What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robotic vacuum can help you stay on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with apps that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries or "walls," to keep the vacuum away from areas that you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop will create an outline of your home's layout with its first run. It then saves the area to be used for cleaning tasks in the future. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When picking a robot vacuum, look for one that can pick up large items, like lamp cords and toys, as well as dust particles. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or left on your floor. This feature is particularly important if you have pets or children, and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

It's recommended to choose a model with a powerful motor and lots of suction power. This will make it more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint off your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your home is a different factor to consider. If you have a large house, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one session. Some models come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are durable however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your robot functioning efficiently for many years. Many of the robot vacuum owners we have spoken to have owned their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time).

A basic robot will cost you less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll do a fantastic job at removing dirt on the surface, pet hair and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can use several times a week to keep your floors tidy. The downside is they don't come with as smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best floor vacuum robot robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to navigate your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They can also avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and Good robot vacuum cords. Some of the most expensive models come with the ability to map, which allows them to memorize the layout of your home and spend less time bouncing off walls.

You don't have to spend a lot of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. There are models that do a great job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as wood, tile and low-pile rug. They can also do a decent job of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some models come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is a great feature for those who don't want to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, making the standard stick vacuum look old-fashioned. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability to control them using an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas where you do not want the robot to venture.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top choice Roborock S8 Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from derailing by running into furniture or getting caught in cords. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses sensors, cameras and smarts to avoid items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots that I've tried, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and rarely gets stuck or derailed while working on my floor.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dust and crumbs from my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum areas, which resulted in an abundance of dust in the filter and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums come with an app that can help you to customize cleaning settings, set schedules and see an outline of the flooring area that the machine covers. This is a useful feature that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles that automatically start your robot at certain time intervals and run it on regularly, for example, cleaning the living area prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

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

Find models with a large dust bin. This will allow you to perform many cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are models that are self-emptying that take some of the work out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a machine that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into a model that can mop your floors. They are usually larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank inside that can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before needing to be cleaned.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your house and can even remember the arrangement from one cleaning to another which can help them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum, as it will not have to go back to where it started when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our test subjects who tested robots with this feature found it to be very efficient, and could comfortably watch TV or complete other chores while the robot was cleaning. 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 when you're at work.

App Control

It is recommended to select one that comes with an app that is mobile for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and select a cleaning mode. You can also check the status of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin within the app. Some of the best vacuums that are robotic can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has an washable filter and self-emptying container, especially when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards, making it easier to get rid of hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair leg splinters than others. Others come with a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools that help them navigate around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models may use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark off areas you don't want to enter. Object avoidance is especially important for families with children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, as it allows your robot to grab those items instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots equipped with mops which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to regularly clean them. These robots have water tanks built into the chassis or a separate piece you can swap in when you're ready to mop. These robots might need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors and can't be cleaned easily with vacuums.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they are priced much less than you'd expect. In fact, you can get a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. You can schedule the robot to vacuum the room regularly and can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.