What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair and lint on a regular basis. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and define virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them away from areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop creates a map of your home using its first run. It then remembers the space to be used for cleaning tasks in the future. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and self-cleaning, self vacuum robot-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, choose one that can pick up big items, such as lamp cords and toys, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that the items don't get stuck in the roller brush or end up on your floor. This is especially important if you have pets or children, and you may have to clean the robot regularly.

A model with an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is also an ideal option. This will help it be 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 may want to pick one that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean your entire house in one session. Some models have a mopping feature that can be utilized to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are tough but they need to be cleaned properly and 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 of the robot vacuum owners we have spoken to have owned their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as time went by).

A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job of keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can use every week to keep your floors tidy. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more susceptible to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums make use of sensors, lasers or cameras to guide them around your home without falling off or getting stuck on the stairs. They are also able to avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs, and some models will automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on energy. Some of the more expensive models come with mapping capabilities that allow them to remember the layout of your home and spend less time bouncing off walls.

If you don't want to spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you can still find a model that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and crumbs from hard floors like tile and wood as well as carpets with a low pile. They can also handle bigger debris like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some even come with a self-emptying base, which is useful in the event that you don't wish to empty the trash bin after every clean-up.

Most robotic vacs also offer innovative features that make a standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric such as scheduling, zone targeting, and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over furniture or cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks, and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tested, but it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and rarely gets stuck or derailed when working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot however, it wasn't always doing an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also tended to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in lots of dust in the filter and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that helps you customize cleaning modes and schedules, as well as view a map of your area of floor that the machine covers. This is an extremely useful feature that some competitors don't have. It allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the best robot vacuum deals at specified times and run it continuously. For instance, you could clean the living area every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app can also let you control your robot with voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot using voice commands.

For a truly hands-free experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are models that self-empty, which takes some of the labor out of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.

If you're looking for a robot that can do more than vacuum, consider one that has a mopping function. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and Self Vacuum Robot have a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dust and dirt before it needs to be empty.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your house and can even keep track of the layout between cleanings which can help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a significant 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 into contact with walls or furniture.

Our testers found that robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch television or perform other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms while you are at work.

App Control

It is recommended to select the vacuum that comes with a mobile application in case you wish to alter the frequency of cleaning and choose a cleaning mode. Within the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the most effective robot vacuums can even be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot equipped with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, especially if the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another great feature is a powerful brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are more adept in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some also have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the obstruction of brushes that may happen in other robots.

Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools to help them understand your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models may utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark off areas you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects can be particularly beneficial for families with young children who throw socks and toys around the home. This allows your robot to gather the items instead of scattering.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop attachments. This is useful for those with floors that are hard and need to clean regularly. They come with a water tank built into the chassis or a separate piece which you can change out when it's time to mop. They may require frequent refills but they're ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned by vacuum cleaners.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they are priced a lot less than you'd think. You can find a decent one for less than $200, and it does a decent cleaning job on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and carpets. The robot can be programmed to clean specific rooms at regular intervals. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.