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What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum A quality robot vacuum will help you stay on top of pet hair, lint and dust on a daily basis. Many robot vacuums have apps 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 map of your home with its first trip, and then it will remember your space for future jobs. It has an extra-large dustbin that automatically emptys, as well as self-cleaning brush roll. Object Detection When choosing a robot vacuum, look for one that can pick up big items, such as toys and lamp cords, as well as fine dirt. This will ensure that they don't get stuck in the roller brush or left on your floor. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be regularly cleaned by children or pets. A model that has an engine that is powerful and lots of suction is also an excellent choice. This will make it more effective at getting up pet hair, lint and dust from your carpets and hardwood floors. The size of your house is another crucial factor to consider. If you live in a large house you might want to pick one that has multiple cleaning zones so that you can clean the entire house in one session. Certain models have mopping capabilities that can be utilized to keep floors fresh and clean. Robot vacuums can last for a long time, but they'll need to be cleaned regularly and properly. Regularly cleaning the rotating brushes, emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot working efficiently for many years. Many of the robot vacuum owners who we talk to have owned their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced motors, brushes, and batteries along with time). A basic robot will cost less than a large-sized vacuum cleaner, but they'll still do an excellent job at keeping up with dirt on the surface, pet hair and dust. They're a great maintenance cleaner that you can send out often throughout the week to keep your floors free of dirt. They do not have as much technology and are more susceptible to getting jammed or needing manual intervention. Object Avoidance The top robot vacuums make use of sensors, cameras or lasers to help you navigate your home and avoid getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models can return to their base or dock when the battery is low. They also can avoid obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. Some of the most expensive models come with mapping capabilities, which allow them to learn your home's layout and spend less time bouncing against walls. There is no need to spend a lot of money on the most expensive robotic vacuums. You can still find models that do a fantastic job of 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 metal screws, rusty nails or discarded toys. Some come with self-emptying bases which is helpful for those who don't want to empty the dustbin after every clean-up. Many robotic vacuums also come with innovative features that make a regular stick vacuum appear ancient such as zones, schedules, and the capability to control them using an app or voice assistant such as Alexa. You can also set up cleaning zones and virtual walls to block off areas you don't want robots to access. Some robotic vacuums, such as the Eufy 11S or my former top choice, Roborock S8, come with obstacle avoidance technology to keep them from tripping over furniture or cords. Others, like the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more advanced AI obstacle avoidance, which uses cameras and processor-powered smarts to detect and avoid objects like shoe cords, lamp cords socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tested, however, it did a fantastic job of avoiding obstacles around my home and rarely got stuck or tangled while working on my flooring. The iRobot J7+ was a fantastic obstacle avoidance robot however it didn't always do a great job at avoiding dirt or crumbs on my rugs. It also had a tendency to over-vacuum certain areas resulting in dust accumulation in the filters and a less clean home. Smart Mapping The best robot vacuums come with an app that allows you to modify cleaning modes, make schedules, and look at a map of the area covered by the machine. This is a useful feature that many competitors don't have. This allows you to create profiles that will automatically start the robot at specific times, and keep it running regularly. For example, cleaning the living room every day, or just before dinner. A good app will also allow you to control your robot via voice commands. Certain models can be controlled by Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant and can work completely hands-free. You can say “start a clean” or “change cleaning mode” without using the app. To have a hands-free experience, look for an option with a big dust bin that can withstand many cleaning sessions before needing to be emptied. You can find models that self-empty, which eliminates the requirement to empty the machine after every time you vacuum. If you're looking for a robot that can do more than vacuum, think about one that has mopping functions. They are usually larger than the robotic vacuums, and include a water tank in the interior that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and debris before having to be empty. Robots that are more sophisticated can develop their own maps and keep track of the arrangement of your home from one cleaning session to the next, preventing them from getting lost or stuck. This can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your robot vacuum because it won't need to go back to where it started when it encounters furniture or walls. Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were extremely efficient. They could sit and watch TV or do other tasks while the robot cleaned. Some of these models use 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 the house while you're at work. App Control If you want to customize how often the robot cleans your home and choose the cleaning mode you should choose one that is compatible with an app for mobile devices. You can also see the status of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin using the app. Some of the top robot vacuums are controlled by voice with 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 remove it to rinse it. A powerful brush is another great feature that can reach into corners and along baseboards to remove dirt and hair. Certain robots are better at avoiding chair leg than others. Some have a sensor that automatically cleans brushes to avoid obstruction. the advantage -vacs use navigation tools to help them discover your home and navigate around obstacles. The top models utilize sensors and cameras to detect obstacles such as furniture, stairs and cords. Less expensive models might utilize boundary strips to mark areas you don't want to see it go. Object avoidance is especially important for families with young children who throw socks and toys scattered across the house, as it assists your robot in capturing the items instead of scattering them. We're beginning to see more robots that have mops, which are beneficial for those who have hard floors and require to mop them regularly. These robots come with a water tank built into the chassis, or an additional piece that which you can change out when it's time to clean. These robots might require refilling frequently, but are ideal for homes with hard floors that can't be cleaned easily with vacuums. We've seen some amazing technology in these small robots and they're cheaper than you imagine. In fact, you can find an affordable model for less than $200 that does a good job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also moving around the edges of light carpets or area rug. 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.