What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum will help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on a daily bases. Many robot vacuums work with applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries, or 'walls,' to keep the vacuum away from areas that you don't wish to be cleaned.

This smart vac-mop creates a map of your home's layout with its first run. It then saves the space for future cleaning jobs. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.

Object Detection

When picking a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can pick up large items, like lamps and toys as well as fine dirt. This will ensure they don't get snarled in the roller brush, and aren't left behind on your floors. This is particularly crucial if your robot is going to be regularly cleaned by children or pets.

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

The size of your home is another crucial factor to consider. If you have a large home, you may want to opt for one with multiple cleaning zones that can clean your entire house in one session. Some models also come with mopping capabilities, which can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying your dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine functioning efficiently for many years. Many of the robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for 10 years or longer (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries along with time).

A basic robot will cost less than a full-size vacuum cleaner, however they'll still do a great job of keeping up with surface dirt, pet hair, and lint. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can distribute every week to keep your floors clean. The drawback is that they don't offer as much technological innovation, and may be prone to getting stuck or requiring human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best eufy robot vacuum robot vacuums use cameras, sensors or lasers to guide you around your home, avoiding getting stuck or falling on the stairs. They can also avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs and some models can automatically return to their base or dock when they run out of energy. The most expensive models usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the design of your home and reduce the amount of time you're running into walls.

You don't have to spend a lot 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 like tile, wood, and low-pile rugs. They can also take care of bigger debris like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys. Some come with an auto-emptying base that is handy for those who don't want to empty the trash bin after every cleaning session.

Many robotic vacuums also come with smart features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including scheduling, zone targeting, and the ability to control them via an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls' to block off areas where you do not want the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over cords or furniture. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance that uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or derails when I'm working on my floor.

The iRobot J7+ was an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however it didn't always do a good job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum specific areas, leading to dust accumulating in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you to customize cleaning settings and schedules, as well as view the floor area that the machine covers. This is a great feature that many competitors don't have. It allows you to create profiles that automatically start the robot at specified times, and keep it running continuously. For example, it could be cleaning the living area every morning or prior to dinner.

A good app can allow you to control your robot using voice commands. Some models support Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without the need for an app.

To have a hands-free experience, opt for a model with a large dust bin that can withstand several cleaning sessions before having to be empty. There are also models that self-empty which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.

If you're looking for a robot that can do more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look at the possibility of a model that can mop floors. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums and have a water tank inside that holds multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps and remember the layout of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums because it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room if it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test subjects who tested the robot that has this capability discovered it to be extremely efficient, and could comfortably watch TV or complete other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models use laser navigation and can make 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 working.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency with which the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with an app for robot mobile devices. Through the app, you can also monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. The best robot vacuum mop vacuums that are robotic can be controlled by 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 then remove it to rinse it. Another excellent feature is a powerful brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards making it much easier to get rid of dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Others come with an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and to learn about your home. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to recognize obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. The cheaper models could utilize boundary strips to mark areas that you don't wish it to enter. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who throw socks and toys all over the home. This helps your robot to collect the items instead of scattering.

More robots are coming with mop heads. This is great for those with floors that are hard and need to mop regularly. These robots have a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate piece you can swap in when ready to mop. These robots may require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that aren't easily cleaned by vacuum cleaners.

We've seen some amazing technology in these small robots and they're less expensive than you might expect. In fact, you can get a good one for under $200 that does a decent job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also moving around the edges of light carpets or area carpets. The robot can be programmed to vacuum specific rooms on a regular schedule. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.