What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robotic vacuum can assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint and dust on a regular basis. Many of them use apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and set virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them out of areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop makes an outline of your home's layout with its initial run. It then saves the space to help you with future cleaning tasks. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

Object Detection

When selecting a robot vacuum cleaner, choose one that is able to pick up large objects like toys and lamp cords as well as dust particles that are fine. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across your floor. This feature is particularly important if you have pets or children, and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

A model that has a powerful engine and lots of suction is also an ideal option. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, dust and lint from your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you live in a big house, you may choose a model with multiple cleaning zones that can cover the entire home in one go. Some models also come with a mopping function that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting, but they need to be maintained in a timely and efficient manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will keep your machine functioning efficiently for many the years to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we have spoken to have been using 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 full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do a great job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair, and lint. You can use them to sweep your floors multiple times per day. The drawback is that they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be prone to getting stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums make use of sensors, lasers, or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their base or dock when the battery is low. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the arrangement of your home, and spend less time bumping into walls.

If you don't want to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you could find a model that is capable of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and debris from floors that are hard like wood and tile and low-pile carpets. They can also be capable of handling larger debris like metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some even come with a self-emptying base that is handy for those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning run.

Many robotic vacuums also come with innovative features that make a ordinary stick vacuum appear old-fashioned such as schedules, zone targeting and the ability to control them via an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to get into.

Some robotic vacuums, like the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology that will keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoe cords, lamp cords socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tested, however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It also didn't get derailed or trapped while working on my flooring.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum areas, which resulted in a lot of extra dust in the filter and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

A few of the top robot vacuums come with an app that can help you to customize cleaning settings and schedules, as well as view the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a very useful feature that many competitors don't have. This makes it 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 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.

To have a hands-free experience, look for a model with a large dust bin that can hold numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. You can also find models that self-empty, which takes some of the labor out of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that does more than vacuum, think about a model with a mopping function. They are usually larger than the robotic vacuums and come with an internal water tank that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to having to be empty.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your home. They can even remember the arrangement between cleanings, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums because it won't have to spend time going back to the beginning of the room when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch television or perform other things while the robot cleaned. Some of these models use laser navigation and can make an exact map of your entire home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or each room of the house while you're at work.

App Control

It is best wet dry robot vacuum to select one that comes with an app that is mobile if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. Within the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robotic vacuums can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and take it off it to wash it. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards, making it easier to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair leg than others. Others come with sensors that automatically clean brushes to avoid clogging.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools to help them navigate around obstacles and help you understand your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles like stairs, furniture, and cords. Less expensive models might utilize boundaries to mark areas you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly useful for families with young children who scatter socks and toys all over the house. This can help your robot collect these items instead of scattering.

We're starting to see more robots that have mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and need to mop them regularly. They come with an integrated water tank into the chassis or an extra piece you can put in when you're ready to mop. They may require refilling frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors that aren't cleaned easily with vacuums.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots, and they're a lot cheaper than you think. You can find a decent one for under $200. It does a decent cleaning job on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and rugs. You can schedule the robot to vacuum a room on a regular basis, and it can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.