control them using an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. his explanation can also set up cleaning zones and 'virtual walls to block off areas where you don't want the robot to venture.
Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former favorite the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from getting sucked into furniture or tangling with cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance that uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like lamp cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tested however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It was also very rarely stuck or derailment when I was cleaning my floors.
Although the iRobot J7+ was a good obstacle avoidance tool, it didn't always do an excellent job of avoiding dust and crumbs from my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in dust accumulation in the filters and a less clean home.
Smart Mapping
The best robot vacuums include an app that allows you to modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and view an image of the area covered by the machine. This is an extremely useful feature that other models don't have. This makes it easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specified times and keep it running on a regular basis, like cleaning your living room prior to dinner or on a regular basis.
A good app will also 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 cleaning" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.
To have a hands-free experience, choose a model with a large dust bin that can hold several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. You can also find models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the work out of emptying the machine after each vacuuming run.
If you're looking for a machine capable of doing more than just vacuum, you'll want to look at a model which can mop your floors. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums and come with an internal water tank which can store several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris prior to needing to be emptied.
The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your home and can even keep track of the layout from one cleaning to the next, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a big difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums, since it won't need to spend time going back to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.
Our test subjects who tested a robot with this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient, and could easily watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some of these models utilize laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your entire home, which means that you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or every room in your home while you're working.
App Control
If you'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning mode, it's best to get one that works with a mobile app. You can also check the state of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin within the app. Some of the top robot vacuums are operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
It is easy to maintain a robot that has an washable filter and self-emptying container, especially when the filter is easily removed and rinsed. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove hair and dirt. Certain robots are better in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others come with sensors that automatically clean brushes to prevent obstruction.
Some robo-vacs use navigation tools that help them discover your home and navigate around obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models may use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to leave. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with young kids who scatter toys and socks all over the house. This helps your robot to gather these items, instead of scattering them.
More robots are equipped with mop attachments. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who require to clean regularly. These robots have water tanks built into the chassis, or an extra piece you can put in when you're ready to mop. They might need to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned with a vacuum.
We've seen some incredible technology packed into these little robots and they're cheaper than you think. You can find a quality one under $200, which does a decent cleaning job on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and carpets. The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular schedule. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.