How to Choose the Best Robot Cleaner for Your Home
You'll have to do some work to maintain your robot's house. That means clearing out clutter, tidying up loose cords and knotted rugs.
Find a model that has self-emptying bins. This makes it easier to clean up spills and messes. You might also consider a 2-in-1 that vacuums and mop.
Features
You can pick a robot vacuum cleaner with smart features that are suited to your house's requirements. Certain models are designed to draw a map of your home and make floor plans, whereas others have built-in cameras that provide live footage of your space. These cameras can be used to detect obstacles and assist in solving problems. Certain robots come with an option to program cleaning sessions or change the frequency.
Choose a model with self-emptying dustbins in case you'd like it to to mop and vacuum. The Ecovacs Deebot T30S Pro is among the best options we've tested because it offers both features at an affordable price. It features a suction opening similar to upright vacuums. This helps it remove debris more effectively than other robots. It has side brushes with 3 bristles, which help to push hair and dirt into the path of the robot. This model is among the top in its class for many reasons, including its effective navigation, mopping capability and its low cost.
The best-performing robovacs have large dust bins that can go months without needing to be emptied. The Narwal Freo X Ultra is an excellent example of a high-end robot with a self-emptying dustbin and smart features for a hands-free experience. It comes with a small mopping mat that can remove dirt that has been stuck to the floor. It can also glide over mats and rug that are too lightweight for other robots. Its sensors help locate dirtier areas and it can mop and vacuum at the same time which makes it ideal to keep your home tidy.
Eufy Clean X10, with its easy-to-use app, is another great choice. The options for customization are simple and quick to install. The lidar-powered mapping it uses is fast and accurate and allows you to easily divide rooms to ensure a thorough cleaning. It also has an excellent anti-object system that can eat Cheerios and even avoid fake dog poop. However, it experienced difficulties with stairs. The square front design, however, helped it get into corners more effectively than the majority of other robots we've tested. It's also capable to edge-hugging which allows it to sweep across baseboards effortlessly.
Cleaning performance
Robots aren't as effective as vacuums at cleaning deep into carpets and cleaning up dirt that's been put in. However, they are able to pick up fine particles such as dust and baking soda and heavier debris such as screws made of metal and pet fur. They also clean up spills and crumbs. Making sure you are keeping up with routine maintenance, such as emptying the dust bin cleaning or replacing the filter and cleaning sensors and cameras, will help you get the longest life possible from your robot.
The best robots are excellent at removing fine particles from hard floors and low pile carpets. They're also good at picking up orzo, sand, and wood shavings. They can even take cat litter and metal screws, though they tend to struggle with heavier items like baked flour or coffee grounds. They're less impressive when climbing stairs, and they do not always grab everything that is in the corners.
Some models are also fantastic in mopping. The iRoborock Roomba 900 is one of them, and it does a great job getting rid of coffee spills and other liquids as well as dry or sticky food messes from hardwood. Its smart zone and spot cleaning modes let you set up a specific area that the robot will focus on, so it won't take too long to vacuum areas that are already clean. The Dreame X40 is another bot which does a great job of mopping, and has a distinct advantage over the Roborock that is the ability to first vacuum and then mop is a great way of cleaning up spills on high-pile rug.
Another top mopping machine is the Dyson V8 Absolute. It's more expensive than Roomba however it has superior suction. It's also able to handle a greater variety of flooring types and textures. It also returns to the charging station once it's out of water to continue cleaning the area where it started. Its app comes with a myriad of features, such as the ability to schedule recurring cleaning sessions. It's also quiet, which makes it a great choice for homes that have children or pets.
Cost
The best robot cleaners work well at a reasonable price and many come with smart features that can help you save money over the long term. You'll need to think about the price of mop and vacuum to get the most value for your buck. Certain models have features you may not use but find useful. For instance the self-emptying trash container or a navigation system that's efficient.
The most cost-effective option is to invest in an item that can perform both mops as well as vacuums. It is important to remember that robot vacuums are only as effective as the dirt it picks up It's not advised to abandon regular manual vacuuming in favour of using a robot cleaner.
It is possible to pay around $500 for a machine that does both vacuuming and mopping, like the iRobot Combo j9+. This robot scored excellent marks in the tests of CR and can clean bare floors as well as carpets. It also has a user-friendly app that allows you to view its cleaning route and define no-go zones. Jaclyn discovered that the mopping process could be improved as it relies on light pressure and a dragging movement rather than scratching.
If you're on the budget, you can get a good deal on a robot vacuum that is highly rated and can only do one thing, such as the Eufy 11S. Its slim, quiet design excelled in cleaning floors made of hardwood, tiles, and low pile carpets. It also proved very efficient in removing pet hair and litter.
Some budget-friendly robotics have rudimentary bump navigation, but it doesn't create a map of coverage, and is more likely to be caught on furniture or miss certain spots. These robots can still clean your floors but they are not as efficient or are able to navigate around obstacles that are common to household use.
Another alternative is the budget-friendly Shark IQ XL, which received high marks for its cleaning efficiency and price-to-value ratio. It's not as sophisticated as the Combo J9+, but it is a breeze to use and is effective on carpets and bare floors. It is also relatively light and can be pushed underneath furniture without getting stuck.
Maintenance
A robot vacuum cleaner can be a great option to keep your home in order, especially when it is used by children or pets. However, it requires some attention to ensure it is in top shape. Keeping up with regular cleaning tasks like emptying the trash bin washing or changing the filter and wiping down cameras and sensors can prolong the lifespan of your robot.
Vacuums require more frequent maintenance than mopping robots, but you can prolong the life of your vacuum by following the manufacturer's guidelines for emptying and cleaning the brush roll, dust bin and filter. You should also wipe down the robot's sensor and charging contacts with a damp cloth in order to prevent them from getting clogged by dirt.
This model is a great choice if you're looking for a durable, smart robot that's easy to use. Its slim and sleek design lets it be placed under couches that are low and ottomans, allowing it to access dirt that's not visible. The app makes it simple to select rooms and schedule the cleaning schedule, as well as set no-go zones and alter cleaning intensity.
Although it's a little more expensive than the other models on this list, this model has many features that will make up for the price tag. Its mapping speed is quick and it can save four maps of your home in 3D or 2D. It's also one of the quieter robots we tested and its battery lasts about three hours on a single charge.
The Romba 11s is a versatile vacuum cleaner that performs well along walls. It was able to clean up to 1.3 inches from the wall in our tests, which is far more than any other bot we tried. It has many useful smart features, like spot-cleaning features and an auto-boost mode. It uses random navigation so that it doesn't scrub the same spots over and over.
The only drawback to this robot is that it doesn't have the ability to detect bare floors and can be confused by thick carpets or rugs. It's an excellent choice if you have a small home or apartment with narrow hallways and lots of furniture.