The No. 1 Question That Anyone Working In Good Robot Vacuum Should Know How To Answer

What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A quality robot vacuum will help you stay on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with apps 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 home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your home's layout for future tasks. It has self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

the best robot vacuum cleaner

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, make sure you choose one that can pick up large objects, such as lamps and toys as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brush or left on your floor. This is especially important for those who have children or pets and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

A model that has an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is also an excellent option. This will make it more effective in removing pet hair, dust and lint from your hardwood and carpet floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you live in a large house, you may want to choose one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one go. Some models also come with mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last for a long time 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 working efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same machine for a decade or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot is much less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They will still perform a great job of cleaning dirt from surfaces pet fur, lint and other debris. You can use them to scrub your floors several times per day. They aren't as technologically advanced and are more prone to get stuck or require manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They are also able to stay clear of obstacles such as cords and furniture legs and some models will automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on power. The more expensive ones often have mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the layout of your home and reduce the amount of time you're bumping into walls.

You don't need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a fantastic job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces such as wood, tile and low-pile rugs. They can also do a good job of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some models come with a base that automatically empties itself, which is great for those who don't want to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have clever features that make the standard stick vacuum look outdated. They include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability to control them using 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 wish robots to access.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tested but it did an impressive job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn't get stuck or derailment when I was cleaning my flooring.

The J7+ from iRobot was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always succeed at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my carpets. It also tended to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in an abundance of dust in the filter and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums have an app that helps you to customize cleaning settings, set schedules and see a map of your flooring area that the machine covers. This is a useful feature, and one that some competitors lack altogether. This makes it easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified time intervals and run it on regularly, for example, cleaning your living room prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

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

For a truly hands-free experience, choose models with a large dust bin that can accommodate several cleaning sessions before having to be emptied. There are models that are self-emptying that take some of the labor out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking for a robotic that does more than vacuum, think about one that has mopping capabilities. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions' worth of dust and dirt before it needs to be empty.

Robots that are more advanced can create their own maps, and can remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum, as it will not have to return to where it started when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our testers who used robots with this feature found it to be extremely efficient, and they could easily watch TV or do other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can then 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 an app for mobile devices 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 robot vacuums can even be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot with a washable filter and a self-emptying container, especially if the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to get rid of hair and dirt. Certain robots are better in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the clogging of brushes that can be a problem in other robots.

Some robo-vacs use navigation tools to help them understand your home and navigate around obstacles. The top models come with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models often use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark off areas where you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who leave toys and socks scattered throughout the house, as it assists your robot in capturing the objects instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots that have mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that you can swap in when ready to mop. These robots might need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes with hard floors and can't be cleaned easily with vacuum cleaners.

We've seen some impressive technology incorporated into these tiny robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might imagine. In fact, you can get a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs from hard floors while also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. You can schedule the robot to sweep the room on a regular basis, and it can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.