What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum A quality robot vacuum will keep you on top of pet hair, lint, and dust on a daily basis Many of them use apps to allow you to schedule cleaning sessions and set virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them from areas you don't want cleaned This smart vac-mop will create the map of your home with its initial run It then saves the space to be used for cleaning tasks in the future It comes with a large dust bin that automatically empties and self-cleaning brush roll Object Detection When you are choosing a robotic vacuum, look for one that is able to pick up big items, such as lamp cords and toys, and also fine dirt This will ensure that they do not get stuck in the roller brushes or strewn across 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 an excellent idea to choose a model with an efficient motor and plenty of suction power This will help it to be more efficient in getting rid of dust, pet hair and lint off carpets and hardwood flooring The size of your home is another crucial factor to consider If you have an area that is large, you may want to pick models that have multiple cleaning zones, so you can clean your entire home in one go Some models come with a mopping feature that can be used to keep floors fresh and clean https//wwwrobotvacuummopscom/ are durable however, they must be cleaned properly and regularly Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust container and wiping the sensors clean regularly will ensure that your robot is running smoothly for long time to be Many of the owners of robot vacuums we speak to have owned their machines for ten years or longer and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries as time went by A basic robot is much less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner They will still perform a great job of cleaning the surface of dirt as well as pet fur and lint You can use them to clean your floors several times per day They do not have as much technology and are more prone to get stuck or require manual 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 cords and furniture legs, and some models can automatically return to their base or dock when they run out of power The most expensive models usually have mapping capabilities that allow them to remember the design of your home and reduce the amount of time you're running into walls If you don't want to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you could find a model that is capable of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors like tiles and wood, as well as low-pile carpets They also can handle bigger debris like nails that are rusty, metal screws or discarded toys Some even come with self-emptying bases that is handy for those who don't want to empty the trash bin after every cleaning run Some robotic vacuums have smart features that make the standard stick vacuum look old-fashioned They include scheduling, zone-targeting and the ability to control them using an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't wish the robot to enter Some robotic vacuums, like 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, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to see and avoid items like shoes, lamp cords, socks and pet waste It's a bit 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 an excellent obstacle avoidance robot however, it didn't always succeed at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my rugs It also had a tendency to over-vacuum specific areas, leading to dust accumulation in the filters, and an unclean house Smart Mapping Some of the best robots vacuums come with an app that lets you modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and see the floor area that is covered by the machine This is an extremely useful feature that other models don't have This lets you create profiles that automatically start the robot at specific times and run it continuously For example, it could be cleaning the living room every day or before dinner A good app will also allow you to control your robot using voice commands Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot using voice commands To have a hands-free experience, opt for an option with a big dust bin that can hold numerous cleaning sessions before needing to be empty There are models that self-empty, eliminating the need to empty the machine after every vacuuming session If you're looking to purchase a robot that can do more than vacuum, think about one that has mopping functions These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums and have a water tank inside which can store many cleaning sessions of dirt and debris prior to needing to be cleaned Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps, and can 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 significant difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums, as it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room if it encounters furniture or walls Our testers who used the robot that has this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient They could easily watch TV or do other chores while the robot cleaned Some of these models utilize 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 every room in the house when you're at work App Control It is best to select the vacuum that comes with a mobile application if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and select cleaning mode Through the app, you can also examine the status of your vacuum as well as its dust bin Some of the top robotic vacuums 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 access the filter and then remove it to rinse it A high-powered brush is a excellent feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to get rid of dirt and hair Some robots are more adept at avoiding chair legs than others, and some even have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the blockage of brushes that could be a problem in other robots Some robo-vacs have navigation tools that aid them in navigating obstacles and help you understand your home The top models come with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like stairs, furniture and cords On the other hand, less expensive models often use boundary strips 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 have socks and toys scattered across the house, because it assists your robot in capturing those items instead of scattering them We're starting to see more robots with mops, which are great for people who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly They have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that you can swap in when ready to mop They may require refilling frequently however, they are perfect for homes with hard floors that can't be cleaned with a vacuum We've seen some amazing technology incorporated into these tiny robots, and they're a lot cheaper than you imagine You can find a decent one for under 200 It can do a decent job of cleaning on hard floors while navigating around the edges of carpets and area rug The robot can be programmed to clean a particular room on a regular schedule It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons