What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on regular basis. Many work with apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and set virtual boundaries or "walls" to keep them from areas you don't want cleaned.
This smart vac-mop creates a map of your home's layout with its first run. It then saves the area for future cleaning jobs. It has self-cleaning brush rolls and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.
Object Detection
When picking a robot vacuum, choose one that can pick up large objects, such as lamp cords and toys, as well as dust particles. 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 your robot will be cleaned frequently by children or pets.
It's an excellent idea to choose a model with a powerful motor and lots of suction power. This will help it be more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint off your carpets and hardwood floors.
Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you live in a big house, you may choose a model with multiple cleaning zones that cover your entire house in one go. Some models also have a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums last a long time, but they'll need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean on a regular basis will keep your robot functioning efficiently for many the years to come. Many of the robot vacuum owners we have spoken to have owned their machines for ten years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as time went by).
A basic robot is much less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They will still do an excellent job of cleaning surface dirt, pet fur and lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out several times a week to keep your floor tidy. The drawback is that they don't have as smart technology, and can be susceptible to becoming stuck or requiring human intervention.
Object Avoidance
The most effective robot vacuums utilize 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 the battery is low. They can also avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords. Some of the more expensive models come with the ability to map, which allows them to remember your home's layout and spend less time bumping against walls.
There is no need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do an excellent job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces like tiles, wood and low-pile rugs. They can also do a decent job of removing larger debris such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even abandoned toys. Some come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it every cleaning session.
Many robotic vacuums also come with smart features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including zones, schedules, and the ability to control them with an app or a 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 venture.
Certain robotic vacuums like the Eufy 11S and my former top pick, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from crashing into furniture or tangling cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology which uses sensors, cameras and intelligent algorithms to avoid objects such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or derails when I'm working on my floor.
The iRobot J7+ was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however it didn't always do a great job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum certain areas resulting in dust accumulating in the filters, and a less clean house.
Smart Mapping
Some of the best inexpensive robot vacuum robots vacuums have an app that allows you to modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see a map of the area covered by the machine. This is an extremely useful feature that some competitors don't have. This lets you create profiles which will automatically start the robot at certain times, and keep it running regularly. For example, cleaning the living room every day, or just before dinner.
A good app will allow you to control your robot using voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot using voice commands.
To have a hands-free experience, choose models with a large dust bin that can accommodate many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are models that self-empty, which eliminates the need to empty the robot after each vacuuming session.
If you're looking to purchase a robot that is more than a 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 advanced can make their own maps and keep track of the layout of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, since it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room if it comes across walls or furniture.
Our test participants who utilized the robot that has this capability discovered it to be extremely efficient, and they could easily watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your home, which means that you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner or every room in the house while you're working.
App Control
It is best to select a robot that has an app that is mobile for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose a cleaning mode. Through the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums are operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, particularly when you are able to easily access the filter and then remove it to rinse it. A high-powered brush is a fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards for removal of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some also have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the obstruction of brushes that may happen in other robots.
Some robo-vacs have navigation tools to aid them in navigating obstacles and learn your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models sometimes use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, since it helps your robot nab the objects instead of scattering them.
More robots are coming with mop heads. This is beneficial for those with floors that are hard and need to mop regularly. These robots come with a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may require refilling frequently but they're ideal for homes that have hard floors and can't be easily cleaned by vacuums.
These robots are loaded with some amazing technology, and they cost a lot less than you would expect. You can find a quality one for under $200. It does a decent job cleaning on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and area rug. The robot can be programmed to vacuum a particular room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely via an app or by pressing buttons.