Trudy Mullens asked 3 months ago
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 work with applications that let you schedule cleaning sessions. You can also set virtual boundaries or Robot vacuums ‘walls,’ to keep the vacuum away from areas you don’t want cleaned.
This smart vac and mop and vacuum combo robot creates a home map with its first run, memorizing your home’s layout for future tasks. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys and self-cleaning brush roll.
Object Detection
When picking a robot vacuum, look for one that is able to pick up large objects, such as toys and lamp cords, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they don’t get stuck in the roller brush or robot vacuums end up on your floor. This feature is particularly important for those who have pets or children and may need to clean the robot on a regular basis.
It’s also a good idea to choose a model with strong motors and lots of suction power. This will allow it to be more efficient in getting rid of dust, pet hair, and lint from carpets as well as hardwood floors.
Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you live in a large house, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean the entire house in one go. Some models come with mopping capabilities that can be used to keep floors looking clean and fresh.
Robot vacuums can last for a long time however they’ll need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your machine running smoothly for a long time. Many owners of robot vacuums we speak with have had the same machine for a decade or more (and replaced brushes, motors and batteries in the process).
A basic robot is much less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still perform a great job of cleaning dirt from surfaces as well as pet fur and lint. You can use them to scrub your floors multiple times per day. They don’t have as much technology and are more prone to getting jammed or needing manual intervention.
Object Avoidance
The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their dock or base when the battery is low. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. Some of the most expensive models come with the ability to map, which allows them to remember your home’s layout and therefore spend less time bouncing off walls.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you can find one that does an excellent job of picking up pet hair, dirt, dust and debris from floors that are hard like wood and tile and low-pile carpets. They can also do a good job of removing larger debris such as metal screws, rusty staples or the remains of toys. Some models even have an auto-emptying base that is handy in the event that you don’t wish to empty your trash bin after every cleaning run.
Certain robotic vacuums come with smart features, which make the traditional stick vacuum look quaint. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability for you to control them through an app or voice assistant, like Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don’t wish robots to access.
Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former top choice, the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that stops them from crashing into furniture or tangling cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance, which uses a camera and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks, and pet waste. It’s a bit more expensive than the other bots I’ve tested however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles in my home. It also didn’t get derailed or trapped when I was cleaning my flooring.
The J7+ from iRobot was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always do a great job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my rugs. It also tended to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in an abundance of dust in the filter, and an unclean home.
Smart Mapping
The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you set up cleaning modes, set schedules and see the floor area that the machine covers. This is an extremely useful feature that many competitors don’t have. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at certain times and continue to run on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living area prior to dinner or on a regular basis.
A good app will also let you 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.
Find models with a large dustbin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without having to empty it. You can find models that self-empty, which eliminates the need to empty the machine after each vacuuming session.
If you’re looking for a robot that can do more than just vacuum, you’ll want to consider one that can mop floors. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions’ worth of dust and dirt before it needs to be empty.
Robots that are more advanced can develop their own maps and remember the layout of your home from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, because it won’t need to return to the beginning when it comes across furniture or walls.
Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch TV or do other things while the robot cleaned. Some of these models utilize laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your home, meaning you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or every room in the house when you’re at work.
App Control
If you’re looking to change the frequency at which the robot cleans your house and select a cleaning option it is recommended to purchase one that has an app for mobile devices. You can also view the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin within the app. Some of the best robot vacuums are controlled by 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 container, especially when the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. A powerful brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove hair and dirt. Some robots are better in avoiding chairs’ legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the obstruction of brushes that may happen in other robots.
Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and to learn about your home. High-end models have sensors and cameras that detect obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords. On the other hand, less expensive models often utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas you don’t want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with young children who throw toys and socks scattered throughout the house, since it allows your robot to grab those items instead of scattering them.
We’re seeing more robots equipped with mops which are great for people who have hard floors and need to regularly clean them. They come with a water tank built into the chassis, or a separate piece which you can change out when it’s time to clean. These robots may need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors that aren’t cleaned easily with a vacuum.
