How to Keep a Robot Vacuum Clean

Robot vacuums can help keep your floors clean. Depending on the model, they can also sweep or mop stairs.

Find models with smart features, such as remote access and app control. Apps can be used to schedule cleaning sessions and keep track of the progress. Certain apps even allow you to pause and recharge, then resume where they left off.

1. Battery Life

With cars that drive themselves, drones that navigate the skies, and robot vacuums that swiftly move around furniture, it's safe to claim that the future of home cleaning is here. As with all technology, some maintenance is required to keep it running smoothly.

The battery's charge-discharge cycles are the most important aspect for the longevity of your robot. Keep the dustbin filled and empty. Be sure to check for furs that have become tangled and stop the brushes from getting jammed.

Another aspect is the climate in which your robot is stored, because extreme heat and cold can affect the battery's performance. You can help preserve the battery's life by ensuring it's fully charged prior to storage, storing in an area that is cool, and disconnecting it from sources of power when not in use. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates which can optimize performance and battery optimization. Check the app to see if there are any updates.

A robot vacuum is a great alternative for those with many hard floors. It can quickly and effectively remove loose dirt and debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. But if you're looking for more than just a quick clean-up, you'll want look for a model with superior navigation and obstacles-avoiding capabilities.

Our top-rated robot is the Ecovacs Deebot T20, blends advanced navigation, a powerful suction and a wide range of mopping functions to provide an extensive, thorough clean of your floors. It uses cameras and LiDAR sensors to create detailed maps of your home, which allows it to stay on the right track and avoid getting stuck on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect objects like shoes and clutter to automatically clean around them. It also self-empties, meaning you won't have to return the vacuum back to its base station to empty its bin after each cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are great for quick midweek cleaning, but lack the suction to replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. Even the top robot vacuums are susceptible to becoming entangled in cords and toys. They also tend to ignore dirt piles in the vicinity of baseboards and struggle to get rid of the crumbs that have accumulated under furniture. And, their onboard dustbins fill up so quickly that they must return to their charging docks in order to self-empty, which can take up to an hour for some models.

Therefore, it's crucial to choose a vacuum that has a big dustbin that can be empty into its dock without returning to finish the task. You'll want to decide whether you prefer bagged models or a model that is bagless. If you opt for the bagless model you'll need to determine how much dust it will hold before you can empty it.

In our tests, we apply 100 grams of sand to the carpet in a medium pile and employ a robot vacuum to vacuum it over the surface. We then weigh the amount of sand that we find in the vacuum's onboard dust bin to determine the amount dirt it has accumulated. A large amount suggests that the bin could be filled faster and force the robot to stop cleaning.

It's good to know that most robot vacuums have large dust bins that can be easily emptied. It is also possible to schedule the cleaning of their bases at least one or two times per day. Keep a container filled of compressed air nearby to blow away hairs that have gotten caught up in the rotating brush, and to clean any filters in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The top robot vacuums come with many options to connect to your home's WiFi network. This lets the robot download and install updates to its software, as well as allows you to monitor your robot via an app or via voice-activated commands. This feature isn't essential, but it offers the convenience of customization and can improve the overall robot vacuuming experience.

To ensure they're running at their best rated robot vacuum, most models require a certain amount of maintenance. For example emptying the dustbin or cleaning the brushroll. A regular schedule of cleaning, detaching and examining consumable parts will also extend the life of their components. Emily Rairdin, a vacuum expert at University Vacuum & Sewing, says that a robot's life is typically between three and five years. However, this can differ based on how often you use it and whether you take care of it.

To be able to function, a robot vacuum needs to be able to map out your floors and navigate around obstacles. Advanced navigation systems typically have sensors that detect cliffs and alert the robot to steep slopes as well as optical and laser sensors that help it "see" a room's layout. Certain robots also have mopping capabilities that are specialized, which can be useful for maintaining floors in between deep cleanings with a stand-up vacuum.

The best 2-in-1 vacuums also mop. This means that you won't need to switch between a robot vacuum and an manual one. One of the best examples is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that is able to wipe down surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad automatically. Its obstacle avoidance and mapping abilities were so effective that it was awarded the CR's Best robot vacuum cleaners best Vacuum Award, and also an AVTech Editors' Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The best automatic vacuum cleaner robot vacuums in our tests have excellent pickup scores for carpets with a low pile and hard floors and remove dust, dirt, and pet hair. They also take out particles and crumbs along the baseboards and at the edges of rooms. However, they are unable to eliminate deep down dirt or tangles of the carpet's shag carpet as well as canister or upright vacuums. They also aren't able to remove spilled liquids and food, or heavy metal screws and may also miss a few areas of the home (including under furniture).

Many models are equipped with intelligent features that make them more user-friendly. They usually come with an app, which allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and manage the robot remotely. They can also be integrated with your smart-home system, which means you can control them via voice commands using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have different modes that let you choose between mopping, sweeping and vacuuming. They can also recharge at their docks and continue cleaning where they left.

The technology for avoiding obstacles has advanced over the years, but it is still necessary to remove cords, toys and pet mess before you run the robot. Before mapping out the room, you'll need to cover all floor-to-ceiling mirrors with cardboard. The laser used by certain models could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to bump against walls or floors.

The most expensive models come with advanced mapping capabilities, with some using lidar to create a 3D map of your space. This allows the Robot Vacuum Best to remember obstacles and determine the most efficient route to avoid them. Some also allow you to create no-go zones so that the robot vacuum that vacuums and mops is able to avoid certain areas like your pet's food bowls, or an expensive rug.

5. App Control

Many robots let you set a timer to clean and operate them hands-free using an app, so you can clean your home while you're working or away. Certain robots are also able to self-empty into a larger bin at the base of their machine, which reduces dust re-release and is an excellent feature for allergy sufferers.

Certain robots can detect objects on the ground and employ a camera as a guide to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture leg or pet toys. This is an impressive feature, and it's even available in cheaper models. However, it's essential to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot and look for tangled hairs as they accumulate.

Some models also have the ability to create 3D representations. This is useful when you have multiple floors. You can pick certain rooms, and set up digital "keep-out" zones to ensure your robot only is cleaning the areas you want.

Robots are great for routine midweek cleanups however they aren't able to substitute for a large-sized vacuum, particularly for carpets. They are better at picking up dirt from carpet than bare flooring, but they can not pick up piles close to baseboards and thresholds, as well as knotted cords and socks. To get the most value from your robot, choose models that have spots and zone cleaning modes to target specific areas and avoid wasteful cleaning. There are also models that charge and then resume where they stopped. This is great for homes with large rooms.