14 Cartoons About Good Robot Vacuum To Brighten Your Day

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 bases. Many robot vacuums work with applications that allow you to schedule cleaning times. You can also set virtual boundaries or 'walls,' to ensure that the vacuum stays away from areas you don't wish to be cleaned.

This smart vac and mop creates a home map after its first run, memorizing your home's layout for future tasks. It comes with a self-cleaning brush roll and an extra-large dust bin that empties automatically.

Object Detection

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

It's also a good idea to choose a model with strong motors and automatic plenty of suction power. This will help it be more effective at getting up pet hair, dust and lint from your carpets and hardwood floors.

Another important consideration is the size of your home. If you have a large house, you may want to select a model that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean your entire home in one session. Certain models have mopping capabilities that can be utilized to keep floors clean and fresh.

Robot vacuums are tough but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes and emptying the dust bin, and wiping your sensors will ensure that your robot is functioning efficiently for many years. Many of the owners of robot vacuums we chat with have had the same machine for a period of 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes and batteries as they went along).

A basic robot vacuum & mop is less expensive than a large vacuum cleaner. They will still be able to do a fantastic job of cleaning the surface of dirt pet fur, lint and other debris. You can use them to scrub your floor several times a day. The drawback is that they don't have as smart technology, and can be susceptible to becoming stuck or require human intervention.

Object Avoidance

The top robot vacuums make use of sensors, cameras or lasers to navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling down the stairs. Some models will return to their base or dock when their battery is depleted. They can also stay clear of obstacles like furniture legs and cords. The more expensive ones often come with mapping capabilities that permit them to learn the arrangement of your home, and lessen the time you spend bumping into walls.

If you don't want spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you can still find a model that does an excellent job of removing pet hair dirt, dust, and debris from floors that are hard like tiles and wood, as well as low-pile carpets. They also do a decent job of handling larger debris like metal screws or automatic staples that have rust, or the remains of toys. Some models come with a base that automatically empty itself, which is ideal when you don't need to empty it at the end of each cleaning session.

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

Certain robotic vacuums like the Eufy 11S and my former top choice the Roborock S8, have obstacle avoidance technology that keeps them from getting sucked into furniture or getting caught in cords. Certain robot vacuums, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+ have more advanced AI obstacle-avoidance technology that uses sensors, cameras and algorithms to stay clear of items such as lamp cords and pet waste. It's a little more expensive than the other bots I've tried, however it does an excellent job of avoiding obstacles and rarely is stuck or derails while working on my floor.

The iRobot J7+ was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot, but it did not always do a great job at avoiding crumbs and dirt on my carpets. It also was known to over-vacuum certain areas resulting in dust accumulating in the filters, and a less clean house.

Smart Mapping

Some of the best robots vacuums include an application that lets you alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and view a map of the floor area that is covered by the machine. This is a useful feature, and one that many competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles that automatically start your robot at specified times and continue to run on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living area prior to dinner or on a regular basis.

A good app will allow you to control your robot with voice commands. Some models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot through voice commands.

Choose models with an enormous dust bin. This allows you to complete many cleaning sessions without having to empty it. You can find models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the machine after every vacuuming session.

If you're looking for a robot capable of doing more than simply vacuum, you'll need to consider the possibility of a model that can mop your floors. These are usually bigger than the robotic vacuums, and include a water tank in the interior which can store multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to having to be empty.

Robots that are more advanced can develop their own maps and remember the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a significant difference in how efficiently your robot vacuums because it won't need to spend time returning to the beginning of the room when it comes into contact with walls or furniture.

Our test participants who utilized the robot that has this feature discovered it to be extremely efficient. They could easily sit back and watch TV or perform other chores while the robot was cleaning. Some models use laser navigation to create an outline of your home. You can then program them to clean the bedroom after dinner, or in all rooms when you're at work.

App Control

It's best to choose the vacuum that comes with an app for mobile devices for those who want to modify the frequency of cleaning and select the cleaning mode. You can also check the state of the vacuum and the state of its dust bin in the app. Some of the most effective robot vacuums are controlled via 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, especially when the filter can be easily cleaned and washed. Another feature that is great is a high-powered brush that gets into corners and along baseboards which makes it easier to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better in avoiding chair legs than others. Some have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to prevent obstruction.

Certain robo-vacs come with navigational tools to assist them in navigating around obstacles and learn your home. High-end models are equipped with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models sometimes utilize boundary strips that you place on the floor to mark off areas you don't want to go. Avoidance of objects can be particularly useful for families with young kids who throw socks and toys all over the house. This helps your robot to collect these items instead of scattering.

More robots are equipped with mops. This is beneficial for those with hard floors who need to clean regularly. These robots have an integrated water tank into the chassis, or a separate piece which you can change out when you're ready to mop. They may require frequent refills but they're ideal for homes with hard floors that aren't cleaned with vacuum cleaners.

These robots come with impressive technology, and they are priced a lot less than you'd think. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that does a good job of cleaning pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, while navigating the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. The robot can be programmed to clean the room at regular intervals. It can also be controlled remotely using an app or by pressing buttons.