How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean
Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Based on the model, they can also sweep or mop stairs.
Look for models with smart features such as remote control of apps and remote access. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning sessions and keep track of progress. Certain apps even allow you to suspend and recharge, and then return to where they stopped.
1. Battery Life
With self-driving cars drones that can navigate the skies and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe say that the future of cleaning is now here. Like all technologies, some maintenance is required to keep it running smoothly.
The most important factor in the longevity of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Keeping the dust bin full and empty, checking for tangled hairs regularly and making sure that the brushes are not jammed will all aid in running your robot more effectively.
Another factor is the environmental conditions where your robot is kept, as extreme cold and heat can affect battery performance. You can help preserve the battery's life by ensuring it is charged to 50% before storage, storing in an area that is cool, and removing it from power sources when not in use. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates that can improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to see if there are any updates.
If you have a lot of hard floors, a robotic vacuum is a great option. It's able to swiftly and efficiently get rid of dirt and other debris and leave your floors sparkling clean. If you want more than just a quick clean-up, look for a model that has superior navigation and obstacle avoidance.
The Ecovacs T20 robot is our top rated robot. It is a combination of advanced navigation, powerful suction and a variety of mopping features to provide an extensive, thorough cleaning of your hard flooring. It makes use of LiDAR sensors and cameras to create precise maps of your home. This allows it to stay on the right track and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It also can detect objects such as clutter and shoes, and clean around them automatically. It's also self-emptying, which means you won't have to return the vacuum to its base station to empty its bin after each cleaning session.
2. Dust Bin
Robots are great for quick midweek cleaning, but they aren't able to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. Even the most powerful robotic vacuums can be prone to becoming entangled in cords and toys. They also can miss dirt piles near baseboards and struggle to get rid of the crumbs that have accumulated under furniture. Their dustbins onboard fill up quickly that they need to go back to their charging stations to empty themselves. This can take up to 30 minutes for some models.
As such, it's important to select a vacuum with a large dustbin that can be empty into its dock without returning to complete the job. It is also important to think about whether you'd prefer a bagged or bagless model, and if you do choose a bagless model what amount of dust will it hold before it has to be empty.
In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand on an area of carpet with a medium pile and employ a robot vacuum to sweep it across the carpet. Weighing the amount of sand in the vacuum's dust bin onboard allows us to determine the amount of dirt that has been accumulated. A large amount of dirt suggests that the bin onboard could be filled up faster and may force the robot to stop its cleaning process or even stop working altogether.
The good news is that many top robot vacuums come with a large dust bin that is easily empty and you can even schedule them to empty into their bases at least once a day or more. It's also a good idea to keep a bottle of compressed air handy to blow out hairs that have become entangled in the rotating brush and clean any filters as recommended by the manufacturer.
3. Wi-Fi Connectivity
The top robot vacuums have many options to connect to your home's WiFi. This allows the robot to update its software and provides you with the possibility of monitoring your robot through an app or voice commands. While not essential it is a useful feature and personalization features that enhance the overall experience of robot vacuuming.
To keep them functioning at their peak the majority of models require a certain amount of maintenance. For example, emptying the dustbin and cleaning the brushroll. Regularly cleaning, detaching and examining consumable parts will also extend their lifespan. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says that three to five years is the average lifespan of a robot vacuum. However, it can differ significantly based on the frequency you use it, and whether you take care of it properly.
To be able to function the robot vacuum, it needs to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems usually include cliff sensors that alert the robot to steep drops and optical and laser sensors that help it "see" the layout of a room. Some robots also come with mopping functions that are specifically designed for them that can be helpful to keep floors clean between deep cleanings with a stand-up vacuum.
The most effective 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means you don't need to switch between an automatic vacuum and an manual one. The iRobot Roomba 690 is a powerful, highly efficient vacuum cleaner that is able to clean its mop pad and wipe down surfaces using its water tank. Its high-quality mapping and obstacle-avoidance skills have earned it the CR's top robot vacuum award, as well as an AVTech Editors' Choice award.
4. Cleaning Patterns
The top robot vacuums we test have excellent pickup scores on hard floors and low pile carpets. They remove dirt, dust and pet hair. They also clean up particles and crumbs from the edges of rooms and along baseboards. But they can't get rid of deep down dirt or tangles in soft shag carpets as well as canister or upright vacuums. They also can't pick up spilled liquids and food, or screws made of heavy metal and they could be unable to reach certain areas of the home (including under furniture).
Many models come with smart features that make them more user-friendly. The majority of models have an app that lets you schedule cleaning sessions and also control the robot remotely. They can also integrate with your smart-home system which means you can control the robots with voice commands via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. autonomous vacuum have different modes that let you select between mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming. They can recharge their docks and continue cleaning the area they left.
The technology to avoid obstacles has improved over years, but it's still necessary to remove cords, toys, and pet mess before you run the robot. You should also cover any mirrors that are floor-to-ceiling with cardboard prior to tracing out the space for the first time, as the laser used by some models can bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump into a wall or floor.
Certain models that are top of the line use lidar to create 3D maps of your surroundings. This helps the robot recognize obstacles and plan the most efficient route to avoid them. Some allow you to define no-go zones, so the robot will not be able to enter certain areas like your pet's food bowls or a rug that is expensive.
5. App Control
Many robots allow you to set a schedule for cleaning and manage them without hands using an app, which means you can clean your home while you're working or away. Some robots also have the ability to self-empty into a larger container at their base which can reduce dust release and is a wonderful feature for people suffering from allergies.
Certain robots, like the more expensive Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can detect objects on the floor and use a camera to coach them to stay clear of obstacles such as furniture legs, power cords or pet toys. This amazing feature is also available on less expensive models. It is essential to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot and look for fur that is tangled as it accumulates.
A high-end model is also able to store multiple floor maps, which can be helpful if you live on more than one floor and some models can even create 3D models of your house. You can then pick specific rooms and set digital keep-out zones to ensure your robot stays focused on what you want it to focus on, instead of wandering around areas that you don't need to clean.
Robots are great for midweek clean-ups, but they can't substitute for a large-sized vacuum, particularly on carpets. They are better at picking up dirt from carpets than bare flooring, but they will miss piles near baseboards and thresholds as well as strangling cords and socks. To get the most value from your robot, choose a model with spots and zone cleaning options to target particular areas and prevent unnecessary cleaning. You can also find models that can charge and resume the same place they have left off. This is great for homes with large rooms.