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.

Look for models with smart features, such as remote access and app control. Apps can be used to plan cleaning sessions and track the progress. Some apps allow you to pause and recharge, then pick up where they left off.

1. Battery Life

With self-driving cars, drones that navigate the skies and robot vacuums that can maneuver around furniture, it’s safe to claim that the future of home cleaning is here. As with all technology there is a need for some maintenance to ensure it’s running smoothly.

The most crucial factor in the long-term performance of your robot is the cycle of discharge and charge. Make sure the dustbin is full and empty. Be sure to check for furs that have become tangled and prevent the brushes from getting jammed.

The conditions in which your robot is stored can also influence battery performance. auto vacuum and cold could affect battery performance. You can prolong the life of your robot’s battery by charging it to 50% and then storing it in a cool location. Also, remove it from the power source when it is not using it. Many smart devices also feature periodic firmware updates that help improve performance and optimize battery. Check the app to check if there are any updates.

For those with many hard floors, a robotic vacuum is a great option. It’s able to swiftly and efficiently take away dirt and other debris, leaving your floors sparkling clean. If you’re looking for more than a simple clean-up, you should look for a model that has superior navigation and obstacles 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 efficient, thorough clean of your flooring. It utilizes LiDAR sensors and cameras to create detailed maps of your home. This helps it stay on track and avoid getting caught on furniture legs or power cords. It can also detect objects like clutter and shoes to automatically clean around them. And it’s self-emptying, meaning you won’t have to return the vacuum to its base station to empty its bin every cleaning session.

2. Dust Bin

Robots are ideal for quick midweek cleaning, but lack the suction to replace a plug in vacuum cleaner for a thorough clean. In addition, even the most powerful robotic vacuums can become tangled with toys and cords and snooze on piles of dirt that are close to the baseboards, and have to contend with crumbs on furniture. And, their onboard dustbins fill up so quickly that they have to return to their charging docks in order to self-empty, which can take as long as half an hour for some models.

It is essential to select a robot vacuum with an ample dust bin that can be emptied into the dock without having to return to finish the task. You’ll want to decide whether you prefer bags or a model that is bagless. If you decide to go with the bagless version you’ll need to know the amount of dust it can hold before you have to empty it.

In our tests, we placed 100 grams of sand to carpet with a medium pile and used a robot vacuum cleaner to vacuum the sand off. We then weigh the amount of sand we find in the vacuum’s dust bin to determine how much dirt it has collected. A large amount suggests that the bin onboard may fill up faster and force the robot to stop cleaning.

The good news is that a lot of premium robot vacuums feature a large dustbin that can easily be emptied and you can set up them to empty into their bases at least once per day or more. Keep a container filled with compressed air on hand to blow away any hairs that are tangled up in the rotating brush, and to clean the filters in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Wi-Fi Connectivity

The top robot vacuums offer a variety options for connecting to your home’s WiFi network. This lets the robot update its software and provides you with the option of monitoring your robot through an app or using voice commands. This feature is not essential however it provides convenience and customization options that can improve the overall robot vacuuming experience.

Most models require some level of routine maintenance, like emptying the dust bin and cleaning the brush roll, to keep them functioning at their peak performance. Regularly cleaning, detaching and checking consumable components will also increase the life of their components. Vacuum expert Emily Rairdin at University Vacuum & Sewing says three to five years is the average lifespan of a robot vacuum, though this can differ greatly based on how often you use it and whether you take care to maintain it properly.

A robot vacuum has to be able navigate obstacles and map your floor in order to work. Advanced navigation systems typically have cliff sensors that alert the robot to steep slopes as well as laser and optical sensors that allow it to “see” the layout of a room. Some robots come with mopping functions that can be used to maintain floors between deep cleanings by using vacuums.

The most efficient 2-in-1 robots mop and vacuum making it possible to avoid the hassle of having to switch between a robot and a manual vacuum. One of the best examples is the iRobot Roomba 690, which is a powerful and efficient robot vacuum that is able to clean surfaces with its water tank and wash its mop pad in a way that is automatic. Its obstacle avoidance and mapping capabilities were so impressive that it was awarded the CR’s Best Robot Vacuum Award, along with an AVTech Editors’ Choice Award.

4. Cleaning Patterns

The top robot vacuums in our tests have outstanding performance on carpets with low pile and hard floors, removing dirt, dust and pet hair. They also remove debris and crumbs from the baseboards and along the edges of rooms. However, they are unable to get rid of deep down dirt or tangles that are a part of plush shag carpet fibers and also canister or upright vacuums. They aren’t able to pick up spilled liquids and food items, or use the weight of metal screws. They can also leave out certain areas (including under furniture).

Many models have smart features which make them more user-friendly. They typically come with an app, allowing you to schedule cleaning sessions and manage the robot remotely. They can be connected to your smart home system so that you can use voice commands through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Some models have different modes that allow you to select between mopping and sweeping or vacuuming. They can return to their docks to recharge and pick up where they left off.

The technology for avoiding obstacles has advanced over the years, but it is still necessary to remove cords, toys and any pet debris prior to running the robot. It is also recommended to cover any mirrors from floor to ceiling with cardboard before tracing the room for the first time, as the laser employed by certain models could bounce off reflective surfaces, causing the robot to crash into a wall or floor.

Some premium models use lidar to create 3D maps of your surroundings. This allows the robot to remember obstacles and plan the most efficient path around them. Some robots let you create no-go zones so that the robot will avoid certain areas, for example, your pet’s food bowls or an expensive rug.

5. App Control

Many robots let you set a schedule for cleaning and manage their movements hands-free with an app, meaning you can clean your home when you’re at work or away. Some robots will also empty their trash into a large bin at the base. This helps reduce dust release and is an excellent feature for people suffering from allergies.

Some robots, such as the pricier Roborock S8 Pro Ultra, can detect objects on the floor and use a camera to coach them to avoid obstacles like power cords, furniture legs or pet toys. This amazing feature is available on even less expensive models. It’s essential to regularly empty the dustbin of your robot, and that you check for tangled fur as it accumulates.

A top-quality model can also store multiple floor maps, which can be useful if you live on more than one floor, and some can create 3D models of your house. You can select specific rooms, and set digital “keep-out” zones to ensure your robot only cleans the areas you’d like.

Robots are good for midweek cleaning, but they cannot replace a plug-in vacuum cleaner, especially when it concerns rugs. They are more adept at removing dirt from carpets than bare flooring, but they can not pick up piles close to baseboards and thresholds as well as tangled cords and socks. Find a robot that has zones and spot cleaning modes. This will allow you to concentrate on specific areas without wasting time. 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.