The 9 Things Your Parents Teach You About Good Robot Vacuum

What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A good robot vacuum can assist you in keeping track of pet hair, lint and dust on a regular basis. Many robot vacuums are compatible with applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries, or 'walls,' to keep the vacuum away from areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future use. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically empties and a self-cleaning, brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, choose one that can clean up big items such as toys and lamp cords and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure that the items don't get caught in the roller brush or strewn across your floor. This is especially important when you have pets or children, and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.

It's recommended to select a model that has an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will enable it to be more effective in getting rid of dust, pet hair, and lint from carpets and hardwood flooring.

Another factor to consider is the size of your room. If you have a large home, you may prefer models with multiple cleaning zones that cover your entire house in one session. Some models have mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors looking clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums can last a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping down the sensors regularly will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many long time to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak with have owned the same model for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces as well as pet fur and lint. You can use them to clean your floors multiple times per day. The drawback is that they don't have as smart technology, and can be prone to becoming stuck or requiring human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums make use of sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without getting stuck or falling down the staircase. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture legs and cords, and some models automatically return to their base or dock when they are running low on power. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to memorize the design of your home and reduce the amount of time you're running into walls.

If you don't want to splurge on the most advanced robotic vacuums, you can still locate a model that does a great job of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and debris from floors that are hard like tiles and wood, as well as carpets with low pile. They can also do a decent job of handling larger debris like metal screws, rusty staples or abandoned toys. Some come with a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal if you do not want to empty it after each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have clever features, which make the standard stick vacuum look quaint. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the capability to control them via an app or voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't want the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums such as the Eufy 11S and my former favorite the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from getting sucked into furniture or getting caught in cords. Other models, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots I've tested, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.

The J7+ from iRobot was a great obstacle-avoiding robot, but it did not always do a great job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my carpets. It also tends to over-vacuum areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

The best robot mop cleaner robot vacuums have an app that allows you to alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and look at an image of the floor area covered by the machine. This is an extremely useful feature that many competitors do not have. This lets you create profiles that automatically start the robot at specific times and continue to run regularly. For instance, you could clean the living room each day, or just before dinner.

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

Choose a model that has a large dust bin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without having to empty it. You can also find models that are self-emptying that take some of the burden of emptying the robot after each vacuuming run.

If you're looking to purchase a robot that can do more than vacuum, you should consider the models that have mopping functions. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums and have a water tank inside that holds several cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before needing to be cleaned.

The most advanced robots generate their own maps of your home and can even keep track of the arrangement between cleanings, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums, as it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls.

Our test participants who utilized a robot with this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient, and could watch TV or complete other chores while the robot cleaned. Some models use laser navigation to create a map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or throughout the house while you are at work.

App Control

It is best robot vacuum cleaner with mop to select a robot vacuum and mop that has an app for mobile devices in case you wish to alter the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. You can also check the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin using the app. Some of the top best robot hoover vacuums can even be controlled via voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot equipped with the ability to wash the filter and a self-emptying bin, particularly when the filter is easily cleaned and washed. A powerful brush is another excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair leg than others. Some have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that allow them to discover your home and navigate around obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords, while cheaper models may utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want it to enter. Avoidance of objects is particularly important 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.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop heads. This is useful for those with hard floors who need to mop regularly. They come with a water tank built into the chassis, or an additional piece that you can swap in when it's time to clean. They might need to be refilled more often than other types of robots, but they're great for homes with hard floors that can't be easily cleaned with a vacuum.

These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and cost significantly less than you would expect. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that does a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors while also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. You can schedule the robot to sweep rooms every day, and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.