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 daily basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with applications 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 that you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop makes an outline 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 empties automatically.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum, look for one that can pick up large items, like toys and lamp cords, and also dust particles. This will ensure that the items don't get caught in the roller brush or strewn across your floor. This feature is particularly important for those who have pets or children and you may have to clean the robot on a regular basis.

It's recommended to select a model that has a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will help it be more effective in removing pet hair, lint, and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is a different factor to consider. If you have an apartment, you may want to choose a model that has multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean the entire house in a single session. Some models also come with a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums last a long time however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors on a regular basis will keep your robot running smoothly for the years to be. Many robot vacuum owners who we talk 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 is less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They will still do an excellent job of cleaning surface dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can send out often throughout the week to keep your floors tidy. The drawback is that they don't have as advanced technology, and could be prone to getting stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuum cleaner vacuums utilize cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling down the stairs. They are also able to avoid obstacles like cords and furniture legs and some models will automatically return to their dock or base when they are running low on power. The most expensive models usually feature mapping capabilities that allow them to remember the arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend running into walls.

If you don't want splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can still find one that is capable of removing pet hair dirt, dust, and crumbs from hard floors like tiles and wood, as well as carpets with a low pile. They also do a good job of handling larger debris like metal screws and staples that are rusty or even discarded toys. Some even come with a self-emptying base which is helpful for those who don't want to empty your trash bin after every cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, making the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. They include schedules, zone-targeting, and the capability to control them via an app or a voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls' to block off areas you don't want the robot to enter.

Some robotic vacs like the Eufy 11S and my former top pick the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from crashing into furniture or tangling cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance that uses sensors powered by processors to see and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tested, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or derails while working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs from my carpets. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum certain areas, which resulted in dust accumulation in the filters and a less clean home.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an application that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see a map of the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is a handy feature that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at certain times and keep it running on regularly, for example, cleaning the living room before dinner or every other day.

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

To enjoy a hands-free and effortless experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand many cleaning sessions before needing to be empty. There are also models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a robotic that can do more than vacuum, consider a model with mopping capabilities. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions' worth of dirt and dust before needing to emptied.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your home. They can even keep track of the layout from one cleaning to another which can help them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, as it will not have to go back to where it started when it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test subjects who tested robots with this feature found it to be extremely efficient, and could watch TV or do other chores while the robot cleaned. Some of these models utilize laser navigation and can create 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

If you'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your home and choose a cleaning mode, it's best floor robot vacuum and mop to get one that is compatible with a mobile app. Within the app, you can monitor the condition of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the best mop vacuum combo robot vacuums that are robotic can be controlled by Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot with a self-emptying bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep hygienic, especially if you can easily access the filter and then remove it to wash it. Another feature that is great is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some even have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the obstruction of brushes that may occur in other machines.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that help them learn your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models often use boundary strips that you put on the floor to mark off areas where you don't want it to go. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with young children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, because it allows your robot to grab those items instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mop heads. This is great for those with floors that are hard and need to clean regularly. They have a water reservoir that is built into their chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently but they're ideal for homes that have hard floors that aren't cleaned easily with vacuums.

We've seen some incredible technology packed into these little robots and they're cheaper than you imagine. You can find a decent one for less than $200, and it does a decent cleaning job on hard floors and can be scoured around the edges of carpets and rug. It is possible to schedule the robot to clean a room regularly and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.