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What to Look For in a Good Robot Vacuum A robot vacuum will help keep you on top of pet hair and lint on daily basis. Many of them use apps to let you schedule cleaning sessions and define virtual boundaries or 'walls' to keep them from areas that you don't want to be cleaned. This smart vac-mop creates an outline of your home using its first run. It then stores the area for future cleaning jobs. It comes with a huge dust bin that automatically emptys and self-cleaning brush roll. Object Detection When you are choosing a robotic vacuum cleaner, select one that can pick-up large items like lamps and toys and dust particles of fine size. This will ensure they don't become entangled in the roller brush and aren't left behind on your floors. This feature is especially crucial if the robot will be cleaned frequently by pets or children. It's also a good idea to choose a model with a powerful motor and plenty of suction power. This will allow it to be more efficient in getting rid of dust, pet hair and lint off carpets and hardwood flooring. Another factor to consider is the size of your home. If you have a huge house, you may want to opt for models with multiple cleaning zones that can cover the entire home in a single session. Some models have mopping features that can be utilized to keep floors fresh and clean. Robot vacuums are durable but they need to be maintained and cleaned regularly. Cleaning robot mop rotating brushes regularly and emptying your dust bin, and wiping the sensors will keep your robot working efficiently for many years. Many robot vacuum owners we speak to have been using their machines for 10 years or more (and have replaced brushes, motors, and batteries with time). A basic robot is less expensive than a full size vacuum cleaner. They'll still do an excellent job of cleaning dirt from surfaces as well as pet fur and lint. They're an excellent maintenance tool that you can send out every week to keep your floor clean. They don't have as much technology and are more prone to get stuck or require manual intervention. Object Avoidance The most effective robot vacuums utilize cameras, sensors or lasers to help you navigate your home and prevent getting stuck or falling on the stairs. Some models can return to their dock or base when the battery is low. They can also stay clear of obstacles such as furniture cords and legs. Some of the more expensive models have mapping capabilities that allow them to learn your home's layout and spend less time bouncing against walls. If you don't want to spend the money on the most sophisticated robotic vacuums, you could locate a model that does an excellent job of removing pet hair, dirt, dust and crumbs from hard floors like tile and wood as well as low-pile carpets. They can also do a good job of handling larger objects such as metal screws and staples that are rusty or even the remains of toys. Some models even have an auto-emptying base, which is useful for those who don't want to empty the trash bin after every cleaning run. Many robotic vacuums also come with smart features that make your standard stick vacuum seem prehistoric such as zones, schedules, and the capability to control them using an app or a voice assistant like Alexa. You can also set up 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 top pick, Roborock S8, come equipped with obstacle avoidance technology to stop them from falling over cords or furniture. Others, such as the iRobot Roomba j7+, have more sophisticated AI obstacle avoidance, which uses sensors powered by processors to identify and avoid items like lamp cords, shoes, socks, and pet waste. It's a bit more expensive than other bots I've tried, however, it did a great job of avoiding obstacles around my home and rarely got derailed or trapped when I was working on my floors. While the iRobot j7+ was a great obstacle avoidance tool, it didn't always do an excellent job of removing dirt and crumbs off my rugs. It also was prone to over-vacuum certain areas, resulting in a lot of dust in the filters and an unclean home. Smart Mapping Some of the top robot vacuums come with an app that allows you to alter cleaning modes, create schedules, and view a map of the area covered by the machine. This is an excellent feature, and one that some competitors lack altogether. This makes it easy to create profiles that will automatically start your robot at specific times and keep it running on an ongoing basis, such as cleaning the living area prior to dinner or on a regular basis. A good app will also let you control your robot with voice commands. Certain models are compatible with Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant, which allows you to control your robot with voice commands. Look for models with a large dust bin. This will allow you to perform many cleaning sessions without needing empty it. There are models that self-empty, eliminating the requirement to empty the robot after every time you vacuum. If you're looking for a machine that is more than simply vacuum, you'll need to consider one that can mop floors. These are typically larger than the robotic vacuums, and include a water tank inside that can hold multiple cleaning sessions worth of dirt and other debris prior to needing to be cleaned. Robots that are more sophisticated can create their own maps and keep track of the layout of your home 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 vacuums, since it won't be spending time going back to the beginning of the room whenever it comes into contact with walls or furniture. Our test participants found that the robots with this feature were very efficient. They could watch TV or complete other things while the robot cleaned. Some models employ laser navigation and can create an exact map of your entire home, meaning you can program them to clean just the bedroom after dinner, or every room in your home while you're working. App Control If you're looking to change how often the robot cleans your house and select the cleaning mode you should choose one that has an app for mobile devices. You can also check the state of the vacuum and the condition of its dust bin in the app. Some of the top robot vacuums can even be controlled by voice with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri Shortcuts. It is simple to maintain a robot equipped with an washable filter and self-emptying container, especially when the filter can be easily removed and rinsed. Another excellent feature is a high-powered brush that is able to reach into corners and along baseboards, making it easier to clean up hair and dirt. Some robots are more adept in avoiding chair legs than others. Others have an automatic cleaning system that cleans brushes to avoid obstruction. Some robot vacuums come with navigation tools to help them navigate around obstacles and help you understand your home. The top models come with sensors and cameras that can detect obstacles like furniture, stairs and cords, whereas cheaper models often use boundary strips you place on the floor to mark areas you don't want to leave. Avoidance of objects is crucial for families with young children who have socks and toys scattered across the house, as it assists your robot in capturing these objects instead of scattering them. We're beginning to see more robots equipped with mops which are useful for those who have hard floors and need to regularly clean them. They come with water tanks built into the chassis or a separate piece you can put in when it's time to mop. They may need to be refilled frequently however, they are perfect for homes that have hard floors that can't be cleaned easily with a vacuum. We've seen some impressive technology in these small robots and they're less expensive than you might expect. In fact, you can find a good one for under $200 that does a good job of getting rid of pet hair and crumbs off hard floors, and also traversing the edges of lightweight carpets or area rugs. You can program the robot to clean the room every day, and it can be controlled remotely via the app or by pressing buttons on its side.