10 Facts About Good Robot Vacuum That Insists On Putting You In A Positive Mood

What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

This smart vac-mop creates the map of your home using its initial run. It then saves the area for future cleaning jobs. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically empties and self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, make sure you choose one that can pick up big items, such as lamps and toys and also fine dirt. This will ensure that they don't become entangled in the roller brush, and don't end up on your floors. This is especially crucial if your robot is going to be cleaned regularly by children or pets.

A model that has an efficient engine and plenty of suction is a good choice. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, dust and lint from your hardwood and carpet floors.

The size of your home is another crucial factor to consider. If you have a large house you might want to choose models that have multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean the entire house in one go. Some models also come with mopping functions that can be used to keep your floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums can last for a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Cleaning the rotating brushes regularly and emptying the dust bin, and wiping your sensors will keep your machine functioning efficiently for many years. Many robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for ten years or longer (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time).

A basic robot is less costly than a larger vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning the surface of dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. They're an excellent maintenance cleaner that you can send out several times a week to keep your floor free of dirt. The drawback is that they don't have as advanced technology, and could be prone to getting stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The top robot vacuums make use of cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and prevent getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models will return to their base or dock when their batteries are low. They can also stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs and cords. The most expensive models usually feature mapping capabilities that allow them to learn the design of your home and reduce the amount of time you're hitting walls.

You don't have to spend lots of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job of removing pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces like wood, tile and low-pile rugs. They also do a decent job of handling larger debris like metal screws or staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some have a base that automatically empties itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it after each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have clever features that make the look of a stick vacuum outdated. These include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability for you to control them using an app or a voice assistants, such as Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones as well as 'virtual walls to block off areas you do not want the robots to venture.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to prevent them from tripping over furniture or cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks, 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 is stuck or derails when working on my floor.

While the iRobot's j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance robot however, it wasn't always doing an excellent job of avoiding dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also tended to over-vacuum areas, which led to an abundance of dust in the filter, and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robot vacuums have an app that helps you set up cleaning modes set schedules, and view the area of floor that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature, and one that a few competitors do not have. This allows you to create profiles that automatically start the robot at certain times, and keep it running continuously. For  vacuum and mop combo , it could be cleaning the living area every day or before dinner.

A good app will allow you to control your robot with 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 models with a large dust bin. This will allow you to do many cleaning sessions without having empty it. There are models that are self-emptying which takes a portion of the labor out of emptying the machine after each cleaning run.

If you're looking for a robot that does more than vacuum, consider a model with a mopping function. These are usually bigger than robotic vacuums and include a water tank inside that holds many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris before having to be empty.

Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps and keep track of the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, which prevents them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum as it will not have to go back to where it was when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our testers found that robots with this feature were very efficient. They could sit and watch TV or complete other things while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation to create the map of your home. You can program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or throughout the house when you're at work.

App Control

It is best to select the vacuum that comes with an app that is mobile for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and choose the cleaning mode. You can also view the status of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin within the app. Some of the best vacuums that are robotic can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, especially when you are able to easily access the filter and take it off it to rinse it. A powerful brush is another fantastic feature that allows you to reach into corners and along baseboards to remove hair and dirt. Certain robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some also have self-cleaning sensors that can prevent the blockage of brushes that could happen in other machines.

Some robot vacuums have navigation tools that help them discover your home and overcome obstacles. The top models come with sensors and cameras that detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models sometimes utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to leave. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who throw toys and socks scattered throughout the house, as it helps your robot nab those objects instead of scattering them.

We're seeing more robots that have mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and require to clean them regularly. These robots come with 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 require to be refilled more frequently than other kinds of robots, but they're ideal for homes with hard floors that aren't easily cleaned with a vacuum.

We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you think. You can find a quality one for under $200. It can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors, while also navigating around the edges of carpets and area rugs. The robot can be programmed to vacuum the room on a regular basis. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.