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 are compatible with apps that allow you to schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries, or 'walls,' to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas that you don't want cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map after its first trip, and then it will remember your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, select one that can clean up large objects like lamp cords and toys and dust particles that are fine. This will ensure that the items don't get stuck in the roller brushes or end up on your floor. This feature is particularly important if you have pets or children and need to clean the robot regularly.

A model with an efficient engine and plenty of suction is an excellent option. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, dust and lint off your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another crucial aspect to consider is the size of your home. If you have an apartment it is possible to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean the entire house in one go. Certain models also include a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are durable but they need to be maintained in a timely and efficient manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping down the sensors regularly will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many the years to be. Many robot vacuum owners we speak to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries with time).

A basic robot is less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning the surface of dirt, pet fur and lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out several times a week to keep your floors clean. They do not have as much technology and are more susceptible to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, cameras or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or Cheap Robot Vacuum falling on 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 dock or base when they run out of power. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to remember the layout of your home and spend less time bumping against walls.

You don't have to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as wood, tile and low-pile rug. They also do a good job of removing larger debris such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even abandoned toys. Some models come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is great for those who don't want to empty it every cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have innovative features that make a regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as scheduling, zone targeting, and the ability to control them with an app or a voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas where you don't want the robot to venture.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to prevent them from tripping over furniture or cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance technology that makes use of sensors, cameras and intelligent algorithms to avoid objects such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's 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 derailed or trapped while working on my flooring.

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

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see the floor area covered by the machine. This is a useful feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This lets you create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specific times, and keep it running continuously. For instance, you could clean the living area every morning or prior Cheap Robot Vacuum to dinner.

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

Choose the model with a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without having empty it. You can find models that self-empty. This eliminates the requirement to empty the machine after each vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a machine that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into the possibility of a model that can mop your floors. These are usually bigger than robotic vacuums and have an internal water tank that can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be cleaned.

Robots that are more advanced can make their own maps and remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in the speed at which your robot vacuums, as it won't need to spend time going back to the beginning of the room if it comes into contact with walls or furniture.

Our testers who used robots with this feature found it to be extremely efficient, and they could comfortably watch TV or do other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models use laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your house, which means you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or every room in the house while you're at work.

App Control

It's best to choose one that comes with an app for mobile devices in case you wish to alter the frequency of cleaning and choose the cleaning mode. Through the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums are controlled via voice 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 can be easily removed and rinsed. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up dirt and hair. Certain robots are better in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some even have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the blockage of brushes that could happen in other robots.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools to help them navigate around obstacles and help you understand your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords, whereas cheaper models may use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark off areas you don't want to go. Avoidance of objects can be particularly useful for families with young children who throw socks and toys all over the house. This helps your cheap robot vacuum to gather these items, instead of scattering them.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who require to clean regularly. These robots come with a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece you swap in when they're ready to mop. These robots may require frequent refills but they're ideal for homes with hard floors and can't be easily cleaned by vacuums.

These robots come with some amazing technology, and cost significantly less than you'd expect. You can get a good one under $200, which can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and rugs. You can schedule the robot vacuum cleaner for carpet to clean a room every day and can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.