14 Businesses Doing A Superb Job At Good Robot Vacuum
What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum
A robot vacuum can keep you on top of pet hair and lint on a daily basis. Many of them use apps to allow you to schedule cleaning times and create virtual boundaries, or "walls" to keep them out of areas you don't want cleaned.
This smart vacuum and mop creates a home map after its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empty automatically.
Object Detection
When choosing a robot vacuum, choose one that can take in large objects, such as lamps and toys and also dust particles. This will help ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This feature is particularly important when you have pets or children and need to clean the robot regularly.
A model that has an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is a good option. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust from your hardwood and carpet floors.
The size of your home is a different factor to consider. If you live in an apartment you might want to choose one that has multiple cleaning zones so you can clean your entire home in one session. Some models have mopping features that can be utilized to keep floors clean and fresh.
Robot vacuums are long-lasting however, they must be cleaned properly and regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine running smoothly for a long time. eufy robot vacuum of the owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same model for 10 years or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries in the process).
A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll do a fantastic job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. You can use them to clean your floors multiple times per day. They don't have as much technology and are more susceptible to becoming jammed or requiring manual intervention.
Object Avoidance
The best robot vacs use sensors, lasers or cameras to help them navigate your home without falling off or getting stuck on the stairs. Certain models are able to return to their dock or base when their battery is depleted. They can also avoid obstacles like furniture legs and cords. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the layout of your home and spend less time bouncing off walls.
You don't need to spend a lot of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a fantastic job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces like tile, wood, and low-pile rugs. They can also take care of larger debris such as metal screws, rusty nails or even toys that have been discarded. Some have a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.
Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. These include schedules, zone-targeting, and the ability for you to control them via an app or voice assistants, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you do not want the robot to go.
Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance technology that makes use of sensors, cameras and smarts to avoid items like lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tested, but it does a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles and never gets stuck or derailed when working on my floor.
The J7+ from iRobot was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always succeed in avoiding crumbs or dirt on my carpets. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum some areas, resulting in a lot of extra dust in the filter, and a less-clean house.
Smart Mapping
Some of the best robots vacuums have an application that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see an image 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 automatically start the robot at specific times, and keep it running regularly. For instance, you could clean the living room each morning or prior to dinner.
A good app will also allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot with voice commands.
Find a model that has a large dust bin. This will allow you to do numerous cleaning sessions without having to empty it. You can find models that self-empty, which eliminates the need to empty the machine after every time you vacuum.
If you're looking for a machine that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to look into a model that can mop floors. These are typically larger than robotic vacuums and come with a water tank inside which can store many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris before having to be empty.
Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps, and can remember the arrangement 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 efficiency of your robot vacuums, as it won't have to spend time returning to the beginning of the room whenever it comes across walls or furniture.
Our test participants found that the robots that had this feature were extremely efficient. They could watch television or perform other tasks while the robot was cleaning. Some of these models use laser navigation and can make an exact map of your entire home, which means that you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner or each room of the house while you're working.
App Control
It's best to choose one that comes with a mobile application if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and choose cleaning mode. Within the app, you can also monitor the condition of your vacuum as well as its dust bin. Some of the best robot vacuums can be operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.
A robot that self-empties a bin and washable filters makes it easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and take it off it to rinse it. Another great feature is a powerful brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards making it much easier to remove dirt and hair. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chairs' legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the blockage of brushes that could happen in other robots.
Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools that allow them to understand your home and overcome obstacles. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to identify obstacles like furniture, stairs, and cords. Less expensive models might use boundary strips to mark areas that you don't wish to see it go. Object avoidance is especially important for families with young children who have toys and socks scattered throughout the house, because it allows your robot to grab those items instead of scattering them.
We're seeing more robots equipped with mops which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. They have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece you swap in when they're ready to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that aren't cleaned with a vacuum.
These robots are packed with some impressive technology, and they are priced a lot less than you would expect. In fact, you can get a decent one for less than $200 that can do a decent job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area carpets. The robot can be programmed to vacuum specific rooms on a regular basis. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.