20 Things You Should Have To Ask About Good Robot Vacuum Before Buying…

What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily bases. Many work with apps to allow you to schedule cleaning sessions and create virtual boundaries, or 'walls' to keep them out of areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac-mop will create the map of your home using its initial run. It then stores the area to help you with future cleaning tasks. It has a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, robot vacuum brands pick one that is able to pick up large items like lamp cords and toys and dust particles that are fine. This will ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush and aren't left behind on your floors. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be cleaned frequently by pets or children.

A model with a powerful engine and lots of suction is an ideal option. This will help it to be more effective in removing dust, pet hair and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your home. If you have a large house it is possible to pick models that have multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one go. Some models also come with a mopping function, which can be used to keep your floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are long-lasting, but they need to 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 efficiently for the years to be. Many of the owners of robot vacuum brands vacuums we speak with have owned the same machine for a decade or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries along the way).

A basic robot will cost you less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, however they'll do a fantastic job at removing surface dirt, pet hair, and lint. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out every week to keep your floors clean. However, they don't have as advanced technology, and could be susceptible to becoming stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the staircase. They are also able to avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models can automatically return to their base or dock when they run out of energy. The most expensive models usually come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend running into walls.

If you're not looking to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you can still find one that does an excellent job of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and debris from floors that are hard like tile and wood as well as low-pile carpets. They can also take care of larger debris such as nails that are rusty, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some come with a base that automatically empty itself, which is great when you don't need to empty it every cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer advanced features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient, including zones, schedules, and the ability to control them with an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't wish the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top pick, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance that utilizes a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than the other bots I've tested, however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles within my home. It was also very rarely stuck or tangled when I was cleaning my floors.

While the iRobot j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance robot, it didn't always do well in removing dust and crumbs from my carpets. It also tended to over-vacuum some areas, resulting in a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuum for pets robot vacuums have an app that allows you to alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and see an image of the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is a great feature that many competitors don't have. This 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 room each morning or prior to dinner.

A good app will also let you control your robot via voice commands. Some models support Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free, so you can say "start with a clean" or "change cleaning mode" without having to use the app.

Look for the model with a large dustbin. This will allow you to perform many cleaning sessions without having to empty it. There are models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the robot after every time you vacuum.

If you're looking for a robotic that is more than a vacuum, think about a model with mopping functions. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums, and have a water tank in the interior that holds many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to having to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can make their own maps and keep track of the layout of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum, because it won't need to go back to the beginning when it comes across walls or furniture.

Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch TV or complete other things while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ 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 working.

App Control

It is recommended to select a robot that has an app that is mobile if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. Through the app, you can also check the status of your vacuum and its dust bin. Some of the top robot vacuums can even be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is simple to maintain a robot that has a washable filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. A high-powered brush is another excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair legs than others, and some have an auto-cleaning sensor that helps prevent the obstruction of brushes that may be a problem in other machines.

Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and learn your home. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. Cheaper models may use boundary strips to mark off areas that you don't wish to see it go. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who scatter toys and socks around the home. This can help your robot to gather these items, instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots with mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and need to mop them regularly. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece that you swap in when they're ready to mop. They might need to be refilled more frequently than other types of robots, however they're ideal for homes with floors made of wood that aren't easily cleaned by vacuum.

These robots come with impressive technology, and they cost much less than you'd expect. You can find a decent one for under $200. It 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 to vacuum the room every day and can be controlled remotely with the app or by pressing buttons on its side.