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 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 is kept away from areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop and vacuum combo robot will create the map of your home's layout with its first run. It then stores the area for future cleaning jobs. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys and a self-cleaning, brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, choose one that can pick up large items, like toys and lamp cords, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brushes or end up on your floor. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be regularly cleaned by pets or children.

A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is an ideal option. This will allow it to be more effective in getting rid of pet hair, dust and lint from carpets and hardwood flooring.

The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you have an area that is large you might want to pick models that have multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean your entire home in one go. Certain models have mopping capabilities that can be utilized to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting, but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same model for a decade or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot will cost you less than a full-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do an excellent job of keeping up with dirt and pet hair and dust. You can use them to scrub your floor several times a day. The drawback is that they don't offer as much smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers, bob robot Vacuum or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They are also able to avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models can automatically return to their dock or base when they run out of energy. The ones that are more expensive usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the design of your home and lessen the time you spend hitting walls.

You don't have to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a great job of picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as wood, tile, and low-pile rugs. They also do a decent job of handling larger debris like metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal for those who don't want to empty it after each cleaning session.

The majority of robotic vacuums have innovative features that make a standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric, including schedules, zone targeting and the capability to control them using an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top pick Roborock S8 Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from derailing by running into furniture or tangling cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to see and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles within my home and rarely got stuck or tangled when I was working on my flooring.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance robot but it wasn't always able to do well in removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum certain areas, leading to a lot of dust in the filters and a less tidy house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums come with an app that can help you to customize cleaning settings set schedules, and view an outline of the area of floor that the machine covers. This is a handy feature that some competitors lack altogether. This lets you create profiles that automatically start the robot at certain times and run it continuously. For example, cleaning the living area every morning or prior to dinner.

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

Find the model with an enormous dust bin. This allows you to complete numerous cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are also models that self-empty, which takes some of the work out of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robot that can do more than vacuum, think about one that has mopping capabilities. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and include a tank of water which can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dust and dirt before having to be emptied.

Robots that are more advanced can develop 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 big difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum, because it won't need to return to the beginning when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our testers who used robots with this feature found it to be very efficient, and could easily 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 home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or every room in the house while you're working.

App Control

It's best to choose the vacuum that comes with an app for mobile devices for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and select the cleaning mode. In the app, you can check the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the best bob robot vacuum vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot equipped with an washable filter and self-emptying container, especially when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. Another great feature is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards, making it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair leg than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent obstruction.

Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that assist them in navigating around obstacles and to learn about your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs, and cords. Less expensive models might use boundaries to mark areas you don't want to see it go. Object avoidance can be especially useful for families with young kids who scatter socks and toys around the house. This can help your robot collect these items, instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who need to clean regularly. These robots come with water tanks built into the chassis or a separate piece you can swap in when it's time to mop. They may need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, but they're ideal for homes with floors made of wood that aren't easily cleaned by vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology packed into these little robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might think. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that does a good job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. It is possible to schedule the robot to sweep rooms every day and can be controlled remotely using the app or by pressing buttons on its side.