What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A good robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums have applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries, or "walls," to ensure that the vacuum is kept away from areas that you don't want cleaned.
This smart vac and mop creates a home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.
Object Detection
When picking a robot vacuum, look for one that can take in large objects, such as lamps and toys and also fine dirt. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across your floor. This is particularly important if your robot will be cleaned frequently by children or pets.
It's also a good idea to select a model that has strong motors and lots of suction power. This will allow it to be more efficient in getting rid of dust, pet hair and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.
The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you live in an area that is large you might want to choose one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one session. Some models also come with mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.
Robot vacuums can last a long time, but they'll need to be maintained regularly and in a proper manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will keep your machine running smoothly for years to be. Many robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for ten years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries as time went by).
A basic robot will cost you less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do a great job at keeping up with surface dirt, pet hair and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can use often throughout the week to keep your floors free of dirt. However, they don't have as advanced technology, and could 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 falling off or getting stuck on the staircase. They are also able to avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, 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 arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend hitting walls.
If you're not looking to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you could find one that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and crumbs from hard floors like wood and tile and carpets with low pile. They can also be capable of handling larger objects such as metal screws or staples that have rust, or abandoned toys. Some even come with an auto-emptying base which is helpful for those who don't want to empty the dustbin after every cleaning run.
Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look old-fashioned. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability to control them via 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 the robot to enter.
Some robotic vacs such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that prevents them from getting sucked into furniture or tangling cords. Some robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses a camera, processors and smarts to avoid items like lamp cords and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots that I've tried, however it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or derails when working on my floor.
Although the iRobot J7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs off my rugs. It also tends to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in lots of dust in the filter and an unclean home.
Smart Mapping
Some of the best robots vacuums have an app that lets you customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and see a map of the floor area covered by the machine. This is a great feature that other models do not have. It is 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 every other day.
A good app will also allow you to control your robot with voice commands. Some models support Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start cleaning" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.
Look for a model that has a large dust bin. This will allow you to perform numerous cleaning sessions without having empty it. You can also find models that self-empty that take some of the labor out of emptying the machine after each run of vacuuming.
If you're looking to purchase a robot that can do more than vacuum, you should consider a model with mopping capabilities. They are typically larger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and dust before needing to emptied.
The most advanced robots can create their own maps of your home. They can even remember the arrangement from one cleaning to another, which helps them avoid getting lost or trapped in corners. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, since it won't have to go back to where it was when it encounters furniture or walls.
Our testers who used a robot with this feature found it to be very efficient. They could watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or every room in your home while you're working.
App Control
If you're looking to change how often the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning option, it's best to get one that has a mobile app. In 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 controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters is easy to keep hygienic, especially when you are able to access the filter and take it off it to rinse it. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards, making it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Certain robots are more adept in avoiding the chair's legs than others, and some have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the blockage of brushes that could occur in other robots.
Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and help you understand your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, while cheaper models sometimes utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want to enter. Object avoidance is especially important for families with children who leave socks and toys scattered across the house, as it allows your robot to grab those objects instead of scattering them.
More robots are coming with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who require to clean regularly. They come with a water tank built into the chassis or an extra piece which you can change out when it's time to clean. These robots may require refilling frequently but they're ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren't cleaned with vacuums.
We've seen some amazing technology in these small robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might imagine. You can find a decent one under $200, which does a decent job cleaning on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and area rug. It is possible to schedule the robot to vacuum a room on a regular basis and can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.