10 Meetups About Good Robot Vacuum You Should Attend

What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum can keep you on the top of pet hair and lint on regular basis. Many use apps that allow you to schedule cleaning times and create virtual boundaries, or 'walls' to keep them away from areas you don't want cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a map of your home with its first run, storing your space for future use. It comes with a large dust bin that automatically empties and self-cleaning, self-cleaning brush roll.

Object Detection

When choosing a robot vacuum cleaner, pick one that can pick-up large items like toys and lamp cords and dust particles of fine size. This will 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.

It's recommended to select a model that has an efficient motor and lots of suction power. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, lint, and dust off your carpets and hardwood floors.

The size of your house is another crucial factor to consider. If you have a huge home, you might prefer one with multiple cleaning zones that can cover your entire house in a single session. Some models come with a mopping feature that can be used to keep floors looking fresh and clean.

Robot vacuums are durable but they need to be maintained in a timely and efficient manner. Cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin and wiping the sensors clean regularly will keep your machine running smoothly for the years to be. Many owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same machine for a decade or more (and changed motors, brushes and batteries in the process).

A basic robot is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces as well as pet fur and lint. You can use them to scrub your floor several times a day. They don't have as much technology and are more susceptible to get stuck or require manual intervention.

Object Avoidance

The most effective robot vacuums utilize sensors, lasers, or cameras to guide them around your home without getting stuck or falling down the staircase. Some models can return to their base or dock when the battery is low. They can also avoid obstacles such as 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 bumping against walls.

If you're not looking to spend a lot of money on the latest robotic vacuums, you can still find one that does a great job of picking up pet hair dirt, dust, and dust from floors made of tile and wood as well as carpets with a low pile. They can also do a good job of handling larger debris like metal screws and staples that are rusty or even abandoned toys. Some come with an automatic base that drains itself, which is a great feature when you don't need to empty it after each cleaning session.

Some robotic vacuums have smart features, which make the traditional stick vacuum look outdated. These include zones-targeting, schedules, and the ability for you to control them through an app or a voice assistant, such as Alexa. You can also design cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't wish the robot to enter.

Certain robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S and my former favorite Roborock S8 Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from crashing into furniture or tangling cords. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, Dreame Robot Vacuum are more sophisticated. AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to identify and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. It is a little bit more expensive than other bots that I've tried, however it does a great job of avoiding obstacles and never is stuck or tripped when working on my floor.

While the iRobot j7+ was a solid obstacle avoidance bot, it didn't always do well in removing dirt and crumbs off my carpets. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum some areas, resulting in lots of dust in the filter and a less-clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robots vacuums include an app that lets you customize cleaning modes, create schedules, and view the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is an excellent feature, and one that many competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific times and continue to run on a regular basis, like cleaning your living room prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app will allow you to control your robot using 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 the need for an app.

Find models with a large dust bin. This will allow you to perform numerous cleaning sessions without having to empty it. You can find models that self-empty, which eliminates the need to empty the robot after every time you vacuum.

If you're looking for a robot that does more than vacuum, think about one that has mopping functions. These are usually larger than robotic vacuums, and have a water tank which can hold several cleaning sessions worth of dust and dirt before needing to emptied.

Robots that are more advanced can make their own maps, and can remember the plan of your house from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a big difference in the efficiency of your robot vacuum, since it won't have to return to where it started when it comes across furniture or walls.

Our test participants who utilized a robot with this capability discovered it to be extremely efficient, and could easily sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some models employ laser navigation, and can create an exact map of your entire home, which means that you can program them to clean only the bedroom after dinner or every room in your home when you're at work.

App Control

If you'd like to alter the frequency at which the robot cleans your house and select a cleaning option it is recommended to purchase one that has an app that can be downloaded on mobile. You can also check the status of the vacuum as well as the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the best robot vacuum robot vacuums can be controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts.

It is easy to maintain a robot with the ability to wash the filter and a self-emptying container, particularly when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another feature that is great is a powerful brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Certain robots are better in avoiding chair legs than others. Others have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to prevent the clogging.

Certain robo-vacs utilize navigation tools to help them understand your home and overcome obstacles. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that recognize obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models may use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas where you don't want it to enter. Object avoidance can be especially beneficial for families with children who scatter socks and toys all over the house. This allows your robot to collect the items instead of scattering.

Robots are increasingly equipped with mop attachments. This is useful for those with hard floors who need to mop regularly. These robots have a water reservoir built into their chassis or as a separate piece you can swap in when ready to mop. They may require to be refilled more often than other types of robots, but they're great for homes with hard floors that aren't easily cleaned with a vacuum.

We've seen some incredible technology packed into these little robots and they're less expensive than you might expect. In fact, you can find a decent one for less than $200 that does a decent job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while moving around the edges of light carpets or area rugs. You can schedule the Dreame Robot Vacuum to vacuum rooms on a regular basis and can be controlled remotely with the app or by pressing buttons on its side.