10 Best Rated Robot Vacuum Tricks Experts Recommend
The Best Robot VacuumsA good robot vacuum will do the bulk of the work and nabs pet hair, lint, and surface dirt before it adheres to furniture or be sucked into carpets. Some also integrate with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to give you a hands-free experience.
Many models have the ability to map, which allows them to create maps of your home. This can help them avoid falling off ledges or navigating cords that connect devices.
What to Look For
Certain robots have advanced features that allow you to control them via apps and voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Smart mapping, zone cleaning, and object avoidance are just a few of the features. These machines might also come with larger dust bins and longer-lasting batteries.
Choose a model with a broad brushes that can sweep large particles and one that's small enough to fit under furniture. Check if the robot vacuum is able to clean various types of floors without changing suction settings or brushes. This could reduce its cleaning efficiency and shorten its lifespan.
The best robot vacuums come with top-quality filters to catch fine particles and safeguard your home. They also have a large accessible collection bin so you can empty it frequently. Certain robot vacuums come with an additional side brush that can remove pet hair and debris from hard-to reach places, such as under and behind furniture. The bins are typically transparent, so you can see the amount of dirt in the bin and when to empty it.
You can also use the app to set boundaries around furniture and rooms that you don't want it to enter. Some models also recognize the type of floor they're cleaning and automatically adjust their brush and suction settings accordingly.
There are robotics that recharge and continue cleaning where they left off when their battery is exhausted. Some also have a built-in camera that allows you to see your robot vacuum's route and view what it's taken in.
Some robots can be controlled by voice commands, but not all. Be sure that the robot you select is compatible with your voice assistant of choice, and test out the way it responds to different commands during the purchasing process. Some robots even empty their trash bins or clean their docking stations, which will help you reduce your chore list. This feature is costly, as are a larger collection container and more rapid charging speeds.
Cleaning Performance
While robots aren't able to substitute for a full-on vacuum cleaner or broom, they do provide an effective and efficient alternative to the everyday chore of cleaning floors. It doesn't matter if you have to keep track of dust as well as pet hair and crumbs or pick up larger debris such as wood shavings and metal screws, most top-rated robotic cleaners are adept at picking up different types of debris on the first attempt and without causing damage to your floor surfaces or furniture.
In most cases, they'll be able to detect what type of surface they're cleaning and adjust their suction or brush features accordingly so that they can more effectively clean your floors. This is especially important if you have a variety of flooring in your home. A lot of models come with a wide range of options to set up virtual boundaries that allow you to tell the robot to stay away from certain areas of your home. This can help to keep your pets and children from getting into areas they shouldn't. It helps ensure that your home is kept clean during every scheduled session.
It is also important to consider how much autonomy you're willing to give your robot. Certain models require you to be active and attentive, while others work on their own. They can alter cleaning schedules and cleaning modes using a mobile application or voice commands with an integrated smart assistant. Some will map and learn your home, allowing you to set up zones and instruct here the robot to clean specific areas of your home on a weekly or daily basis.
In our testing, the iRobot was the most efficient "set it and forget it" robot. It was the best at mapping, creating virtual boundaries and avoiding obstacles better than all the other robots we tested. It can also empty itself, so you aren't required to manually do it. The side brushes are used to sweep debris from edges and corners that a vacuum might not reach.
Its slim profile and infrared sensors enable it to reach behind and under furniture for an even more thorough clean than most robots. Its advanced navigation system allows it to be more efficient in cleaning the entire level of your home on a single charge than other devices we've tried. It's difficult to beat, even at its price.
Battery Life
A high-quality robot vacuum can make cleaning your floors feel less like a chore, and more like a luxury. Fastly removing dirt, crumbs, and shed pet hair can make a big difference in the cleanliness of your home on a daily basis. While a simple robot is able to handle the majority of cleaning tasks, those seeking an extra hands-free experience should consider one that doubles as mop.
Ecovacs' Deebot T10 OMNI offers excellent performance in both vacuuming and mopping modes. It can handle dirt, pet hair, and even cat litter. Its object avoidance function is impressive. It allows it to avoid objects and not get caught on them.
It comes with a huge dustbin and a battery that lasts for a long time, so it can cover a large amount of space in one session. It also functions as smart vacuum, which means it can create maps of your home and work with apps, like those offered by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant that let you control it using voice commands.
The app that comes with the robot lets you set up schedules, designate specific rooms for cleaning, or the ability to pause and resume sessions. It will even alert you to the moment its battery is low and then return to its docking station to recharge.
Another good thing about this robot is that it can distinguish between carpets and hard floors and adjust its settings accordingly. This helps keep the machine from getting caught up in one type of surface or accidentally tearing up your furniture. However, it isn't yet able to recognize high pile carpeting or the seams between rooms, so you'll still have to be careful when picking up large objects.
To keep robot vacuums in good condition they require regular maintenance. This includes cleaning brushes of hair, and emptying the dust bin (and sometimes washing it) after every cleaning session. Cameras and sensors should be cleaned after each use. The manufacturer will provide specific instructions for these steps as well as other procedures, which will vary depending on the model.
Cost
The top robot vacuums are not cheap, but they're far cheaper than a professional carpet cleaner or even a full-size stand-up vac. They require less maintenance than traditional vacuums as most only require that you empty and occasionally rinse their dust bins after every cleaning session.
Many robot vacuums have intelligent features which make them more efficient in your home. For example, mapping technology allows you to instruct the vacuum on where to go using an app, which means it doesn't get stuck in staircase or under furniture, where there may be the possibility of a mess. Other models can determine the floor type they are working on, so they can alter their suction or brush functions to get the most effective results.
Some models feature object avoidance. It makes use of sensors (or cameras) that can detect toys and other items lying on the floor. The robot is then instructed to stay clear of them, instead of running into them. This can be a huge help for families with children or pets who scatter toys all over the home.
Voice control is a different feature you might consider useful. It allows you to operate your robot using your voice instead of the buttons on the board. This can be beneficial for children who aren't quite old enough to use the controls, or if you simply want a hands-free solution.
How often you should use your robot will be contingent on how much dirt or debris has accumulated on your floor. The majority of experts recommend using a robotic vacuuming at least once per week to keep your floors looking great and to remove pet hair, dust and dirt from the surface before it gets trapped or become difficult to remove.
If you're working with limited floor surfaces and don't plan to make use of your robot for other tasks, a budget model, such as our top choice the Eufy 11S, is a suitable option. It's easy to use cost-effective, and can do the job without making any noise when you work or watching TV.