10 Quick Tips About Good Robot Vacuum What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

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

This mop and vac creates a home map after its first run, storing your home's layout for future tasks. It has self-cleaning brush rolls as well as an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

When picking a robot vacuum, make sure you choose one that can take in large items, like lamps and toys and also dust particles. This will ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush and aren't left on your floors. This is particularly crucial if your robot is going to be cleaned frequently by children or pets.


A model that has an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is an ideal option. This will make it more efficient in removing pet hair, lint, and dust off your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your room. If you live in an area that is large you might want to pick models that have multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire house in one session. Some models come with mopping features that can be used to keep floors fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are tough however, they must be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many years to come. Many of the owners of robot vacuums who we talk to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries with time).

A basic robot is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still perform a great job of cleaning surface dirt as well as pet fur and lint. You can use them to scrub your floors multiple times per day. The downside is they don't have as technological innovation, and may be prone to becoming stuck or needing human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums make use of sensors, lasers, or cameras to help them navigate your home without falling off or getting stuck on the staircase. Certain models are able to return to their base or dock when their battery is depleted. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. The most expensive models usually feature mapping capabilities that allow them to memorize the layout of your home and spend less time bumping into walls.

There is no need to spend an enormous amount of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do an excellent job at picking up pet hair and dirt from hard surfaces, such as tiles, wood, and low-pile rugs. They can also take care of larger particles like nails with rusty screws, metal screws or even toys that have been discarded. Some come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it every cleaning session.

Most robotic vacs also offer advanced features that make your regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as zones, schedules, and the capability to control them using an app or voice assistant like Alexa. You can also create cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas that you don't want the robot to get into.

Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former favorite, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over cords or furniture. Some robot vacuums, like the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses cameras, processors and algorithms to stay clear of items like lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than other bots that I've tried, but it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and rarely gets stuck or derailed while working on my floor.

Although the iRobot J7+ was a great obstacle avoidance bot however, it wasn't always doing well in removing dirt and crumbs from my rugs. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas leading to dust accumulation in the filters, and an unclean home.

Smart Mapping

The best robot vacuums have an app that lets you set up cleaning modes and schedules, as well as view a map of your floor area that the machine covers. This is an excellent feature, and one that some competitors lack altogether. It is easy to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specific time intervals and run it on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living room before dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app will also allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Some models are compatible with 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 the need for an app.

Choose a model that has a large dustbin. This allows you to complete many cleaning sessions without needing to empty it. There are models that self-empty which takes a portion of the burden of emptying the robot after each run of vacuuming.

If you're looking for a machine capable of doing more than simply vacuum, you'll need to consider one that can mop your floors. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and come with a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions' worth of dirt and dust before having to be emptied.

The most advanced robots create their own maps of your home and can even remember the layout from one cleaning to another, which helps them avoid getting lost or stuck in corners. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuums because it won't be spending time returning to the beginning of the room when it comes across walls or furniture.

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 and can make an exact map of your house, which means you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner, or every room in the house while you're at work.

App Control

It is best to select one that comes with a mobile application if you want to customize the frequency of cleaning and select the cleaning mode. You can also view the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin using the app. Some of the top robot vacuums are operated by voice using Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

A robot that has a self-emptying bin and washable filters is easy to keep clean, particularly when you are able to access the filter and remove it to wash it. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that can be found in corners and along baseboards, making it easier to remove dirt and hair. Some robots are better at avoiding chair legs than others, and some have a self-cleaning sensor that prevents the obstruction of brushes that may be a problem in other robots.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools to aid them in navigating obstacles and help you understand your home. The most expensive models employ sensors and cameras to identify obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. Cheaper models may use boundary strips to mark areas where you don't want to see it go. Avoidance of objects is particularly important for families with young children who throw toys and socks scattered throughout the house, because it helps your robot nab these objects instead of scattering them.

More robots are equipped with mop attachments. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who require to mop regularly. These robots come with a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate component that can be swapped in when ready to mop. They may require frequent refills, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be cleaned with vacuums.

We've seen some impressive technology incorporated into these tiny robots, and they're a lot less expensive than you might think. In fact, you can get a good one for under $200 that does a good job of removing pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rug. The robot can be programmed to vacuum a particular room on a regular schedule. It can be controlled remotely through an app or by pressing buttons.